Miss Tsang on Miss Tsang

Nana on Nana是我貼在家中書桌前的一篇詩。

我曾經以為，自己可以學效這個敬業樂業的希臘歌手，把她詩中的Singer和Singing改為Teacher和Teaching。

但有時當我失去語言的能力、說話的動力，面對聰明可愛的學生們，不禁會想起：「不能為教育，讓給有心人。」

這種「不配」的感覺，到底是從何而來的呢？

幸好，辦工室桌子的玻璃下，還有〈麥克阿瑟將軍為兒子祈禱的禱文〉：

主啊！求你使我的兒子堅強到一個地步，能知道自己的軟弱；
勇敢到一個地步，在恐懼中能面對自己，使他成為一個敗不餒、勝不驕的人。
求你使我的兒子不作一個只有幻想而無行動的人，使他認識你；
同時也知道認識自己是知識的基石。
我懇求你，不要讓他走上安舒的路，乃要接受重壓、苦難與挑戰。
讓他學習在風暴中站起來，讓他學習對失敗的人有切身的憐恤。
求你使我的兒子心胸廣闊，目標遠大；
使他在指揮別人之前先會駕馭自己；
使他成為一個遠瞻未來，但不忘過去的人。
如果他能做到這一切，主啊！
我還要求你，賜他幽默感，使他不致過份嚴肅；
賜他謙卑的心，使他時刻緊記偉大，不一定是轟烈，智慧必須加點開明，勇力必須帶有謙和。
如此，為父的我，才敢輕聲地說：「我沒有虛渡此生。」

念著這篇禱文，雖然笨口結舌依舊，但我的動力又回來了。

最後，我仍十分同意Nana的是：
After thirty-five years of singing around the world,
Today I can say that there is a lot of love in this life.

Nana on Nana (by Nana Mouskouri)

A singer is what I am, all I ever wanted to be and hope to always be.
Singing
has always been my dreams,
my hope for tomorrow,
my joy and sorrow;
It is my strength and weakness,
my energy,
my truth and illusion;
It has been,
it is and always will be my destiny.

for those asking,
what else I’d have liked to be if I were not.
I’ll always answer:
“a singer,
proud to be one”.
A singer and a Greek,
Fortune enough to also experience and be enriched
by many other fascination cultures.
A singer who planted her musical roots in many countries,
always trying to listen,
to learn, to express her feelings;
to adapt to the demand of life without selling out,
trying to communicate, to understand.
A singer searching for truth,
Respecting others and their Liberty.
Searching for meaning, identity, a friend to lean on, to love and be loved.
Her only aim, to sing;
her only instrument, her voice;
her only need, to breathe.

What we become in life is not predestined.
It is what we choose to be;
the choice takes us through many toils, dangers, joys, and laughter on the way to destiny.
We have to face so many difficulties,
contradictions and uncertainties
that we can only go ahead guided by our truth and belief.

After thirty-five years of singing around the world,
Today I can say that there is a lot of love in this life.
One should care for it,
offer it without restrictions and make it grow.
Recognize it and respect it.
Love may be wounded,
but never fatally,
as long as there is hope.
Tomorrow always hold its promise for the believers of love.

Nana Mouskouri
http://www.modempool.com/yhuff/nana.htm