Pondering Mothers' Day - 母親節的沉思

I celebrated Mothers' Day today, with my new Taiwan family in Taichung County. 我今天在台中縣和我新的台灣家人一起慶祝母親節.

It was a wonderful day, with many generations of mothers and family gathering together, including those of the "great-grand" generation (great grandparents, uncles and aunts) all the way down to their great grandchildren.這是非常美好的一天,不同年齡層的母親們和家人都聚在一起,從曾祖父母一直到曾孫,所有的世代都到齊了.

Being together for this special day caused me to think of the obvious -- the miracle of birth and the great sacrifice that mothers make -- and to ponder the subtle. 在這特別的一天身為其中的一員,讓我可以清晰地了解 -- 生命的奇蹟和母親的偉大犧牲 -- 並且沉思於其中的奧妙.

I watched the grandmother (soon-to-be-great grandmother) as the festivities carried on around her, and I wondered if she missed her husband who had passed away some years ago. Did she miss him especially at this time? Does she long to feel his adoration and thanks for raising his children, on this special day? Does it ache in her heart that he can not be here with her now?我看著大家圍繞著祖母身邊歡慶(很快地祖母就會成為曾祖母了),我想著...不知道她是否思念著她已過世的丈夫.她會特別在這日子中懷念他嗎?她仍感受到他的愛慕之情及感謝養育子 女之意嗎?她心中是否會感傷他無法與她共度這別具意義的日子呢?

And I thought about the mothers in the world who have lost their children, and I wondered how they were feeling tonight... are they suffering greatly, or do they sense the spirit of their departed children with them?... or do they simply feel an emptiness which can never be filled?我也想到那些失去子女的母親們,不知道她們今晚會有甚麼感受.....她們仍深陷痛苦中,或是她們可以感受到子女的靈魂仍未離開?.....或是她們無止盡地感受無法被填滿的心靈空洞?

I watched as children played, and the elderly sat watching, and I pondered life and how some elderly mothers in this room are nearing the end of their time in the world, while little girls are just beginning and will one day become mothers... and later, they too will become the elderly and watch as children play around them.我看著老人家們坐在一旁看著小孩子玩耍,我思考人生之意義,老媽媽們是如何經過人生的歷練即將面臨尾聲,小女孩正要開始長大,有一天也會成為母親,並像老媽媽們有子孫環繞著....

As I watch and wonder at the mystery and miracle of life, I simply hope that happiness and fulfillment will overwhelm the loss and suffering in us all, and instill in us a sense of bliss for being born into the world. 當我看著想著生命的奧妙神奇之處時,我單純的希望,喜悅與滿足能在受苦失落的大眾內心深處滋長,讓我們在這世界的存在有所感恩.

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