Sunday, December 03, 2006
17・27
I met 龍應台 today.Yes, in person.
Even now, a few hours after coming home from my conversation with her (and a few other country fellows of mine), I'm still pretty shaken by the meeting and many of the points exchanged across the table.
In a good way, an extremely positive and uplifting way.
At the age of 17, I met 張戎・Jung Chang, the author of Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China・鴻﹣三代中國女人的故事. She used to be and still is one of my MAJOR role models in life, and meeting her at the age of 17 and having her write, "梅儀，願你不斷朝你的夢想前進 ..." (note: a major paraphrase; something along that line) on the inner cover of my book constituted one of the pinnacles of my life.
Tonight was another.
At 17 and at 27, I met two female role models whom I respect deeply and have long been aspired to become. 10 years have passed and I wonder how much closer I really am from my dream, my goal, my aspiration.
「27 歲的我，人生是否該有些改變？」
Yes, yet no.
Yes, 因為我要更加努力。這世界有太多急需關注的議題，有太多需要幫助的弱勢團體，有太多從未體驗過自由或每天一睜開眼就要不斷為根本生活需求（food, clean water, children's education, basic health care) 掙扎的人。我沒有偷懶或放棄或與現實妥協的權利，特別是當我不知道我的人生何時就會突然停止。
No，因為我不能因現實的種種壓力、聲音、或自我（或周遭人的）懷疑而改變甚或是放棄我的夢想。
「築夢踏實」。I can no longer remember when was the first time I heard this term or the origin of this term. But it does highlight the great contention between the two - 夢想與踏實之間的距離。
或者，應該說是兩者間不可分割的關係？
Trying to realize the dream through concrete, little steps, baby steps, and forwarding steps each day. Each day.
Even if it's only an inch forward.
梅ちゃん at 4:47:00 PM