tuesdays with Morrie

凌晨 05:43 的香港, 天空仍是漆黑ー片, 窗外很冷, 隠約聽見冷空氣在人煙飄渺的街道中迴蕩, 偶爾路經的車聲把我喚醒. 心中一直想着近期發生的人和事..., 還有...這本書,

相隔12年, 重看 tuesdays with Morrie, 是人長大了?! 經歷多了?! 又或是真的對死亡看得更通透了?!

作者Mitch與教授Morrie重遇, 展開一連14個星期二的人生課程: 他們談及 (We talk about...)
lesson 1:  the World
lesson 2: feeling sorry for yourself
lesson 3: regrets
lesson 4: death
lesson 5: family
lesson 6: emotions

lesson 7: the fear of aging
lesson 8: money
lesson 9: how love goes on
lesson 10: marriage
lesson 11: our culture
lesson 12: forgiveness
lesson 13: the perfect
lesson 14:to say goodbye  
(抱歉沒有把這14課譯中文, 因為我想, 從原文的字裡更傳神.)

面對不治之症和必死的事實, 教授可以處之泰然, 甚至能藉着僅餘的時間, 再次燃點他人的生命; 我想, 這並不是"臨別贈言" "正能量理論" 云云. 如果Morrie不是活著, 經歷, 學習, 感受, 實踐於他的歳月裏, 以上的一切只會是空談, 卻不能感動人心, 令我們再次反思生命.

重看這本書, 感受良多. 經過摯愛及親友離世的人, 要把握的不是"14個星期二", 而是毎一天, 毎一刻. 能接受自己機能上的衰敗, 用智慧去活到最後的一秒, 是送給自己一生最大的禮物.

He patted my hand weakly, keeping it on his chest. 
"This ...is how we say...good-bye..." 
(The Fourteenth Tuesday)

****Thank you, Morrie - A Teacher to the Last. ****

                                                                                 

To Kill A Mocking Bird

To Kill A Mocking Bird

"Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." (from Chapter 10)
Each time when I've hanging around in a book store, I will come across this little book, and every time I have to leave it behind cos' my quota only allows me to grab others; but this year, I've decided to get it.

To those who study Literature is for sure, will be familiar with it, right? But not me, I don't have the idea of what it's related to and why it is a famous American Classic! That's why I want to read it and find out the answer myself.

The first few chapters makes me feel that I am entering 3 kid's world (Scout/ Dill/ Jem)  in a small town call Maycomb. They live with their lawyer father Atticus, who looks a bit emotionless ; and a black maid Calpurnia.

School life, teacher, classmate, neighborhood...every thing happens day by day as usual together with a routine adventure of tracing the mysterious Boo Radley; not until these kid facing the real life of mercy, humanity, death, races, unfair, righteousness......they are actually grown up under Atticus's role model and love.

They are kids, helping us to view in the angle of purity which we had once before. We may not intend to but kill a mockingbird while achieving our goal somehow. In this book, you will discover those "mockingbird", they are really touching and inspiring; hopefully we can all find those in our real life and treasure them with our greatest effort. 

P.S.: highly recommend to read it :)

The Fox and The Star - by Coralie Bickford Smith

How pretty this book cover is !!! - the first impression when I found it in a book shop yesterday. It was wrapped up by a plastic bag, so I really don't know what's inside?! But the fabric cover, the drawing, the title...all attracted me so much that I really want it, so I grabbed it without second thought.

I will say it just like starting an adventure whenever you bought a new book, imagine how it will lead you to another mysterious virtual world.

Aroma and touch of paper immediately bring me to the starry night of a forest. The orange red stitches inside is the color of this little fox, unfortunately I can't unveil all the amazing drawings of this book due to the copy right issue, trust me, they are so beautiful.

You can only find 3 colors here except the neutral white, black and grey, but it's more than enough to present the whole world of Mr. Fox.

The story is a simple one, but with open ending for you to explore much more than you can imagine.

If you see this by chance, bring it back to your bed side, it's worth and you will absolutely love it !

向左走。向右走 vs You've Got Mail

最近番看了由 Tom Hanks 及 Meg Ryan 於很多年前主演的 
You've Got Mail 。 

電影開場時是描寫兩人各自由家中預備，步出家門，買咖啡，再朝着目的地，預備開始一天工作的情景；由於用了左右分鏡去表達二人同步的畫面，令我即時想起幾米的"向左走，向右走"。 

如果你有看過他的插畫作品"月亮忘記了"，也必定不會錯過這個故事, 是同樣出色的繪本。故事道出一對居住在隔鄰的單身男女，由於每天早上，一個必定朝左邊出發，另一個則朝右邊, 因此總是碰不見而沒法互相認識......直至一天，基於地球是圓的道理，他們終於遇見。美麗的偶遇，期待着下一個約定，卻因為雨水洗掉了手上由對方留下的電話號碼而落空......

同是都市愛情故事，幾米藉著簡單優美的畫作，純樸地演繹。而 You've Got Mail 則利用網絡空間的相遇，使原本在事業上對頭而且屬於兩個世界的人連結在一起的這個意念，藉着電影浪漫地上演。

兩個故事最終大圑圓, 安慰了不少在煩囂鬧市中寂寞的心靈. 雖然兩者的演繹方法各不同，但看後卻得着相同的訊息和觀感。我想......
這就是視覺媒體的共同語言和威力。

如果把這兩個標題套用在朋友關係之上, 將會變成一套怎樣的電影和一本如何的繒本呢?

斷。捨。離

終於找到這本書: 
山下英子的 斷。捨。離。

還記得開始教＂自在人生自學計劃-美化家居"課程的第一課， 當説到學員們在任何＂美化＂的大前提下必需先執拾， 捨棄沒有用，不合用或很久沒有用的物品； 才能騰出空間去美化家居。 課室內即時起哄， 大家嚷著這是一個天大難題， 要做到甚至單是想起也是＂比死更難受!!! "

當時這本書仍未面世（但原來山下英子一早已在日本開設講座談及這個問題）。 由於我本身有＂執嘢癮＂，所以對我來說不難享受到執拾、捨棄之後，那種在空間及心靈上帶來的輕鬆感覺。 不過當＂斷＂及＂捨＂在年復年的運作中， 慢慢便會步入難捨難離這個層面了， 也正好是今年我所面對的。

書內所談到似乎是很簡單，可以按步就班去實踐的方法； 其實當中更包含着一些令我們對事物執著而不願離棄的解讀…我想， 這就是本書可貴之處：心靈的釋放。

那天晚上， 一口氣看完， 立刻有當頭棒喝的感覺， 腦海中也即時浮現家中可以再次納入斷。捨。離。的事物； 翌日亦急不及待介紹給學員。 

如果此刻你正處於生活的樽頸位，何不來一個現實與心靈的大掃除？ 也許會有意想不到的出路！

The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist

Hey pal, some more reading this month. 
As far as I've known this is a very popular novel that seems inspire a lot of peoples around the world. So I finally grab a copy and read it within 6 hours one day.

Hmm, what should I say, it is an attractive, imaginative, inspiring of life and desire, easy reading novel, but not as highly expected than I used to thought of. 

May be it's what usually happens, if it is an Oscar Award film, you will expect more and, that may distract the outcome as a result. 

A story about a young shepherd to chase his treasure and dream, a prophet that leads him to leave his familiar homeland to the wild and unpredictable desert, where he met the Alchemist and learn his lessons of life.

If you have your dream, if you like desert and want to feel it's power, read this, it will take you there.

For Whom The Bell Tolls - Ernest Hemingway

For Whom The Bell Tolls

I am not a classic novel fans, especially those related to war; may be it's because English is not my mother tongue which means, it will increase my difficulties to understand / enjoy my reading if there are too many vocabulary or "old language". 
You may say, then why not read the translated version? Truly speaking, it's usually not as good as the original written language or, at least in English. So I've finally decided to give a try, just in case if needed...I grab a dictionary in hand.

This is a very famous novel as we've known, not only because of it's poem inside by John Donne, where the name of this book that comes from; but also the way of the author who written and lead his readers to once again review of ourselves in such a special scenario.

When I started to read the first page at a coffee shop in one hottest afternoon...it attracted me, I was immediately fell into the pine-needle floor of the forest..., and it took me along to the year of Civil War in Spain , 1937.

It's a simple story about a dynamiter Robert Jordan who needs to blow up a bridge in Segovia, and therefore he requires the help of a band of local anti-facist guerrillas to lead his way, as well as to assist in terms of man power. It is a clear straight forward duty if he didn't meet his girl Maria and the people of this band.

A four days three nights trip conclude Robert's entire life, evoke the meaning of life in a battle. Every one he met within these few days become the one who trigger his deep thought of others. 

I will not tell you the entire story but it is a real good one that I've ever read, the way Hemingway express is not only the message of war, but the overall emotion, that are beautiful, human nature, romantic, inspiring......

As Robert said at last " You can do nothing for yourself but perhaps you can do something for another."
 

p.s. - The book links to the ebook with a new cover design, but I love the one above, may be it will appear in physical book version only :(

 

A poem from John Donne

From the book of 
" For Whom The Bell Tolls" - Ernest Hemingway

No man is an Iland, intire of it selfe:
every man is  a peece of the Continent, 
a part of the maine;
if a Clod bee washed away by the Sea,
Europe is the lesse,
as well as if a Promontorie were,
as well as if a Mannor of thy friends or of thine owne were;
any mans death diminishes me,
because I am involved in Mankinde;
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.

John Donne

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

The Unbearable Lightness of Being - by milan kundera, 
或譯作"布拉格之春", 但我較喜歡它另外ー個譯名: 
"生命中不能承受的輕".

忘記了在那年那月電視機播放着這套戲，看罷，除了被一個酒吧的片段深深吸引之外，立即寫下戲名説要找原著看看。。。此外什麼内容也不記得，但一份牽掛的心情卻隨隨伴着我很多年。

忙碌的生活,煩鎖的事務使我沒有認真在書局停下腳步去尋找這本書，但毎毎遇到不順暢的光景,腦海中又浮現這個戲名，今年,我終於履行這個承諾。

以捷克於１９６８年的民主改革運動為背景，描繪出四個生活在布拉格,各自原本擁有專業技能的兩男兩女；隨着這場運動，　影響了他/她們的命運。　原本那份不受約束又愛恨交纏的愛情與慾念，甚至對自己的個人價値與理想，亦不得不隨之而改寫。

第一次看這個作者的書，感覺很特別；恍如他就在我耳邊輕輕述説這四個人沉重的一生。似是一個故事，卻又如此熟悉！似是簡簡單單的内容,　卻又需要無限的文字去演譯那當中幻變的感情！

看罷，你便會明白為何這份＂輕＂是如此難以承受。。。

The first phone call from heaven

The first phone call from heaven

A new book recently found...written by one of my favourite author Mitch Albom. This is the fifth book I've read and the same feeling as usual : heart touching, comfort ... plus a little bit of "X-file" decor this time.

A small peaceful town Coldwater has never be the same when the first citizen received the first phone call from heaven, her deceased mother； follow by the second, the third & so on...I think many of us is for sure will not believe this call but how will this lie created by someone that can tie up all people inside? Especially to Sully - who lost his wife, who wants to believe this so much therefore he can listen to her wife's lovely voice once again, but sadly in the bottom of his heart... he know this is a hoax.

It's a story about love, about we can't let go to whom we miss, about regret, a struggle between sense and sensibility.

Ready a cup of coffee, a quiet & cozy corner, start reading this book; trust me, once you've open it, you will finish up to the last page, enjoy :)

The Time Keeper

The Time Keeper

Finally got some time to read a book. Mitch Albom is always my "first search" whenever I've enter a book shop......since his "Tuesday with Morrie". I am sure many of you did read this novel, really touching & inspiring.                                                                                                                                                                 This time, a story of three persons, appear in the past and present, traveling from present to the future......an interaction of how they want to manage their life time, what they've thought is important to themselves and when they've make their own decision which it seems to be the best for everyone; they miss something......                                                                                                                                                                                  

 ...the treasure moment & experience with their true love. 

To some of us, this is not an "x-file" , a simple & easy understood theory. But in fact, how many of us do really try to slow down our pace, take some time to look around, listen and feel. 

Start by reading this small book tonight with your cup of tea, you will have a new angle to manage your time without regret !

" with endless time, nothing is special. With no loss or sacrifice, we can't appreciate what we have." - Dor to Victor 

" Ends are for yesterday's, not tomorrow's." - Dor to Sarah

" there is a reason God limits our days"......."to make each one precious." - Dor to all of us

Sherlock Holmes

If I am talking about Sherlock Holmes, which scenario will appear in your head? this one? this one or that one? It's interesting to have these three pictures right in front showing the different presentation of Sherlock Holmes in different ages. 

The one on the left is a recent T.V. show of this famous novel, cool + freak  Sherlock (by Benedict Cumberbatch) with mature + calm Dr. Watson (by Martin Freeman). Carriage in the past replaced by taxi, telex become SMS, home made laboratory finally got an official one. And the most fresh performance is both of them are younger in age.

The second one is a movie, Sherlock's (by Robert Downey) character is exaggerated a bit, more romance and psychiatric, together with decent + reliable Watson (by Judy Law); more dramatic approach, scene of excitement every minutes.

Well, the last one is the original detective fiction, usually comes into two volumes, sometimes four, written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the first story was written in 1887, A STUDY IN SCARLET. Most of the adventures were told as a record by Dr. Watson, an injured, retired soldier who shared Sherlock's flat in 221B, Baker Street in England. He was greatly attracted by Sherlock's weird character, his intelligent, the special deduction method which solved lots of mystery cases for his client. 

From a stranger to a room mate, then an assistance to the best friend that Sherlock can put his life into his hand. This, is the core that connects everything in the novel and best of all, whether the T.V. or the movie version, this message is clearly delivered. 

Whether you like a more subtle classical expression, or a more dynamic / modern way, Sherlock Holmes is for sure the master of private detective that worth to read.

月亮忘記了

幾米﹣是一個頗多人熟識的台灣插畫家。認識他是由這個故事：”月亮忘記了”開始。一個寂寞的小孩把小月亮收藏起來，一起生活，互相倚靠，玩樂．．．開心的日子不知不覺間流逝。　　

小孩忘記了月亮應該掛在天空外面，更不知獨享月亮對其他人所產生的影響。

同樣，月亮亦忘記了自己應有的責任，只想愉快地伴著小孩。終於有一日，小孩發現了樹葉枯死，天氣變得很怪；　而且不知不覺間月亮的身軀亦已變得很大，大到不能返入小孩的家．．．最後，月亮返回夜空，小孩在星空下陪伴月亮甜睡！

故事簡單卻滿有童真，插畫是最精彩的部分，誠意推介，找一個月夜細閱，必定令你會心微笑。

 幾米﹣a well known Taiwanese illustrator. He wrote quite a lot of story, this is the one that attracts me most : (if translate directly from Chinese) it can be "the moon can't  remember...".

It's starts with a lonely small kid, who meet "baby moon" by chance, he hide it at home, play and live together...happy ever after?

Time fly, the boy forget the moon shall hang around up in the sky, he don't know there is a huge changes in the world outside without the moon. The moon also forget how to fly up into the sky, or what it's responsibility is; it only wants to be with him, any minute, any where.

Until one day, kid finally notice the fact is, the world can't survive without the moon, and at the same time, the moon has already grown up soooooo........big, that can't enter his home again. Finally, the moon fly back to the sky and the kid? have a sweet dream under the star.

Simple story from kid's angle of view, unique illustration style is the best that I highly recommend. Bring this story book with you and read it under the  same starry night together with the moon above, you will love it.