I have often been asked, do not people bore you? I do not understand quite what that means. I suppose the calls of the stupid and curious, especially of newspaper reporters,are always inopportune. I also dislike people who try to talk down to my understanding. They are like people who when walking with you try to shorten their steps to suit yours; the hypocrisy in both cases is equally exasperating.
The hands of those I meet are dumbly eloquent to me. The touch of some hands is an impertinence. I have met people so empty of joy, that when I clasped their frosty finger tips, it seemed as if I were shaking hands with a northeast storm. Others there are whose hands have sunbeams in them, so that their grasp warms my heart. It may be only the clinging touch of a child s hand; but there is as much potential sunshine in it for me as there is in a loving glance for others. A hearty handshake or a friendly letter gives me genuine pleasure.
I have many far-off friends whom I have never seen. Indeed they are so many that I have often been unable to reply to their letters; but I wish to say here that I am always grateful for their kind words, however insufficiently I acknowledge them.
无我所以不惜笔墨地提到很多人的名字,是因为他们曾带给我无尽的快乐!其中一些人已经被记载在文献中,并且成为世人瞩目的焦点。还有一些人则完全不为我的读者所知,虽然他们默默无闻,但是他们积极而崇高的生活态度对我的影响是永恒的。当我们遇到像一首绝妙诗歌一样令我们怦然心动的人时,那一刻就是我们生命中的节日。同这些人握手时,你能感觉到他们的手掌充满了无言的同情;对于饥渴而烦躁的心灵而言,他们那美好而富足的情怀带给我们奇妙的宁静感,而这种宁静的本质,就是神圣。种种的困惑、恼怒和忧虑就像令人讨厌的梦境一样占据了我们过去的生活,当我们再次醒来时,我们会用全新的眼睛和耳朵来感受世间的美丽与和谐,来感受神所创造的真实世界的伟大。我们的日常生活蓦然间变得一片光明,带来这种奇效的唯有“神圣”,而非他物。一言以蔽之,有这类朋友相伴在左右,我们就会感到无比充实。也许我们以前从来没有见过他们,而且萍水相逢过后,他们可能再也不会同我们相遇,但是,他们那沉静而成熟的气质一定会对我产生深远影响,我们所有的不快都会随着他们敬拜天地的杯中酒一饮而尽;我们会感受到它疗伤时的轻柔触摸,正如大海能感受到咸涩的苦水正在被融入的河流所冲淡。
我经常被人问及这样的问题,“难道人们不会令你心烦吗?”,我实在不明白这是什么意思。我猜想这种愚蠢而怪异的声音可能来自新闻记者的报道。当然,这类报道往往是不合时宜的。我也不喜欢那些对我的理解力品头论足的人,他们在和你一起走路时,总是试图缩短他们自己的步幅,只为了迎合你行走的速度。事实上,这两类虚伪的人同样令人无法容忍。
我所接触的那一双双手虽然默默无语,但是它们却对我有着非比寻常的意义。其中,有一些手的触摸是傲慢而无礼的行为。我曾遇到过一些相当缺少快乐的人,当我紧紧握住他们那冷若冰霜的指尖时,我的感觉就好像正在同一场来自东北的暴风雪握手。而另外有一些人,他们的双手似乎存有阳光的余温,所以,同他们握手可以温暖我的心。也许只有小孩子的手才会抓住你不放,因为他们对你有一种强烈的信任感;我可以感觉到,他们(小孩子)的手中为我储藏了大量的阳光,正如他们为别人预备了充满爱意的眼神一样。总之,一次热情的握手,或者一封表达友情的书信,都会带给我最真切的快乐。
我有许多相隔万里而从未谋面的朋友。他们为数众多,乃至于我无法一一回答他们的来信,但是我愿意在此重申,对于他们那情真意切的话语,我始终心存感激,虽然我对他们知之甚少。