感激的藝術 - the art of being grateful

The art of being grateful

Last week I had to chance to partake in an art exhibition for ALS patients. It was both inspiring, but also frightening. Seeing people at different stages of this cruel illness really scared me…to know that my mother might one day walk down this path. It was more than I could bear hence I spent the entire afternoon trying to recover from a hopeless pain. On the other hand, what I witnessed amidst the artists that displayed their work was the same courage and will to live I have seen in my mother. This really inspired me. There was a photographer, a poet, an author and a painter.

上個禮拜我參加了一個漸凍人的藝術展，我被激勵到但同時也被嚇到了。看到這些病人都在這個殘酷的病的不同的階段，讓我很害怕。因為就想到是否有一天我的媽媽也會走這條路。這個畫面所產生的痛遠超過我可以承擔，而我整個下午的心情就down下去了。不過這些藝術家的勇氣及生命力讓我想到我媽媽也有著一樣的樂觀態度。那天有詩人，畫家，攝影師，及作家參展，他們令我很感動。

The painter is a woman who didn't start painting until she was diagnosed with ALS. Knowing that time was working against her she seized the opportunity to learn something she had never learned before, only to discover she had great talent. As the disease has progressed over the past few years she eventually lost the ability to paint with her paintbrush. However she did not allow this challenge to paralyze her. Instead she continued to paint using a mouse on a computer. Her paintings are beautiful and speak to the world that she sees.

特別感動到我的是那位畫家。她被診斷得病之後才開始學國畫，因為她知道時間會是個壓力，所以她很努力學習，而因此發現其實她很有才華。隨著她肌肉的萎縮他失去用筆作畫的能力，但她並沒有因此就放棄發揮她的靈感，她繼續用滑鼠在電腦上創作，而她的作品描述出她所看到的美麗世界。

That day at the art show she spoke (with the assistance of her daughter) of her gratitude for at least having the ability to use one finger left. Here is a woman we can all learn something from. She sits in a wheelchair unable to move. All she has left to help her communicate is her facial expression and the movement of one finger with which she can use a computer. Yet her eyes do not speak of despair or pain. While most of us watch her thinking how cruel life can be, I saw such an inspiring smile on her face. She knows she is using her life to inspire others, she knows she is fulfilling her potential, and perhaps her life purpose.

她那天透過她的女兒來分享，她很感激她還有一個手指可以讓她繼續畫畫。我們都可以向他學習！雖然她坐在輪椅上，也失去控制身體的能力了，唯一剩下來可以與世界溝通是她的表情和使她可以用電腦的那一個手指，但她的眼神表達出的卻不是憂鬱或無力感。看到她會覺得生命真的很殘酷，但她的笑容像光一般，照著希望。她知道她要用她的生命來激勵別人，她知道可以發揮她的潛力與生命的意義。

I think that is what each of us longs for more than anything else – the chance to express our life potential. It doesn't matter what we may succeed in, if it is not what we believe to be part of what we were made to do, something is left unsatisfied. I've read of many lawyers and doctors who succeeded at their respective professions yet felt unsatisfied with life because it was not their chosen calling. Rather it was the one most validated and encouraged, be it from family and friends or the monetary reward.

我想我們每一個人都渴望發揮出我們獨一無二的潛力。無論你是不是成功，如果不覺得是你該發揮的才華，就很難有滿足感。我看過很多書描述了很多醫生及律師都不滿足，因為他們的工作並不是他們的夢想，就算他們得到了家人，朋友，和金錢的肯定，還是不滿足。

What do you feel you were made to do? I think all of us are on a journey to discover the answer to this question. And when we find the answer is when light is emitted from our soul and our eyes…it's then that we really shine. That is the light I feel when I stand on stage singing and know I've built an emotional connection with my audience. It is also the light I saw in the painter with ALS. Her life really humbled me. I often feel unhappy or struggle with the difficulty of the path I've chosen. But who am I to complain when I have full function of my faculties and I have hope that I can keep growing in the direction of my dream. For her, the only prayer she has is to be able to retain control over the one finger she has left to use. From her we can all learn something about gratitude.

你覺得你與生俱來該發揮的才華是什麼？我想我們都在尋找這個答案的過程中。 當我們找到的時候，我們的靈魂和眼睛都會發光。我知道當我在台上唱歌感受到和觀眾有種心對心的對話，我就感受到我在發光。我也在這位畫家的眼睛裡看見了這種光芒。她的生命讓我謙虛下來，我常常會因為夢想實現的不順利而不開心。 但我憑什麼可以抱怨呢？我還有很多的希望，因為我還可以四肢健全地繼續往前行，而她只能到靠著僅存的一根指頭。從她的身上我們學到了感激。

For more information: www.mnda.org.tw