十年海邊生活教會我的事

For me, the start of a new academic year has always been more significant than the start of a new calendar year. It will probably change in the future but having been a schoolkid/student all my life, September brings a much bigger change for me than January does. That’s why I’ve decided to start the 5 Life Lessons category to put them all together.

對於我來說，新學年的開始遠比日曆當中新一年的開始來的重要得多。也許這一習慣在以後將會有所轉變，但是對於我這麼一個已經做學生這麼久的我來說，九月要遠遠比一月給我帶來的多。這也就是爲什麼，我決定要把生命中的五堂課放在一起講的原因了。

As the end of summer approaches, I always begin to look forward to the next big step in my life. Last year, the ‘big step’ was moving away from home. This year, it will be moving away from my home country. I know I won’t be returning for a full year, so lately I’ve been reflecting on how much I’ve learned from growing up by the beach.

隨着夏天的即將結束，我通常開始期待着我生命中下個大的進展。去年，所謂的“大進展”是從家裏搬出去。今年，這將是離開我的國家。我知道，我將有整整一年不會回來。所以，最近，我開始回憶我在岸邊長大而教會我的東西。

I mention the beach in a lot of my posts, and I like to use beach pictures for the illustrations because it has played such a massive role in my growing up. Just like any environment would affect anybody’s upbringing, here are some things I’ve learned from spending every spring and summer by the sea.

我在許多帖子裏都提到了岸邊，而且，我喜歡用一些岸邊的圖片做插圖。因爲它在我的成長中扮演了極爲重要的角色。就好像任何一個其他的環境會影響其他人的成長一樣，在這裏，通過在海邊度過春天，夏天，我學到了許多。

lessons from the sea
大海教我的那些事

1. Perspective changes. When I first moved here, I was just a kid. The beach was so magical back then, all I wanted to do was make sandcastles and splash about in the water. As I grew into a teen, it became ‘uncool’ to do such things, instead, it was more acceptable to sunbathe because our looks were all we cared about during those years. It was in those times when I felt most self-conscious wearing a bikini, and even though I was not totally comfortable, it was worse not to wear one when everyone else was. Eventually, we grew up, built some self confidence and sunbathing/bikini days became barbecues, bonfires and drinks on the beach with friends.

1. 情境是變化的：
當我剛搬到這裏時，我還只是個孩子。這個岸邊那會就是那麼神奇，我所想做的就是做沙堡然後讓它們被海浪打碎。當我進入青春期之後，堆沙堡就不是那麼酷了，取而代之，日光浴則更可接受。因爲在那個時候，我們所關心的知識我們的外表。在那些時候，我表現的更在意自己穿比基尼是什麼樣的，哪怕我並不覺得穿起來很舒服，卻也比在有別人在場時不穿的好。最終，當我們長到以後，建立了一些自信以後，那些日光浴、比基尼的日子變成了在海邊和朋友們吃燒烤，燒篝火，喝酒的日子。

I’ve learned that as we grow up, our outlook on even the same things change over time. Everything is in constant flux, nothing stays the same forever, especially ourselves.

我學到了伴隨着我們的成長，我們的視野同時也在變化着。每件事都在持續的流動着，沒有什麼是永遠不變靜止不動的，由其是我們自己。

2. Nature is beauty. From the first time I saw it until now, and every time in between, I’ve never grown tired of looking at the great blue sea melt into the horizon in the distance. I’ve never grown tired of watching the sunset or sunrise change the colour of the sky, painting it all shades of pinks, purples and oranges. I’ve never not felt soothed by the feeling of sand between my toes or the sound of the waves washing into the shore. Part of the reason why I love mediation so much is because I have such a great place to do it.

2.自然是美麗的：
從我第一次看到大海到現在，這其中的每一天，我都沒有厭倦過看湛藍色的大海融化在天的勁頭。我從來沒有厭倦看日出日落，天色的變化，看着天空中各種形狀的雲彩，或是粉色，或是紫色，或是橙色。我總是在感受到腳尖的啥子，或者聽到海浪聲時感到真實。我熱愛仲裁的部分原因是我有這麼棒的一個地方去做這件事情。

I’ve learned that Mother Nature is so, so beautiful.
我學到了大自然母親，是如此如此的美麗。

3. Pollution is a crime. On that note, there’s nothing worse than spoiling all that because of pollution. In my eyes, pollution is laziness. Normally, I am a very liberal person and I wouldn’t think twice about letting people do what they want (as long as they’re not hurting anyone) but I’ve realized I am quite intolerant of this kind of behaviour. If you can’t be bothered to throw away your rubbish in bins just a few meters away, then don’t ‘bother’ coming to the beach at all. Also, although there aren’t any visible factories in the area, on some days, the sea looks more green/grey than on other days because of junk being thrown into it downstream. And although I still think it looks beautiful, it is never the clear blue kind of sea you see in brochures.

3.污染是犯罪的：
在這一點上，再也沒有因爲污染的破壞更糟糕的事情了。在我眼裏，污染時一種懶惰的象徵。通常來說，我是一個非常自由主義的人，而且我從不猶豫人們應該做自己想做的事情（只要不是去傷害他人）但是我認識到，我實在是太不能容忍污染的行爲了。如果你能多走幾步把垃圾在垃圾桶裏，這些垃圾就不會來到海灘上了。並且，儘管在這個區域沒有一些看得見的工廠，天色還是在有的時候變得比往常更綠或者更灰。這是因爲被排放在下游的垃圾的原因。儘管我依然覺得這一切很美，但是卻再也不是最初的那種海了。

I’ve learned that if people weren’t so selfish, we would all be living in a much better world that would benefit everyone.
我學到了，如果人們不是這麼自私，我們將生活在一個更好的環境中。每個人都將因此受益。

4. Fresh air is vital for health and growth. Another thing the beach has helped me do is get fit by running and cycling. When there is such a great and natural place to run everyday, I wonder why anyone would go to the gym (yes, people around here do!) to breathe in that recycled air-con air. I know not everybody lives by the beach, but I think that getting outside is very important when growing up. I was actually born in the city, but I still learned to ride a bike outdoors in the street. We spend too much of our days trapped in our houses/cars/offices/schools/work places that I think it would be good for everyone should try to go outdoors as much as they can. Also, I find the sea air quite healing, and perhaps that’s part of the reason why I almost never get sick (touch wood).

4.新鮮空氣對健康和成長是關鍵的：
在海邊生長的另一件好處是是我能夠通過跑步和騎車鍛鍊了良好的體魄。當你有一個很棒的並且很自熱的地方能讓你每天都跑的時候，我想任何人都不會想去健身房了吧（不過我這裏有些人還是去健身房），不會想在健身房裏呼吸那些循環的空調產生的空氣。我知道不是每個人都生活在海邊，但是我認爲對於成長中的人來說，呆在室外是很重要的一件事。我的確是在城市出生的，但是我在城市裏也學會了在室外，在街道上騎自行車。我們花費了一天中太多的時間在房間裏、汽車裏、辦公室裏、學校裏、工作的地方，而我認爲人們應該儘可能多的呆在室外，這樣纔有好處。我還發現海邊的空氣十分的有治癒效果，也許這也是我在海邊那麼久都不怎麼生病的原因吧。（呸呸呸，上帝保佑，別讓我就生病了。）

5. The world carries on. Everyday, the sun never fails to rise and set. The tide never fails to come in and go out. The birds never fail to call every morning. There are some things that will never change (for a few million years at least) which shouldn’t be surprising except that I didn’t realize how much life will go on without me. Of course nothing would stop just for me, but I remember coming back to the the beach for the first time in a long while and thinking “It’s all still the same”. Although it was a little upsetting at first, I came to think of it as a reassuring thing that I can rely on at least some parts of my life to stay just like it was when I was a kid.

5.世界是不斷前進的：
每一天，太陽從未停止過東昇西落。大海從未停止過潮漲潮汐。鳥們從來沒有在早晨不啼叫。有些東西永遠不會改變（至少在幾百萬年之內）這也就不難令我感到驚訝在我沒有意識到這樣的生活在我不在人世之後還會有多久。當然，沒有什麼事情會因我而停留，但是我記得在我第一次很長一段時間後纔回到海灘那時，我想着：這一切還是一樣。儘管起初我有些沮喪，但我意識到，這能確保我所居住的地方是可以依靠的，就像我小時候那樣。

I learned that the familiar sound, smell and feel of the beach means it will always be my home.
我學到了熟悉的聲音、味道、海灘給我的感覺永遠意味着我將永遠在溫馨的家裏。