Friday, January 18, 2008

Wanna be on Top?

每個星期天都很喜歡追看的節目, 便是America’s Next Top Model(ANTM)。十幾個互不相識的女孩子, 為了追求自己的夢想, 每集發揮自己的渾身解數, 甚至於互相辱罵(競賽之中永遠也沒有真心的朋友!), 希望可以成為每季最終的ANTM。

冠軍最終也只有一個。

每一集也會有一個參賽者被淘汰, Tyra Banks每次也會跟那bottom two分析他們的問題, 道出他們不足的地方, 最後在兩個之中, Tyra會選出比較有潛質的一個, 她定會給那滿面眼淚的eliminee一個情深的擁抱, 然後說︰「妳別放棄, 妳很努力又具潛質, 是個很好的模特兒材料, 便是只差一點點…」鏡頭一轉, 那個eliminee會一面收拾行李回家, 一面哭訴自己還只差一點點, 最後黯然離去。。。

假若妳是那個eliminee, 妳會怎麼樣?今晚想起這一段, Tyra Bank最後那句說話, 原來是這樣的感覺!看著電視節目內的那個eliminee, 或許會覺得很誇張(會這樣傷心嗎?), 其實也不是很誇張…便是當她認為ANTM是唯一的出路, 而那條出路又永遠都在掘路(!)的話, 一切也是理所當然的。

或許是同事感覺到我心事重重吧!便特地給我發了一個電郵, 是個關於人生的短故事, 很值得反思與分享的。原文如下︰

COFFEE

A group of alumni, all highly established in their respective careers, got together for a visit with their old university professor. The conversation soon turned to complaints about the endless stress of work and life in general...

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went into the kitchen and soon returned with a large pot of coffee and an eclectic assortment of cups: porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal - some plain, some expensive, some quite exquisite. Quietly he told them to help themselves to some fresh coffee.

When each of his former students had a cup of coffee in hand, the old professor quietly cleared his throat and began to patiently address the small gathering... ''You may have noticed that all of the nicer looking cups were taken up first, leaving behind the plainer and cheaper ones. While it is only natural for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is actually the source of much of your stress-related problems! "

He continued...''Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In fact, the cup merely disguises or dresses up what we drink. What each of you really wanted was coffee, not a cup, but you instinctively went for the best cups... Then you began eyeing each other's cups....''

''Now consider this: Life is coffee. Jobs, money, and position in society are merely cups. They are just tools to shape and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not truly define nor change the quality of the Life we live. Often, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee. Enjoy your coffee!''

The happiest people don't have the best of everything - they just make the best of everything they have... So please remember: Live simply. Love generously. Care Deeply. Speak Kindly.

And remember - the richest person is not the one who has the most, but the one who needs the least.”

到底我所追求的是咖啡還是咖啡杯?

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