熱門文章

網頁

熱門文章

熱門文章

2011年5月27日 星期五

孝順長輩是一種美德

孝順這個字,相信大家都不會覺得陌生。但又有沒有人真正去研究,什麼是孝順呢? 孝,指的是報答父母的養育之恩,也就是孝子,孝女的來源;順,指的是順從,依順。兩者合一,意思就是已順從的方式去報答父母。雖然明白了“孝順”這兩個字的意思,但誰會真的做到呢?

孔子說過:“色難。有事,弟子服其勞,有酒食,先生饌,曾是以為孝乎?”意思是,在父母面前,擺一副好臉色,實在很難。有事情,兒女服侍父母;有佳餚,父母第一個吃。難道這個就真的是中國流傳千古的“孝”嗎?中國歷史悠悠三千年,孝是第一個傳統美德。這就是傳說中的“孝”?三字經提過:“香九齡,能溫席。孝於親,所當執。 融四歲,能讓梨。弟于長,宜先知。”黃香九歲就能為爸爸溫暖席鋪,孔融四歲就能把梨子讓給哥哥弟弟,這已是中國傳統文化中的一些膾炙人口的孝順故事,但他們深深表現到,中國人民是多麼重視“孝”這個字。從古至今,人們提倡凡是要先請教父母,取得同意,再去做;父母病了,必須耐心為他們打理,因為以前你病的時候,爸爸媽媽沒有嫌棄你,只是細心的關懷你,滿足你的需要。孝順,從中國五千年前有歷史紀錄的時候,就已經是天經地義的道理了。孔子教導學生第一句話就是說:“百行孝為先。”這麼多年來,這句話一直是一種鞭策人們向父母致敬的話——到現在為止。

現今的花花世界中,不同高科技產品逐一“出爐”,人們正正因為這些花樣繁多的科技而弄得眼花繚亂,喪失了判斷力。漸漸,“孝順”這個話題漸漸冷落,而在世界各區,更加出現了孩子整天賴在沙發上看電視,連去拿一包零食也懶得去,要叫父母幫他取的現象。有些父母認為:“父母為孩子做點事是應該的吧!”這是完完全全錯的!這時放縱孩子,等於讓孩子的前途荒廢!當孩子稍微大了,就會當父母是他們的僕人,那就真的是沒藥可救了!孩子就永遠不會明白,什麼是孝順父母,孝敬長輩了,那麼那時候父母後悔也太遲了!當代作家黃明樂在書《港孩》中提到,港孩的共通特徵是:懶惰,讓大人為自己做事。這就形成了現在的慘痛局面。

但現在的人們,也會從百忙中抽空回家探望老人,免得老父母整天對著牆壁發呆,變成“孤獨老人”了。父母就是期待這一天,讓撫養多年的兒女照顧自己的起居飲食。香港人大多明白,孝順這種美德是必須的,因為這是報答父母親最好的一個機會。父母年老了,很多東西不能自己來,必須要別人幫助,這就是兒女可以幫到的地方。

我相信,孝順這種美德,將會在社會上越來越常見!

2011年5月25日 星期三

TRIPLE WALLOP STRIKES JAPAN

By JESSAMYN CHIU, journalist
17th March, 2011

As the largest earthquake strikes Japan for more than a decade, the country’s unity is shattered. It triggers a series of catastrophes – a nuclear disaster, a 38 m high freak wave, and then probably the most devastating of all – a flood.

As the earthquake, scoring 8.9 on the Richter scale slammed into northern Japan, it left behind a trail of debris. One week later, an underwater reaction occurred, and the highest – and mightiest freak wave that people have ever seen in the history of humans swept over Japan. Broken houses, overturned cars, uprooted trees and rotten corpses floated on the water, along with a occasional person clinging to a log, waving for help.

The Japan government have already sent out rescue helicopters to save anyone trapped in a house or floating on the rapids, but the rescue scheme seems to have been delayed by the destruction of electricity generators and power lines in the area. So far, rescue helicopters have only saved thirty-two people over a course of five days into the rescue program. And if they don’t hurry, a lot of people, now still clinging to the hope that the waters will recede or someone to rescue them, will soon be dead, due to the lack of drinking water and dry food.

For people who have already been relocated to shelters, it may not spell luck and happiness. Shelters are badly stocked with emergency supplies, and it is already running out. Though many trucks have been sent, delivering stocks, but most of them never reach their destination. If they haven’t been swept away, then they are stuck in the mud with no way to move. Also, shelters are packed full of people, and more is to come. Sleeping bags have already been used up, and the laundry service is not enough for the 900 or so people sharing a tiny school hall away from the rapids. And spirits have not been lifted, for people weep all day, mourning for their lost relatives. Doctors are running out, and killers like malaria and Dengue Fever are spreading due to the humid conditions. Medical supplies are not to be mentioned, nor to say blankets in the freezing conditions.

For people who have not yet been relocated, it does spell doom and gloom. Without drinking water, dry food and medical supplies, their lives are reaching the end of the tunnel. Even for those in a safe place out of the flood’s harm, without power lines or supplies, lives will soon be lost if nothing is done.

Though people from all over the world is stretching out their helping hand, it is far by enough to lift the people’s spirits. Oh Lord, our Heavenly Father, may they receive blessings from You, so that they might survive this terrible disaster. Amen.

Mozambique Flooding

Mozambique is located on the southeastern coast of Africa, and is a poor and undeveloped country. It is also very humid and wet. Usually continuous and heavy torrential rains bring the flood season, occurring from November to April. During this time, cyclones attack the country, bringing rains of more than 1163 mm, compared to the average 177 mm.

Major reasons include the fact that swamps that hold rainwater are gradually drained to make farmlands; huge grasslands and plains are being destroyed for the same reason,which usually soak up rainwater and release it slowly throughout the year into the rivers. Also, which Mozambique was the worst hit during floods compared with neighboring countries like Zambia,

Zimbabwe and Tanzania, because it has a huge population: 25 million over such a small country, meaning whenever a disaster hits, an enormous number of people are affected; also, makeshift houses made of wood and metal bits and pieces in the slums next to the capital are the first to be swept away when a flood comes.

In 2000, a major flood left thousands dead, millions injured and a huge loss of personal belongings. Diseases like spread rapidly, like dengue fever and typhoid. Also, malnutrition was common because of lack of electricity, medical supplies, clean water and dry food. Trucks bringing these supplies after the water had receded were often stuck in the mud, as most bridges and roads were washed away, bringing long-term economic and social problems.

The US and the UK sent helicopters to help with the rescue effort, but with little success. Shelter camps were also set up, but conditions were terrible: there was no privacy nor hygiene; little food and lack of medical supplies. International aid was also given from societies like Red Cross, but money was not enough. However, the Mozambique government did not do anything to stop the flooding – this was probably because they were too poor. So citizens did whatever they needed to stop the waters: sandbags barriers, planting trees to soak up water…

Whichever way, floods are just another big issue to deal with by those poor, struggling people, just hoping to survive in the merciless world.

2011年5月24日 星期二

Bangladesh Flooding

Bangladesh is one of the world’s most densely populated countries, and has three of the world’s biggest rivers passing through it: the Ganges, the Meghna and the Brahmaputra. One of the many reasons why the country always floods is because more than 70% of the ground area is only 1 metre above sea level, and 10% of the ground area consists of lakes and rivers. Also, one of the main reasons is that the snow in the Himalayas melt and flow down the river to Bangladesh’s huge plains, flooding them with water mixed with mud, leaving people trying to wade through the sticky mud, with no success.

Most people in Bangladesh blame global warming, for it has brought ice caps to melt and water levels all over the world to rise. Snow melts earlier because of higher temperatures, and when it evaporates, it returns as rainfall.

Flooding in Bangladesh, already quite poor, has caused many problems. When floods come, people die of many reasons: firstly, serious shortages of water and food cause people to starve; secondly, people die of diseases and epidemics such as cholera and malaria. To the economy, millions of tonnes of rice were destroyed, together with one-half of the country’s cattle and poultry.

The people lining up for food and water after the peak of the flood has receded. The water comes up to the people’s shins, but people are desperate for medical aids. Rats scavenge everywhere,contaminating precious water and food, though people do not receive sufficient food go to the “rat table”, where dead rats are put, to at least put something into their stomach.

People in Hong Kong can hardly understand the fear, despair and hopelessness when it comes to floods in Bangladesh. I hope people will soon realize, that a flood targets the economy, goes at the people. It hits the poor countries worst; hits the poor people most. It is none but a serious catastrophe.

2011年5月15日 星期日

静夜思——思家、思情、思友

晚上,一切是那麼靜,那麼輕,那麼柔。月光透過雲層,如輕紗後朦朧的美女,如一縷婉轉的青夢。那一輪秋月,在一顆顆晶瑩的淚中閃爍,仰望頭頂的明月,想起了蘇軾那首歌:“不應有恨,何事長向別時圓?人有悲歡離合,月有陰晴圓缺,此事古難全。但願人長久,千里共嬋娟……”輕唱起這首膾炙人口的絕世佳作,不禁想起往日母親唱起這首歌的情景,想起當時母親清甜的歌喉,餘音繞梁的音調,又勾起了如水般風也吹不走的思念。

明月如流水般映照在床前,如秋霜,如河蓮,如清水芙蓉,如飄渺歌聲。月亮如往日般皎潔,如往日般明亮,但客居他鄉遊子的心卻動盪;故鄉,你是多麼的可愛,你給予鄉親多麼希望;親情,你是多麼可貴,你給予我多少溫暖;友誼,你是多麼高尚,你給予我多麼提示……順手拈來幾個詞兒,吟出了這首詩:“床前明月光,疑是地上霜。舉頭望明月,低頭思故鄉。”

2011年5月13日 星期五

兩塊麵包

清晨,是那麼的寂靜,是那麼的悠閒,給人的感覺,很清,很清。唯獨是麵包店前的那小巷,擠滿了人,熱熱鬧鬧,好像過節一樣的。因為今天是母親節,爸爸和孩子都來到糕餅店,給媽媽買個早餐。
小冬穿著媽媽生日送給他的小棉衣,踏著紅色的小鞋,來到了糕餅店。他不像別的小孩一樣,給媽媽買麵包,牛奶,今天他來到麵包店,是想用兩個零錢買兩個麵包給姐姐吃。因為……
小冬還是兩歲的時候,爸爸媽媽去了度蜜月,這是他們結婚十周年。他們乘飛機去的時候,飛機不幸撞上了氣流,機長失去掌握,飛機東倒西歪,最後汽油箱爆炸,飛機被無情的火焰吞噬了,本來還應該跟爸爸媽媽撒嬌的小小的冬雪和五歲的姐姐秋雪就這樣成為了孤兒,而支撐家庭的負擔就落在了姐姐小秋身上。他們倆送報、賣菜,就這樣硬挺過了四年。這時候小秋已經九歲了,但從來沒有上過學,是地地道道的文盲。這時候,小冬也要上學了,小秋瘦小的肩膀上從此就壓上了更重的包袱。
開學前夕,姐弟倆發生了爭執:
“姐,你看,一年的學費要二萬塊錢,我還是不要去吧。這樣咱倆不是挺好的嗎,一年又要多付二萬塊,那咱生活怎麼過呀?”
“冬冬,你甭說了,俺要是不吃飯,也要家裏一個有出息的人!甭說兩萬塊了,要俺掏光腰包也可以!”
“姐,你想啊,除了學費,你還要買書,買文具,買什麼的,咱把家裏所有的東西都賣光了,也付不了啊!”
“那就借唄!小冬,你別再吵了,要不俺就要病了!”
“姐,說什麼我都不會去的!我寧願跟你一起賺錢,也不要去上學!”
“小冬,如果你不學字,那萬一俺一天要到外地工作,那你不是連姐寫給你的信也看不懂?小冬,你懂事點吧……是姐不對,讓你沒得上學……”
小冬不忍看姐姐落淚,於是答應了好好學習。
晚上,小冬睡覺時,忽然做了個夢:小秋被壞人搶走了,他永遠也看不見她了。小冬突然醒來,翻了個身,旁邊的地上空空如也。他望了望窗戶,看見小秋一個一個地來到鄰居家……
麵包店很擠,但小冬很急。因為姐姐很快就會起床了,發現他不在的話,肯定會急死的。
終於輪到小冬了。他拿了兩塊姐姐最愛吃的白麵包塗牛油,交給了櫃檯。那婦女忙得似乎剛幹過活似的,滿頭大汗。她皺了皺眉:“錢不夠,要四塊。”小冬愣了愣。不對啊!平時姐姐來買麵包,她好像都是拿兩塊的嘛。後面的男人喊了:“快點唄!搞那麼久幹嘛?”婦女急忙收了小冬的兩塊錢,拿了個袋子給他。小冬劈劈啪啪地跑了回家。還好,小秋還沒起來。小冬趴在她旁邊,推了她一下。小秋的眼睛睜開了,坐了起來。
“冬冬!你怎麼這麼早起來?”
“姐,看我給你買了什麼?”
“啊!牛油麵包!冬冬,你懂事了!謝謝冬冬!”
早上,姐弟倆坐在地上,吃著麵包。淡然無味的麵包不是山珍海味,丁點的牛油不是珍貴的魚翅,但小秋卻吃得津津有味。吃完早餐,小秋看了看零錢,數了數。
“咦?冬冬,你買麵包的錢是不是從這裏拿的?”
“怎麼了?是啊!”
小秋嘴裏吟著什麼,突然大聲說:“不對,不對啊!小冬,你從這裏拿了多少塊錢?”
“嗯,兩塊。怎麼了,少了嗎?”
“不,是多了!”
“多了?怎麼會多了?你在數一次吧!”
“哦,我懂了!冬冬,你拿了兩塊去買麵包?”
“嗯。”
“買了兩塊麵包?”
“嗯。”
“傻孩子,一塊麵包要兩塊錢!”
小冬回憶起麵包店店員的話:“錢不夠,要四塊。”
“但是……姐,你平時去買麵包也是那兩塊的啊!”
小秋皺了皺眉:“嗯……哦,那當然!我才買倆一塊麵包嘛!小冬,我們一起去找老闆,跟他道歉,把那兩塊錢還給他!”
“姐,但就只是兩塊錢嘛!”
“胡說八道,你平時在學校沒學嗎?誠信最重要!” ……
街道上,姐弟倆手拉手,傾談著心裏的話。他們倆拐了一個彎,消失了。是的,清晨,真的很清,很清,清的像一塊牛油麵包,清的像小秋小小的心靈……

2011年5月8日 星期日

维多利亚海峡的夜景

維多利亞海峽,很靜,很靜。深夜,遠處的燈光閃閃爍爍,忽明忽暗,肅然靜謐。在太陽下鱗次櫛比,光芒四射的大廈,在夜中顯得安分守己。一陣霧飄來,本來已暗淡無光的大廈已失去往日的光彩,變得隱隱約約。若果霧再濃一點,再大一點,那麼大廈就會揚長而去,剩下海中一個個碎夢。我醒覺,正是因為她朦朧,她神秘,她夢幻,她才會那麼美。

海,碧波蕩漾,她仿佛魔術,吸引而神秘。她仿佛帶著輕紗的美女,朦朧的愛意。她失去了往日的藍,往日的綠,但她得到了很深很深的藍,很輕很輕的綠。微風吹來,陣陣漣漪從海面激起,但她,沒有激情洋溢的水花,只有靜靜的,輕輕的紋理。

仰望天際,天,是那麼的藍,是那麼的黑,我仿佛能看透密密的雲層,看透大氣層,看見無窮的宇宙,看見閃爍的星辰。若把日空與夜空相比,那日空黯然失色:日空給予人那種輕鬆、愉悅;但夜空卻是無比的深沉,神秘。她已達到無法用言語表達的境界,心領神會似乎是最好的體會方法。若上帝創造了這片夜空,那,讓我說,他的手法已是爐火純青。天,如隱藏不為人知的秘密:在那片藍,或許外星人正如我般觀星;在那片黑,或許一個黑洞正向我招手……

遠處的天際,在那天與海互相交融。天海一色,使人分不清,哪里是天,哪里是海。天擁抱著海,海倒映著天,天是靜的,可是海浪使它動;海是動的,可是天空使她靜。天,是一片漆黑;海,是一片墨藍。往往人們把漆黑與墨藍當作邪惡的標誌,但我,卻在這把她們變成美的標誌。

維多利亞海峽,很美,很美;樓,倒映著海;海,倒影在天;天,倒影著樓……