I recently received this email from a friend and I want to pass it on to you. I feel it is very interesting and imparts some important truths about childhood (and about adulthood, too). I hope this email will travel around the world, from country to country, from language to language, until it reaches a worldwide audience of millions of people.
DAN BLOOM Chiayi City, Taiwan EMAILTO: danbloom@reporters.net
==============================================
In the eyes of a child, the world is a place full of morning magic and evening wonder..
It is a place full of vibrant colors and pulsating sounds ...
...and all the hues of the rainbow.
It is a place for wide-eyed dreams
and long-cherished memories ...
In a child's eyes, life is absolutely fantabulistic,
and yes, expialidocious, too!
And the future is forever....
In a child's eyes,
there is no death...
no war.....
no taxes....
no crime ....
no jobs ....
no responsibilities...
no tests, no quizzes ...
no broken bones ...
no long-lasting pain....
Just a few nosebleeds, a few scratches here and there, a headache now and then, shoes that are too tight, and clothes that do not fit...
OH, TO BE A CHILD AGAIN!
To witness firsthand the sheer joy of discovery
... the excitement of learning ...
the pleasures of sights and sounds ...
of touch and smell ...
of taste and sensation ...
of feelings and friends.
From a child's point of view,
the world is indeed a charming place...
full of warmth and loveliness...
and peopled by uncles and aunts...
and grandmothers and grandfathers...
and mommies and daddies...
and brothers and sisters...
and neighbors and friends.
In a child's eyes
there is no looking back,
only looking forward ...
into the future...
that awaits us all.
Did your dreams come true yet?
Or are you still waiting?
Listen: today is the first day of the rest of your life ...
REMEMBER THIS: It is never too late to begin again
For in a child's eyes
it is really never too late
too begin again.
FIND THE CHILD WITHIN YOURSELF WHO IS WILLING TO BEGIN AGAIN...
to rise up from your current worries and woes...
Stronger and freer than ever before.
In a child's eyes, it is never too late to begin again...
For in a child's eyes it really is never too late to begin again....
YOU CAN TOO!
(c) 2002-3002 =================================================
Mandarin version:
"在小孩子的眼中,一切都不會太晚"
在孩子的眼中
這是一個充滿魔術的早晨和一切不可思議的夜晚
是一個滿了絢爛色彩和動感的聲音的地方
有大大的彩虹
遠大的夢想
和珍貴的回憶
這樣的生活實在是狂放的 經歷不盡的
對孩子來說 未來是沒有死亡 戰爭 稅收
沒有犯罪 沒有太多的工作
不需扛不必要的責任 沒有考試 不會骨折受傷
沒有揮之不去的傷痛
只有小小的流鼻血 搔搔癢 和偶爾頭痛
或者鞋子太緊 衣服太小而穿不下
喔 多麼希望能成為一個小孩子
能夠對新發現的事物發出贊嘆
興奮地去學習
學著去嘗 聞 看 一切可以感官的東西
學習用心去交朋友
在小孩子的眼中這個世界再也美好不過了
溫暖 美麗
被一堆人包圍著
有叔叔阿姨
有! 爺爺奶奶 爸爸媽媽
兄弟姐妹 鄰居和朋友
小孩子總是積極往前 不回頭看所犯下的對或錯
未來總是等著我們
你的夢想實現了嗎 你還在等待嗎
聽著 今天是你所剩下的日子的開始
記住 從頭再開始都還不會太晚
因為 真的 對小孩子來說 都不會太晚
找出你內心的那個想再開始的小孩
從擔心和悲傷中站起來
比以前更堅強 自由
你也可以
和小孩子一樣
從頭開始
====================================== ======================================
Japanese version
translated by Mitsuko Ebihara
translated by 海老原光子
(c) 2002
"こどものような心で見てごらん
今からでもちっとも遅くない"
--- ともだちの輪で世界を駆け巡るＥメール・ポエム --
こどものような心で世界を見てごらん
一日のはじまりに心躍らせ
一日の終わりには素敵な夢に包まれる
そんな興奮にたくさん出会える
色にワクワク、音にドキドキできる
虹を見つけて色を探すときのような ときめき に出会える
未来は際限なく過去も輝いている
こどものような心で世界を見ると
人生は魔法のようにエキサイティングで
呪文をとなえれば願いもかなう
みる夢は果てしない
こどもには…
死は存在しない
戦争もない
税金もない
犯罪もない
仕事もない
責任もない
試験もない
テストもない
痛みへの恐怖心もない
長く続く苦痛など存在しない
ただちょっと鼻血がでたり
ころんで擦りむいたり
ときどき風邪をひいたり
靴がきゅうくつだったり
洋服が大きすぎたり小さすぎて快適じゃないこともあるけどね
もう一度こどもに戻れたら何と素晴らしいことだろう
新しいことを発見したときの素直な驚き
はじめて知ったときの興奮
見たり聞いたりして味わう喜び
触ったり 臭いをかいだり
味わったり 感じたり 色々考えたりすることの楽しさ
友だちがいることの幸せ
こどもの視線で世界を見ると
この世は何と素敵なところなのだろう
あったかくて ここちよい
大切な人がいてくれる
おじさん、おばさん、おじいちゃん、おばあちゃん、おかあさん、おとうさん
にいさん、ねえさん、おとうと、いもうと
おとなりさん、ともだち
こどもの心は
後ろを振り向くことがない
いつでも前を向いて歩いている
未来へと
貴方の夢はもうかないましたか
それとも、まだですか
ちょっと考えてみて
今日は 貴方の残りの人生の第一日目
そして忘れないで
今から始めても遅すぎないということを
こどもの頃の心を取り戻せば
今から何だって始められる
貴方自身の中の「こどもの心」を見つけてみて
チャレンジしたいと望んでいる心を
今かかえている悩みや悲しみから立ち直るためにも
もっと強くなるためにも
自由になるためにも
こどものような心で見てごらん
今からでも ちっとも遅くない
貴方だって必ずできる
始めてごらん
A reader in Australia, who once lived in Chiayi City and is married to a Taiwanese woman, bought my books on Culture Road one night with his wife during the Lunar New Year holiday. Later, he wrote to me from his law office in Australia
FROM: John O'Mahoney
omahoney@collison.com.au
Dear Dan,
It was a real pleasure to have meet you on Cutlure Road in Chiayi while you were selling your books during the Lunar New Year period during my brief stay in Chiayi. I used to live there, too, as you know, and miss southern Taiwan alot. My Taiwanese wife read both your books and thought they were great, I intend to do so shortly.
I do miss Taiwan and particularly Chiayi. Life in Taiwan, although chaotic at times, has none of the aggression and general unhappiness that fills the streets where I live back here in Australia. People in Taiwan get on with > life, Australians instead like to look elsewhere (ie > Iraq or North > Korea) instead of the terror that's all about us, > for example when we > make our way to the shop to buy a carton of milk. > To tell you the truth, Dan, there seem to be very few people like you in > Taiwan, you live and > respect the way the Taiwanese live -- and that's why like it is > probably so special > to you there. >
> > I'll most certainly be in touch and look forward to > buying your next > book. If you ever need a break, you are welcome to > stay at our house if > you want a holiday in Adelaide, Australia. > > Kindest regards,
John O'Mahoney.
======================
=====================
Dear Dan Bloom,
Today was such a special day because we met in the night market of Culture Road in Chiayi. I think it was fate! The relationship by fate is so wonderful. Actually, today was not the first time I saw you. I had seen you two times before last year, once at the Carrefour Night Market and once on Culture Road when you selling your books, but I did not stop to talk to you then because I was shy to speak to a foreigner. I just looked at your red bicycle and watched the way you were selling your books.
But today, I told the two friends I was with that this time I wanted to stretch out my friendly hand and meet you! So I took a deep breath and found my courage to stop at your book stand on Culture Road near the Post Office and talk to you.
So I bought your book - and although I didn't finish reading it yet, don't worry, as I said when I met you, when I finish reading it, I will email you my comments and feedback.
Dan Bloom, don't forgot keep in touch. You are my first foreign friend in Taiwan and I will value our friendship. I wish you have a nice dream tonight.
"Day" Lu Nanhwa University freshman Sociology major hometown Taichung
=============================
============================ DEAR DAN BLOOM...
"I was touched when you gave me one of your new books on Culture Road..."
By LIN Shou-tsung a USA reader of HA SAN TAIWAN from Chiayi County
Thank you so very much for your gift. I was touched when you gave me one of your books. You are so kind. I have experienced so much of reverse culture shock when I came back to Taiwan recently, after 20 years in America. Thank you for extending your hand to me and your understanding for what I have gone through. Just like in your books mentioned how wonderful it is to meet friends. I am so glad to have met you in night market! Actually I felt so low yesterday. Now I feel much happier, after having met an American who truly loves my home city.
I did read some chapters in your books. I like them. Actually I love Chiayi very much. I found joy just walked around the streets. Some places in Chiayi have changed so much and some still remained the same for the last 30 - 40 years. I have left the city 20 years ago and when I returned I became so curious to see everything because there are very different from New York.
I still want to read your scripts in English version and share them with my friends in New York. You can email me to inform me when you will be the night market and I will come to pick up the English book.
Good luck to you, Dan Bloom, and God bless you! I hope you can write more books in the future, too!
======================
========================