父母與子女
                                              
                                           
二十年前,
                                           我的三個孩子長大了,  
                                           一個一個相繼離家,
                                           本來就聚少離多的我們 ,  
                                           整個家空洞的....連呼吸都聽到
                                           我無意中看到一個外國婦女寫的文章 ,
                                           把其中片段摘錄護貝後 ,
                                           放在玻璃板下,
                                           當我寂寞或孤獨時就再看一遍...
                                          
                                           你的孩子並不屬於你 ,
                                           他們是生命延續的代表 ,  
                                           他們經你而來但非為你而生,
                                           你可以給他們愛卻不能給予思想,
                                           因為他們有自己的心,  
                                           你可以給孩子一個家,
                                           但這不是他心靈的住所,
                                           因為他們的心早已飛到他明天的家,
                                           你可以盡力去愛他們,
                                           卻不能要求他們愛你.......

                                           
龍應台最近出了一本新書
                                           "目送"  
                                           算是一本 "感人大作"
                                           文字優美洗練,內容深刻感人,
                                           真誠推薦,感動心靈!
                                                                                      
                                              *******************************     
                                                           ~
目送 ~

                                           有些路啊,
                                           只能一個人走,
                                           我慢慢地、慢慢地瞭解到,
                                           所謂父女母、子女一場,
                                           只不過意味著,
                                           你和他的緣分就是今生今世不斷地在目送他的背影漸行漸遠。
                                          
                                           華安上小學第一天,
                                           我和他手牽著手,
                                           穿過好幾條街,到維多利亞小學。
                                           九月初,
                                           家家戶戶院子裡的蘋果和梨樹都綴滿了拳頭大小的果子,
                                           枝枒因為負重而沉沉下垂,
                                           越出了樹籬,勾到過路行人的頭髮。
                                           
                                           多很多的孩子,
                                           在操場上等候上課的第一聲鈴響。
                                           小小的手,圈在爸爸的、媽媽的手心裡,
                                           怯怯的眼神,打量著周遭。
                                           他們是 幼稚園 的畢業生,
                                           但是他們還不知道一個定律:
                                           一件事情的畢業,永遠是另一件事情的開啟。

                                           鈴聲一響,
                                           頓時人影錯雜,奔往不同方向,
                                           但是在那麼多穿梭紛亂的人群裡,
                                           我無比清楚地看著自己孩子的背影──
                                           就好像在一百個嬰兒同時哭聲大作時,
                                           母親仍舊能夠準確聽出自己孩子哭聲的位置。

                                           華安背著一個五顏六色的書包往前走,
                                           但是他不斷地回頭;
                                           好像穿越一條無邊無際的時空長河,
                                           他的視線和我凝望的眼光隔空交會。
                                           我看著他瘦小的背影消失在門裡。

                                           十六歲,他到美國作交換生一年。
                                           我送他到機場,
                                           告別時,
                                           照例擁抱,
                                           我的頭只能貼到他的胸口,
                                           好像抱住了長頸鹿的腳。
                                           他很明顯地在勉強忍受母親的深情。

                                           他在長長的行列裡,等候護照檢驗;
                                           我就站在外面,
                                           用眼睛跟著他的背影一寸一寸往前挪。
                                           終於輪到他,
                                           在海關窗口停留片刻,
                                           然後
                                           拿回護照,閃入一扇門,倏忽不見。

                                           我一直在等候,
                                           等候他消失前的回頭一瞥。
                                           但是他沒有,一次都沒有。

                                           現在他二十一歲,
                                           上的大學,
                                           正好是我教課的大學。

                                           即使同路,他不搭我的車。
                                           即使同車,他戴上耳機....
                                           只一個人聽音樂,
                                           有時他在對街等候公車,
                                           我從高樓的窗口往下看:
                                           一個高高瘦瘦的青年,眼睛望向灰色的海;
                                           我只能想像,
                                           他的內在世界和我的一樣波濤深邃,
                                           但是,我進不去。
                                           一會兒公車來了,
                                           擋住了他的身影。
                                           車子開走,
                                           一條空蕩蕩的街,只立著一隻郵筒。

                                          我慢慢、慢慢地瞭解到,
                                          所謂父女母子一場,只不過意味著,
                                          你和他的緣分就是今生今世不斷地在目送他的背影漸行漸遠。
                                          你站立在小路的這一端,
                                          看著他逐漸消失在小路轉彎的地方,
                                          而且,他用背影默默告訴你:不必追。

                                          我慢慢、慢慢地意識到,
                                          我的落寞,彷彿和另一個背影有關。

                                          博士學位讀完之後,我回台灣教書。
                                          到大學報到第一天,
                                          父親用他那輛運送飼料的廉價小貨車長途送我。
                                          到了我才發覺,
                                          他沒開到大學正門口,
                                          而是停在側門的窄巷邊。
                                          卸下行李之後,
                                          他爬回車內,準備回去,
                                          明明啟動了引擎,卻又搖下車窗,
                                          頭伸出來說:
                                          「女兒,爸爸覺得很對不起你,
                                          這種車子實在不是送大學教授的車子。」

                                          我看著他的小貨車小心地倒車,
                                          然後噗噗駛出巷口,
                                          留下一團黑煙。
                                          直到車子轉彎看不見了,
                                          我還站在那裡,一口皮箱旁。

                                          每個禮拜到醫院去看他,
                                          是十幾年後的時光了。
                                          推著他的輪椅散步,
                                          他的頭低垂到胸口。

                                          有一次,
                                          發現排泄物淋滿了他的褲腿,
                                          我蹲下來用自己的手帕幫他擦拭,
                                          裙子也沾上了糞便,
                                          但是我必須就這樣趕回臺北上班。
                                          護士接過他的輪椅,
                                          我拎起皮包,看著輪椅的背影,
                                          在自動玻璃門前稍停,
                                          然後沒入門後。
                                          我總是在暮色沉沉中奔向機場。
                                          
                                          火葬場的爐門前,
                                          棺木是一隻巨大而沉重的抽屜,
                                          緩緩往前滑行。
                                          沒有想到可以站得那麼近,
                                          距離爐門也不過 五公尺 。
                                          雨絲被風吹斜,
                                          飄進長廊內。
                                          我掠開雨濕了前額的頭髮,
                                          深深、深深地凝望,
                                          希望記得這最後一次的目送。

                                          我慢慢地、慢慢地瞭解到,
                                          所謂父女母子一場,只不過意味著,
                                          你和他的緣分就是今生今世不斷地在目送他的背影漸行漸遠。

                                         你站立在小路的這一端,
                                         看著他逐漸消失在小路轉彎的地方,
                                         而且,
                                         他用背影默默告訴你:「不必追」。