朝顏給我的一課 The Lesson of the Morning Glory!

今年我在我的小花園種下種子

我從來不曾種下種子

因為我不是一個很有耐心的人

等待小小的綠芽破土而出

有點過頭

但是今年，我想不妨一試

我想這會是一個好的啟發

種些東西，然後看著它成長

就像我有許多次種些想法

夢想，和信念然後看著

有部分成真

所以今年春天，我開始在花園種植

我選擇許多種的花，其中有朝顏

在一個月內，許多種的花破土而出

但就是沒有朝顏

每天我總是出去看一下

但是幾個星期過了

我什麼也看不到

我想我要放棄它們

我認為它們或許無法“領受”

然後有一天，它竟然發生了！

它們破土而出，開始往上爬

爬呀、爬呀，它們用力地爬

以它們美麗的心型大葉子

然後幾週又好幾週過去了

除了愈來愈多的葉子

什麼也沒有

我自言自語地說

“嗯，葉子很好，我想也許只能到這地步”

然後有一個天晴明亮的早晨

它開花了

我所看見的最美麗的天空藍的朝顏

它就像是一個奇蹟

我已經等了三個多月了

就是盼到這一朵優美的，喇叭型的花朵開花

而現在就在眼前，展現它美麗的風采

它提醒我就像生活裡有許多次

我盼望許久的某件事

以為失望了，卻不可思議地來到

有多少次我想半途而廢

但我還沒準備好接下來的

這些突然開的小花給我深深的驚奇

玫瑰、天竺葵、雛菊這類多數的花

會開花一陣子，但不是朝顏

朝顏會在早晨向世界

完全展現自己的美麗

因此名字就稱為朝顏

如果你靠近一點仔細看著它

你會發覺它的顏色和紋理

以及有一種金黃的光從裡面亮出來

但是接下來是令人難過的事…

一天終了時，它們從薰衣草的美麗形狀

然後合閉起來，枯萎，死去

它們只活了一天，就消失無踪

我無法形容這對我有多傷感

和這小花對我的生命有多深遠的影響

我一直在想這麼美麗卻只美麗一天

有多令人難過

然後我突然悟到它們是何樣的禮物

你瞭解到不論你的生命有多長

最重要的是你來過，展現你的光輝

完全地開放，讓自己發光發亮

也帶給和你接觸的人歡樂

對朝顏來說，這是重要的

這對我們才是重要的

朝顏現在讓我感激每一天

這是我過去所沒有的看法

每一個傍晚我去看訪他們

知道這一朵花明天就不見了

新開的一朵會取代它

如果我在早晨醒來

知道我只有這一天真正可以活著

對大數的人，生命會大大地不相同

現在，每一個早晨我感謝

被賜予可以展示自己光輝的另一日

我們可以從一生週遭環繞的美麗來學習

而自然會是我們最偉大的老師

這一朵樸實的小花給我的是多麼深遠的一課

謝謝你，我甜美的小朝顏們

（中文由曾渙釗試譯）

The Lesson of the Morning Glory!

© Copyright 1998 by Veronica M. Hay
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I planted seeds in my little garden this year.
I have never planted seeds before because I am not a very
patient person and waiting for the little green shoots to
rise above the ground was just too much for me.

But this year, I thought I would give it a try.
I thought it would be a good metaphor for me to plant
something and watch it grow, much as I have many times,
planted thoughts, dreams and affirmations and watched
many of them become a reality.

And so in the Spring of this year, I planted my garden.
I chose many types of flowers and among them, Morning Glories.
Within a month, many of the other flowers were bursting
through the earth, but not the Morning Glories.

Each morning I would run outside to check on them and nothing,
nothing for several weeks more. I was about to give up on them.
I was sure that they just did not 'take' so to speak.
And then one day, it happened!
They had broken through the earth and were starting to climb.
And climb and climb and climb they did....
with their big beautiful heart shaped leaves.

And so the saga continued, nothing for weeks and weeks and
weeks but more and more beautiful leaves. And I thought to myself,
"Well, leaves are nice, but that is all I will probably get at this point.
" And then one fine and glorious morning, there it was,
the most beautiful sky-blue morning glory I have ever seen!!!
It seemed like a miracle to me. I had waited over 3 months for
this one delicate, funnel-shaped flower to show up and
now here it was, in all its splendor.

It reminded me of just how many times I had waited in life for
something I had longed for and how incredible it felt when it
finally arrived and also how many times, that I had wanted to
throw in the towel and just give up.

But I wasn't prepared for what was to happen next with these
little flowers and I was surprised and deeply saddened by it.
Roses and geraniums and daisies and most other flowers bloom
and stay around for a while but not Morning Glories.
Morning Glories open themselves up to the world, in the morning,
in all of their glory, hence the name Morning Glory.
And if you look closely at them, you will see how extraordinary
they are both in colour and texture and that in their centre is
a kind of golden light that shines from within.

But here is the hard part...
At the end of the day, they turn a most beautiful shade of lavender,
and then close up, wither and die. They live for only one day
and then they are gone.

I cannot tell you how much this saddened me and what a profound
effect this little flower had upon my life. I kept thinking how
sad to be so beautiful and live for only one day.
And then I suddenly realized what a gift they were.

You see it doesn't matter how long your life is.
It only matters that you were here, in all your glory,
that you opened up completely and let your light shine
and that you brought joy to those who came into contact with you.
That's what matters to the morning glory
and that's what really matters to all of us.

The morning glories make me appreciate every new day now,
in a way I didn't before. Each evening I go and visit with
them knowing those particular ones won't be here tomorrow,
new ones will take their place.
If we knew when we woke up in the morning,
that we only had that one day to really live,
life would be very different indeed for many of us.

Now, each morning I give thanks that I have been given
the gift of another day in all its glory.
We can learn from all of life if we remain open
to the beauty that is all around us.
And nature can be one of our greatest teachers.

What a profound lesson from such a simple flower.
Thank you, my sweet little morning glories!

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This Inspirational Poem is perfect for anyone who needs to be reminded of all the things we have to be grateful for. It is a wonderful message of being in the moment and living each day to the fullest. It is also ideal for anyone who has lost a loved one regardless of their age. It is perfect to send to friends and family, co-workers, clients, employees, and customers as a gentle reminder of how precious life is.

 附記：朝顏 Morning Glory在台灣通常稱為牽牛花，是一種平常在路旁就可看見的普通花。花朵的種類很多，我個人卻很喜歡為它拍照。原作者Veronica M. Hay寫出從種花的種子開始，至花落為止的過程，以及她的深入感受，讓人也生同感。中文由曾渙釗試譯。