相遇不是用来生气的 II

有一位金代禅师非常喜爱兰花， 在平日弘法讲经， 花费了许多的时间栽种兰花。 有一天， 他要外出云游一段时间， 临行前交待弟子： 「要好好照顾寺里的兰花。」

在这段期间弟子们总是细心照顾兰花， 但有一天， 在浇水时却不小心将兰花架碰倒了， 所有的兰花盆都跌碎了， 兰花散了满地。 弟子们都因此非常恐慌， 打算等师父回来后， 向师父赔罪领罚。

金代禅师回来了， 闻知此事， 便召集弟子们， 不但没有责怪， 反而说道： 「我种兰花，一来是希望用来供佛， 二来也是为了美化寺庙环境， 不是为了生气而种兰花的。」

金代禅师说得好： 「不是为了生气而种兰花的。」 而禅师之所以看得开， 是因为他虽然喜欢兰花， 但心中却无兰花这个罣（gua）碍。 因此，兰花的得失， 并不影响他心中的喜怒。

同样地， 在日常生活中， 我们牵挂得太多， 我们太在意得失， 所以我们的情绪起伏， 我们不快乐。

在生气之际， 我们如能多想想：
「我不是为了生气而工作的。」
「我不是为了生气而教书的。」
「我不是为了生气而交朋友的。」
「我不是为了生气而作夫妻的。」
「我不是为了生气而生儿育女的。」
那么我们会为我们烦恼的心情辟出另一番安详。

所以看完之后…
你要和朋友…
家人吵架时…
要记得你们的相遇…
不是用来生气的喔…

然而所谓人非圣贤...
谁能不生气呢…
不过…
看了这篇文章以后…
下次要生气时…
就别生太久…
免得伤心、伤肝、伤肾又伤肠胃…

相遇不是用来生气的 I

每天搭乘公车上下班， 来回通勤时间约莫近二小时? 有时人少， 可坐在位置上欣赏窗外的风景； 人多时， 也只能慢慢地挤回家， 但这时， 身边乘客的对话总会不时地传到耳边。

前日往回家的公车上， 转程靠站时， 乘客顿时多了起来。 一对上班族男女恰巧在我身边， 吸引了我的目光。 而他们的一段对话，更让人难忘。

可能因为人多， 男的不时地将手臂围住女的，并轻声的问：「累不累？」 「待会想吃些什么？」只见女的不耐烦地回答： 「我已经够烦了，吃什么都还不先决定， 每次都要问我。」

男的一脸无辜的低下头， 而后说了令我印象深刻的话。 「让你决定是因为希望能够陪你吃你喜欢的东西， 然后看到你满足的笑容， 把今天工作的不愉快暂时忘掉。我的能力不足， 你工作上所受的委屈我没法帮你， 我所能做的也只有这样。」

女的听了后，满怀愧疚的说声对不起。 男的这才似乎重燃信心般说： 「没关系，只要你开心就好。」 而后亲吻了女的头发。 下车前再回头看看这对情侣， 男的依旧保护着心爱的人。

这样的情景， 让我觉得自己今天同样在工作上有些许不愉快，如果没有听到这一段对话， 回家后的我， 可能也是一副全世界都对不起我的臭脸， 面对心爱的人， 只在乎自己的委屈， 却忽视对方的感受， 不自觉地伤害最亲密的人。

所以在踏进家门时， 我告诉自己， 难道我要像公车上那位女孩一样忍心， 将自己的不满委屈带给身旁的人吗？ 不， 我想我现在应该做的是别再把工作上的情绪， 发泄在心爱的人身上， 破坏了最亲密的关系， 并且主动给自己一个微笑。

相遇，不是用来生气的! 说得真好! 当自己快抓不住情绪时， 想想这句话， 应该会让烦忙的生活， 加些微笑的因子吧!

Save Money Tips: Gasoline Filling Tricks

Someone who has been in petroleum pipeline business for about 31 years and is currently working for the Kinder-Morgan Pipeline in San Jose, CA wrote the following information:

“We deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period from the pipe line; one day it's diesel, the next day it's jet fuel and gasoline. We have 34 storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons. Here are some tricks to help you get your money's worth.”

1. Fill up your car or truck in the morning when the temperature is still cool. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground; and the colder the ground, the denser the gasoline. When it gets warmer gasoline expands, so if you're filling up in the afternoon or in the evening, what should be a gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and temperature of the fuel (gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products) are significant. Every truckload that we load is temperature-compensated so that the indicated gallonage is actually the amount pumped. A one-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for businesses, but service stations don't have temperature compensation at their pumps.

2. If a tanker truck is filling the station's tank at the time you want to buy gas, do not fill up; most likely dirt and sludge in the tank is being stirred up when gas is being delivered, and you might be transferring that dirt from the bottom of their tank into your car's tank.

3. Fill up when your gas tank is half-full (or half-empty), because the more gas you have in your tank the less air there is and gasoline evaporates rapidly, especially when it's warm. (Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating 'roof' membrane to act as a barrier between the gas and the atmosphere, thereby minimizing evaporation.)

4. If you look at the trigger you'll see that it has three delivery settings: slow, medium and high. When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to the high setting. You should be pumping at the slow setting, thereby minimizing vapors created while you are pumping. Hoses at the pump are corrugated; the corrugations act as a return path for vapor recovery from gas that already has been metered. If you are pumping at the high setting, the agitated gasoline contains more vapor, which is being sucked back into the underground tank, so you're getting less gas for your money.

Hope this will help ease your 'pain at the petrol station!

Growing Older; Growing Up

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challengedus to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to lookaround when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at mewith a smile that lit up her entire being.

She said, 'Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?'

I laughed and enthusiastically responded, 'Of course you may!' and shegave me a giant squeeze.

'Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?' I asked.

She jokingly replied, 'I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids...'

'No seriously,' I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to betaking on this challenge at her age.

'I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!' she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared achocolate milkshake.

We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we wouldleave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this 'time machine' as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easilymade friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was livingit up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our footballbanquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and tepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech,she dropped her three by five cards on the floor. Frustrated and alittle embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, 'I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey iskilling me! I'll never get my speech back in order so et me just tellyou what I know.'

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, '! We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.

There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die.

We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!

There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If youare nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-sevenyears old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight.

Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets.

The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather forthings we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets.'

She concluded her speech by courageously singing 'The Rose.'

She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago.

One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute tothe wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.

When you finish reading this, please send this peaceful word of adviceto your friends and family, they'll really enjoy it!

These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE.

REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL.

We make a Living by what we get, We make a Life by what we give.

God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage. If God brings you toit, He will bring you through it.

'Good friends are like stars.........You don't always see them, but youknow they are always there.'-Anonymous

你不必追求優秀但你可以做到良好

有一位同事美麗而又文靜，說話語速總是慢慢的，音量總是小小的，但很能說到人的心底裡去，你不知自己是什麼時候被她看穿的。

她的業績說不上驕人，但也無可挑剔；她嫁了相愛的普通人，日子過得波瀾不驚；她不要求孩子學這學那，雙休日一家三口就去遊玩；她每天都要午睡，每天都做健美操，生活很有規律；她從不嫉妒榮譽加身的同事也從不鄙薄偶犯錯誤的同事，只對勢利小人冷眼旁觀，卻也不惱，她覺得他們不會有好的心態與好的結局。

她心明如鏡絕頂聰明，與周圍一些拚盡全力卻活得七上八下不盡如意的人相比，我總覺得她的人生本來還可以更為出彩，而她沒有去做。

有一個非常難得的機會我們兩兩相對，她說起她父親的一句話奠定了她的人生，讀初中時她體質非常弱，任何體育活動都沒法參加，學習又非常爭勝好強，偶爾有一門功課得不到第一就會難過就會自責。父親說：「以你的條件，你不必追求優秀，但你可以做到良好。」

她很聽父親的話，比較輕鬆地將每門功課都保持了良好，同時她的體質也恢復到了良好的狀態，高中畢業她給自己的定位是考上一所普通大學，壓力不重反而發揮良好，她輕鬆地考上了重點大學，畢業時她選擇了中等城市的專業對口單位，她只求離父母近些，可以相互照料。

她娓娓地講述著這些，就如她不急不躁地構築她的良好人生。良好人生肯定不被小說家與劇作家看好，因為良好人生不能構成他們的創作素材， 他們更感興趣的是──事業有成而家庭破碎,金璧輝煌的陰影裡藏匿著墮落，幸福來臨卻緊隨著死神。有一項優秀就總有一項不及格。

生活何嘗不是同樣地乖戾，倘若某個人的某個單項特別地優秀，他人生的另一重要項目，缺憾往往也特別地大。或者是，正因無可彌補的缺憾，才發憤地去追求優秀。所以良好人生的境界實在已經至高。

當一個人的事業、愛情、品行、心境乃至體格都能達到良好時，誰說那人生不夠優秀？

米蘭昆德拉有一本書叫「生活在他方」，我對這五個字有很好的聯想， 我們的生活總是在遠方，都在想：如果明天我有錢，我就可以……。但是如果你現在賺少錢不快樂，就算你有再多的錢，我保證你也不會快樂。

如果你一個人的時候不會自得其樂，即使嫁了人，娶了老婆，別人跟你一起一樣不快樂。如果現在不懂得享受生活，未來也不會享受生活。

有人問什麼叫做自由？所謂的自由就是：「你想要拒絕一個人的約會，已經不需要任何理由，你有權利過自己要過的生活，有權力去自己要去的地方。」

其實生活很簡單。

男人跟女人都很喜歡在自己的人生設一個 deadline。比如說：我 25 歲一定要結婚，26 歲一定生孩子，30 歲時一定要一男一女，31 歲的時候一定要有房子……所以很多決定就很草率。如果剛開始你找的那個人就不對，往後再怎麼努力都不對有時候，我們常常會覺得婚結了，所有問題就沒了，那如果結了婚還有問題，就趕快把小孩生一生，其實你的問題在這個階段沒解決，在下個階段只會變大。

你對未來不用期待太多，期待太多……老實說挫折感會很深。不如看看你現在做什麼事情，會讓你覺得很自在，吸收到很多的東西，那個時候你才會覺得人生真的很充實。

另外，一個人如果太努力在活給別人看，就會痛苦得不得了。今天如果你相信自己做得還不錯，不在乎別人怎麼看你的時候，你真的可以很自在。

別花一輩子的時間去過生命，
而不用一天的時間去享受生活。

那大的孩子

昨天MOLLY要出門上學時,因弟弟ALLEN不小心打翻了湯,弄髒了她的衣服,差一點讓她遲到....

她有點生氣.....

晚上睡前,我與她分享了一段網路上流傳的文章,發生在911雙子星大廈爆炸案......

我簡單的告訴她這個故事的經過與多少無孤的人葬送在這場災難中.....

我想告訴她的是,有很多人佼倖的逃過這一劫,是因為生活中一些小事的牽絆.....

有一個老闆因為兒子第一天開學所以他請假....

有一個人自認很倒楣因被差去買甜甜圈.......

有一個人因那一天穿了新鞋,要上樓時發現腳起水泡,於是他轉彎到藥局買OK繃.....

這些人,因生活中的牽絆而倖存活了下來.......

於是我告訴MOLLY,

生活中若發生任何小事絆住我們,我們都不須動怒與抱怨......

我們要心存感謝.....

她點點頭說她懂!!!

但她突然在我枕邊說起了另一場災難.....

她說:

媽咪,我記得上次什麼大海嘯時我聽妳和爸爸說過,

有一個媽媽抱著兩個孩子被大海嘯沖走 ,

最後她選擇放棄那大的小孩,

妳跟爸爸也說,要是你們的話,

你們也會一樣,

為什麼?

聽她這樣一問,我的心一糾,一陣難過在心底,

這不是好幾年前發生的事了嗎?

原來大人隨口聊天的話在小孩的心中是留下痕跡的,

她當時並沒有問我,

但,我想這一個她不懂的故事,在她心中必留下小小的陰影....

因為她也是那大的孩子!

我擁她入懷抱,

我想了很久,

不知該如何告訴她這一個感人又痛心的故事....

我不知該如何讓她釋懷一個媽媽是如何的心痛放手那大的孩子?

我很認真的告訴她,

因為那個媽媽當一手各抱著一個小孩被大海嘯捲入,

當她決定放開一隻手,

是因為她知道唯有兩隻手用力抱住一個孩子才能讓小孩有活著的機會,

至於,她為何選擇放手那大的孩子而抱住僅兩歲的兒子?

我很認真的告訴她,

不是因為那媽媽不愛那大的孩子,

而是,

她知道那大的孩子必有智慧去求生,

她知道 那大的孩子可能會聰明的抓住樹幹漂流,

她知道那大的孩子如果漂流到岸邊一定也會想辦法生存 ,

她知道那大的孩子如果得救一定會告訴別人他的家人是誰?

她知道那大的孩子....上帝必看顧....

MOLLY說她聽懂了,

她問我,那最後呢?那大的孩子有沒有找到媽媽?

我說:

有!那大的孩子好勇敢,他被一個澳洲人救起後在醫院找到了媽媽,

一家團圓!!

MOLLY 開心的笑了, 說:那大的孩子好棒呦!!! 難怪妳也會選擇放棄我..............

身為父母的我們,

有沒有常常因為不經意又不自覺的一句話或動作而傷 害過小孩呢 ?

其實,很多小孩的傷害來自父母,

一個傷自尊的斥責,

一個動怒的巴掌,

一次無心的棄離,

甚至一個沒有說明的故事,

有的是無心之過,

有的是刻骨之痛,

有的卻是一輩子難以抹滅的傷痕,

所以,建議為人父母的我們,在與小孩相處及對話時,

也能稍微停頓思考一下,

當此話說出時,

是否會帶給小孩不良的影響及傷害呢?

而造成了一個小小心靈的傷痕!

This Is Beautiful! Try Not To Cry.

She jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room.

She said: "How is my little boy? Is he going to be all right?
When can I see him?"

The surgeon said, "I'm sorry. We did all we could, but your boy didn't make it."

Sally said, "Why do little children get cancer?
Doesn't God care any more?
Where were you, God, when my son needed you?"

The surgeon asked, "Would you like some time alone with your son?

One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he's transported to the university."

Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good bye to her son. She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair.

Would you like a lock of his hair?" the nurse asked.
Sally nodded yes. The nurse cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally.

The mother said, "It was Jimmy's idea to donate his body to the University for Study. He said it might help somebody else.

"I said no at first, but Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mom."

She went on, "My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone else. Always wanting to help others if he could."

Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there.

She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the seat beside her in the car. The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter the empty house.

She carried Jimmy's belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's room.

She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly where he had always kept them.

She laid down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep. It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Laying beside her on the bed was a folded letter.

The letter said: "Dear Mom, I know you're going to miss me; but don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say "I Love You" .

I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day. Someday we will see each other again.

Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, that's okay with me.
He can have my room and old stuff to play with.

But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things us boys do.

You'll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know. Don't be sad thinking about me. This really is a neat place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything.

The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD! And guess what, Mom? I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important.

That's when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good bye and everything. But I already knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what Mom? God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter.

I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you. God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him 'Where was He when I needed him?'

"God said He was in the same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross.

He was right there, as He always is with all His children. Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've written except you. To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool? I have to give God His pen back now.

He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. I'm sure the food will be great. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore. The cancer is all gone. I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either.

That's when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I was a Special Delivery! How about that?

Signed with Love from God, Jesus & Me.

(Send this to 10 people in 2 minutes and you will feel the Holy Spirit brightening your life in just an hour.)

“~ God Bless You ~”

"Be strong, honey. I love you, too."

A man escapes from a prison where he has been kept for 15 years. He breaks into a house to look for money and guns and finds a young couple in bed. He orders the guy out of bed and ties him to a chair. While tying the girl to the bed he gets on top of her, kisses her on the neck, then gets up and goes into the bathroom.

While he's in there, the husband tells his wife: "Listen, this guy is an escaped prisoner, look at his clothes! He probably spent lots of time in jail, and hasn't seen a woman in years. I saw how he kissed your neck. If he wants sex, don't resist, don't complain, do what he tells you, just give him satisfaction, no matter how much he ravages you. This guy is probably dangerous. If he gets angry, he'll kill us. Be strong, honey. I love you".

To which the wife responds, "He wasn't kissing my neck. He was whispering in my ear. He told me he was gay, thought you were cute, and asked if we kept anyVaseline in the bathroom. I told him where to find it.. "Be strong, honey. I love you, too." -Anonymous

True Love

It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when a gentleman in his 80's, arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound.

On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and re-dress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife.

I inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's disease. As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.

I was surprised, and asked him, "And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?"

He smiled as he patted my hand and said, "She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is."

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, "That is the kind of love I want in my life."

True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance ofall that is, has been, will be, and will not be. -Anonymous

Enjoy Your Coffee

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to thecoffee. When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said:

"If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress."

"Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other's cups. Now consider this: Life is the coffee. The jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live."

"Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us."

"God brews the coffee.......... Enjoy your coffee! "

"The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything."

"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."

一個五百元台幣的垃圾袋(德國)

住在一個環境品質良好的國家，是需要付出高額金錢代價的。這個感受是我在到德國的一 星期後、聽見Simon買了一個要價五百元台幣的垃圾袋後，最深刻的感受。這個感受是我過去來德國旅行不曾了解及體驗過的。

從住在這間租來的公寓的第一天開始，我們就開始思考垃圾到底該怎麼處理的複雜問題，以前來德國住旅館，反正垃圾都是旅館在倒的，所以跟我們一點關係都沒有，現在自己算 是半個住在這裡的人了，不面對這個問題都不行了。

Simon去問了同事，同事跟他說，我們得要先去市政廳登記個人資料，然後領取特定垃圾袋 。於是某天傍晚，Simon下班時拎著幾個不起眼的垃圾袋，進門第一件事就嚷嚷的跟我說...

「好消息！好消息！今天同事帶我去市政廳登記了，我們終於可以倒垃圾了。」

「壞消息是....垃圾一個月只來收兩次。而且那個垃圾袋，無敵世界貴，你猜猜多少錢？你絕對猜不到的價錢。」

「無敵世界貴？哈哈，少扯了。一個難道要10歐元 (約400元台幣) 喔！」我忙著在廚房裡煮晚餐，嘻皮笑臉的懷疑他說的話，而且我的第二反應就是，一個月只收兩次垃圾？那Christine的臭尿布跟廚餘，不就放到孵出蟲來？少噁心了！不可啦！

「哈哈！很接近了，正確答案是...一個要價12歐元 ( 約500元台幣 ) 。那個非回收垃圾的收垃圾日子，一個月真的只有兩天，你看這個市政廳發的收垃圾日期表。哈哈哈∼!」 Simon揮著手上那個灰黑色的垃圾袋與一個長得像月曆的東西，邊笑邊說。

我聽得差點昏倒在地上。啥∼！媽呀∼！什麼垃圾袋一個要五百元？框金鑲銀的嗎？我從廚房跑出來，無法置信的看著那個毫不起眼的垃圾袋。這個長型的灰黑色垃圾袋，外表長得有點像台灣那種XL黑垃圾袋，但是卻又小很多，內容量大概只有台灣的L型垃圾袋大小，其實應該說是比較像裝木炭在用的厚垃圾袋。 Simon因為不會說德文，所以帶他去的同事幫他買了四個垃圾袋，老實的他也就付給對方50歐元，換回四個垃圾袋。四個！

「拜託∼！怎麼可能啦！這樣一個要五百元台幣？你還給我一口氣買了四個？付錢的時候 手不會抖嗎？哇塞！那還得了，一個月光是買垃圾袋的錢，就好幾千元台幣？那要怎麼活 下去？我們在德國要住六個月，那得買到上萬元的垃圾袋？不可能、不可能啦！一定還有其他的方法啦！」
我抓狂了！我們兩個在客廳看著那四個垃圾袋，想笑又想哭，真的很難相信處理垃圾居然要這麼貴，開什麼玩笑阿！

我嚷嚷的說，一定要帶一個垃圾袋回台灣，然後裱框掛在家裡的牆上，永遠記得我們在德國買了「四個」要價共「兩千元」台幣的垃圾袋！並且要Simon再去找人問清楚，還有沒有其他的垃圾處理方法，我沒有辦法忍受居然要每個月花上千元台幣在買垃圾袋。這樣垃圾 袋可能還比裝在裡面的東西原始價值通通加起來還要貴！算一算，就算把垃圾空運回台灣 ，也不用花這麼多錢。

我打定主意，在德國的這六個月裡，絕對不要再買這個無敵世界貴的垃圾袋半個！雖然我們都知道，德國政府一定是把垃圾處理稅，直接加在這個垃圾袋上，但是真的實在貴到嚇人，很難讓人相信每個德國人都是這樣花大錢在處理垃圾的？

而且更令人難以相信的是，從市政廳給的資料裡得知，這類用灰黑色垃圾袋裝的非回收垃圾(含廚餘、尿布與衛生棉等)，真的一個月只來收「兩次」。然後可回收的垃圾 (包裝上需有回收標誌)，是用另外一種免費的淡黃色垃圾袋裝，一個月只來收「一次」。可想而知的是，我們第一個面對的問題，就是得先在家中找個房間堆垃圾？

唉∼！真是金窩銀窩，不如自己的狗窩。如果我從不曾到德國住，就只會羨慕人家生活環境品質這麼好，但從不知道羊毛出在羊身上，要有好的生活品質，是要付出很大代價的。


看到垃圾袋居然要這麼貴，呵呵！賊賊的我提議Simon每天帶一包伴手( 垃圾 )去上班。但是Simon不肯，因為他公司辦公室垃圾桶出現臭尿布？想裝死說不是他幹的？實在很難。

延伸問題，那既然我們最多、又無法處理與避免的垃圾，就是Christine的臭尿布，那不然就訓練她不要包尿布好了。呵呵！這又產生另外一個問題了，萬一她不包尿布後尿床，那請問床單棉被曬哪裡？德國人習慣把洗衣機放在地下室，晾衣服也晾在地下室陰乾，很少看見有人把衣服或床單曬在戶外的。

過了幾天，我們特地去附近一間熟識的中國餐館吃飯，目的是想問那個會說中文的餐館老闆 ，垃圾處理費用真的這麼貴嗎？沒有其他方法嗎？根據餐館老闆與老闆娘的說法，在德國想處理垃圾，就是真的是這麼貴。如果我們不是買這種一個十二歐元 (合台幣約五百元) 無敵世界貴的垃圾袋，就是要去市政廳租「專用垃圾桶」。別以為專用垃圾桶就一定會比較便宜，先是垃圾桶每月租金就不便宜，而且關於小孩的臭尿布、女性衛生用品(衛生棉啦！)，收垃圾的人員會拿去秤重，照重量收費，那就會更貴！選擇買垃圾袋是比較便宜的方法。

我們聽得難以相信，用過的尿布用秤重來 收費？你知道一個吸滿尿液與糞便的尿布，有多重嗎？開玩笑，秤重收費?德國人瘋了嗎？

所謂非可回收垃圾除了臭尿布、女性衛生棉以外，還包括廚餘與所有未印上可回收標誌的垃圾。

聽到這裡，我已經很想把垃圾照三餐嗑下去，或是空運回台灣給我台灣的老媽，拜 託她送上每日來家門口報到的親愛垃圾車.....我想空運費用大概就跟德國的垃圾處理費差不多貴了。所以.....如果哪天聽到新聞說，台灣海關收到數包裝有使用過的臭尿布，請不要懷疑，那一定是我做的。(哈哈！隨口說說，空運想法純粹是表達不爽而已。)

餐館老闆看到我們夫妻倆快瘋掉了臉，就笑著跟我們說，在一個高度環保的國家中，政府為了抑制垃圾的產生，與鼓勵做好垃圾回收分類制度，所以就必須課以高額費用，這是居住在良好生活環境中的代價。我們跟政府登記做餐館的，關於廚餘是每週來收，並且以桶計費。

[我每週都裝不滿那個大桶子，妳們就把家裡的廚餘拿來給我好了！不收費的啦！]

我跟Simon當下想的完全一樣。家中的廚餘，是不可能真的拿去拜託餐館老闆的，我們總不好意思常來這間中國餐館「丟垃圾」，然後閃人？一定得是來用餐，然後「順便」倒垃圾。

在這裡用餐，兩個人加一加，一次也得花上三十好幾歐元，以我們的經濟狀況，不可能每週來報到。老闆的好意，我們心領了。

OK.....這就是最後的答案了。垃圾袋真的這麼貴，沒什麼其他合法管道是更便宜的了。

當然，我們也不可能真的就這樣每個月花上好幾千元台幣在買垃圾袋，這樣是活不下去的。至於每個月只來收一兩次的垃圾，就拜德國天乾物燥之賜，說也奇怪，並不會長蟲或發臭。

所以最後我們逼不得已的作法就是，認真確實的分類垃圾，確實到甚至把超市買來的肉類食物包裝外盒，洗乾淨晒乾再放入回收袋裡；只要是衛生紙類的垃圾，一律丟馬桶（根據友人的表示，德國馬桶非常有力，再大沱的衛生紙都沖得掉)；盡量不要產生廚餘，能嗑光就嗑光舔乾淨，能在外面路邊吃完丟棄的，就吃完再回家；小孩能在外面餐廳廁所換尿布的，就逼她尿完換完再回家...(沒什麼人性的爸媽...哈哈).......到最後不得已剩下來的、也最貴的非回收垃圾，就每週假日出門旅行時帶出去，找沒有人的高速公路休息站，偷偷摸摸的丟在休息站垃圾桶裡......。或是當有 朋友同事來德國短期出差，住在旅館，我們就帶兩包垃圾過去當「伴手禮」...... 伴手禮，不體面兼不大方，沒練過臉皮者勿學。)

我突然開始懷念起在台灣倒垃圾的輕鬆，就算是過去住在新竹的頂樓超級小套房裡，總是要騎機車追垃圾車，好像也是極端幸福的事情。我想，等我回到台灣後，一定會在超級市場裡抱著一大 捲五、六十塊台幣的垃圾袋掉淚，然後每天穿得美美的....美美的......等垃圾車......

把床單曬在陽台上？呵呵！Simon說搞不好隔天警察就來抓人，或鄰居就來醮....，被控告有礙觀瞻之類的。在德國實在真的很少看過有人把衣服放在室外曬、那種萬國旗的風景。而我們平常洗完衣服，就只能放在客廳靠近落地窗的地板上，所以形成天然晾衣場。

討論到這裡，我們覺得實在問題太複雜了，決定還是每個假日去高速公路休息站當賊─「偷丟垃圾的賊」好了。這樣的理由會促使我們這一家人，每個週末假日都出遊的。奇怪的出遊理由。哈哈！原來在台灣，連曬個衣服都是件幸福的事情。

我們買了那個一個要價十二歐元 (台幣五百元) 的垃圾袋，變成Simon所有來德國出差同事，茶餘飯後的笑話。甚至有個同事，因為開車違規被罰了三十歐元，大家還安慰他說，別難過阿！你看Simon花了五十歐元買一個垃圾袋！這樣想你就不會覺得三十歐元很鳥了....

最後哩？歷經一個半月，我們這家人為了垃圾問題，每個星期週末不管有沒有計畫要出門去玩，都得特地繞上高速公路，找休息站 .......當賊，偷丟垃圾的賊。真無奈。要在一個注重紀律、環保與很多雞婆路人的國家，做這樣的虧心事，實在是一件非常痛苦的事情。

好險！沒多久之後，我們終於不用再當偷丟垃圾的賊了。因為 Simon另一個剛到德國、住在隔壁房間的同事抓狂了，跑去跟公司強力抱怨、找高層人事施壓、關說，要求公司一定要處理我們的垃圾問題，於是公司終於貼出公文，昭告天下，特赦我們兩家人可以帶「各式垃圾」(也就是包含尿布) 到公司丟。厚∼！再次證明，會哭的小孩真的有糖吃。

Slow Down Culture

It's been 18 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish company. Working for them has proven to be an interesting experience. Any project here takes 2 years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple and brilliant. It's a rule.

Globalize processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general sense of searching for immediate results. Therefore, we have come to posses a need to see immediate results. This contrasts greatly with the slow movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate, debate, hold x quantity of meetings and work with a slowdown scheme. At the end, this always yields better results.

Said in another words:

1. Sweden is about the size of San Pablo, a state in Brazil.

2. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants.

3. Stockholm, has 500,000 people.

4. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, Nokia are some of its renowned companies. Volvo supplies the NASA.

The first time I was in Sweden, one of my colleagues picked me up at the hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance (2000 employees drive their car to work). The first day, I didn't say anything, either the second or third. One morning I asked, "Do you have a fixed parking space? I've noticed we park far from the entrance even when there are no other cars in the lot." To which he replied, "Since we're here early we'll have time to walk, and whoever gets in late will be late and need a place closer to the door. Don't you think? Imagine my face.

Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe name Slow Food. This movement establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. Slow Food is against its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business Week.

Basically, the movement questions the sense of "hurry" and "craziness" generated by globalization, fueled by the desire of "having in quantity" (life status) versus "having with quality", "life quality" or the "quality of being". French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour workweeks and have seen their productivity been driven up by 20%. This slow attitude has brought forth the US's attention, pupils of the fast and the "do it now!".

This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality, productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It means reestablishing family values, friends, free and leisure time. Taking the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined and anonymous. It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living.

It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do. It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of products and services, without losing the essence of spirit.

In the movie, Scent of a Woman, there's a scene where Al Pacino asks a girl to dance and she replies, "I can't, my boyfriend will be here any minute now". To which Al responds, "A life is lived in an instant". Then they dance to a tango.

Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live the present, which is the only time that truly exists. We all have equal time throughout the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to live each moment. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans". -Anonymous

Jessica's Comment:

This article really impressed me as I am busying with my daily works and I feel that the quality of my life is depleting. We shall allocate sometime to plan things up instead of fire fighting all day long.