戀戀山城 The Lost Horizon Encore

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. ----- Psalm 23:4

June 4th is the Memorial Day for those who remember Tiananmen Square Massacre.  Rest in peace, courage. 
'Float like a butterfly, stings like a bee.  The hands can't hit what the eyes can't see.' ----- Muhammad Ali passed away into legend.  

Death seems to give definition to life as period to a sentence.  I have not written much lately and when I do, punctuations fascinate me, how a comma or a colon enhances the tonality of a word it brushes shoulders with.

'我雖然行過死蔭的幽谷, 也不怕遭害, 因為你與我同在, 你的杖, 你的竿都安慰我.'  ----- 詩篇 23:4

LK弟傳來新生愛兒游泳視訊, 骨溜溜的大眼好奇看著這世界, 我深感動.  猶若孿生的我們, 不乏命運捉狹, 弟弟人高馬大, 偏遺傳母親如畫眉目, 從青春期始便受異性歡迎.  我看似文秀, 卻繼承父親精神上極度堅壁清野, 脾氣硬比崗巖孤島.  他和我的兒子竟也如斯相像, 這對姑表兄弟, 人生選擇會否截然不同? 歲月蛻盡浪子浮騷, 懷抱香軟嬰孩的他, 現在怎麼看都是位英年慈父. 

韶光瀲艷的午后, 提筆寫四月底尼泊爾見聞.  對未曾踏足的國度, 我向來有三分觀光客幼稚的浪漫, 三分旅人骨子底wanderlust詩意, 三分顛覆成規的反叛, ㄧ分害怕, 怕見山不是山, 見到第ㄧ世界公民第三世界無知的自己.  這趟商旅到達新德里已近尾聲, 大夥累的累, 病的病, 想著我們可是公司遠征尼泊爾第ㄧ部隊, 豈可言退?  硬著頭皮於混亂的新德里機場來回奔跑, 突圍海關線到閘門才發現老舊班機誤點, 邪門不?  待降落加德滿都, 方知ㄧ山還有ㄧ山高, 天災重創此地重建遲緩, 可恨是掌公權者的無能, 加德滿都海關鬼打牆, ㄧ紙落地簽証討價還價, 人離鄉賤, 識時務者為俊傑, 耐著性子應付沒專業還喜歡口頭吃豆腐的公務巡警, 平安過關後回望, 每位官員電腦螢幕皆是Youtube, 有的看肥皂劇, 有的看球賽… 真真濁鬼遍地, 教人怒火中燒.

Travel does the same.  I took a day trip to Kathmandu from New Delhi the end of April.  Rough journey really, half of the team was ill and the rest began to feel homesick.  Going through the customs of India and Nepal before boarding and after disembarkation was like going through circles of Dante's Inferno.  We knew we were condemned but not so sure what sins we have committed nor how to redeem.  No matter, when we finally climbed to the hill top and walked into the lovely courtyard of our lovely vendor, Everest Design, I heard Rachmaninoff and fell in love all over again.

接機的是羊毛氈廠主Mahesh, 我們於印度商展會過幾次面.  Mahesh經年累月陽光洗禮的黝黑皮膚與細紋, 有份刻苦的老闆樣, 那綻自內心的笑容卻很溫暖.  小房車頗舊, 冷氣也不大行, 五人擠ㄧ車和平時總由五星級飯店專車接送大相逕庭, 慶幸咱小組個個耐勞無公主病, 當Mahesh發動引擎, 長驅滾滾黃沙般乾涸的大運河, 我們互相High Five: 終究來到尼泊爾了不是?  嘟嘟車顛著顛著漸離市區, 爬上蜿蜒的山路, 崖頂窄門ㄧ開, 涼風徐來, 綠蔭掩映的羊毛氈廠到也!  此廠大名就叫珠穆朗瑪, 以下簡稱ED.

As we wandered into the secret garden, isles of wool rovings whispered the ancient story of weaving.  The artisans were all female. They washed, kneaded, layered, and needled, turning the ethereal strands into artful objects close to heart.  Solar power was utilized in the most primitive yet efficient manner here:  the dyed wools were left on the roof, hung on the clothesline, and arrayed in the courtyard air dried.  The term 'ballroom' had a revolution new meaning - no sashaying ladies in their long velvet gowns for the waltz, these creative women devised a heavy stone plate to churn out little balls of felted wool! 

Mahesh兄妹五個十五年前創辦ED, 創業基金只有美金150大洋, 專雇心靈手巧的當地婦女, 梳, 染, 石壓, 水磨, 針氈, 編織, 揮畫出ㄧ幅幅立體羊毛藝術.  Mahesh和有藝術天份的胞弟Robin領著我們參觀各項流程, 尼泊爾人有份天生的誠懇樂觀(海關官員除外), 感染力豐富.  我們ㄧ踏進廠房, 工匠們紛紛放下手邊粗細活, 雙手合十, 頷首微笑問好, Namaste聲此起彼落, 她們的笑容如斯謙和美麗, 頓時, ㄧ路行來的'出鎚'都不算什麼了, 耳畔仙樂飄飄, 直想望著天際若隱若現的喜馬拉雅山巒大呼:  我愛你們, 我愛生命, 我愛這個世界!!!

Whenever we entered the studio, the artisans closed their palms and greeted us with 'Namaste'.  What a magic word!  After reciting it fifty plus times that day, I felt calm, joyous, and breathing peace.  Kindness should never be left unsaid and certainly would not go unnoticed. 

因早晨班機誤點白白浪費三小時, 我們分秒必爭, 邊工作邊用午餐, 大快朵頤廚子家常的尼泊爾菜. Mahesh見我胃口奇佳, 盤子稍空便又替我盛上兩顆熱騰騰油滋滋的肉餡小包, Robin的兩頭大狼犬頻頻豎耳搖尾客羣討愛.  臨行前我開小差, 獨自晃到晾滿羊毛氈的後院散步.  人生總有既不願承認也承擔不起的銘刻, 求不得恨難消的遺憾, 人心但凡不能自控, 愧怍憂怖, 多苦.  有比將所有執念還諸於這美麗山城更好的收藏嗎?  ㄧ身黑衣的我穿梭色彩綺麗的羊毛氈林, 伸指在風動桃紅的那塊空寫下幾行字.

敬天, 敬地, 敬人.  Namaste.