Magic

魔法

When I was younger I was entranced with stories of magic. I devoured books where wizards and warriors battled the powers of darkness in strange worlds. I rejoiced when they triumphed bringing peace and happiness to their lands. I guess like most of the readers of these stories I secretly wished for magical powers for myself. I wanted to be able to magically make my pain disappear, to make my problems go away, and to have power over this world that so often has power over us.

在我年輕的時候，我就對魔法故事深深著迷。我如饑似渴地閱讀有關法師和戰士在奇異的世界里與黑勢力戰斗的書。每當他們取得勝利并為他們生活的這片土地帶來了和平和幸福時，我就倍感雀躍。我想，就像看這些故事的大多數讀者一樣，我也暗暗希望自己能擁有魔法：希望它能奇跡般地讓我的痛苦消失，讓困擾我的問題得到解決，并能讓我掌握這個世界而不用屈從于它。

As I got older, however, I realized that there was no such thing as magic and the harsh reality of life set in. I struggled through a long period of poverty. I had daily pain from a back injury that never healed right. I felt sadness and sorrow when both of my sons were diagnosed with Autism. I still sometimes daydreamed of magic but in time even that faded away.

然而，當我逐漸長大，我開始意識到，根本就不存在魔法，生活的殘酷現實開始襲來。我曾在一段漫長又貧苦的歲月中掙扎。我每天都會因為后背上的傷口而疼痛，這個傷口至今都未痊愈。當我的兩個兒子都被診斷為自閉癥時，傷感與悲痛從心底涌了出來。我有時還幻想我能擁有魔法，但這種想法很快也就消失了。

Then one day I am not sure when I began to discover a different kind of magic. This magic grew stronger in my heart, soul, and mind day by day and year by year. This magic was called LOVE. This magic connected me to God, because God is love. It also connected me to my own highest self and to all of the other souls in this world. It didn’t eliminate my poverty but it made every day of my life feel richer. It didn’t make my back pain go away but it helped me deal with it so much better. It didn’t cure my sons’ Autism, but it helped me see them as the beautiful, loving, eternal, and joyful souls that they truly are. It didn’t make me a wizard or a warrior but it helped me to dispel the darkness of this world with my own light.

然后有一天，我不知是何時開始發現了一種獨特的魔法。這種魔法在我的心中、靈魂和思想里逐日發展壯大。這種魔法的名字叫愛。這種魔法將我與神聯系起來，因為神就是愛。不僅如此，它還讓我成為了最好的自己，并和世界上其他的靈魂心系在一起。它沒有消除我的貧窮，卻讓我每一天的生活都很豐富;它沒有使我的背部疼痛消失，但它幫助我更好地面對它;它沒能治愈我兒子的自閉癥，但它讓我看到了他們美麗，有愛，永恒，和快樂的靈魂，這是他們真實的樣子;它沒有使我變成一個法師或戰士，但它使我用自己的一點亮光，驅散了這個世界的黑暗。

There is such a thing as magic in this world. There is such a thing as magic in each one of us. This magic is called LOVE. May you choose it, share it, and live in it every single day of your life. May you use it to help others, to heal this world, and to build a bridge to Heaven.

在這個世界上，的確存在著一種魔法。而且我們每個人都擁有這樣一種魔法。這種魔法就是愛。愿你可以選擇愛，分享愛，并在充滿愛的生活中度過每一天。愿你以愛助人，讓這個世界更加美好，達到如天堂般的境地。