[美]卡裏.紀伯倫/Kahlil Gibran
朋友是對你需求的滿足。他是你帶著愛播種,帶著感恩之心收獲的田地;也是你的膳食、你的壁爐,當你饑餓時會來到他身邊,尋求安寧。
當你的朋友傾訴他的心聲時,不要害怕說出自己心中的“不”,也不要掩飾心中的“是”;當他默默無語時,你的心仍可傾聽他的心。因為在友誼中,所有的思想、欲望、期盼,都在不可言喻的歡愉中孕生而共享。
當你和朋友分別時,不要悲傷,因為當他不在身邊時,他身上最為你所珍愛的東西會更加明顯,就像山峰對於平原上的登山者那樣清晰。
除了精神的升華,不要對你們的友誼別有所圖。因為隻求表露自我的愛並非真愛,而是撒出的網,捕獲的淨是些無益的東西。
把你最好的東西奉獻給朋友,若他定要知道你情緒的落潮期,那麽,把你的漲潮期一並告訴他。因為,你若隻是為了消磨時光才去尋找朋友,這能算你的朋友嗎?
總該邀朋友共享生命才是,因為他的時間是要滿足你的需要,而不是填滿你的空虛。在友誼的滋潤下盡情歡笑、同享喜悅吧!因為在微末事物的露珠中,你的心會找到煥然一新的晨曦。
Your friend is your needs answered.He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.And he is your board and your fireside,for you come to him with your hunger,and you seek him for peace.
When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the“nay”in your own mind,nor do you withhold the“ay”.And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart;for without words,in friendship,all thoughts,all desires,all expectations are born and shared,with joy that is unacclaimed.
When you part from your friend,you grieve not,for that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence,as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain.