A Parable of a Child

　　一個孩子的寓言

　　父母說：“我有一個孩子，他/她將來會成為一名……”

　　孩子說：“我是你們的孩子，我將來會成為一名……”

　　省略號的內容由你決定！教育與經驗之間是有區別的。教育就是從閱讀文字所得到的，而經驗是從不閱讀而得到的。看一個故事，你就會明白“偉大的學習來自于教育和經驗的結合”。

　　一名青年教師夢見天使出現在他面前，對他說：“你將會有一個孩子，他/她將來會成為一名世界領袖。你得讓她意識到自己的智慧，增長自信心，開發她果斷不失細膩，虛心而又堅韌的性格特質，你會如何為她做準備呢？”

　　夢醒時，青年教師一身冷汗。他從沒經歷過這種事情。照夢中所說的，他現在或將來的學生之中的任何一個人都有可能有成為他夢中聽到的那個人物。他準備好了要去幫助他們實現每一個志向嗎？他默默想：“既然知道了某一個學生會成為那個人物，那么我的教學方式該怎么改變一下呢？”一步一步地，他已經開始暗自籌劃了。

　　這名學生不僅需要有經歷，而且需要有人指導。他的教學方式改變了。對他而言，每一個走過他教室的年輕人都有可能成為未來的世界領袖。他看這些學生時，不是看他們曾經是什么樣子，而是看他們將來可能成為什么樣子。他以一種平和的心態期盼學生發揮最大的潛力。他在教育學生時，仿佛世界的未來完全掌握在他的教導中。

　　多年以后，他所認識的一名女子成為舉世矚目的人物。這時他才悟出，她就是那晚夢中天使所說的那個女孩。只是，她不是他的學生，而是他的女兒。在女兒一生所遇到的老師之中，他是最棒的。

　　我聽過這樣一句話：“孩子是我們給自己無法預見的某個時間、某個地點所發送出去的活信息。”可這并不僅僅是一則有關一個無名教師的寓言，而是有關你我的寓言——不論我們是為人父母，還是為人師表。而這個故事——我們的故事，其實是這樣開始的：

　　“你將有一個孩子，他/她將來會成為一名……”你來填完這個句子吧，如果不填“世界領袖”，那么“絕世好爸”也行；再要不“優秀教師”？“妙手神醫”？“不按常理出牌的問題克星”？“鼓舞人心的藝術家”？或是“慷慨無私的慈善家”？

　　你會在何地、如何遇見這個孩子，那是一個謎。可是，你要相信，一個孩子的將來很有可能就取決于你給他/她所造成的影響；也要相信，孩子會出人頭地的。對你來說，任何孩子都是不平凡的，你也因此脫胎換骨。

　　A young school teacher had a dream that an angel appeared to him and said, “You will be given a child who will grow up to become a world leader. How will you prepare her so that she will realize her intelligence, grow in confidence, develop both her assertiveness and sensitivity, be open-minded, yet strong in character？”

　　The young teacher awoke in a cold sweat. It had never occurred to him before——any ONE of his present or future students could be the person described in his dream. Was he preparing them to rise to ANY POSITION to which they may aspire？ He thought, “How might my teaching change if I KNEW that one of my students were this person？” He gradually began to formulate a plan in his mind.

　　This student would need experience as well as instruction. His teaching changed. Every young person who walked through his classroom became, for him, a future world leader. He saw each one, not as they were, but as they could be. He expected the best from his students, yet tempered it with compassion. He taught each one as if the future of the world depended on his instruction.

　　After many years, a woman he knew rose to a position of world prominence. He realized that she must surely have been the girl described in his dream. Only she was not one of his students, but rather his daughter. For of all the various teachers in her life, her father was the best.

　　I’ve heard it said that “Children are living messages we send to a time and place we will never see.” But this isn’t simply a parable about an unnamed school teacher. It is a parable about you and me——whether or not we are parents or even teachers. And the story, OUR story, actually begins like this:

　　“You will be given a child who will grow up to become…” You finish the sentence. If not a world leader, then a superb father？ An excellent teacher？ A gifted healer？ An innovative problem solver？ An inspiring artist？ A generous philanthropist？

　　Where and how you will encounter this child is a mystery. But believe that one child’s future may depend upon influence only you can provide, and something remarkable will happen. For no young person will ever be ordinary to you again. And you will never be the same.