I never really thought that I'd spend as much time in airports as I do.
I don't know why. I always wanted to be famous and that would mean lots of travel. But I'm not famous, even though I do see more than my share of airports.
I love them and I hate them. I love them because of the people I get to watch. But they are also the same reason why I hate airports. It all comes down to1 “hello” and “goodbye.”
I have great difficulties with saying goodbye. Even as I write this, I am experiencing that pounding2 sensation3 in my heart. If I am watching such a scene in a movie, I am affected so much that I need to sit up4 and take a few deep breaths.
So, when faced with a challenge in my life, I have been known to go to our local airport and watch people say goodbye. I figure5 nothing that is happening to me at the time could be as bad as having to say goodbye. Watching people cling to each other, crying, and holding each other in that last embrace6 makes me appreciate what I have even more. Seeing them finally pull apart7, extending their arms until the tips of their fingers are the last to let go, is an image that stays in the forefront8 in my mind throughout the day.
But I learn from goodbye moments, too.
Recently, I overheard a father and daughter in their last moments together. They had announced her departure9 and standing near the security gate, they hugged and he said, “I love you. I wish you enough.”She in turn said, “Daddy, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Daddy.”
They kissed and she left ... He walked over toward the window where I was seated，standing there. I could see he wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude10 on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by asking, “Did you ever say goodbye to someone knowing it would be forever?”
“Yes, I have,” I replied.
Saying that brought back memories I had of expressing my love and appreciation for all my Dad had done for me. Recognizing that his days were limited, I took the time to tell him face to face how much he meant to me. So I knew what this man was experiencing.
“Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever goodbye?” I asked.
“I am old and she lives much too far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is, her next trip back would be for my funeral11,” he said.
“When you were saying goodbye I heard you say, 'I wish you enough.' May I ask what that means?”
He began to smile. “That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone.”
He paused for a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, he smiled even more.
“When we said 'I wish you enough,' we were wanting the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain12 them,” he continued. Then, turning toward me, he shared the following as if he were reciting it from memory.
“I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate13 the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final goodbye.”
He then began to sob and walked away.
My friends, I wish you enough!
我从未真正想过我会在机场度过这么多时间。
我不知道为什么。以前老想成名,那意味着经常旅行。可我没有成名,但往机场跑的次数却不见少。
我喜欢机场,也厌恶机场。我喜欢是因为在那里我可以观察到许多人；但这也正是我厌恶机场的原因。总是“你好”和“再见”那一套。
说再见对我来说是件很困难的事。甚至写到这点,我的内心也在经历着感情的撞击。如果在某部电影中看到这种场景,我会深为感伤，必须坐直深吸几口气。
正因如此，生活中遇到挑战时，大家准知道我去当地机场看人们道别去了。我觉得当时任何事情都不会比迫不得已的道别更难受。看到人们相拥而泣、最后一次拥抱，我就对自己拥有的一切倍感珍惜。看到他们伸长手臂直到手指头不得不松开而最终别离……这一情景会一整天萦绕在我心头，挥之不去。
但离别时刻也让我深有感悟。
最近，我无意间听到一对父女在临别前的最后一段对话。广播已经通知旅客登机了。他们相拥在安检门旁。父亲说：“我爱你，愿你应有尽有，尽享人生。”女儿回答：“爸爸，有我们在一起的日子就已经足够了，您的爱就是我所需要的一切。我也愿你应有尽有，尽享人生，爸爸。”
吻别之后,她走了……他走向我座位旁边的窗前，站在那里。我能看出他想哭，也需要一哭为快。我不想打探他的隐私，他却主动跟我打招呼：“你曾跟一个明知可能要永别的人说过再见吗？”
“我有过这种经历。”我答道。
话一出口唤起了我的回忆，我想起曾对父亲为我所做的一切表达的爱意与感激。知道父亲时日不多,我特意当面告诉他他对我有多么重要。所以我知道这位先生此时的感受。
“恕我冒昧，可为什么是永别呢？”我问。
“我老了，她又住得太远。我未来的日子充满挑战。实际上，她下一次回来可能是要参加我的葬礼。”他说。
“你们道别时我听你们说，‘我愿你应有尽有，尽享人生。’请问那是什么意思？”
他笑了起来。“那是个流传了几代人的祝福。我父母过去常对每个人都这样说。”
他停顿片刻，仰起头来似乎在努力回忆细节，脸上的笑漾得更开了。
“我们对人说‘愿你应有尽有，尽享人生’时，就是希望对方的生活充满幸事来支撑他走下去。”他接着说。然后，他转向我，对我说了下面这些话，好像是在背诵。
“我愿你有足够的阳光让你保持乐观。
我愿你有足够的雨水让你更加感激阳光。
我愿你有足够的幸福让你精神激昂。
我愿你有足够的痛苦让你感受生命中微小的欢乐带来的幸福。
我愿你得到更多来满足你的需要。
我愿你失去更多让你珍惜眼前的所有。
我愿你得到足够的问候伴你挺过最后的永诀。”
然后他抽泣着离去。
我的朋友，我愿你应有尽有，尽享人生！
1. come down to归结为
2． pound [paund] v． 冲击
3． sensation n． 感情
4． sit up 端坐
5． figure v． 想，考虑
6． embrace n． ／v． 拥抱
7． pull apart 分开
8． forefront n． 最前部；最重要部分
9． departure n． 启程
10． intrude v． 闯入
11． funeral n． 葬礼
12． sustain v． 支撑
13． appreciate v． 感激