這星期學校簡直被巧克力和糖果淹沒了，加上要上六天的課，聖誕節似乎長無止盡，還好同事愛密莉介紹了一個很不錯的活動，讓同學選一件意義非凡的二手禮物，和大家分享故事背後的故事，然後為它找個新主人。
This past week the school was literally inundated with chocolates and sweets. The fact that we had six school days this week made Christmas endless. Luckily, my colleague Emily introduced an extremely meaningful activity--everyone brings a secondhand object with them to school, shares its story and trades it with another person.
我有兩個班級，剛開始宣布這個活動時，我的班很強烈地表達，如果是自己珍惜的物品，會捨不得送出去，不如把活動改成故事分享就好，可是我很想試試大家的極限。真班也有類似的反映，可是意見沒有那麼大聲。
I have two classes. When I first announced the activity, my class voiced their opinions strongly. They argued that if it's an object they cherish, they won't be able to give it away. It'd be preferable if we changed it to "Show and Tell." However, I really wanted to see how far everyone could go, so I insisted on the exchange part. The girls in the other class also shared similar ideas, but they didn't protest so vehemently.
到了送禮物的當天，真班一上場的同學多半說：這個物品提醒我不好的回憶，所以我想送出去。原本是要送出祝福的，變成了很多人的療傷園地。不過我也因次聽到了一些可能永遠不會知道的故事，怎麼說都很慶幸讓大家有這個機會分享。
On the gift-giving day, a lot of girls in the other class started their stories this way: The object reminds me of something really negative, so I don't want to keep it. I had explained that the activity is to give best wishes. Instead, this turned out to be a healing camp for many traumatized kids. Still, I am glad because I go to hear many stories I wouldn't have known.
過去兩年裡，每次有機會和我自己的班做星空夜語活動時，不是我閃開機會就是機會閃開我。想不到這一次同學們一上場，完全不隱藏地分享關於自己的一些事情，故事裡有心碎、失望、成長過程中的自我期許和回憶，而且拿出來的禮物可能是對某位親人或朋友唯一的懷念，還是大方地給了出來。
In the past two years, I've had some chances to have heart-baring group talks with my own students, but I kind of shunned away. To my surprise, today the girls were so frank that they didn't hesitate to share stories about their heartaches, disappointment, and growth. More importantly, the objects they offered might be the only memorabilia from an important relative or friend. Their generosity really impressed me.
上面的同學說得哭得語無倫次，下面的好多雙眼睛都紅了，我是個這麼在乎講話有沒有組織的人，也放鬆了。安靜的勵學樓裡，別班同學安靜地自習，我卻堅持我們在今年最後的一個週六做這件事。
The story-tellers shed tears as they narrated their stories, while tears rolled in the listeners' eyes. I can never stop finding fault with people whenever their talks are incoherent, but I relaxed today. In the quiet building, the other classes were busy studying, but I insisted on exchanging stories on the last weekend of 2014.
聽到前一個同學率真地表達情感之後，還沒有發表的同學開始擔心自己的故事不夠有寫有淚，小獅居然狗急跳牆到想編出令人動容的情節，上台據實以報之後，逗得全班哄堂大笑，大家一下哭一下笑，真像在洗三溫暖。
Having been touched by stories full of emotions, those who hadn't talked yet were worried if they could move the audience. Maggie was so anxious that she couldn't help inviting the girls that sat next to her to make up stories for her object, which made the whole class burst into laughter. We cried and laughed at the same time.
兩個小時的交換故事結束後，玉璽跑來對我說，今天真是很棒的兩堂課，聽到了很多故事，又知道了關於彼此的一些事，開心之餘，我想到的是這個孩子過去兩年多以來的起落，現在走到了這個點，是多麼長足的進步，這是今年多好的句點。
After the activity, Enci came to me saying how wonderful it was. I agreed, but what came to mind was the change of this kid within two and half years. She's' come so far after all those ups and downs, which is a fantastic period to end year 2014.
當了十幾年的老師，每天我都還是要提醒自己要打開心，今年的聖誕禮物回應了我的努力，感謝孩子們的坦率，我常常想我說的話是不是都蒸發到空氣中了，結果證實了還是有些用處的。
Though I've been teaching for more than a dozen years, I still have to remind myself to open my heart every day. Santa gave me a perfect gift in return--the girls' honesty. I often wondered if my words had evaporated into the air, but now I know they are of some use.
每天上完課有不同的情緒，我和孩子們的情緒交會有無限可能的反應，我一直以為這會是個極其勞累的星期六，想不到內心充滿如此感動，久久無法退去。
Every day at work it is not the same because of the different chemistry between me and the girls. I'd thought this would be an extremely tiring Saturday. However, I was so moved that the rest of the day I could feel the good will.
我們要走入最後一學期了，回首看之前走過的路途，雖然真的很高興一起走到了這一點，但也會開始捨不得。
We are approaching the last semester together. Looking back on the past two and half years, I am happy to have come so far, but meanwhile, I know it's not easy to let go when we say goodbye.
後記：照片中的練習取自Keri Smith的Living Out Loud。
P.S.: The exercise sheet is excerpted from Keri Smith's Living Out Loud.
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