沖出自我的牢籠

Waiting for the airplane to take off，I was happy to get a seat by myself．Just then，a flight attendant approached me and asked，\"Would you mind changing your seat?A couple would like to sit together．\"The only other available seat was next to a woman with both arms in casts，a black-and-blue-face，and a gloomy aura.No way am I going to sit there，was my immediate thought．But then a deeper，quieter voice spoke，\"Opportunity．\"I took my new seat and discov-ered that Kathy had been in an autocollision，and she was on her way for therapy．

When the snack of nuts and juice arrived，it did not take me long to realize that Kathy would not be able to feed herself.I considered offering to feed her but resisted，as it seemed too intimate a service to offer to a stranger．But then I decided that Kathy’s need was more impor-tant than my discomfort．I offered to help her eat，and although she too was uncomfortable about accepting，she did．The experience was exhilarating，and she and I grew close in a short period of time．By the end of the five-hour trip，my heart was fully alive，and the time was infinitely better spent than if I had just sat by myself．

1 was very glad I had reached beyond my comfort zone to sit next to Kathy and feed her．Love always flows beyond human borders and dissolves the fears that keep us separate．When we stretch to serve another，we grow to live in a larger，more rewarding world．

Help me move beyond the small self so I can connect with the hearts of others．

When I give love to another，I feed my own soul．

我在飛機找了個位置，滿心歡喜，就等著飛機起飛了。就在那時候，一位空姐來到我身邊：“請問您介不介意換個座位呢？有對夫婦想坐到一起。”只見剩下唯一的空位旁邊是個女人，雙臂打了石膏，臉上一塊青一塊黑，籠罩著一片愁云慘霧。“打死我也不坐那兒，”這是最初在我腦子里閃過的念頭。但接著內心深處傳來平靜的聲音：“這就是機緣。”我最終還是答應換到那個新位置上，原來凱西經歷了一場車禍，她此行就是要去做治療。

當果仁小吃和果汁飲料被送過來時，很快我就意識到凱西單靠自己吃不了。我想跟她說讓我來喂她，但忍住沒說，畢竟這舉動對于一個陌生人來說未免顯得太親密了。后來我還是下了決心，因為我覺得凱西的眼前急需遠大于我的不安疑慮。我請纓給她喂食，雖然開始她也覺得不好意思，而最終還是接受了我的好意。這個經歷是愉快的，短短的一段時間內，大家的距離漸漸拉近。五小時的空中旅程到了尾聲，我覺得自已的內心徹底活了起來，比起自己一個人獨坐，我這五個小時過得值多了。

我很慶幸自己能跨出原本舒服自在的框框，來到凱西的旁邊助她一臂之力。恐怯讓人們各自疏離，而愛總會溢出人際的疆界，融化這種隔閡。伸出助人之手，我們的世界就會漸變廣闊，不枉此生。

助我超越渺小的自我，讓我可以與他人的心相連。

給他人獻愛之時，我亦哺育了自己的心靈。