給畢業同學 – Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Dr. Seues 是美國一位家譽戶曉的兒童文學作家，可能在台灣的同學也不陌生（台北圖書館的部分簡介）。最早的印象是小時候看過的圖畫書 The Cat in the Hat，除了這隻會變魔術的貓很有趣外，更記得故事背景是在一個有下雪的地方。在台灣一個亞熱帶長大的孩子，『雪』好像將魔術貓的魔術變的更神奇了！去年博士畢業時，系上一位老師送了我一本 Dr. Seuses 的圖畫書-- Oh, the Places You’ll Go!　（文字），原來這本書是美國高中或大學很受歡迎的畢業禮物！我喜歡圖畫書！押韻的文字讀起來更有趣。當然我更喜歡書中表達的涵義。現在我也將這個有趣的圖畫書送給同學，作為大家的畢業禮物。共勉之！

第一頁點題：
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!

接下來作者以一貫輕鬆但誠實的筆法，訴說人生有高潮也有失意，有成功也有挫折：（以下中文非翻譯）

It's opener there
in the wide open air.

未來海闊天空

You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.

有成功

I'm sorry to say so
but, sadly, it's true
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.

有挫折

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
．．．．．
How much can you lose? How much can you win?

在十字路口，你找得到方向嗎？

You can get so confused
that you'll start in to race
．．．．．I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place...
...for people just waiting.

當徬徨時，你只保守等待還是勇敢創造？

I'm afraid that some times
you'll play lonely games too.
Games you can't win
'cause you'll play against you.

『英雄』『超人』有時是寂寞的

On and on you will hike
and I know you'll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

但一分耕耘一分收穫

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3 / 4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

成功屬於堅持理想的人！

祝同學找到人生的立足點，勇往直前，自利利他！