20100720

半日閑,不必偷

唐代李涉的《題鶴林寺僧舍》云:「終日昏昏醉夢間,忽聞春盡強登山,因過竹院逢僧話,又得浮生半日閑。」最後一句的「又」,有版本作「偷」,後來成了流行的獨立一句;躲懶一下,放開平日的工作,聽聽音樂、弄一杯咖啡、一邊喝一邊隨便翻閱雜誌閒書,甚至連這個也不做,只是放鬆身體,半臥在沙發上做白日夢,就是偷得浮生半日閑了。

最近在自己身上逐漸發覺這個「偷」字是有問題的。我每天都要求自己做點東西出來,最好是寫文、看書、做筆記這些和學問有關的東西,否則至少也要寫一篇博文、備課改文、執拾家居、或整理前後園。如果一天過了甚麼也沒有完成,我會覺得浪費了很多時間,心情因而變壞。

我不是不給自己任何輕鬆的時間,可是,每次我聽音樂的時間長了,或在網上無謂地瀏覽很久,都會有點覺得那時間是偷回來的 --- 是偷了應該用來做「正經事」的時間。因此,輕鬆完之後,很多時會是比輕鬆前繃得更緊。

其實,那輕鬆的時間也是我生命中必要的部份,這「偷」的想法真不該,「又」字便好得多了。又得浮生半日閑,多麼理所當然,更表達出欣賞和期待,那半日閑,自然會享受得舒暢多了。


* 李涉的那首詩,還有個很妙的故事,看這裏便知。

15 則留言:

  1. Do you think the feelings you have written about here are more common among those in academia? I don't know if it's the nature of our work, the personalities of academics, or what. I just don't hear as much people outside complaining or feeling guilty about not being productive enough. But when I talk with some of my colleagues during or after summer, it's all about what didn't get done and how they wasted their time...

    Lin

    回覆刪除
  2. Lin,

    I think only people in academia have a long summer break, so what you suggest is probably true. However, what I express in this piece is not merely about the summer.

    回覆刪除
  3. The monk talks - Fantastic !
    家居有微塵... Mrs Wong, help please ~

    回覆刪除
  4. catcat,

    我沒那麼本事,打掃到連陽光裏也沒有微塵。

    回覆刪除
  5. 天生工作狂真係令人妒忌

    Kane

    回覆刪除
  6. Kane,

    有甚麼好羨慕?其實我不是工作狂,只是不懶。

    回覆刪除
  7. 不懶是種缺憾,無法享受悠閑。做人不妨有些少黑暗面,例如懶,例如偷懶。

    回覆刪除
  8. karol,

    我都知自己有缺憾(缺陷?)。

    回覆刪除
  9. "I think only people in academia have a long summer break, so what you suggest is probably true. However, what I express in this piece is not merely about the summer."

    But the long summer "break" for academics is often an illusion. Even for those who are not teaching summer classes and not receiving a paycheck, many work hard through the summer regardless and feel guilty about not being as productive as they could be.

    I know you are not merely talking about the summer, but I thought the fact that some academics can't feel they could relax EVEN in summer time when other think that we are "on break" is illustrative.

    So I think many academics share that same 缺陷 of 不懶.

    Lin

    回覆刪除
  10. Lin,

    //I know you are not merely talking about the summer, but I thought the fact that some academics can't feel they could relax EVEN in summer time when other think that we are "on break" is illustrative.//

    - Good point!

    回覆刪除
  11. Wong,

    乜你咁Q中產o架。

    回覆刪除
  12. Yan,

    「中產」點解?有乜唔妥?

    回覆刪除
  13. Wong,

    冇乜唔妥,我只不過一時發o翕瘋。

    回覆刪除
  14. Yan,

    千祈唔好發噏風發到瘋咗!

    回覆刪除