Tomorrow never dies

有一天，Janet寄給大家一封電郵，題目是 “Tomorrow never dies”:
Dear all,
These days, I had been working long hours to prepare for the grand kick off this Saturday. As an early bird, I met the cleaner (a 嬸) sweeping the pavement of the road to my office. She worked hard to clean the pavement. She swept hard and the pavement was clean. Yet by nighttime, the pavement was covered with leaves again. Still she swept hard everyday. I wonder if she would hate her job, or hate the trees! It was so meaningless, never ending. For that moment I wish I could be an inventor, I would invent a vacuum cleaner for her. Actually I enjoy walking on that pavement after work, though maybe dragging my lonely shadow after me, I feel the change of seasons, smell the scent of the trees, and flowers around. For many times, I walk with anger, despire, or with joy…Tomorrow I am going to say good morning to her and tell her that she’s been doing a good job. Guess if I were to leave RXXK, the biggest regret is that I won’t be able to walk in that road again!
Do Sally or Sharon feel the same?
Best regards, Janet

Kitty 很快便有回應:
Janet, 你提到那個清潔阿嬸，竟與我今天看的書有一段關聯︰
「古希臘神話中，奧林匹克山的眾神處罰西西弗斯，要他無休止地把一塊石頭推上山頂，而石頭由於自身的重量又每次滾下山去。諸神覺得，這是最嚴厲的懲罰。
但卡繆卻認為西西弗斯在這種無望無效的鬥爭中，領悟到人生的充實與幸福的起源–意識到人生的荒謬，卻又永不停息對荒謬的反抗。」
the passionate kitty

Kitty 姐果然是高檔次文化人，從掃落葉的阿嬸到西西弗斯，多麼遠，又是多麼近。

Janet也很快回應:
Dear all,
Thanks Kitty for her philosophical piece. I’d been thinking about it for several days. You’re true, life is ridiculous, just like the fallen leaves, they grow and fall round and round. The Sweeping lady had to sweep the floor on and on. Just like 西西弗斯, no matter how many leaves she swept, there were always more the other day. Yet in the course of leaves come and go, the flowers bloom, the buds grow into leaves. When I walk down the pavement, I feel the sweet environment of being embraced by scented trees. I watch every tree blooms and grows. Actually, even if I close my eyes, I can tell what tree it is, what season it’s on etc. So the process is what really matters. Like in my case of doing the Kick off, there were tons of difficulties, it seems like 西西弗斯 pushing the boulder uphill, but in the course of doing it, I got a lot. Even though I had a sleepless night last night, and the parachute descent was cancelled, the show went on smooth. On the morning of the typhoon day, the sweeping lady was sweeping mad. I asked her why don’t she wait for tomorrow, sure lots of leaves would be fallen. She said she had to sweep more just because more leaves would be fallen, if not, those leaves would block the gutter and flooding would prevail. On the night after the typhoon, when I walked on the pavement piled with branches and leaves, naturally I though of the sweeping lady. She would have tons of work the other day. Suddenly, I wonder if she were西西弗斯? Were she a angel?
Sally, to buy a house and go to work next door is not a good idea because we won’t care to dress up to go to work, and everybody would call you to get the tel. number from their desk diary!
Have a nice weekend.
Best regards,
Janet

在無眠的晚上，Janet 想了一個思考題給大家:
Sweeping lady just like西西弗斯
Like in my case of doing the Kick off , it seems like 西西弗斯
I wonder if she (sweeping lady )were西西弗斯Were she a angel?
究竟Janet跟掃落葉的阿嬸、西西弗斯和天使的關係如何?

跟著我也湊高興:
讀書時老師提到西西弗斯，說他是個悲劇人物的典型，但已不記起，也弄不清是理性的悲劇人物？或是感性的悲劇人物？
Joyce

Kitty又很快便回應:
希臘神話說的主要是宿命，人面對命運明知無力抵抗卻還是非抵抗不可的悲劇，理性與感性的界限相信不會太分明。我覺得有一種從出世到入世的人生觀，裏頭的英雄被天神擺弄，他們努力，他們動搖，最後他們失敗。
動搖終至失敗，但絕非徒勞。因為抵抗本身讓人超越昇華，掙扎過程中展現設法從命運中的猶豫和懦弱逃出來的善性。
我小時看得不明所以，現在雖好像讀通，但說句老實話，不無唏噓啊！
kitty

我說 “讀書時老師提到西西弗斯” 我是指在大學讀書時，所以一直以為Kitty 的 “小時” 也是指在大學時。到近日相聚說起，才知她最早是在「良友之聲」看到西西弗斯的神話，她所指的 “小時” ，的確是很小的時候呢!