接近學期尾，學生們忙着他們的Final Project、 Final Essay 。很多學生埋怨自己在英文理解及寫作方面太弱，寫一篇短文也覺得舉步維艱，他們說：「能入讀好學校的學生，他們已贏在起跑線。」（Some students are from good schools, they win at the starting line. Life is just so unfair to some people.）他們埋怨自己家庭不富裕，所以沒有機會入讀一等名校或國際學校；埋怨父母沒有好好栽培自己。我雖然不是一個母親，但我明白所有父母都會把自己最好的給予兒女；反之，作為兒女有否反思自己有沒有運用所擁有的資源好好努力？

　　其實沒有人可以肯定自己會「贏在起跑線」。跑道每天舉辦不同的競賽項目，有長跑有短跑有接力跑，每種項目所用需的技巧也不同，起跑快者未必代表穩勝，起跑遲的未必一定輸，比賽過程中的個人發揮才是最重要。

　　再者，跑道的價值和意義，不只是讓人完成比賽，而是讓不同需求的跑手在上面追逐夢想，實現價值，找到自己的人生方向。

　　我以簡單英語回應學生，希望可以帶給他一點正能量：I am intrigued where the "starting line" is. There are many varieties of races on the same runway every single day. Runners' goals are changing even though they all are competing in the same race. Winning at the starting line has no value at all, winning at the end is really big. We are not here to complete the race, but to get inspired to pursue our dreams and set a goal to our finish line.

　　與其怨天尤人，不如活在當下、努力苦幹。Life is an everyday and constant battle. We are given one life and the decision is ours whether to wait for things to happen, or to act, and in acting, to live.

　　正如心理學家榮格（Carl Jung）所言："I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become."

　　Miss Carol　　 大專院校語文講師、企業培訓講師及國際英文公開試主考官。

　　carolc.english@gmail.com