Happy Birthday to my Dad!
At the risk of embarrassing him by making him the subject of this week’s newsletter, I want to use this space to wish my father a Happy Birthday! I won’t reveal his age, but it’s a big milestone year, and to celebrate ,he and my mother are taking a trip to Italy . One of the highlights of their trip will be touring the path that my grandfather, his father, took as a young soldier in World War 2.
All of this got me thinking about following in others’ footsteps.
No doubt my grandfather would never have wished for his son to see Italy the way he had, in a time of war, horror, and destruction. Nor could he have imagined then that one day he'd have a son who’d want to honor his memory and be able to enjoy Italy's beauty and history today. This is a unique opportunity to quite literally follow the route of his father. It also reminds me that we probably will never know all the ways the footprints we leave behind may give meaning, inspiration, and life lessons to others.
It all sounds like an awesome responsibility! I know everyday on a very small scale I ask people to follow me in my dance steps. When I mess up or wipe sweat out of my eye, students might even follow me thinking it’s a dance move -- oops!. But just as my students likely never focus on my missteps, the impact and difference we make in others' lives just by being ourselves and living our lives are what people will remember. Even something as simple as taking the steps to attend a class and improve your health and mood can create examples, benefits, and motivation for your families, coworkers, and friends.
Today my life looks far different from my father’s at my age, and yet the fact that I travel and live abroad makes me believe I’m following in his footsteps. There are many personality traits like being hard working and gregarious that I seem to take after him in as well. I’m so fortunate to have him as a role model to look to and aspire to be like. In creating my own path that others see and someday may follow, I hope I can honor him, his steps, and all the footprints that came before him.
Happy Birthday and love you, Dad!
Keep moving!
xx,
Katie
老爸，生日快樂！
冒著讓他覺得丟臉的風險，我想要利用這個機會來祝我的父親生日快樂！ 我不會透露他的年齡，但是今年的生日的確是一個重要的里程碑，為了慶祝 今年的大生日，他和我的母親一起去義大利玩。其中一個非常特別的地方，就是這趟義國之旅的行程是追隨著我的爺爺，在第二次世界大戰身為年輕的士兵的他所到過的地方。
這不禁讓我開始思考起「跟隨著別人的腳步」這件事。
毫無疑問地，我爺爺一定不想要他兒子看到當時他眼中的義大利，那樣恐怖與殘破的時局；他也想不到他會有一個兒子為了要紀念他決定踏上這樣意義深遠的旅程；也無法想像幾十年後再重溫舊地看到的是如此的美景與古蹟。這是一個非常獨特的機會，一個兒子名副其實地追隨父親的步伐 ，同時這也提醒了我，我們也許永遠不會知道我們所留下的足印會帶給其他人來什麼樣的意義、啟發和人生課題。
這些也許聽起來都是非常棒的責任。每天在很小的程度上，我要求大家跟著我的腳步，有時候我不小心跳錯，或者是擦去即將流入眼睛的汗水時，大家也會跟著我做，以為那是我的舞步。 我的學生們也許從來沒有把注意力放在我跳錯的步伐上，但是不可否認的，在生活當中不管是簡單地做自己，或是單純地過著我們的生活，任何的行為對他人都具有一定的影響力。像是一些簡單的事：開始踏出第一步去上課來增進健康與心情，這也可以是你為家人、同事與朋友創造的好榜樣。
我父親在我現在這個年紀過得生活，和我現在的生活截然不同，然而事實是我相信「住在國外」是追隨著他的步伐。還有許多的個性特徵是得到他的真傳，像是認真工作或是善於交際等。我今天很幸運有一個如此的模範可以效仿。我希望在創造自己的道路上，能榮耀我的父親、爺爺以及他們的步伐。
老爸，我愛你。生日快樂！
繼續前進！
愛你的 Katie
( Anna Liang 譯 )