Unanswered Prayers

未得到回應的祈禱

I am not a religious person, but I used to have my kids to pray with me every night before we went to sleep.  Praying to God, thank Him for the joy He brings to the days and wishes for a better day tomorrow.  I am not sure if that’s how God works, or that’s the right way to pray… because again, I am not a religious man, I just love the concept of it.  I love that during the prayer, I get to know what makes my kids happy, what makes them sad, and what they were wishing for.  Most importantly, they learned to be thankful.  

我從來不是個有宗教信仰的人，但是我之前總是會帶著我的孩子在每夜入睡前禱告。雙手五指交錯，低頭趴在床前，虔誠的向神禱告。感謝神為這一天帶來的喜悅，為所有愛的人祈禱更美好的明天。我不確定禱告是不是這樣，也不確定神是不是如此的功能。畢竟，我從來不是個有宗教信仰的人，我只是喜歡那樣的形式概念。我喜歡透過禱告，了解孩子們在開心什麼、難過什麼、期待什麼。最重要的，讓孩子們學會了感恩。

I am not sure why I’ve never believed deeply in God.  Maybe because of how I was brought up, or maybe just because the religious people or missionaries I met aren’t convincing enough to make me believe what they believed is the one God that created this miserable but yet wonderful world.  I do believe in faith, spiritual beings, power of universe and aliens.  I do believe there’s a reason for all our existent, and when I said my prayer, there’s someone listening.  I am just not sure what that someone might be.  Might be God, who knows, so I still pray to Him, even though my prayers never get answered.  

我不確定為什麼自己對宗教、對神的信仰沒有那麼的虔誠。或許是因為成長的環境，或許是因為我遇到的傳教士或宗教人士他們所傳頌的，還不足以讓我信服他們的信仰 會是那個創造了這個殘酷同時美好世界的根源。我相信命運、靈魂、宇宙力量及外星人。我相信我們的存在是有原因的，而當我禱告時是有人在默默聆聽的，只是我不確定祂是誰。或許是神，who knows，所以我還是對著祂祈禱，即使我的禱告從未得到回應。

Couple days ago, a friend shared this Sufi poem:

幾天前，看到朋友分享了一首伊斯蘭蘇非教派的詩：

Even though my prayer wasn’t answered, but I’ve already had everything I need. 

雖然我的祈禱從未得到回應，但是我已經擁有一切我所需要的。