「第十三章：邪惡的目的」
Chapter 13: The Purpose of Evil
「『真的有魔鬼嗎？』我從小信奉魔鬼的存在，但對我而言，魔鬼更像是一種理念，而非一個實際存在的個體。不過，當我提出這個問題的瞬間，我就清楚地感受到他真實存在。」
“There really is a devil?” I was raised to believe that there was a devil, but, to me, it always felt more like a concept than a being. I knew as soon as I thought the question that he was very real.
「『他的名字很多，』Drake 說道。『撒旦、路西法、Ác Quy、Alshaytan。既然你熟知他為魔鬼，我就這麼稱呼他。』」
“He goes by many names,” Drake said. “Satan. Lucifer. Ác Quy, Alshaytan. I’ll call him the devil, since that is what you know him by.”
「『他究竟扮演什麼角色？』我問道。『上帝為何要讓魔鬼在我們身上有如此大的影響力？』」
“What purpose does he serve?” I asked. “Why would God allow the devil to have so much influence over us?”
「Drake 先沉吟片刻，接著說道：『讓我們用一個你已熟悉的例子來說明這個道理。』」
Drake reflected for a moment, then said, “Let’s use something you’re already familiar with to illustrate the point.”
「腦海中浮現出一幅畫面：兩個淚滴形狀相互彎曲融合，一個是白色，一個是黑色。我認出那是陰陽的象徵，這讓我大感意外，便問道：『那是一個神聖的符號嗎？』」
An image filled my mind. Two teardrop shapes curved into each other, one white, the other black. I recognized it as the symbol of yin and yang. I was surprised. “Is that a sacred symbol?”
「Drake 對這問題露出輕鬆的笑意，回答說：『不，但它非常適合用來闡釋一個真理。告訴我，你看到了什麼？』」
Drake looked amused by the question. “No, but it is useful to teach a truth. Tell me what you see.”
「『我看到一個光明的形狀和一個黑暗的形狀互相交融。』『對，那麼在各自形狀內你又看見了什麼？』」
“I see a light shape and a dark shape turning into each other.” “Right. And what do you see inside each of those shapes?”
「『在黑暗形狀之中有一個白色的圓圈，而在光明形狀中則藏著一個黑暗的圓圈。』」
“There is a white circle inside the dark shape, and a dark circle inside the white shape.”
「『正是如此。每一段黑暗經歷中都隱藏著光明、學習與成長的潛能 (Importance)。你可以將所遭遇的一切不幸，化作增強你內在光芒的養分。』」
“Right again. Inside every dark experience is the potential for light, learning, and growth. You can take every bad thing that ever happens to you and use it to make the light within you stronger.”
「『那白色形狀內的黑暗圓圈呢？』『你覺得那代表什麼？』」
“And the dark circle inside the white shape?” “What do you think it means?”
「『是不是意味著即便是最光明的經歷，也可能在某些方面轉變為黑暗？』」
“That we can take even the brightest experiences and turn them dark somehow?”
「『完全正確。稍後我們會更深入探討這一點。首先，你必須明白，只要我們任由魔鬼左右而非上帝，我們每個人都有墮入黑暗的潛能；不過，即使是最堕落的人，心中仍留存著那一縷神性的火花 (Exceed potential)。我們都有被救贖、獲得寬恕以及感受上帝之愛的能力。無論你覺得自己墮落得多深，或多麼迷失，只要你不斷滋養內在的光明並轉向上帝，祂永遠會歡迎你回到祂的懷抱。』」
“Correct. We’ll talk about that more in a moment. First, understand that all of us have the capacity for darkness, if we let ourselves be influenced by the devil instead of by God, and even the worst of us still has that spark of divinity within. We all have the capacity for redemption, for forgiveness, and for God’s love. No matter how far we think we’ve fallen, or how lost we may be, He will always welcome us back if we nurture that light and turn to Him.”
「『但上帝為何要讓我們經歷這樣的掙扎？何不讓我們只享受美好，而不用經歷所有的痛苦呢？』」
“But why does He want us to have that struggle to begin with? Why not just let us experience good without all of the bad?”
「你喜歡健身吧？鍛鍊身體、變得更強壯，對嗎？」
“You’re into physical fitness, right? Building your body and growing stronger?”
「是的。」我努力不讓那個事實分散我的注意——我之所以和Drake在一起，是因為我喝了某種我以為能讓我更強壯的東西，結果卻把我毒倒了。
“Yes.” I tried to not be distracted by the fact that the reason I was even here with Drake was because I drank something that I thought would help me get stronger but poisoned me instead.
「你通常怎麼鍛鍊肌肉呢？」
“What do you have to do to build your muscles?” “Lift weights, mostly.”
「正是如此。你利用阻力，讓肌肉對抗那股力量。為什麼要這麼做？」
“Exactly. You use resistance. Something for your muscles to work against. Why do you do that?”
「沒有阻力，肌肉就無法變得更強壯。」
“Without resistance, the muscles won’t get stronger.” “Isn’t that uncomfortable?”
「當然會有些不適，但這是值得的。」
“Sure, but it’s worth it.” “In what way?”
「這樣我就變得更強壯，能做更多事，也更健康。」
“I’m stronger. I can do more. I feel healthier.”
「沒錯。這和我們的靈魂一樣。唯有面對阻力，我們才能變得更堅固；如果生活中一切都太過容易，我們就無法從中學到任何東西。」
“Exactly. It’s the same with our spirit. The only way for us to grow stronger is to face resistance. If our spirit was put into an existence where everything was easy, we would never learn anything.”
我不由得回想起童年時那濃厚的黑暗，恐懼、痛苦無所不在。我曾在心中構築一個虛幻的世界，讓自己覺得安然無恙。如今我清楚地明白，正因為那些黑暗——或許正因如此——那些經歷塑造了今天的我，我一點也不想改變哪怕一刻、哪怕一點的傷痛和苦難。
I thought back to the darkness in my childhood. There was a lot of it. Fear. Pain. I grew up creating an alternate universe in my mind where I was safe. Now, I could clearly see that despite all of the darkness—or, perhaps, precisely because of it—those experiences had shaped me into the person I was. And I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Not a single day, not a single moment, not a single instance of pain or hurt that was done to me.
我知道自己正處在上帝安排的道路上。我不願改變上帝鍛造我的計劃，因為如果沒有經歷那段黑暗，我不確定內心的光明是否會如期綻放。
I knew that I was right where God wanted me to be. I didn’t want to change His plans for me as He molded me into who I was. If I hadn’t experienced that darkness, I didn’t know if the light would have grown in me.
我明白，即使在我們最黑暗的日子裡，也要記住光仍然存在。我們從來都不會真得孤單。永遠不會。而且要意識到，當我們充滿光明、活在光明的一面時，仍有黑暗試圖悄悄滲入。
I realized that, even in our darkest days, we should remember that there is still light. We are never truly alone. Ever. And we need to be aware that when we are full of light, living in the light side of that image, there is still darkness trying to creep in.
Drake 讓這些思緒在我心中沉澱片刻，然後繼續說道：
Drake let those thoughts sink in before he continued.
「你剛才說過，連最光明的經歷也有可能轉變為黑暗。」
“You said a moment ago that we can take even the brightest experiences and turn them dark.”
回應是肯定的：「可以。」
“Yes.”
「黑暗、恐懼——這正是魔鬼的本性。當我們在來到地球之前仍在上帝的光輝中時，我們就無法做出錯誤的選擇 (Choice)。」
“Darkness. Fear. That is the nature of the devil. When we were in God’s presence before coming to Earth, we couldn’t make a wrong choice.”
「『我們在降生地球之前就已存在？』」
“We existed before we were born on Earth?”
「『是的。』Drake 展現了一條天藍色絲帶，向兩側無限延展，超越了他初次見面時曾向我展示的宇宙邊界。我注意到，在這條絲帶前方，靜臥著一粒閃耀著亮金光芒的砂粒。」
“We did.” Drake shared an image of a sky-blue ribbon that stretched infinitely in both directions, beyond the edges of the universe he had shown me when we first met. I noticed a single grain of sand, glowing bright gold, resting on the ribbon in front of me.
「『這條絲帶象徵著你永恆的存在，而那粒砂代表你在地球上的時光。你的凡人體驗只是一個短暫的事件，但卻提供了促使你學習與成長（Importance）的關鍵機會。在降臨地球前，我們沉浸在上帝的愛裡，錯誤的選擇（Choice）甚至無法進入我們的心田。』」
“The ribbon represents your eternal existence,” Drake said. “The grain of sand represents your time on Earth. Your mortal experience is a brief event that provides essential opportunities for learning and development. Before coming to Earth, awash in God’s love, the idea of a wrong choice couldn’t even enter our minds.”
「『那麼，當時並沒有遇到阻力嗎？』」
“So, there was no resistance?”
Drake 點了點頭，說：「『這也就意味著沒有成長。生活在地球上，就像去一間靈魂健身房，不斷鍛鍊並強化我們的靈魂與品格——這正是我們存在的核心。』」隨即他又問道：「『而魔鬼是創造那種阻力的源頭嗎？』」
Drake nodded. “Which means there was also no growth. Living on Earth is like going to a spiritual gym to develop and strengthen our spirit and character—the very core of who we are.” “And the devil creates that resistance?”
「『是的，他會阻擋我們走上正確之路；或者，他會影響我們去做正確的事，但卻帶著錯誤的動機。這兩種情況都會損害我們的成長。』」
“Yes, he works against us doing the right thing. Or he influences us to do the right thing, but with the wrong motivation. Both are harmful to our growth.”
「你的意思是什麼？」
“What do you mean?”
「『我們每個決定的背後，都源自恐懼或喜悅——我這樣簡化地表達，但歸根到底，事情大致如此。當我們真正理解上帝對我們的愛時，就再無須懼怕，尤其不該害怕失敗。失誤與失敗正是我們前進路上必不可少的磨練。上帝知道我們必然會跌倒，就如同學步的孩童會不時絆倒一樣，但祂卻全然無條件地愛著我們。每當我們出於恐懼而行，即便結果仍然良好，我們的內在能量卻會隨之降低。』」
“Every decision we make is motivated by either fear or joy. I’m simplifying it, but that’s pretty much what everything comes down to. When we truly understand God’s love for us, there is nothing to fear. We especially shouldn’t fear failure. Mistakes and failures are a necessary part of our progress. God knows we’re going to fail, just as a child learning to walk stumbles and falls, but He loves us completely and unconditionally. Whenever we do something that is motivated by fear, our frequency moves down, even if the outcome is good.”
「『我的內在能量真的會下降，即便我是在做正確的事？即便我是在做該做的事？』」
“My frequency can fall even if I’m doing what I’m supposed to? Even if I’m doing the right thing?”
「『沒錯。魔鬼和他的追隨者正是以恐懼作為推動力。你要明白，在凡人世界裡，當你受魔鬼影響時，你只能獲得凡人層面的利益——金錢、名聲，以及對他人的影響力。若你沿著魔鬼的道路行走，那些收益最終都會隨你的凡人生命而終結。』」
“That’s right. The devil and his followers motivate through fear. Realize that in the mortal existence, you can only receive mortal benefits when following the devil’s influence: money, fame, influence over others. If you pursue them through the devil’s path, any benefit will end with your mortal life.”
「你的意思是什麼？」
“What do you mean?”
「『比如說，你想要錢。你可以聽從魔鬼的誘惑去搶銀行，或者你可以受到上帝的啟示，學習如何正當地賺取那筆錢。一旦你懂得正當賺錢，你就能一再重複這份成功。你會學會創造而非破壞，而這份知識非凡強大，因為它會伴隨你直到生命盡頭。』」
“Say, you want money. You could follow the devil’s prompting and rob a bank, or you could follow God’s influence and learn how to earn that same amount of money. Once you have learned how to earn that money, you can repeat that success over and over again. You will have learned how to grow instead of destroy, and that knowledge is powerful, because everything you learn remains with you after you die.”
「『這倒是有道理。』」
“That makes sense.”
「『無論何種力量驅動你，走上光明之路永遠值得。你在每一個抉擇（Choice）時刻，都享有這樣的選擇權。每當你出於無私的愛而行動，那便是一種與上帝連結的表現，這是你所擁有的最高動機，也是做任何事的最佳理由。它不僅能提升你，更能提高你的內在頻率。舉例來說，假設你忽略了照顧自己的身體，起初可能是出於對疾病的恐懼促使你改變，但隨後你需要設定你真正追求的意圖（Intention）：在這個例子中，就是追求健康，而不是僅僅逃避病痛。專注於你對自己身體這份恩賜的愛與感激，以及你希望好好珍惜它的渴望。』」
“No matter what drives you, it’s always worth following the path of light. You have that choice in every moment of decision. Whenever you do anything out of selfless love, that is a connection with God. It’s the highest motivation you can have. It’s the best reason for doing anything. It elevates you and your frequency. For example, say you haven’t taken care of your body. Fear of sickness might be what initially motivates you to change, but you then need to set your intention towards what you want—in this case, good health—not what you don’t want. Focus on the love and gratitude you have for the gift of your body, and your desire to treat it well.”
「當我回想起自己一生中的所作所為，我發現他的話真是言之成理。每當我因恐懼而行動，即使那步伐正確，我也難以感受到那種出於愛而行所帶來的充實與堅定；而每次當我出於愛去行動時，總使我倍感強大與滿足。」
As I thought back on the reasons that I had done things throughout my life, I could see that what he was saying was true. Whenever I did something out of fear, even if I was doing the right thing, I didn’t feel the same as when I did it out of love. Whenever I acted out of love, I felt stronger and more fulfilled.
「我覺得我們已經談夠了。記住，魔鬼的職責就是影響你做出使你偏離上帝的選擇 (Choice)。他的工作在你的成長過程中扮演著至關重要的角色。認清他的誘惑，這樣你才能有力量做出明確的選擇，並以愛而非恐懼來行動。」
“I think we’ve talked about this enough. Just remember that the devil’s job is to influence you to make decisions that pull you away from God. His job plays a vital role in your progress. Recognize his temptations, so that you are empowered to make a clear choice. Act with love, not fear.”
「我以為自己已經準備好繼續前進，但我卻猶豫了。我再次感受到前進時的阻力。Drake 停下來等待，讓我理清思緒。」
I thought I was ready to move on, but I hesitated. I could feel the resistance to movement again. Drake paused and waited for me to work through my thoughts.
「我有一位叔叔，是個無神論者。他溫和、充滿愛心，但始終拒絕信仰上帝。他說，他無法相信一個善良的存在竟會允許這個世界充斥著如此多的痛苦與苦難。儘管我堅信上帝，但我能感受到對我叔叔的愛卻在無形中將他的信念也印進了我的心裡，使我陷入了迷惘，不知該如何是好。」
I had an uncle who was an atheist. He was a kind and loving man, but he refused to believe in God. He said it was because he couldn’t believe that a good being would allow so much pain and suffering in the world. Even though I believed in God, I could feel that my love for my uncle had imprinted some of his beliefs on my psyche. I was stuck, and I didn’t know what to do.
「Drake 捕捉到我的遐想後說：『我知道，在地球上，你會覺得這一切看上去非常不公平。』」
Drake followed my thoughts, then said, “I know that it can all seem very unfair while you’re on Earth.”
「『不只是感覺不公平，』我回答道，『地球上，好人也會遭遇極其可怕的事情，甚至無辜的小孩也難逃最殘酷的命運。為什麼事情總必須如此？』」
“Not just unfair,” I said. “There are horrific things that happen to good people on Earth. Some of the worst things imaginable happen to innocent little children. Why does it have to be that way?”
「『請記住，人生的目的在於學習與成長，而達到這一目標，唯有親身體驗阻力、掙扎、甚至痛苦與煎熬。當然，也有許多殘酷的惡行降臨在無辜的人身上，這並非他們的過錯。有時，是因為他人利用他們的能動性去行惡；有時候，看似偶然的災難，其實是當事人在未降臨地球之前就已選擇的經歷，旨在造福自己和他人。』」
“Remember that the purpose of life is to learn and to grow, and the only way to do that is to experience opposition, struggle, even pain and anguish. And yes, there are great evils that are perpetrated on innocent people. It is not their fault. Sometimes, it is because others use their agency for evil. Other times what appears like a random accident was an experience chosen by that person before they even came to Earth, for their own benefit, and the benefit of others.”
「『但這怎能解釋一個因癌症離世的孩子，或是一個嬰兒僅僅活了幾小時就離開人世？你是說他們選擇了那條路？在這短暫的人生中，這樣的痛苦又如何為他們帶來好處？』」
“But how does that explain a child that dies of cancer, or a newborn that dies after only a few hours? Are you saying they chose that path? How does being here such a short time benefit them?”
「『在地球上，許多事情都受時間的規範，但時間並不是成長的絕對尺度。對某些人來說，即使僅僅在凡人生命中的短暫一刻，也能帶來強大的變化。試想一隻毛毛蟲，必須經歷蛹化的過程才能蛻變成蝴蝶。它在蛹中的時間雖然極短，但這一轉變卻造就了一個全新的生物，使它能夠做到毛毛蟲時所不能。』」
“On Earth, so much is defined by time, but time is not an absolute measure of growth. For some, all it takes is a brief moment in mortality to bring about powerful changes. Think of it like a caterpillar, which must go through the chrysalis stage to become a butterfly. It is only in the chrysalis for a short span of its existence, but the transformation turns it into a completely new creature that can do far more than it could as a caterpillar.”
「『那麼，我們的凡人生命就像是毛毛蟲的蛹一樣？』」
“And mortality is like the chrysalis for us?”
「『正是如此。那些在地球上停留極短時間的人，他們從有限的生命中獲得了一切所需，同時也參與了留在這裡的其他人奮鬥與成長的過程。』」
“Exactly. Those who are on Earth for a very brief time receive everything that they need from mortality, and, at the same time, play a part in the struggle and growth of those who remain. The same is true for those born with mental and physical disabilities; they have their own path for growth, and they provide opportunities for others to grow as well. Every path is unique, which makes it difficult to provide a simple answer that completely covers every circumstance.”
「『同樣地，那些天生有身心障礙的人也各有自己的成長之路，他們不僅為自己，也為他人提供了成長的契機。每一條道路都是獨一無二的，因此很難用一個簡單的答案來涵蓋所有情況。』」
I thought about all of the suffering I had seen and experienced while on Earth.
「我回想起在地球上所見證和經歷的一切苦難。」
“I know,” Drake said, “that it is difficult to fully understand or believe when the pain feels so intense and all you can see is the short span of your mortal life. Know this, though—every individual is known and completely loved by God. Everyone will experience exactly what they need in this life to progress as much as they can. The suffering will always make sense when you can see the eternal view again.”
「『我知道，』Drake 說，『當痛苦如此強烈、你只能看到那短暫的凡壽時，完全理解或相信這一切真相非常困難。但請記住——上帝認識並全然愛著每一個人。每個人在這一生中都會經歷正好促進成長的磨練。當你能從永恆的視角回望，所有的苦難都會變得有意義。』」
“But isn’t there another way?”
「『但是，不會有其他方式嗎？』」
“What would you propose? Something easier? Something that didn’t stretch your faith as much? Something that didn’t compel you to feel great depths of compassion for others?”
「『你會提出什麼建議呢？是一些更輕鬆的途徑？或是那些不需要你信念面臨極大考驗、不迫使你對他人產生深切憐憫的方法？』」
I remembered the image of the yin and the yang. Evil and good in an endless cycle, one growing out of the other.
「我明白，」Drake 繼續說道。「我知道，在那混亂與煎熬之中，一切會讓你覺得極度不公。生命本就充滿挑戰，如同那把劍在尚未出鞘前，會藐視鍛造者。即便你知道這掙扎與痛苦背後蘊含著更高的意義，也難以立即消除經歷時的苦楚。但請記住，我們初見時你所感受到的：那一刻，你被沉重的絕望、恐懼與疼痛所籠罩。但隨後你感受到…什麼呢？」
“I understand,” Drake continued. “I know that in the middle of all of the confusion and anguish, it can all seem so very unfair. Life is challenging by design. The sword despises the blacksmith until it is time for battle. Even knowing that there is a greater purpose to the struggle and suffering may not lessen the pain of the experience. But remember how you felt when we first met. In that moment, you were filled with a crushing despair. Fear. Pain. But then you felt… what?”
「愛、善良與溫柔。」
“Love. Kindness. Tenderness.”
「那當你讓那道光進入你的心靈後，接著發生了什麼？」
“And what happened as soon as you let that light in?”
「所有負面情緒瞬間消散，就彷彿它們從未出現過一般。」
“All of the negative feelings disappeared. It was like they were never there.”
「當他人遭遇苦難時，能夠心生憐憫固然美好，但更出色的是，在對方最需要的時候，你能夠為他們獻上愛、善良與溫柔。正是透過那種掙扎與挑戰，我們得以變得更堅強。請記住，無論痛苦有多深，終將會結束，而這一切都是值得的。」他微笑著說：「來，我有些事你應該看看。」
“It’s good to feel compassion for others when they are suffering. It’s even better to provide love, kindness, and tenderness to them when they need it. It is only through the struggle and challenges that we grow stronger. Just know that no matter how painful it is, the pain does end, and it is all worth it.” He smiled. “Come, there’s something you should see.”
「我們此時已非常接近那巨大的光球。光球本身散發著耀眼的白光，但當光線從球體表面向外輻射時，白光逐漸轉為藍光，然後變為紫色，再變成一種朦朧的粉紅色，最後逐漸消逝。」
We were now very close to the massive sphere of light. Brilliant white light still emanated from the orb itself, but the white transitioned to blue light as it radiated away from the surface. Then the blue light became purple, and then a misty pink hue before fading away.
「當我們靠近時，我看見一層猶如寬帶般的白光環繞著那顆星球。隨後我發現，那光環似乎是由數以百萬、甚至數十億顆小星辰構成，它們像發光的珍珠般熠熠生輝。」
As we came nearer, I could see an aura of white light surrounding the planet like a wide belt. Then I saw that the aura appeared to be made of millions, perhaps billions, of small stars, luminous like glowing pearls.
「Drake 指引著我將目光集中在構成光環的一顆小星辰上。當我越走越近，我發現它實際上是由細小的光點組成。當我更仔細地觀察時，我驚訝地發現，這些獨立的光點竟然排列成一個完整的球體，彷彿是天使一般的存在。」
Drake directed my gaze to one of the smaller stars that made up the aura. As I drew nearer, I saw that it was actually made up of points of light. As I looked closer still, I realized that the individual lights were angelic beings arrayed to form a sphere.
「我內心默念，『我稱他們為天使，』這是對他們外貌最貼切的描述。他們沒有翅膀，但卻散發出無比的力量與榮耀。他們既不明顯屬於男性，也不全然屬於女性，而是兼具兩者特質。他們既英俊又美麗，充滿力量卻又溫柔堅定，最重要的是，光輝燦爛。」
I call them angels, as that is the best description of their appearance. They didn’t have wings, but they exuded power and glory. They didn’t appear male or female, though they had aspects of both. They were handsome and beautiful and powerful and tender and firm and kind and, most of all, glorious.
「那些天使全都向著他們球體的中心聚攏。我逐漸意識到，他們正圍繞著一群靈魂，如同一個群集。每個群集中的靈魂數量各不相同，有的只有少數幾個，有的則達上千。我注意到，每個群集都有自己獨特的頻率；群集中所有靈魂共振同一頻率，並常常擁有相似的文化背景或來自地球歷史的同一時期，有的群集甚至可追溯數千年前。按照 Drake 的指引，我仔細觀察了一個群集中的其中一個靈魂。
The angels were all turned inward towards the center of their sphere. I became aware that they were surrounding groups of souls, like a pod. The number of souls in each pod varied; some held a few souls and others, thousands. I was aware that each pod had a frequency; the souls in each pod shared the same frequency, and often shared the same culture or period in history on Earth, some pods thousands of years ago. I followed Drake’s guidance to observe one soul in one pod.
「我看見一位留著濃密鬍鬚的男子，我猜想他大概活躍於20世紀初。他穿著棕色長褲搭配吊帶，內穿白色襯衫，下搭深棕色鞋子，頭戴棕色圓頂禮帽。他看似三四十歲，但我隱約感覺到他逝世時已屆花甲。」
I saw a man with a bushy mustache who I guessed had lived in the early 1900s. He wore brown pants with suspenders, a white undershirt, laced dark brown shoes, and a brown bowler hat. He appeared to be in his thirties or forties, but I somehow knew that he was actually in his sixties when he died.
「最令我印象深刻的是，他滿腔怒火，極度憤怒。他用我認為是意大利語大聲咆哮，儘管我不懂那語言，但我卻能明白他所有話語的含意，知道他的身世、過去以及他怒火的根源。他似乎以為自己在怒斥他的兒子，或者某個對他而言如同兒子般的人，但眼前卻空無一人。他喊出了所有最殘酷、最傷人的話語。」
Most of all, he was angry. Very angry. He shouted in what I recognized as Italian. I understood everything he was saying even though I don’t know Italian. I understood who he was, his past, and why he was so angry. He thought he was yelling at his son, or someone who was like a son to him, but there was no one there. He was saying the cruelest and most hurtful things he could think of.
「據我所知，他的兒子曾經槍擊或刺傷了他，這名男子整整耗了一週才走到生命的終點。儘管他已死亡近一世紀，但他仍大聲吼叫、揮舞拳頭，竭盡全力用暴力與憤怒傷害眼前那虛無的存在。」
His son had shot or stabbed him, and it took this man a week to die. Even though he had died nearly a century before, he was still shouting and swinging his fists, doing everything he could to harm the imaginary being in front of him with as much violence and anger as he could muster.
「突然間，好似他從恍惚中驚醒，隨著最後一絲怒氣消散，他意識到自己正被天使圍繞。當他抬頭看見這些天使時，有兩位迅速跑到他身旁，緊緊擁抱他，而他便淚流滿面。倏忽之間，他們三人便朝著那巨大的光球移動。他們移動得極快，在我眼中似乎瞬間消失，但我本能地知道他們已前往何處。」
Suddenly, it was as if he woke out of a trance as the last of his anger left him. He became aware that he was surrounded by angels. As he looked up and saw them, two angels rushed to his side to embrace him, and he began to cry. In a flash, the three of them began moving towards the large sphere of light. They moved so fast that it looked to me like they simply disappeared, though I instinctively knew where they had gone.
「我看到，每個群集中的靈魂都正各自面對著屬於自己的問題：仇恨、怨恨、偏見、狹隘、上癮……這些可憐的靈魂似乎困在一個無法擺脫的循環中，就像黑膠唱片因劃痕而反覆跳轉同一段旋律一般。」
I saw that the souls in each pod were dealing with their own issues: hate, resentment, prejudice, bigotry, addiction. These poor souls were stuck in a loop, like a vinyl record caught on a scratch, skipping over and over.
對我來說，最令人悲哀的是，這些沉浸在黑暗中的靈魂被充滿光明與愛的榮光存在所環繞——這些存在正等待著伸出援手；然而，他們卻被自己內心的負面情緒與痛苦所困擾，甚至對這些救助者毫無察覺。他們只能想像那些他們渴望傷害的其他靈魂，直到他們最終釋放掉這些負能量，才能看到四周的美麗，從而在生命中獲得進步。
What was especially sad to me was that these dark souls were surrounded by these glorious beings full of light and love just waiting to help them, but they were so caught up in their own negativity and pain that they weren’t even aware of them. All they could do was imagine other souls that they wanted to hurt. It wasn’t until they finally let go of that negative energy that they could see the beauty all around them and progress in their existence.
Drake 將我的意識拉回，我們隨即繼續上路。我注意到一大群天使正從其中一個靈魂群集（pod）降臨，為已經在那裡的天使提供援助，但我無法窺視那群集內部，也不清楚究竟發生了什麼。
Drake pulled my awareness back, and we resumed our journey. I noticed a large group of angels descending on one of the pods, giving reinforcements to the angels that were already there. I couldn’t see inside that pod and didn’t know what was happening.
「那邊發生什麼事了？」我疑惑地問道，「出現問題了嗎？」
“What is going on there?” I wondered. “Is there a problem?”
Drake 露出燦爛的笑容說：「完全沒有。親人們正為那群集中的靈魂祈禱，他們的祈禱賦予了更多力量來淨化他們所攜帶的負能量。那些天使正趕來協助該群靈魂繼續前行。群體常常會一同向上，就像一場畢業典禮一樣。」
Drake smiled with radiant joy. “Not at all. Loved ones are praying for the souls in that pod. Their prayers are granting more power to help cleanse the negative energy they are carrying. Those angels are coming to help that group move on. Groups tend to move up together. Much like a graduation, if you will.”
我不由得想到鳥巢裡的蛋，它們大多幾乎同時孵化。
I thought of eggs in a nest, which all tended to hatch about the same time.
Drake 聽到了我的想法，微笑著說：「沒錯，就像那樣。」
Drake heard my thought and smiled. “Yes, like that, too.”
第十三章：邪惡的目的
Chapter 13: The Purpose of Evil
「真的有魔鬼嗎？」我被教導相信有魔鬼，但對我來說，它總是更像是一個概念，而不是一個存在。我一想到這個問題，就知道他非常真實。
“There really is a devil?” I was raised to believe that there was a devil, but, to me, it always felt more like a concept than a being. I knew as soon as I thought the question that he was very real.
「他有很多名字，」德瑞克說。「撒旦、路西法、Ác Quy、Alshaytan。我稱他為魔鬼，因為那是你所知道的名字。」
“He goes by many names,” Drake said. “Satan. Lucifer. Ác Quy, Alshaytan. I’ll call him the devil, since that is what you know him by.”
「他有什麼目的？」我問。「為什麼上帝會允許魔鬼對我們有如此大的影響？」
“What purpose does he serve?” I asked. “Why would God allow the devil to have so much influence over us?”
德瑞克思考了一會兒，然後說：「讓我們用你已經熟悉的東西來說明這一點。」
Drake reflected for a moment, then said, “Let’s use something you’re already familiar with to illustrate the point.”
一幅畫面在我腦海中浮現。兩個淚珠形狀相互彎曲，一個是白色的，另一個是黑色的。我認出這是陰陽的象徵。我感到驚訝。「那是一個神聖的符號嗎？」
An image filled my mind. Two teardrop shapes curved into each other, one white, the other black. I recognized it as the symbol of yin and yang. I was surprised. “Is that a sacred symbol?”
德瑞克對這個問題顯得很有趣。「不，但它對於教導一個真理是有用的。告訴我你看到了什麼。」
Drake looked amused by the question. “No, but it is useful to teach a truth. Tell me what you see.”
「我看到一個光的形狀和一個暗的形狀互相轉化。」 「對。那你在每個形狀裡看到什麼？」
“I see a light shape and a dark shape turning into each other.” “Right. And what do you see inside each of those shapes?”
「在黑色形狀裡有一個白色的圓圈，而在白色形狀裡有一個黑色的圓圈。」
“There is a white circle inside the dark shape, and a dark circle inside the white shape.”
「又對了。在每一個黑暗的經歷中都潛藏著光明、學習和成長的潛力。你可以把每一件發生在你身上的壞事都轉化為讓你內心的光更強大的力量。」
“Right again. Inside every dark experience is the potential for light, learning, and growth. You can take every bad thing that ever happens to you and use it to make the light within you stronger.”
「那白色形狀裡的黑色圓圈呢？」 「你認為這意味著什麼？」
“And the dark circle inside the white shape?” “What do you think it means?”
「那就是我們可以把即使是最光明的經歷也以某種方式變得黑暗？」
“That we can take even the brightest experiences and turn them dark somehow?”
「正確。我們稍後會再談這個。首先，明白我們所有人都有黑暗的潛力，如果我們讓自己受到魔鬼的影響而不是上帝的影響，即使是最糟糕的人內心也仍然有那一絲神性。我們都擁有救贖、寬恕和上帝之愛的潛力。無論我們認為自己跌得多遠，或多麼迷失，只要我們培養那份光明並轉向他，他總會歡迎我們回來。」
“Correct. We’ll talk about that more in a moment. First, understand that all of us have the capacity for darkness, if we let ourselves be influenced by the devil instead of by God, and even the worst of us still has that spark of divinity within. We all have the capacity for redemption, for forgiveness, and for God’s love. No matter how far we think we’ve fallen, or how lost we may be, He will always welcome us back if we nurture that light and turn to Him.”
「但為什麼他一開始就要讓我們經歷這種掙扎？為什麼不讓我們只體驗好的，而不必經歷所有的壞事？」
“But why does He want us to have that struggle to begin with? Why not just let us experience good without all of the bad?”
「你對身體健身很感興趣，對吧？鍛鍊身體變得更強壯？」
“You’re into physical fitness, right? Building your body and growing stronger?”
「是的。」我試著不去分心，因為我之所以會和德瑞克在一起，是因為我喝了一種我以為能讓我變強的東西，卻反而毒害了我。
“Yes.” I tried to not be distracted by the fact that the reason I was even here with Drake was because I drank something that I thought would help me get stronger but poisoned me instead.
「你需要做什麼來增強肌肉？」 「主要是舉重。」
“What do you have to do to build your muscles?” “Lift weights, mostly.”
「正是如此。你使用阻力。讓肌肉需要對抗的東西。你為什麼這樣做？」
“Exactly. You use resistance. Something for your muscles to work against. Why do you do that?”
「沒有阻力，肌肉就不會變得更強。」 「這不是很不舒服嗎？」
“Without resistance, the muscles won’t get stronger.” “Isn’t that uncomfortable?”
「當然，但這是值得的。」 「在哪方面？」
“Sure, but it’s worth it.” “In what way?”
「我變得更強了。我能做更多的事情。我感覺更健康。」
“I’m stronger. I can do more. I feel healthier.”
「正是如此。我們的精神也是一樣。我們變得更強的唯一方法就是面對阻力。如果我們的精神被放在一個一切都很容易的存在中，我們將永遠無法學到任何東西。」
“Exactly. It’s the same with our spirit. The only way for us to grow stronger is to face resistance. If our spirit was put into an existence where everything was easy, we would never learn anything.”
我回想起童年時期的黑暗。那是一段充滿恐懼和痛苦的時光。我在心中創造了一個安全的替代宇宙。現在，我清楚地看到，儘管有所有的黑暗，或者說，正是因為那些黑暗，那些經歷塑造了我成為今天的我。我不會改變任何事情。沒有一天、沒有一刻、沒有一個我所遭受的痛苦或傷害的時刻。
I thought back to the darkness in my childhood. There was a lot of it. Fear. Pain. I grew up creating an alternate universe in my mind where I was safe. Now, I could clearly see that despite all of the darkness—or, perhaps, precisely because of it—those experiences had shaped me into the person I was. And I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Not a single day, not a single moment, not a single instance of pain or hurt that was done to me.
我知道我正處在上帝希望我所在的位置。我不想改變他為我制定的計劃，因為他在塑造我成為我自己。如果我沒有經歷那段黑暗，我不知道光明是否會在我心中成長。
I knew that I was right where God wanted me to be. I didn’t want to change His plans for me as He molded me into who I was. If I hadn’t experienced that darkness, I didn’t know if the light would have grown in me.
我意識到，即使在我們最黑暗的日子裡，我們也應該記住仍然存在光明。我們從來不會真正孤單。永遠不會。而且我們需要意識到，當我們充滿光明，生活在那幅圖像的光明面時，仍然有黑暗試圖潛入。
I realized that, even in our darkest days, we should remember that there is still light. We are never truly alone. Ever. And we need to be aware that when we are full of light, living in the light side of that image, there is still darkness trying to creep in.
德瑞克讓這些想法沉澱了一會兒，然後繼續說。
Drake let those thoughts sink in before he continued.
「你剛才說過，我們可以把即使是最光明的經歷也變得黑暗。」
“You said a moment ago that we can take even the brightest experiences and turn them dark.”
「可以。」
“Yes.”
「黑暗。恐懼。這就是魔鬼的本性。當我們在來到地球之前處於上帝的存在中時，我們無法做出錯誤的選擇。」
“Darkness. Fear. That is the nature of the devil. When we were in God’s presence before coming to Earth, we couldn’t make a wrong choice.”
「我們在出生之前就已經存在了嗎？」
“We existed before we were born on Earth?”
「是的。」德瑞克分享了一幅天空藍色的絲帶圖像，無限延伸到宇宙的邊緣。我注意到一粒閃亮的金色沙粒，靜靜地躺在我面前的絲帶上。
“We did.” Drake shared an image of a sky-blue ribbon that stretched infinitely in both directions, beyond the edges of the universe he had shown me when we first met. I noticed a single grain of sand, glowing bright gold, resting on the ribbon in front of me.
「這條絲帶代表著你永恆的存在，」德瑞克說。「這粒沙粒代表著你在地球上的時間。你的凡人經歷是一個短暫的事件，提供了學習和發展的必要機會。在來到地球之前，浸泡在上帝的愛中，錯誤選擇的概念甚至無法進入我們的心靈。」
“The ribbon represents your eternal existence,” Drake said. “The grain of sand represents your time on Earth. Your mortal experience is a brief event that provides essential opportunities for learning and development. Before coming to Earth, awash in God’s love, the idea of a wrong choice couldn’t even enter our minds.”
「所以，沒有阻力？」
“So, there was no resistance?”
德瑞克點了點頭。「這意味著也沒有成長。生活在地球上就像去一個靈性健身房，發展和強化我們的精神和品格——這就是我們的核心。」 「而魔鬼創造了這種阻力？」
Drake nodded. “Which means there was also no growth. Living on Earth is like going to a spiritual gym to develop and strengthen our spirit and character—the very core of who we are.” “And the devil creates that resistance?”
「是的，他會阻礙我們做正確的事情。或者他影響我們去做正確的事情，但動機卻是錯誤的。這兩者都對我們的成長有害。」
“Yes, he works against us doing the right thing. Or he influences us to do the right thing, but with the wrong motivation. Both are harmful to our growth.”
「你是什麼意思？」
“What do you mean?”
「我們所做的每一個決定都是由恐懼或喜悅驅動的。我在簡化這個問題，但這幾乎就是一切的本質。當我們真正理解上帝對我們的愛時，就沒有什麼好害怕的。我們尤其不應該害怕失敗。錯誤和失敗是我們進步的必要部分。上帝知道我們會失敗，就像學步的孩子會跌倒一樣，但他完全無條件地愛著我們。每當我們做出出於恐懼的事情時，我們的頻率就會下降，即使結果是好的。」
“Every decision we make is motivated by either fear or joy. I’m simplifying it, but that’s pretty much what everything comes down to. When we truly understand God’s love for us, there is nothing to fear. We especially shouldn’t fear failure. Mistakes and failures are a necessary part of our progress. God knows we’re going to fail, just as a child learning to walk stumbles and falls, but He loves us completely and unconditionally. Whenever we do something that is motivated by fear, our frequency moves down, even if the outcome is good.”
「即使我在做我應該做的事情，我的頻率也會下降嗎？即使我在做正確的事情？」
“My frequency can fall even if I’m doing what I’m supposed to? Even if I’m doing the right thing?”
「沒錯。魔鬼和他的追隨者是通過恐懼來驅動的。要明白，在凡人的存在中，當你受到魔鬼的影響時，你只能獲得凡人的利益：金錢、名聲、對他人的影響。如果你通過魔鬼的道路追求這些，任何利益都將隨著你的凡人生命結束而結束。」
“That’s right. The devil and his followers motivate through fear. Realize that in the mortal existence, you can only receive mortal benefits when following the devil’s influence: money, fame, influence over others. If you pursue them through the devil’s path, any benefit will end with your mortal life.”
「你是什麼意思？」
“What do you mean?”
「假設你想要金錢。你可以跟隨魔鬼的引導去搶銀行，或者你可以跟隨上帝的影響，學習如何賺取同樣的金錢。一旦你學會了如何賺取這筆錢，你就可以不斷重複這種成功。你將學會如何成長而不是摧毀，而這種知識是強大的，因為你所學到的一切在你死後仍然會伴隨著你。」
“Say, you want money. You could follow the devil’s prompting and rob a bank, or you could follow God’s influence and learn how to earn that same amount of money. Once you have learned how to earn that money, you can repeat that success over and over again. You will have learned how to grow instead of destroy, and that knowledge is powerful, because everything you learn remains with you after you die.”
「這讓我覺得有道理。」
“That makes sense.”
「無論是什麼驅動你，始終值得選擇光明之路。你在每一個決定的時刻都有這個選擇。每當你出於無私的愛去做任何事情，那就是與上帝的連結。這是你能擁有的最高動機。這是做任何事情的最佳理由。它提升了你和你的頻率。例如，假設你沒有好好照顧自己的身體。對疾病的恐懼可能是最初驅動你改變的原因，但你需要將你的意圖設置在你想要的東西上——在這種情況下是健康，而不是你不想要的東西。專注於你對自己身體的愛和感激，以及你想好好對待它的願望。」
“No matter what drives you, it’s always worth following the path of light. You have that choice in every moment of decision. Whenever you do anything out of selfless love, that is a connection with God. It’s the highest motivation you can have. It’s the best reason for doing anything. It elevates you and your frequency. For example, say you haven’t taken care of your body. Fear of sickness might be what initially motivates you to change, but you then need to set your intention towards what you want—in this case, good health—not what you don’t want. Focus on the love and gratitude you have for the gift of your body, and your desire to treat it well.”
當我回想起自己一生中做事情的原因時，我能看到他所說的是真實的。每當我出於恐懼去做某事，即使我在做正確的事情，我的感受也與出於愛去做時不同。每當我出於愛行動時，我感到更強大和更滿足。
As I thought back on the reasons that I had done things throughout my life, I could see that what he was saying was true. Whenever I did something out of fear, even if I was doing the right thing, I didn’t feel the same as when I did it out of love. Whenever I acted out of love, I felt stronger and more fulfilled.
「我想我們已經談了夠多了。只要記住，魔鬼的工作就是影響你做出將你拉離上帝的決定。他的工作在你的進步中扮演著至關重要的角色。認識到他的誘惑，這樣你才能有能力做出清晰的選擇。以愛行動，而不是恐懼。」
“I think we’ve talked about this enough. Just remember that the devil’s job is to influence you to make decisions that pull you away from God. His job plays a vital role in your progress. Recognize his temptations, so that you are empowered to make a clear choice. Act with love, not fear.”
我以為我已經準備好繼續了，但我猶豫了。我再次感受到抵抗的力量。德瑞克停下來，等待我整理我的思緒。
I thought I was ready to move on, but I hesitated. I could feel the resistance to movement again. Drake paused and waited for me to work through my thoughts.
我有一位叔叔是無神論者。他是一個善良而有愛心的人，但他拒絕相信上帝。他說這是因為他無法相信一個善良的存在會允許世界上有如此多的痛苦和折磨。即使我相信上帝，我也能感受到我對叔叔的愛在我的心靈上印下了他的一些信念。我感到困惑，不知道該怎麼辦。
I had an uncle who was an atheist. He was a kind and loving man, but he refused to believe in God. He said it was because he couldn’t believe that a good being would allow so much pain and suffering in the world. Even though I believed in God, I could feel that my love for my uncle had imprinted some of his beliefs on my psyche. I was stuck, and I didn’t know what to do.
德瑞克跟隨著我的思緒，然後說：「我知道在地球上這一切看起來都非常不公平。」
Drake followed my thoughts, then said, “I know that it can all seem very unfair while you’re on Earth.”
「不只是公平問題，」我說。「在地球上，善良的人會遭遇可怕的事情。無辜的小孩會遭遇最糟糕的事情。為什麼事情必須這樣？」
“Not just unfair,” I said. “There are horrific things that happen to good people on Earth. Some of the worst things imaginable happen to innocent little children. Why does it have to be that way?”
「記住，生活的目的就是學習和成長，而唯一的方式就是經歷對立、掙扎，甚至是痛苦和苦惱。是的，無辜的人會遭受巨大的邪惡。這不是他們的錯。有時候，是因為其他人將他們的意志用於邪惡。其他時候，看似隨機的事故其實是那個人在來到地球之前選擇的經歷，為了他們自己的利益和他人的利益。」
“Remember that the purpose of life is to learn and to grow, and the only way to do that is to experience opposition, struggle, even pain and anguish. And yes, there are great evils that are perpetrated on innocent people. It is not their fault. Sometimes, it is because others use their agency for evil. Other times what appears like a random accident was an experience chosen by that person before they even came to Earth, for their own benefit, and the benefit of others.”
「但這怎麼解釋一個死於癌症的孩子，或者一個出生幾小時就去世的新生兒？你是說他們選擇了這條路？在這裡待這麼短的時間對他們有什麼好處？」
“But how does that explain a child that dies of cancer, or a newborn that dies after only a few hours? Are you saying they chose that path? How does being here such a short time benefit them?”
「在地球上，很多事情都是由時間來定義的，但時間並不是成長的絕對衡量標準。對於某些人來說，只需要在凡人生活中短暫的一刻就能帶來強大的變化。想想毛毛蟲，它必須經歷蛹的階段才能變成蝴蝶。它在蛹中的時間雖然短暫，但這種轉變使它變成一種全新的生物，能做的事情遠比作為毛毛蟲時要多得多。」
“On Earth, so much is defined by time, but time is not an absolute measure of growth. For some, all it takes is a brief moment in mortality to bring about powerful changes. Think of it like a caterpillar, which must go through the chrysalis stage to become a butterfly. It is only in the chrysalis for a short span of its existence, but the transformation turns it into a completely new creature that can do far more than it could as a caterpillar.”
「而凡人生活對我們來說就像蛹嗎？」
“And mortality is like the chrysalis for us?”
「正是如此。那些在地球上待得非常短暫的人從凡人生活中獲得他們所需的一切，同時也在留下的人們的掙扎和成長中扮演著角色。對於那些出生時有精神和身體殘疾的人也是如此；他們有自己的成長之路，並為他人提供成長的機會。每條路徑都是獨特的，因此很難提供一個簡單的答案來完全涵蓋每一種情況。」
“Exactly. Those who are on Earth for a very brief time receive everything that they need from mortality, and, at the same time, play a part in the struggle and growth of those who remain. The same is true for those born with mental and physical disabilities; they have their own path for growth, and they provide opportunities for others to grow as well. Every path is unique, which makes it difficult to provide a simple answer that completely covers every circumstance.”
我思考著在地球上所見所經歷的所有痛苦。
I thought about all of the suffering I had seen and experienced while on Earth.
「我知道，」德瑞克說，「當痛苦如此強烈，而你只能看到短暫的凡人生活時，完全理解或相信是很困難的。不過要知道——每個人都是被上帝所認識和完全愛著的。每個人都會在這一生中經歷他們所需的一切，以便盡可能地進步。當你再次看到永恆的視角時，痛苦總會有意義。」
“I know,” Drake said, “that it is difficult to fully understand or believe when the pain feels so intense and all you can see is the short span of your mortal life. Know this, though—every individual is known and completely loved by God. Everyone will experience exactly what they need in this life to progress as much as they can. The suffering will always make sense when you can see the eternal view again.”
「但難道沒有其他方法嗎？」
“But isn’t there another way?”
「你會提議什麼？更容易的事情？不需要如此考驗你的信念的事情？不需要讓你感受到對他人深切同情的事情？」
“What would you propose? Something easier? Something that didn’t stretch your faith as much? Something that didn’t compel you to feel great depths of compassion for others?”
我想起了陰陽的形象。邪惡與善良在無盡的循環中，一方從另一方中生長出來。
I remembered the image of the yin and the yang. Evil and good in an endless cycle, one growing out of the other.
「我明白，」德瑞克繼續說。「我知道在所有的混亂和痛苦中，這一切看起來都非常不公平。生活本身就是一種挑戰。劍在戰鬥之前會鄙視鍛造者。即使知道掙扎和痛苦有更大的目的，也可能無法減輕這種經歷的痛苦。但記住我們第一次見面時的感受。在那一刻，你充滿了壓倒性的絕望。恐懼。痛苦。但然後你感受到……什麼？」
“I understand,” Drake continued. “I know that in the middle of all of the confusion and anguish, it can all seem so very unfair. Life is challenging by design. The sword despises the blacksmith until it is time for battle. Even knowing that there is a greater purpose to the struggle and suffering may not lessen the pain of the experience. But remember how you felt when we first met. In that moment, you were filled with a crushing despair. Fear. Pain. But then you felt… what?”
「愛。善良。溫柔。」
“Love. Kindness. Tenderness.”
「當你讓那道光進入時，發生了什麼？」
“And what happened as soon as you let that light in?”
「所有的負面情緒都消失了。就像它們從未存在過。」
“All of the negative feelings disappeared. It was like they were never there.”
「在他人受苦時，感到同情是好的。當他們需要時，提供愛、善良和溫柔更是美好。只有通過掙扎和挑戰，我們才能變得更強。只需知道，無論多麼痛苦，痛苦終將結束，這一切都是值得的。」他微笑著說。「來吧，有些事情你應該看看。」
“It’s good to feel compassion for others when they are suffering. It’s even better to provide love, kindness, and tenderness to them when they need it. It is only through the struggle and challenges that we grow stronger. Just know that no matter how painful it is, the pain does end, and it is all worth it.” He smiled. “Come, there’s something you should see.”
我們現在非常接近那個巨大的光球。耀眼的白光仍然從球體本身散發出來，但當它從表面輻射出去時，白光轉變為藍光。然後藍光變成紫色，接著是一種朦朧的粉紅色調，最後淡去。
We were now very close to the massive sphere of light. Brilliant white light still emanated from the orb itself, but the white transitioned to blue light as it radiated away from the surface. Then the blue light became purple, and then a misty pink hue before fading away.
當我們靠近時，我能看到一圈白光環繞著這顆行星，就像一條寬廣的腰帶。然後我看到那道光環似乎是由數百萬，甚至數十億顆小星星組成，像發光的珍珠一樣閃耀。
As we came nearer, I could see an aura of white light surrounding the planet like a wide belt. Then I saw that the aura appeared to be made of millions, perhaps billions, of small stars, luminous like glowing pearls.
德瑞克引導我的目光看向光環中的一顆小星星。當我靠近時，我看到它其實是由光點組成的。當我再仔細看時，我意識到那些獨立的光點是天使，排列成一個球體。
Drake directed my gaze to one of the smaller stars that made up the aura. As I drew nearer, I saw that it was actually made up of points of light. As I looked closer still, I realized that the individual lights were angelic beings arrayed to form a sphere.
我稱它們為天使，因為這是對它們外觀的最佳描述。它們沒有翅膀，但散發著力量和榮耀。它們看起來既不是男性也不是女性，雖然它們有兩者的特徵。它們既英俊又美麗，既強大又溫柔，既堅定又善良，最重要的是，光輝燦爛。
I call them angels, as that is the best description of their appearance. They didn’t have wings, but they exuded power and glory. They didn’t appear male or female, though they had aspects of both. They were handsome and beautiful and powerful and tender and firm and kind and, most of all, glorious.
天使們都面向他們球體的中心。我意識到他們圍繞著一群靈魂，就像一個小團體。每個小團體中的靈魂數量各不相同；有些只有幾個靈魂，而有些則有數千個。我意識到每個小團體都有一個頻率；每個小團體中的靈魂共享相同的頻率，並且通常共享相同的文化或地球歷史中的某個時期，有些小團體的歷史甚至可以追溯到幾千年前。我跟隨德瑞克的指引觀察一個小團體中的一個靈魂。
The angels were all turned inward towards the center of their sphere. I became aware that they were surrounding groups of souls, like a pod. The number of souls in each pod varied; some held a few souls and others, thousands. I was aware that each pod had a frequency; the souls in each pod shared the same frequency, and often shared the same culture or period in history on Earth, some pods thousands of years ago. I followed Drake’s guidance to observe one soul in one pod.
我看到一個有著濃密鬍子的男人，我猜他生活在20世紀初。他穿著棕色的褲子，搭配吊帶，白色的內衣，深棕色的鞋子和一頂棕色的圓頂帽。他看起來大約三四十歲，但我不知怎的知道他實際上在去世時已經六十多歲。
I saw a man with a bushy mustache who I guessed had lived in the early 1900s. He wore brown pants with suspenders, a white undershirt, laced dark brown shoes, and a brown bowler hat. He appeared to be in his thirties or forties, but I somehow knew that he was actually in his sixties when he died.
他最主要的情緒是憤怒。非常憤怒。他用我認出的意大利語大聲喊叫。即使我不懂意大利語，我也理解他所說的一切。我明白他是誰，他的過去，以及他為什麼如此憤怒。他以為自己在對著他的兒子或像兒子一樣的人大喊，但那裡並沒有人。他說著他能想到的最殘酷和最傷人的話。
Most of all, he was angry. Very angry. He shouted in what I recognized as Italian. I understood everything he was saying even though I don’t know Italian. I understood who he was, his past, and why he was so angry. He thought he was yelling at his son, or someone who was like a son to him, but there was no one there. He was saying the cruelest and most hurtful things he could think of.
他的兒子開槍或刺傷了他，這位男士花了一周的時間才死去。即使他已經去世近一個世紀，他仍然在大喊大叫，揮舞著拳頭，竭盡所能地用最大的暴力和憤怒去傷害面前那個虛構的存在。
His son had shot or stabbed him, and it took this man a week to die. Even though he had died nearly a century before, he was still shouting and swinging his fists, doing everything he could to harm the imaginary being in front of him with as much violence and anger as he could muster.
突然，他似乎從恍惚中醒來，最後的憤怒離開了他。他意識到自己被天使包圍。當他抬頭看到他們時，兩位天使急忙跑到他身邊擁抱他，他開始哭泣。轉瞬之間，他們三個開始朝著那個巨大的光球移動。他們的速度之快讓我覺得他們似乎只是消失了，雖然我本能地知道他們去了哪裡。
Suddenly, it was as if he woke out of a trance as the last of his anger left him. He became aware that he was surrounded by angels. As he looked up and saw them, two angels rushed to his side to embrace him, and he began to cry. In a flash, the three of them began moving towards the large sphere of light. They moved so fast that it looked to me like they simply disappeared, though I instinctively knew where they had gone.
我看到每個小團體中的靈魂都在處理自己的問題：仇恨、怨恨、偏見、狹隘、成癮。這些可憐的靈魂陷入了一個循環，就像一張被刮傷的黑膠唱片，不斷重複著。
I saw that the souls in each pod were dealing with their own issues: hate, resentment, prejudice, bigotry, addiction. These poor souls were stuck in a loop, like a vinyl record caught on a scratch, skipping over and over.
對我來說，特別令人難過的是，這些黑暗的靈魂被充滿光明和愛的光輝存在包圍著，這些存在正等待著幫助他們，但他們卻沉浸在自己的消極和痛苦中，甚至沒有意識到它們的存在。他們所能做的只是想像其他靈魂，想要傷害它們。直到他們最終放下那股負能量，才能看到周圍的美麗，並在他們的存在中進步。
What was especially sad to me was that these dark souls were surrounded by these glorious beings full of light and love just waiting to help them, but they were so caught up in their own negativity and pain that they weren’t even aware of them. All they could do was imagine other souls that they wanted to hurt. It wasn’t until they finally let go of that negative energy that they could see the beauty all around them and progress in their existence.
德瑞克將我的意識拉回，我們繼續前行。我注意到一大群天使正在降落到其中一個小團體上，為已經在那裡的天使提供增援。我無法看到那個小團體內部，也不知道發生了什麼。
Drake pulled my awareness back, and we resumed our journey. I noticed a large group of angels descending on one of the pods, giving reinforcements to the angels that were already there. I couldn’t see inside that pod and didn’t know what was happening.
「那裡發生了什麼？」我想知道。「有問題嗎？」
“What is going on there?” I wondered. “Is there a problem?”
德瑞克帶著光輝的喜悅微笑。「完全沒有。摯愛的人們正在為那個小團體中的靈魂祈禱。他們的祈禱正在賦予更多的力量，以幫助淨化他們所承載的負能量。那些天使正來幫助那個小團體繼續前進。小團體通常會一起向上移動。就像畢業一樣，如果你願意的話。」
Drake smiled with radiant joy. “Not at all. Loved ones are praying for the souls in that pod. Their prayers are granting more power to help cleanse the negative energy they are carrying. Those angels are coming to help that group move on. Groups tend to move up together. Much like a graduation, if you will.”
我想到了巢中的蛋，它們通常會在差不多的時間孵化。
I thought of eggs in a nest, which all tended to hatch about the same time.
德瑞克聽到了我的想法並微笑。「是的，像那樣。」
Drake heard my thought and smiled. “Yes, like that, too.”
第13章：邪惡的目的
Chapter 13: The Purpose of Evil
“真的有魔鬼嗎？”我從小被教導相信有魔鬼，但對我來說，它總是更像一個概念而非一個實體。當我想到這個問題時，我就知道他確實存在。
“There really is a devil?” I was raised to believe that there was a devil, but, to me, it always felt more like a concept than a being. I knew as soon as I thought the question that he was very real.
“他有很多名字，”德雷克說。“撒旦、路西法、Ác Quy、Alshaytan。我會稱他為魔鬼，因為這是你所熟知的名字。”
“He goes by many names,” Drake said. “Satan. Lucifer. Ác Quy, Alshaytan. I’ll call him the devil, since that is what you know him by.”
“他有什麼作用？”我問。“為什麼上帝會允許魔鬼對我們有如此大的影響力？”
“What purpose does he serve?” I asked. “Why would God allow the devil to have so much influence over us?”
德雷克思考了一會兒，然後說：“讓我們用你已經熟悉的東西來說明這一點。”
Drake reflected for a moment, then said, “Let’s use something you’re already familiar with to illustrate the point.”
一個圖像充滿了我的腦海。兩個淚滴形狀互相彎曲，一個是白色的，另一個是黑色的。我認出那是陰陽的符號。我感到驚訝。“那是一個神聖的符號嗎？”
An image filled my mind. Two teardrop shapes curved into each other, one white, the other black. I recognized it as the symbol of yin and yang. I was surprised. “Is that a sacred symbol?”
德雷克對這個問題感到好笑。“不是，但它對於教導一個真理很有用。告訴我你看到了什麼。”
Drake looked amused by the question. “No, but it is useful to teach a truth. Tell me what you see.”
“我看到一個光明的形狀和一個黑暗的形狀互相轉化。”“對。那你在每個形狀裡面看到了什麼？”
“I see a light shape and a dark shape turning into each other.” “Right. And what do you see inside each of those shapes?”
“在黑暗的形狀裡有一個白色的圓圈，在白色的形狀裡有一個黑色的圓圈。”
“There is a white circle inside the dark shape, and a dark circle inside the white shape.”
“再次正確。在每個黑暗的經歷中都有光明、學習和成長的潛力。你可以把發生在你身上的每一件壞事用來讓你內心的光更強。”
“Right again. Inside every dark experience is the potential for light, learning, and growth. You can take every bad thing that ever happens to you and use it to make the light within you stronger.”
“那白色形狀裡的黑色圓圈呢？”“你認為它意味著什麼？”
“And the dark circle inside the white shape?” “What do you think it means?”
“我們可以把即使是最光明的經歷也變得黑暗？”
“That we can take even the brightest experiences and turn them dark somehow?”
“正確。我們稍後會更多地談論這個。首先，要明白我們所有人都有黑暗的潛力，如果我們讓自己受到魔鬼而不是上帝的影響，即使是最糟糕的人仍然有那神聖的火花在內。我們都有救贖、寬恕和上帝之愛的能力。無論我們認為自己墮落得多遠，或多麼迷失，只要我們培養那光明並轉向祂，祂總會歡迎我們回來。”
“Correct. We’ll talk about that more in a moment. First, understand that all of us have the capacity for darkness, if we let ourselves be influenced by the devil instead of by God, and even the worst of us still has that spark of divinity within. We all have the capacity for redemption, for forgiveness, and for God’s love. No matter how far we think we’ve fallen, or how lost we may be, He will always welcome us back if we nurture that light and turn to Him.”
“但為什麼祂一開始就希望我們有這種掙扎？為什麼不讓我們只經歷美好而沒有壞事？”
“But why does He want us to have that struggle to begin with? Why not just let us experience good without all of the bad?”
“你對健身有興趣，對吧？鍛鍊你的身體並變得更強壯？”
“You’re into physical fitness, right? Building your body and growing stronger?”
“是的。”我試著不被分心，因為我和德雷克在一起的原因是我喝了一些我以為會幫助我變得更強壯的東西，但卻毒害了我。
“Yes.” I tried to not be distracted by the fact that the reason I was even here with Drake was because I drank something that I thought would help me get stronger but poisoned me instead.
“你需要做什麼來鍛鍊肌肉？”“主要是舉重。”
“What do you have to do to build your muscles?” “Lift weights, mostly.”
“正是如此。你使用阻力。讓你的肌肉對抗的東西。為什麼要這樣做？”
“Exactly. You use resistance. Something for your muscles to work against. Why do you do that?”
“沒有阻力，肌肉不會變強。”“那不是不舒服嗎？”
“Without resistance, the muscles won’t get stronger.” “Isn’t that uncomfortable?”
“當然，但這是值得的。”“怎麼說？”
“Sure, but it’s worth it.” “In what way?”
“我變得更強壯。我能做更多。我感覺更健康。”
“I’m stronger. I can do more. I feel healthier.”
“正是如此。對我們的靈魂來說也是一樣。唯一能讓我們變得更強的方法就是面對阻力。如果我們的靈魂被放在一個一切都很容易的存在中，我們永遠不會學到任何東西。”
“Exactly. It’s the same with our spirit. The only way for us to grow stronger is to face resistance. If our spirit was put into an existence where everything was easy, we would never learn anything.”
我回想起童年時的黑暗。有很多。恐懼。痛苦。我在成長過程中在腦海中創造了一個安全的平行宇宙。現在，我可以清楚地看到，儘管有所有的黑暗——或者說，正因為如此——那些經歷塑造了我成為現在的我。而我不會改變任何事情。沒有一天，沒有一刻，沒有任何對我造成的痛苦或傷害。
I thought back to the darkness in my childhood. There was a lot of it. Fear. Pain. I grew up creating an alternate universe in my mind where I was safe. Now, I could clearly see that despite all of the darkness—or, perhaps, precisely because of it—those experiences had shaped me into the person I was. And I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Not a single day, not a single moment, not a single instance of pain or hurt that was done to me.
我知道我正處於上帝希望我在的地方。我不想改變祂對我的計劃，因為祂塑造了我成為現在的我。如果我沒有經歷過那黑暗，我不知道那光是否會在我裡面成長。
I knew that I was right where God wanted me to be. I didn’t want to change His plans for me as He molded me into who I was. If I hadn’t experienced that darkness, I didn’t know if the light would have grown in me.
我意識到，即使在我們最黑暗的日子裡，我們也應該記住仍然有光。我們從未真正孤單。永遠不會。而且我們需要意識到，當我們充滿光明，生活在那個圖像的光明面時，仍然有黑暗試圖潛入。
I realized that, even in our darkest days, we should remember that there is still light. We are never truly alone. Ever. And we need to be aware that when we are full of light, living in the light side of that image, there is still darkness trying to creep in.
德雷克讓這些想法沉澱後才繼續。
Drake let those thoughts sink in before he continued.
“你剛才說我們可以把即使是最光明的經歷也變得黑暗。”
“You said a moment ago that we can take even the brightest experiences and turn them dark.”
“可以。”
“Yes.”
“黑暗。恐懼。那是魔鬼的本質。當我們在來到地球之前處於上帝的臨在中時，我們無法做出錯誤的選擇。”
“Darkness. Fear. That is the nature of the devil. When we were in God’s presence before coming to Earth, we couldn’t make a wrong choice.”
“我們在出生到地球之前就存在了？”
“We existed before we were born on Earth?”
“是的。”德雷克展示了一幅圖像，一條天藍色的絲帶無限延伸，超越了我們初次見面時他展示給我的宇宙邊界。我注意到一粒閃耀著金色光芒的沙粒，安靜地躺在我面前的絲帶上。
“We did.” Drake shared an image of a sky-blue ribbon that stretched infinitely in both directions, beyond the edges of the universe he had shown me when we first met. I noticed a single grain of sand, glowing bright gold, resting on the ribbon in front of me.
“這條絲帶代表你的永恆存在，”德雷克說。“那粒沙子代表你在地球上的時間。你的凡人經歷是一個短暫的事件，提供了學習和發展的基本機會。在來到地球之前，沐浴在上帝的愛中，錯誤選擇的想法甚至無法進入我們的思想。”
“The ribbon represents your eternal existence,” Drake said. “The grain of sand represents your time on Earth. Your mortal experience is a brief event that provides essential opportunities for learning and development. Before coming to Earth, awash in God’s love, the idea of a wrong choice couldn’t even enter our minds.”
“所以，沒有阻力？”
“So, there was no resistance?”
德雷克點頭。“這意味著也沒有成長。生活在地球上就像去一個精神健身房來發展和強化我們的靈魂和品格——我們是誰的核心。”“而魔鬼創造了那種阻力？”
Drake nodded. “Which means there was also no growth. Living on Earth is like going to a spiritual gym to develop and strengthen our spirit and character—the very core of who we are.” “And the devil creates that resistance?”
“是的，他阻礙我們做正確的事情。或者他影響我們做正確的事情，但動機錯誤。這兩者都對我們的成長有害。”
“Yes, he works against us doing the right thing. Or he influences us to do the right thing, but with the wrong motivation. Both are harmful to our growth.”
“你是什麼意思？”
“What do you mean?”
“我們做出的每一個決定都是由恐懼或喜悅驅動的。我在簡化，但基本上就是這樣。當我們真正理解上帝對我們的愛時，就沒有什麼可怕的。我們尤其不應該害怕失敗。錯誤和失敗是我們進步的必要部分。上帝知道我們會失敗，就像學走路的孩子會跌倒一樣，但祂完全無條件地愛我們。每當我們因恐懼而做某事時，即使結果是好的，我們的頻率也會下降。”
“Every decision we make is motivated by either fear or joy. I’m simplifying it, but that’s pretty much what everything comes down to. When we truly understand God’s love for us, there is nothing to fear. We especially shouldn’t fear failure. Mistakes and failures are a necessary part of our progress. God knows we’re going to fail, just as a child learning to walk stumbles and falls, but He loves us completely and unconditionally. Whenever we do something that is motivated by fear, our frequency moves down, even if the outcome is good.”
“即使我在做我應該做的事情，我的頻率也會下降？即使我在做正確的事情？”
“My frequency can fall even if I’m doing what I’m supposed to? Even if I’m doing the right thing?”
“沒錯。魔鬼和他的追隨者通過恐懼來激勵。在凡人的存在中，當你跟隨魔鬼的影響時，你只能獲得凡人的利益：金錢、名聲、對他人的影響。如果你通過魔鬼的道路追求它們，任何利益都會隨著你的凡人生命結束。”
“That’s right. The devil and his followers motivate through fear. Realize that in the mortal existence, you can only receive mortal benefits when following the devil’s influence: money, fame, influence over others. If you pursue them through the devil’s path, any benefit will end with your mortal life.”
“你是什麼意思？”
“What do you mean?”
“比如說，你想要錢。你可以聽從魔鬼的指示去搶銀行，或者你可以聽從上帝的影響學習如何賺到同樣的錢。一旦你學會了如何賺錢，你可以一次又一次地重複這個成功。你將學會如何成長而不是破壞，這種知識是強大的，因為你學到的一切在你死後仍然伴隨著你。”
“Say, you want money. You could follow the devil’s prompting and rob a bank, or you could follow God’s influence and learn how to earn that same amount of money. Once you have learned how to earn that money, you can repeat that success over and over again. You will have learned how to grow instead of destroy, and that knowledge is powerful, because everything you learn remains with you after you die.”
“這很有道理。”
“That makes sense.”
“無論是什麼驅動你，遵循光明的道路總是值得的。在每一個決策的時刻，你都有這個選擇。每當你出於無私的愛做任何事情時，那就是與上帝的聯繫。這是你能擁有的最高動機。這是做任何事情的最佳理由。它提升了你和你的頻率。例如，假設你沒有好好照顧自己的身體。對疾病的恐懼可能是最初驅動你改變的原因，但你需要將你的意圖設定在你想要的東西上——在這種情況下是健康——而不是你不想要的。專注於你對身體這份禮物的愛和感激，以及你想好好對待它的願望。”
“No matter what drives you, it’s always worth following the path of light. You have that choice in every moment of decision. Whenever you do anything out of selfless love, that is a connection with God. It’s the highest motivation you can have. It’s the best reason for doing anything. It elevates you and your frequency. For example, say you haven’t taken care of your body. Fear of sickness might be what initially motivates you to change, but you then need to set your intention towards what you want—in this case, good health—not what you don’t want. Focus on the love and gratitude you have for the gift of your body, and your desire to treat it well.”
當我回想起我一生中做事情的原因時，我可以看到他所說的是真的。每當我因恐懼而做某事時，即使我在做正確的事情，我的感覺也不同於我因愛而做的時候。每當我出於愛而行動時，我感覺更強大和更滿足。
As I thought back on the reasons that I had done things throughout my life, I could see that what he was saying was true. Whenever I did something out of fear, even if I was doing the right thing, I didn’t feel the same as when I did it out of love. Whenever I acted out of love, I felt stronger and more fulfilled.
“我想我們已經談得夠多了。只要記住，魔鬼的工作就是影響你做出讓你遠離上帝的決定。他的工作在你的進步中扮演著重要角色。認識到他的誘惑，這樣你就有能力做出清晰的選擇。以愛而不是恐懼行動。”
“I think we’ve talked about this enough. Just remember that the devil’s job is to influence you to make decisions that pull you away from God. His job plays a vital role in your progress. Recognize his temptations, so that you are empowered to make a clear choice. Act with love, not fear.”
我以為我已經準備好繼續前進，但我猶豫了。我再次感受到對移動的抵抗。德雷克停下來，等我理清思緒。
I thought I was ready to move on, but I hesitated. I could feel the resistance to movement again. Drake paused and waited for me to work through my thoughts.
我有一個叔叔是無神論者。他是一個善良而有愛心的人，但他拒絕相信上帝。他說這是因為他無法相信一個善良的存在會允許世界上有如此多的痛苦和苦難。即使我相信上帝，我也能感受到我對叔叔的愛在我的心靈中留下了一些他的信念。我被卡住了，不知道該怎麼辦。
I had an uncle who was an atheist. He was a kind and loving man, but he refused to believe in God. He said it was because he couldn’t believe that a good being would allow so much pain and suffering in the world. Even though I believed in God, I could feel that my love for my uncle had imprinted some of his beliefs on my psyche. I was stuck, and I didn’t know what to do.
德雷克跟隨我的思緒，然後說：“我知道當你在地球上時，這一切看起來都很不公平。”
Drake followed my thoughts, then said, “I know that it can all seem very unfair while you’re on Earth.”
“不僅僅是不公平，”我說。“在地球上，好人身上發生了可怕的事情。一些最糟糕的事情發生在無辜的小孩子身上。為什麼必須這樣？”
“Not just unfair,” I said. “There are horrific things that happen to good people on Earth. Some of the worst things imaginable happen to innocent little children. Why does it have to be that way?”
“記住，生命的目的是學習和成長，而唯一的方法就是經歷對立、掙扎，甚至是痛苦和悲傷。是的，確實有巨大的邪惡加諸於無辜的人身上。這不是他們的錯。有時，是因為別人利用他們的自由意志作惡。其他時候，看似偶然的事故其實是那個人在來到地球之前為了自己的利益和他人的利益而選擇的經歷。”
“Remember that the purpose of life is to learn and to grow, and the only way to do that is to experience opposition, struggle, even pain and anguish. And yes, there are great evils that are perpetrated on innocent people. It is not their fault. Sometimes, it is because others use their agency for evil. Other times what appears like a random accident was an experience chosen by that person before they even came to Earth, for their own benefit, and the benefit of others.”
“但這如何解釋一個死於癌症的孩子，或一個出生後僅幾小時就去世的新生兒？你是說他們選擇了這條路？在這裡待這麼短的時間對他們有什麼好處？”
“But how does that explain a child that dies of cancer, or a newborn that dies after only a few hours? Are you saying they chose that path? How does being here such a short time benefit them?”
“在地球上，很多事情都是由時間來定義的，但時間並不是成長的絕對標準。對於某些人來說，只需要在凡間短暫的瞬間就能帶來強大的改變。想想毛毛蟲，它必須經歷蛹的階段才能變成蝴蝶。它在蛹中只待了它存在的一小段時間，但這種轉變讓它變成了一個全新的生物，能做的事情遠超過它作為毛毛蟲時的能力。”
“On Earth, so much is defined by time, but time is not an absolute measure of growth. For some, all it takes is a brief moment in mortality to bring about powerful changes. Think of it like a caterpillar, which must go through the chrysalis stage to become a butterfly. It is only in the chrysalis for a short span of its existence, but the transformation turns it into a completely new creature that can do far more than it could as a caterpillar.”
“那凡間對我們來說就像蛹？”
“And mortality is like the chrysalis for us?”
“正是如此。那些在地球上待很短時間的人從凡間獲得了他們所需的一切，同時也在留下來的人們的掙扎和成長中扮演了角色。對於那些天生有精神和身體殘疾的人也是如此；他們有自己的成長道路，也為他人提供了成長的機會。每條路徑都是獨特的，這使得很難提供一個簡單的答案來完全涵蓋每一種情況。”
“Exactly. Those who are on Earth for a very brief time receive everything that they need from mortality, and, at the same time, play a part in the struggle and growth of those who remain. The same is true for those born with mental and physical disabilities; they have their own path for growth, and they provide opportunities for others to grow as well. Every path is unique, which makes it difficult to provide a simple answer that completely covers every circumstance.”
我想到了我在地球上看到和經歷的所有痛苦。
I thought about all of the suffering I had seen and experienced while on Earth.
“我知道，”德雷克說，“當痛苦如此強烈，而你只能看到你凡人生命的短暫時，很難完全理解或相信。但要知道——每個人都被上帝完全認識和愛著。每個人都會在這一生中經歷他們需要的東西，以便盡可能地進步。當你再次看到永恆的視角時，痛苦將總是有意義的。”
“I know,” Drake said, “that it is difficult to fully understand or believe when the pain feels so intense and all you can see is the short span of your mortal life. Know this, though—every individual is known and completely loved by God. Everyone will experience exactly what they need in this life to progress as much as they can. The suffering will always make sense when you can see the eternal view again.”
“但難道沒有其他方法嗎？”
“But isn’t there another way?”
“你會提議什麼？一些更容易的東西？一些不會讓你的信仰受到那麼大挑戰的東西？一些不會迫使你對他人感到深切同情的東西？”
“What would you propose? Something easier? Something that didn’t stretch your faith as much? Something that didn’t compel you to feel great depths of compassion for others?”
我想起了陰陽的圖像。邪惡和善良在無盡的循環中，一個從另一個中成長出來。
I remembered the image of the yin and the yang. Evil and good in an endless cycle, one growing out of the other.
“我明白了，”德雷克繼續說。“我知道在所有的混亂和痛苦中，這一切看起來都非常不公平。生活本來就是充滿挑戰的。劍在戰鬥前會憎恨鐵匠。即使知道掙扎和痛苦有更大的目的，也可能無法減輕經歷的痛苦。但要記住我們初次見面時你的感受。那一刻，你充滿了壓倒性的絕望。恐懼。痛苦。但隨後你感受到了……什麼？”
“I understand,” Drake continued. “I know that in the middle of all of the confusion and anguish, it can all seem so very unfair. Life is challenging by design. The sword despises the blacksmith until it is time for battle. Even knowing that there is a greater purpose to the struggle and suffering may not lessen the pain of the experience. But remember how you felt when we first met. In that moment, you were filled with a crushing despair. Fear. Pain. But then you felt… what?”
“愛。善良。溫柔。”
“Love. Kindness. Tenderness.”
“當你讓那光進入時發生了什麼？”
“And what happened as soon as you let that light in?”
“所有的負面情緒都消失了。就像它們從未存在過一樣。”
“All of the negative feelings disappeared. It was like they were never there.”
“當別人受苦時，感受到同情是好的。當他們需要時，給予愛、善良和溫柔更好。只有通過掙扎和挑戰，我們才能變得更強大。只要知道無論多麼痛苦，痛苦終將結束，這一切都是值得的。”他微笑著說。“來吧，有些東西你應該看看。”
“It’s good to feel compassion for others when they are suffering. It’s even better to provide love, kindness, and tenderness to them when they need it. It is only through the struggle and challenges that we grow stronger. Just know that no matter how painful it is, the pain does end, and it is all worth it.” He smiled. “Come, there’s something you should see.”
我們現在非常接近那個巨大的光球。耀眼的白光仍然從球體本身發出，但白光在從表面輻射出去時轉變為藍光。然後藍光變成紫色，再變成霧狀的粉紅色，然後消失。
We were now very close to the massive sphere of light. Brilliant white light still emanated from the orb itself, but the white transitioned to blue light as it radiated away from the surface. Then the blue light became purple, and then a misty pink hue before fading away.
當我們靠近時，我看到一圈白光像寬帶一樣環繞著這個星球。然後我看到那光環似乎是由數百萬，甚至數十億個小星星組成的，像發光的珍珠一樣明亮。
As we came nearer, I could see an aura of white light surrounding the planet like a wide belt. Then I saw that the aura appeared to be made of millions, perhaps billions, of small stars, luminous like glowing pearls.
德雷克引導我的目光注視著構成光環的一顆小星星。當我靠近時，我看到它實際上是由光點組成的。當我進一步仔細觀察時，我意識到這些單獨的光點是天使般的存在，排列成一個球體。
Drake directed my gaze to one of the smaller stars that made up the aura. As I drew nearer, I saw that it was actually made up of points of light. As I looked closer still, I realized that the individual lights were angelic beings arrayed to form a sphere.
我稱他們為天使，因為這是對他們外貌的最佳描述。他們沒有翅膀，但散發著力量和榮耀。他們看起來不像男性或女性，雖然他們具有兩者的特徵。他們英俊、美麗、強大、溫柔、堅定、善良，最重要的是，光輝燦爛。
I call them angels, as that is the best description of their appearance. They didn’t have wings, but they exuded power and glory. They didn’t appear male or female, though they had aspects of both. They were handsome and beautiful and powerful and tender and firm and kind and, most of all, glorious.
天使們都朝向他們球體的中心。我意識到他們圍繞著一群群靈魂，就像一個莢艙。每個莢艙中的靈魂數量不一；有的只有幾個靈魂，有的則有數千個。我知道每個莢艙都有一個頻率；每個莢艙中的靈魂共享相同的頻率，並且通常共享地球上相同的文化或歷史時期，有些莢艙甚至是數千年前的。我跟隨德雷克的指引觀察一個莢艙中的一個靈魂。
The angels were all turned inward towards the center of their sphere. I became aware that they were surrounding groups of souls, like a pod. The number of souls in each pod varied; some held a few souls and others, thousands. I was aware that each pod had a frequency; the souls in each pod shared the same frequency, and often shared the same culture or period in history on Earth, some pods thousands of years ago. I followed Drake’s guidance to observe one soul in one pod.
我看到一個留著濃密鬍鬚的男人，我猜他生活在20世紀初。他穿著棕色的吊帶褲、白色的內衣、深棕色的系帶鞋和一頂棕色的圓頂禮帽。他看起來三四十歲，但我不知怎的知道他去世時實際上已經六十多歲。
I saw a man with a bushy mustache who I guessed had lived in the early 1900s. He wore brown pants with suspenders, a white undershirt, laced dark brown shoes, and a brown bowler hat. He appeared to be in his thirties or forties, but I somehow knew that he was actually in his sixties when he died.
最重要的是，他非常憤怒。非常憤怒。他用我認出的意大利語大喊大叫。即使我不懂意大利語，我也能理解他所說的一切。我了解他是誰，他的過去，以及他為什麼如此憤怒。他以為自己在對他的兒子或像兒子的人大喊，但那裡沒有人。他說出他能想到的最殘酷和最傷人的話。
Most of all, he was angry. Very angry. He shouted in what I recognized as Italian. I understood everything he was saying even though I don’t know Italian. I understood who he was, his past, and why he was so angry. He thought he was yelling at his son, or someone who was like a son to him, but there was no one there. He was saying the cruelest and most hurtful things he could think of.
他的兒子開槍或刺傷了他，這個人花了一周的時間才死。即使他在近一個世紀前就去世了，他仍然在大喊大叫，揮舞著拳頭，盡他所能地用盡可能多的暴力和憤怒來傷害他面前的想像中的存在。
His son had shot or stabbed him, and it took this man a week to die. Even though he had died nearly a century before, he was still shouting and swinging his fists, doing everything he could to harm the imaginary being in front of him with as much violence and anger as he could muster.
突然，就像他從恍惚中醒來一樣，當他最後的憤怒消失時。他意識到自己被天使包圍著。當他抬頭看到他們時，兩個天使衝到他身邊擁抱他，他開始哭泣。瞬間，他們三個開始朝向那個巨大的光球移動。他們移動得如此之快，以至於在我看來他們似乎只是消失了，但我本能地知道他們去了哪裡。
Suddenly, it was as if he woke out of a trance as the last of his anger left him. He became aware that he was surrounded by angels. As he looked up and saw them, two angels rushed to his side to embrace him, and he began to cry. In a flash, the three of them began moving towards the large sphere of light. They moved so fast that it looked to me like they simply disappeared, though I instinctively knew where they had gone.
我看到每個莢艙中的靈魂都在處理自己的問題：仇恨、怨恨、偏見、偏執、成癮。這些可憐的靈魂被困在一個循環中，就像一張唱片卡在刮痕上，不斷重複。
I saw that the souls in each pod were dealing with their own issues: hate, resentment, prejudice, bigotry, addiction. These poor souls were stuck in a loop, like a vinyl record caught on a scratch, skipping over and over.
讓我特別感到悲傷的是，這些陷入黑暗的靈魂被充滿光明和愛的光輝存在包圍著，這些存在正等待著幫助他們，但他們卻深陷於自己的消極和痛苦中，以至於完全無法察覺這些光輝。他們所能做的只是想像那些他們想要傷害的其他靈魂。直到他們最終放下那些負能量，他們才能看到周圍的美麗，並在他們的存在中進步。
What was especially sad to me was that these dark souls were surrounded by these glorious beings full of light and love just waiting to help them, but they were so caught up in their own negativity and pain that they weren’t even aware of them. All they could do was imagine other souls that they wanted to hurt. It wasn’t until they finally let go of that negative energy that they could see the beauty all around them and progress in their existence.
德雷克將我的意識拉回，我們繼續前行。我注意到一大群天使降臨到其中一個莢艙，為已經在那裡的天使增援。我無法看到莢艙內部，也不知道發生了什麼。
Drake pulled my awareness back, and we resumed our journey. I noticed a large group of angels descending on one of the pods, giving reinforcements to the angels that were already there. I couldn’t see inside that pod and didn’t know what was happening.
“那裡發生了什麼？”我疑惑地問。“有問題嗎？”
“What is going on there?” I wondered. “Is there a problem?”
德雷克微笑著，充滿了喜悅。“一點也不。親人們正在為那個莢艙中的靈魂祈禱。他們的祈禱賦予更多力量來幫助清除他們所攜帶的負能量。那些天使來幫助那群靈魂前進。群體往往會一起提升。就像畢業典禮一樣，如果你願意這麼想的話。”
Drake smiled with radiant joy. “Not at all. Loved ones are praying for the souls in that pod. Their prayers are granting more power to help cleanse the negative energy they are carrying. Those angels are coming to help that group move on. Groups tend to move up together. Much like a graduation, if you will.”
我想到了巢中的蛋，通常會在差不多的時間孵化。
I thought of eggs in a nest, which all tended to hatch about the same time.
德雷克聽到了我的想法，微笑著說：“是的，也像那樣。”
Drake heard my thought and smiled. “Yes, like that, too.”
第十三章：邪惡的目的
Chapter 13: The Purpose of Evil
「真的有魔鬼嗎？」我被教導相信有魔鬼存在，但對我來說，它更像是一個概念，而不是一個真實的存在。我一想到這個問題，就知道他是真實的。
“There really is a devil?” I was raised to believe that there was a devil, but, to me, it always felt more like a concept than a being. I knew as soon as I thought the question that he was very real.
「他有很多名字，」德雷克說。「撒旦、盧西弗、Ác Quy、Alshaytan。我會叫他魔鬼，因為這是你認識他的名字。」
“He goes by many names,” Drake said. “Satan. Lucifer. Ác Quy, Alshaytan. I’ll call him the devil, since that is what you know him by.”
「他有什麼目的？」我問。「為什麼上帝會允許魔鬼對我們有這麼大的影響？」
“What purpose does he serve?” I asked. “Why would God allow the devil to have so much influence over us?”
德雷克沉思片刻，然後說：「讓我們用你已經熟悉的東西來闡述這一點。」
Drake reflected for a moment, then said, “Let’s use something you’re already familiar with to illustrate the point.”
一個畫面出現在我腦海中。兩個水滴形狀彼此相對，一個白色，一個黑色。我認出這是陰陽符號。我很驚訝。「這是一個神聖的符號嗎？」
An image filled my mind. Two teardrop shapes curved into each other, one white, the other black. I recognized it as the symbol of yin and yang. I was surprised. “Is that a sacred symbol?”
德雷克被這個問題逗樂了。「不，但它有助於傳達一個真理。告訴我你看到了什麼。」
Drake looked amused by the question. “No, but it is useful to teach a truth. Tell me what you see.”
「我看到一個亮形和一個暗形相互轉化。」「對。那些形狀裡面你看到了什麼？」
“I see a light shape and a dark shape turning into each other.” “Right. And what do you see inside each of those shapes?”
「黑暗形狀裡有一個白色圓圈，白色形狀裡有一個黑色圓圈。」
“There is a white circle inside the dark shape, and a dark circle inside the white shape.”
「又對了。每個黑暗的經歷中都有光、學習和成長的潛力。你可以利用每件發生在你身上的壞事，讓你內在的光更強大。」
“Right again. Inside every dark experience is the potential for light, learning, and growth. You can take every bad thing that ever happens to you and use it to make the light within you stronger.”
「白色形狀裡的黑色圓圈呢？」「你認為這意味著什麼？」
“And the dark circle inside the white shape?” “What do you think it means?”
「我們甚至可以把最光明的經歷變成黑暗？」
“That we can take even the brightest experiences and turn them dark somehow?”
「正確。我們稍後會再談這個。首先要明白，我們所有人都有黑暗的潛力，如果我們讓自己受魔鬼影響而不是上帝，即使是最壞的人，內心仍有那神聖的火花。我們所有人都有救贖、寬恕和上帝之愛的潛力。無論我們認為自己墮落多遠，或多迷失，祂總會在我們培養那光芒並轉向祂時歡迎我們回來。」
“Correct. We’ll talk about that more in a moment. First, understand that all of us have the capacity for darkness, if we let ourselves be influenced by the devil instead of by God, and even the worst of us still has that spark of divinity within. We all have the capacity for redemption, for forgiveness, and for God’s love. No matter how far we think we’ve fallen, or how lost we may be, He will always welcome us back if we nurture that light and turn to Him.”
「但為什麼祂一開始就希望我們有這種掙扎？為什麼不讓我們只體驗好的，而沒有壞的？」
“But why does He want us to have that struggle to begin with? Why not just let us experience good without all of the bad?”
「你熱衷於健身，對吧？鍛煉身體，變得更強壯？」
“You’re into physical fitness, right? Building your body and growing stronger?”
「是的。」我試著不去分心，因為我之所以會在這裡與德雷克在一起，是因為我喝了某種我以為能讓我更強壯的東西，結果卻毒害了我。
“Yes.” I tried to not be distracted by the fact that the reason I was even here with Drake was because I drank something that I thought would help me get stronger but poisoned me instead.
「你要怎麼鍛煉肌肉？」「主要是舉重。」
“What do you have to do to build your muscles?” “Lift weights, mostly.”
「對。你需要阻力。讓你的肌肉對抗某種東西。你為什麼這樣做？」
“Exactly. You use resistance. Something for your muscles to work against. Why do you do that?”
「沒有阻力，肌肉不會變強。」「這不難受嗎？」
“Without resistance, the muscles won’t get stronger.” “Isn’t that uncomfortable?”
「當然，但值得。」「怎麼值得？」
“Sure, but it’s worth it.” “In what way?”
「我更強壯了。我能做更多。我感覺更健康。」
“I’m stronger. I can do more. I feel healthier.”
「對。靈魂也是如此。我們變強的唯一方式是面對阻力。如果我們的靈魂被放入一個一切都很容易的存在中，我們永遠不會學到任何東西。」
“Exactly. It’s the same with our spirit. The only way for us to grow stronger is to face resistance. If our spirit was put into an existence where everything was easy, we would never learn anything.”
我想起了童年的黑暗。黑暗很多。恐懼。痛苦。我小時候在腦海中創造了一個安全的平行宇宙。現在，我清楚地看到，儘管有所有這些黑暗——或者，也許正是因為這些黑暗——那些經歷塑造了我成為今天的我。我不會改變任何東西。沒有一天、一刻、一絲痛苦或傷害我想改變。
I thought back to the darkness in my childhood. There was a lot of it. Fear. Pain. I grew up creating an alternate universe in my mind where I was safe. Now, I could clearly see that despite all of the darkness—or, perhaps, precisely because of it—those experiences had shaped me into the person I was. And I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Not a single day, not a single moment, not a single instance of pain or hurt that was done to me.
我知道我正處在上帝希望我所在的地方。我不想改變祂為我塑造的計劃。如果我沒有經歷那些黑暗，我不知道我的光芒是否會成長。
I knew that I was right where God wanted me to be. I didn’t want to change His plans for me as He molded me into who I was. If I hadn’t experienced that darkness, I didn’t know if the light would have grown in me.
我意識到，即使在我們最黑暗的日子，我們也應該記住仍有光芒。我們從不真正孤單。永遠不會。我們需要意識到，當我們充滿光芒，生活在陰陽圖像的光明面時，仍有黑暗試圖潛入。
I realized that, even in our darkest days, we should remember that there is still light. We are never truly alone. Ever. And we need to be aware that when we are full of light, living in the light side of that image, there is still darkness trying to creep in.
德雷克讓這些想法沉澱後繼續說道。
Drake let those thoughts sink in before he continued.
「你剛才說，我們甚至可以把最光明的經歷變成黑暗。」
“You said a moment ago that we can take even the brightest experiences and turn them dark.”
「可以。」
“Yes.”
「黑暗。恐懼。這是魔鬼的本質。在我們來到地球之前，在上帝的面前，我們無法做出錯誤的選擇。」
“Darkness. Fear. That is the nature of the devil. When we were in God’s presence before coming to Earth, we couldn’t make a wrong choice.”
「我們在出生於地球之前就存在了？」
“We existed before we were born on Earth?”
「是的。」德雷克分享了一個天藍色緞帶的畫面，無限地向兩個方向延伸，超越了我初次見面時他展示的宇宙邊緣。我注意到一粒發光的金色沙粒，靜靜地躺在面前的緞帶上。
“We did.” Drake shared an image of a sky-blue ribbon that stretched infinitely in both directions, beyond the edges of the universe he had shown me when we first met. I noticed a single grain of sand, glowing bright gold, resting on the ribbon in front of me.
「這條緞帶代表你的永恆存在，」德雷克說。「這粒沙代表你在地球上的時間。你的凡人經歷是一個短暫的事件，為學習和發展提供了重要的機會。在來到地球之前，沐浴在上帝的愛中，錯誤選擇的想法甚至無法進入我們的腦海。」
“The ribbon represents your eternal existence,” Drake said. “The grain of sand represents your time on Earth. Your mortal experience is a brief event that provides essential opportunities for learning and development. Before coming to Earth, awash in God’s love, the idea of a wrong choice couldn’t even enter our minds.”
「所以，沒有阻力？」
“So, there was no resistance?”
德雷克點點頭。「這意味著也沒有成長。生活在地球上就像去靈性健身房，發展和強化我們的靈魂和品格——我們本質的核心。」「魔鬼創造了這種阻力？」
Drake nodded. “Which means there was also no growth. Living on Earth is like going to a spiritual gym to develop and strengthen our spirit and character—the very core of who we are.” “And the devil creates that resistance?”
「是的，他阻止我們做正確的事。或者他影響我們做正確的事，但出於錯誤的動機。兩者都對我們的成長有害。」
“Yes, he works against us doing the right thing. Or he influences us to do the right thing, but with the wrong motivation. Both are harmful to our growth.”
「什麼意思？」
“What do you mean?”
「我們的每一個決定都由恐懼或喜悅驅動。我簡化了，但基本上一切都歸結於此。當我們真正理解上帝對我們的愛時，沒有什麼可害怕的。我們尤其不應該害怕失敗。錯誤和失敗是我們進步的必要部分。上帝知道我們會失敗，就像學走路的孩子會跌倒，但他完全無條件地愛我們。每當我們出於恐懼做某事時，即使結果是好的，我們的頻率也會下降。」
“Every decision we make is motivated by either fear or joy. I’m simplifying it, but that’s pretty much what everything comes down to. When we truly understand God’s love for us, there is nothing to fear. We especially shouldn’t fear failure. Mistakes and failures are a necessary part of our progress. God knows we’re going to fail, just as a child learning to walk stumbles and falls, but He loves us completely and unconditionally. Whenever we do something that is motivated by fear, our frequency moves down, even if the outcome is good.”
「即使我做了我應該做的事，我的頻率也會下降？即使我做了正確的事？」
“My frequency can fall even if I’m doing what I’m supposed to? Even if I’m doing the right thing?”
「對。魔鬼和他的追隨者通過恐懼來激勵。意識到在凡人存在中，跟隨魔鬼的影響只能獲得凡人的好處：金錢、名聲、對他人的影響。如果你通過魔鬼的路徑追求這些，任何好處都會隨著你的凡人生命結束。」
“That’s right. The devil and his followers motivate through fear. Realize that in the mortal existence, you can only receive mortal benefits when following the devil’s influence: money, fame, influence over others. If you pursue them through the devil’s path, any benefit will end with your mortal life.”
「什麼意思？」
“What do you mean?”
「比如說，你想要錢。你可以聽從魔鬼的指引去搶銀行，或者你可以聽從上帝的影響，學習如何賺同樣數量的錢。一旦你學會了如何賺錢，你可以一次又一次重複這種成功。你會學會如何成長而不是破壞，這種知識是強大的，因為你學到的一切在你死後仍然存在。」
“Say, you want money. You could follow the devil’s prompting and rob a bank, or you could follow God’s influence and learn how to earn that same amount of money. Once you have learned how to earn that money, you can repeat that success over and over again. You will have learned how to grow instead of destroy, and that knowledge is powerful, because everything you learn remains with you after you die.”
「這有道理。」
“That makes sense.”
「無論驅動你的是什麼，遵循光明的道路總是值得的。你在每一個決定的時刻都有這種選擇。每當你出於無私的愛做任何事，那就是與上帝的聯繫。這是你能擁有的最高動機。這是做任何事的最佳理由。它提升了你和你的頻率。例如，假設你沒有照顧好自己的身體。對疾病的恐懼可能最初激勵你改變，但你需要將你的意圖設定在你想要的——在這種情況下是健康——而不是你不想要的。專注於你對身體這份禮物的愛和感恩，以及你希望好好對待它的願望。」
“No matter what drives you, it’s always worth following the path of light. You have that choice in every moment of decision. Whenever you do anything out of selfless love, that is a connection with God. It’s the highest motivation you can have. It’s the best reason for doing anything. It elevates you and your frequency. For example, say you haven’t taken care of your body. Fear of sickness might be what initially motivates you to change, but you then need to set your intention towards what you want—in this case, good health—not what you don’t want. Focus on the love and gratitude you have for the gift of your body, and your desire to treat it well.”
回想我一生中做事情的原因，我能看到他說的是真的。每當我出於恐懼做事，即使我做了正確的事，感覺也不像出於愛做事時那樣。每當我出於愛行動時，我感到更強大、更充實。
As I thought back on the reasons that I had done things throughout my life, I could see that what he was saying was true. Whenever I did something out of fear, even if I was doing the right thing, I didn’t feel the same as when I did it out of love. Whenever I acted out of love, I felt stronger and more fulfilled.
「我想我們已經談夠了。只要記住，魔鬼的工作是影響你做出將你拉離上帝的決定。他的工作對你的進步至關重要。認識到他的誘惑，這樣你就有了清晰選擇的能力。以愛行動，而不是恐懼。」
“I think we’ve talked about this enough. Just remember that the devil’s job is to influence you to make decisions that pull you away from God. His job plays a vital role in your progress. Recognize his temptations, so that you are empowered to make a clear choice. Act with love, not fear.”
我以為我準備好繼續前進，但猶豫了。我再次感到對移動的阻力。德雷克停下來等我梳理我的想法。
I thought I was ready to move on, but I hesitated. I could feel the resistance to movement again. Drake paused and waited for me to work through my thoughts.
我有一個無神論的叔叔。他是一個善良且充滿愛的人，但他拒絕相信上帝。他說那是因為他無法相信一個善良的存在會允許世界上有這麼多痛苦和苦難。儘管我相信上帝，我能感覺到我對叔叔的愛在他的信念上影響了我的心靈。我卡住了，不知道該怎麼辦。
I had an uncle who was an atheist. He was a kind and loving man, but he refused to believe in God. He said it was because he couldn’t believe that a good being would allow so much pain and suffering in the world. Even though I believed in God, I could feel that my love for my uncle had imprinted some of his beliefs on my psyche. I was stuck, and I didn’t know what to do.
德雷克跟隨我的想法，然後說：「我知道在地球上這一切看起來非常不公平。」
Drake followed my thoughts, then said, “I know that it can all seem very unfair while you’re on Earth.”
「不只是不公平，」我說。「地球上發生在好人身上的可怕事情。有些最糟糕的事情發生在無辜的小孩身上。為什麼非得這樣？」
“Not just unfair,” I said. “There are horrific things that happen to good people on Earth. Some of the worst things imaginable happen to innocent little children. Why does it have to be that way?”
「記住，生命的目的是學習和成長，唯一的方法是經歷對立、掙扎，甚至痛苦和煎熬。是的，有些巨大的邪惡被施加在無辜的人身上。這不是他們的錯。有時，那是因為其他人將他們的自由意志用於邪惡。其他時候，看似隨機的事故其實是那個人在來到地球之前為自己和他人利益選擇的經歷。」
“Remember that the purpose of life is to learn and to grow, and the only way to do that is to experience opposition, struggle, even pain and anguish. And yes, there are great evils that are perpetrated on innocent people. It is not their fault. Sometimes, it is because others use their agency for evil. Other times what appears like a random accident was an experience chosen by that person before they even came to Earth, for their own benefit, and the benefit of others.”
「但這怎麼解釋一個死於癌症的孩子，或一個出生幾小時後就死去的新生兒？你是說他們選擇了那條路？在這裡如此短暫的時間對他們有什麼好處？」
“But how does that explain a child that dies of cancer, or a newborn that dies after only a few hours? Are you saying they chose that path? How does being here such a short time benefit them?”
「在地球上，很多東西由時間定義，但時間不是成長的絕對衡量標準。對一些人來說，凡人世界的短暫一刻就足以帶來強大的改變。想像一隻毛蟲，必須經過蛹的階段才能變成蝴蝶。它在蛹中只停留很短的時間，但這種轉變使它成為一個完全不同的生物，能做遠超毛蟲時的事情。」
“On Earth, so much is defined by time, but time is not an absolute measure of growth. For some, all it takes is a brief moment in mortality to bring about powerful changes. Think of it like a caterpillar, which must go through the chrysalis stage to become a butterfly. It is only in the chrysalis for a short span of its existence, but the transformation turns it into a completely new creature that can do far more than it could as a caterpillar.”
「凡人世界對我們來說就像蛹？」
“And mortality is like the chrysalis for us?”
「對。那些在地球上時間很短的人從凡人世界獲得了他們所需的一切，同時為留下來的人的掙扎和成長發揮了作用。對於那些天生有精神或身體殞疾的人也是如此；他們有自己的成長路徑，也為他人提供了成長的機會。每條路徑都是獨特的，這使得很難提供一個完全涵蓋每種情況的簡單答案。」
“Exactly. Those who are on Earth for a very brief time receive everything that they need from mortality, and, at the same time, play a part in the struggle and growth of those who remain. The same is true for those born with mental and physical disabilities; they have their own path for growth, and they provide opportunities for others to grow as well. Every path is unique, which makes it difficult to provide a simple answer that completely covers every circumstance.”
我想起了我在地球上見過和經歷的所有苦難。
I thought about all of the suffering I had seen and experienced while on Earth.
「我知道，」德雷克說，「當痛苦如此強烈，你只能看到凡人生命的短暫時，理解或相信這一點很困難。但要知道——每個個體都被上帝完全認識和愛。每個人在這一生中都會經歷他們所需的東西，以盡可能地進步。當你能再次看到永恆的視角時，苦難總是有意義的。」
“I know,” Drake said, “that it is difficult to fully understand or believe when the pain feels so intense and all you can see is the short span of your mortal life. Know this, though—every individual is known and completely loved by God. Everyone will experience exactly what they need in this life to progress as much as they can. The suffering will always make sense when you can see the eternal view again.”
「但沒有別的方法嗎？」
“But isn’t there another way?”
「你會提出什麼？更簡單的東西？不那麼考驗你信仰的東西？不強迫你對他人產生深厚同情的東西？」
“What would you propose? Something easier? Something that didn’t stretch your faith as much? Something that didn’t compel you to feel great depths of compassion for others?”
我想起了陰陽的圖像。邪惡與善良在無盡的循環中，一個從另一個中生長出來。
I remembered the image of the yin and the yang. Evil and good in an endless cycle, one growing out of the other.
「我明白，」德雷克繼續說。「我知道在所有的困惑和痛苦中，這一切看起來非常不公平。生活被設計成具有挑戰性。劍在戰鬥之前會鄙視鐵匠。即使知道掙扎和苦難有更大的目的，也可能無法減輕經歷的痛苦。但記住我們初次見面時你的感受。那一刻，你充滿了壓倒性的絕望。恐懼。痛苦。但然後你感受到……什麼？」
“I understand,” Drake continued. “I know that in the middle of all of the confusion and anguish, it can all seem so very unfair. Life is challenging by design. The sword despises the blacksmith until it is time for battle. Even knowing that there is a greater purpose to the struggle and suffering may not lessen the pain of the experience. But remember how you felt when we first met. In that moment, you were filled with a crushing despair. Fear. Pain. But then you felt… what?”
「愛。仁慈。溫柔。」
“Love. Kindness. Tenderness.”
「一旦你讓那光芒進來，發生了什麼？」
“And what happened as soon as you let that light in?”
「所有的負面感受都消失了。就像它們從未存在過。」
“All of the negative feelings disappeared. It was like they were never there.”
「對他人的苦難感到同情是好的。當他們需要時，提供愛、仁慈和溫柔更好。只有通過掙扎和挑戰，我們才會變得更強大。只要知道無論多痛苦，痛苦終會結束，一切都值得。」他微笑著。「來吧，有東西你應該看看。」
“It’s good to feel compassion for others when they are suffering. It’s even better to provide love, kindness, and tenderness to them when they need it. It is only through the struggle and challenges that we grow stronger. Just know that no matter how painful it is, the pain does end, and it is all worth it.” He smiled. “Come, there’s something you should see.”
我們現在非常靠近那個巨大的光球。耀眼的白光仍然從球體本身散發出來，但白光在遠離表面時轉為藍光。然後藍光變成紫色，再變成霧狀的粉紅色，然後逐漸消失。
We were now very close to the massive sphere of light. Brilliant white light still emanated from the orb itself, but the white transitioned to blue light as it radiated away from the surface. Then the blue light became purple, and then a misty pink hue before fading away.
當我們靠近時，我看到一圈白光像寬廣的腰帶圍繞著這顆行星。然後我看到這圈光環似乎由數百萬、甚至數十億顆小星星組成，像發光的珍珠般閃耀。
As we came nearer, I could see an aura of white light surrounding the planet like a wide belt. Then I saw that the aura appeared to be made of millions, perhaps billions, of small stars, luminous like glowing pearls.
德雷克引導我的目光到光環中的一顆小星星。當我靠近時，我看到它實際上是由光點組成的。當我再靠近一些，我意識到這些單獨的光點是天使般的存在，排列成一個球體。
Drake directed my gaze to one of the smaller stars that made up the aura. As I drew nearer, I saw that it was actually made up of points of light. As I looked closer still, I realized that the individual lights were angelic beings arrayed to form a sphere.
我稱他們為天使，因為這是對他們外觀的最佳描述。他們沒有翅膀，但散發出力量和榮耀。他們看起來既非男性也非女性，卻兼具兩者的特徵。他們英俊、美麗、強大、溫柔、堅定、仁慈，最重要的是，榮耀。
I call them angels, as that is the best description of their appearance. They didn’t have wings, but they exuded power and glory. They didn’t appear male or female, though they had aspects of both. They were handsome and beautiful and powerful and tender and firm and kind and, most of all, glorious.
天使們都面向球體中心。我意識到他們正圍繞著一群靈魂，就像一個莢一樣。每個莢中的靈魂數量不同；有些只有幾個靈魂，有些有數千個。我知道每個莢有一個頻率；莢中的靈魂共享相同的頻率，通常共享地球上相同的文化或歷史時期，有些莢來自數千年前。我跟隨德雷克的指引，觀察一個莢中的一個靈魂。
The angels were all turned inward towards the center of their sphere. I became aware that they were surrounding groups of souls, like a pod. The number of souls in each pod varied; some held a few souls and others, thousands. I was aware that each pod had a frequency; the souls in each pod shared the same frequency, and often shared the same culture or period in history on Earth, some pods thousands of years ago. I followed Drake’s guidance to observe one soul in one pod.
我看到一個留著濃密鬍子的男人，我猜他生活在1900年代初。他穿著棕色吊帶褲、白色內衣、繫帶棕色鞋子和棕色圓頂禮帽。他看起來三十或四十歲，但我不知怎麼知道他死時實際上是六十多歲。
I saw a man with a bushy mustache who I guessed had lived in the early 1900s. He wore brown pants with suspenders, a white undershirt, laced dark brown shoes, and a brown bowler hat. He appeared to be in his thirties or forties, but I somehow knew that he was actually in his sixties when he died.
最重要的是，他很憤怒。非常憤怒。他用我認出是義大利語的語言大喊。我雖然不懂義大利語，卻明白他說的一切。我了解他是誰，他的過去，以及他為什麼如此憤怒。他以為自己在對他的兒子或像兒子一樣的人喊，但那裡沒有人。他在說他能想到的最殘酷、最傷人的話。
Most of all, he was angry. Very angry. He shouted in what I recognized as Italian. I understood everything he was saying even though I don’t know Italian. I understood who he was, his past, and why he was so angry. He thought he was yelling at his son, or someone who was like a son to him, but there was no one there. He was saying the cruelest and most hurtful things he could think of.
他的兒子開槍或刺傷了他，他花了一週才死去。儘管他近一個世紀前就死了，他仍在喊叫、揮拳，盡一切可能以最大的暴力和憤怒傷害他面前的想像存在。
His son had shot or stabbed him, and it took this man a week to die. Even though he had died nearly a century before, he was still shouting and swinging his fists, doing everything he could to harm the imaginary being in front of him with as much violence and anger as he could muster.
突然，他像是從恍惚中醒來，當最後的憤怒離開他時。他意識到自己被天使包圍。當他抬頭看到他們時，兩個天使衝到他身邊擁抱他，他開始哭泣。一瞬間，他們三人開始朝著大光球移動。他們移動得如此之快，在我看來像是瞬間消失了，但我本能地知道他們去了哪裡。
Suddenly, it was as if he woke out of a trance as the last of his anger left him. He became aware that he was surrounded by angels. As he looked up and saw them, two angels rushed to his side to embrace him, and he began to cry. In a flash, the three of them began moving towards the large sphere of light. They moved so fast that it looked to me like they simply disappeared, though I instinctively knew where they had gone.
我看到每個莢中的靈魂都在處理自己的問題：仇恨、怨恨、偏見、偏執、癮症。這些可憐的靈魂陷入了一個循環，就像黑膠唱片被劃傷，反覆跳針。
I saw that the souls in each pod were dealing with their own issues: hate, resentment, prejudice, bigotry, addiction. These poor souls were stuck in a loop, like a vinyl record caught on a scratch, skipping over and over.
尤其讓我感到悲傷的是，這些黑暗的靈魂被充滿光芒和愛的榮耀存在包圍，這些存在只是在等待幫助他們，但他們如此沉浸於自己的負面和痛苦中，甚至沒有意識到它們。他們只能想像其他他們想傷害的靈魂。直到他們最終放下那些負面能量，他們才能看到周圍的美麗並繼續前進。
What was especially sad to me was that these dark souls were surrounded by these glorious beings full of light and love just waiting to help them, but they were so caught up in their own negativity and pain that they weren’t even aware of them. All they could do was imagine other souls that they wanted to hurt. It wasn’t until they finally let go of that negative energy that they could see the beauty all around them and progress in their existence.
德雷克將我的意識拉回，我們繼續我們的旅程。我注意到一大群天使降臨到一個莢上，為已經在那裡的天使提供增援。我看不到那個莢裡發生了什麼。
Drake pulled my awareness back, and we resumed our journey. I noticed a large group of angels descending on one of the pods, giving reinforcements to the angels that were already there. I couldn’t see inside that pod and didn’t know what was happening.
「那裡發生了什麼？」我想知道。「有問題嗎？」
“What is going on there?” I wondered. “Is there a problem?”
德雷克帶著燦爛的喜悅微笑。「一點也不。親人在為那個莢中的靈魂祈禱。他們的祈禱賦予更多力量，幫助清除他們攜帶的負面能量。那些天使來幫助那群靈魂繼續前進。群體往往一起上升。就像畢業典禮一樣。」
Drake smiled with radiant joy. “Not at all. Loved ones are praying for the souls in that pod. Their prayers are granting more power to help cleanse the negative energy they are carrying. Those angels are coming to help that group move on. Groups tend to move up together. Much like a graduation, if you will.”
我想起了巢中的蛋，通常都在差不多的時間孵化。
I thought of eggs in a nest, which all tended to hatch about the same time.
德雷克聽到我的想法，微笑著。「是的，也像那樣。」
Drake heard my thought and smiled. “Yes, like that, too.”