法語 11 — 故事四：《The Nurse and the Bell That Wouldn’t Stop Ringing》

本週法語如下。

所謂「靜則一念不生，動則萬善圓彰」，要堅住正念， 心無善念不起，口無善言不說，身無善事不行，靜也靜得，動也動得，修善而不執著善，回歸無念。相信這個道理，具足信心，這一生修行絕對不會退轉。

“When at rest, rest all thoughts; when in action, perfect all actions.” We must abide in right mindfulness: think only good thoughts, say only kind words, do only good deeds.  Rest when it is time to rest; act when it is time to act.  Practice good deeds without attachment, and then return to the state of no-thought.  With confidence and commitment in this teaching, we will always make progress in our practice.

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穿插一些英文版故事，讓姊弟倆也能引領家人讀誦法語，並進行反省檢討。

🏥 Story 2: The Nurse and the Bell That Wouldn’t Stop Ringing

Setting: Hospital / Stress under Pressure

In the dimmed hallway of the night-shift ward, Nurse Carlos walked quickly past the buzzing machines and softly beeping monitors. It was almost 3 a.m., and he hadn’t sat down in nearly four hours. His back ached. His legs felt like stone. He still had half a dozen charts to finish.

Just as he sat down to catch his breath, DING!—Room 208’s call bell lit up.

It was Mr. Jensen. Again.

Carlos exhaled sharply, biting his tongue. Mr. Jensen had already pressed the bell seven times tonight. Sometimes for water. Sometimes because his blanket had a wrinkle. Once because he was “just checking if the bell still works.”

Carlos muttered, “He’s testing me,” and started to stand.

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📣 (Pause here for discussion)
👉 How do you think Carlos is feeling? What would you feel in this moment?
👉 Would you go in annoyed? Would you ignore it? Or...?

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Carlos stood in the quiet hallway. He didn’t move right away.

Instead, he placed a hand over his chest and took one slow breath. In. Out.

He remembered something his nursing mentor once said: “Sometimes, people ring the bell not because they need help—but because they’re afraid to be alone.”

He walked into Room 208. Mr. Jensen was wide awake, eyes wide in the dim light.

Carlos didn’t scold or snap. He simply said, “Can’t sleep, huh?”

Mr. Jensen nodded, sheepish. “The storm outside reminds me of the night my wife passed. It just… rattles me.”

Carlos pulled up a chair and sat beside him for three quiet minutes. No chart. No lecture. Just presence.

Eventually, Mr. Jensen smiled. “Thanks, son. I think I’ll sleep now.”

Carlos walked out, tired… but strangely lighter.

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✨ Reflection
In the pause before reacting, Carlos saw something beyond his own exhaustion—he saw a frightened man clinging to the last threads of connection. By not clinging to his irritation, he was able to offer true service.

“Do good without clinging to goodness, and return to a mind of no-thought.”
True kindness is not performance. It’s a natural movement from a quiet mind.