don’t　say　any　more；”　she　pleaded。　“Surely　you　realise　how　much　it　hurts。”

Her　mother　turned　a　beady　eye　on　her：　“Don’t　blame　me；　dear；　for　your　emotions。　You　said　it　yourself：　they　are　your　responsibility。”

“No；”　said　my　friend；　reached　by　a　sudden　insight　–　perhaps　the　most　important　one　she’d　had。 “That　rule　does　not　apply　when　someone　hurts　you　intentionally。”

I　was　every　bully’s　dream。　They　were　drawn　to　me　like　bees　to　honey。　Such　easy　game：　I　must　have　been　irresistible。

The　minute　someone　wilfully　attacked　me；　verbally　or　physically；　I　broke　right　down；　burst　into　tears：　submission；　humiliation　plete。　Bully’s　mission　acplished。

How　I　hated　myself　for　being　so　weak！　For　not　being　able　to　stand　up　for　myself。　It　left　me　with　a　deep　sense　of　shame。

I　was　too　innocent　to　know　that　it　isn’t　weakness　to　feel　aggrieved　as　you　discover　brutality　where　you　expected　friendship；　duplicity　where　you　had　placed　your　trust；　malice　where　you　had　felt　devotion。

At　a　later　stage　I　learnt　that　this　particular　despair　was　not　on　behalf　of　my　own　person。　I　felt　–　still　feel　–　that　same　lump　in　my　throat　whenever　faced　with　human　iniquity：　tales　of　tortured　kittens；　gratuitous　violence；　documentaries　on　the　Holocaust；　reports　of　current　war　atrocities。

However；　my　lament　is　not　for　the　victims；　whose　souls　no　wanton　cruelty　can　touch；　but　for　those　misguided　wretches；　who　deliberately　have　taken　their　leave　of　the　only　thing　worth　living　for：　the　only　thing　that　gives　life　value。

Rejecting　and　negating　human　kindness；　they’ve　placed　themselves　beyond　its　reach。　For　them　there　is　no　hope；　no　redemption。

Now；　as　my　tears　fall　for　them；　I　am　no　longer　ashamed。

。。

Duality　二重性（1）

生命中最美妙的一件事就是擁有一個好