飛行啓示錄 We will see what happens
A few years ago, my younger sister and I were the first ones down the tunnel to board our flight for Norfolk, Virginia. Just as we were about to board the plane, a mechanic emerged from inside the aircraft and blocked the door with his arms. He turned to the flight attendant and hurriedly stated, “We got problems!”
幾年前，我和妹妹搭乘飛機去弗吉尼亞州的諾福克市，當時我們是最早通過隧道準備登機的乘客。正當我們要登上飛機的時候，一位機械師從機艙裏走出來，用手臂擋住了艙門。他轉過身急促地對乘務員說道：“我們遇到問題了！”
I thought to myself, “Why did I have to be the one to hear that? Why couldn’t I have been at the back of the line? I didn’t need to know that!” Very soon we were back in the terminal, waiting, and then ultimately back on the plane. I waited for the pilot to give an explanation. Pilots take courses to ease passengers’ mind right? They know what to say to calm nerves.
我暗想：“爲什麼是我聽到這個消息呢？爲什麼我不是排在登機隊伍的最後呢？我不需要知道這件事！”很快地我們返回到候機室等消息，然後最終又回到了飛機上。我等着機長給出一個合理的解釋。機長們都學過如何緩和乘客們的情緒，不是嗎？他們知道應該說些什麼來寬慰神經緊張的乘客們。
Unfortunately, I don’t think this pilot took that course. Soon his voice boomed throughout the plane, “Sorry for the delay, ladies and gentlemen. We had no power on the plane. We have a generator on the ground right now, and we are going to jump-start the engines. Once we get them going, we will get up in the air and head to Norfolk, and see what happens.”
不幸的是，我想我們的這位機長並沒有學過這方面的課程。很快，他的聲音就在整個機艙裏迴響：“女士們、先生們，很抱歉飛機晚點了。我們的飛機動力不足，現在在地面上有臺發電機，我們準備藉助它來發動飛機上的引擎。一旦發動了那些引擎，我們就能夠飛到空中並飛向諾福克市，然後隨機應變。”
Click.
That was it. That was all he said. See what happens? We are going to get up in the air, and see what happens? Couldn’t we have another plan, one that’s been worked out just a little better?
喀噠——
就這樣。他就是這麼說的。隨機應變？我們會首先升空，然後隨機應變？難道我們不能有一個更好的計劃嗎？
At this point, all I could do was to laugh nervously. One woman started yelling, “Oh no! We are going to crash!” There were sighs of desperation and anxiety spreading throughout the cabin like a tidal wave, and we hadn’t even taken off yet. Thirty minutes passed and we were still sitting there. Then the voice of the pilot came over the intercom again, “Ladies and gentlemen, I know you are frustrated—so are we—we know you are hot, we only have one engine going right now, and it is working double time.”
這個時候，我所能做的只是緊張兮兮地笑了起來。一位女士開始大叫：“噢，不！我們要墜機了！”絕望和焦慮的嘆息聲像潮汐般席捲了整個機艙，而我們甚至還沒有起飛。三十分鐘過去了，我們仍然停在原地。接着廣播裏又一次響起了機長的聲音：“女士們，先生們，我知道你們很沮喪，我們也一樣；我們知道你們現在感到很熱，因爲我們現在只有一個引擎能夠正常運轉，而且它正在加速運轉。”
Click.
There were moan as if we had all boarded a vessel of doom. It seemed that, we were all seated in an aluminum casket, buckled next to strangers. After all, the pilot said he was frustrated. He told us our one engine was working double time, and his elaborate plan was to get up in the air, and see what happens! Then we did. We got up in the air, and what happened? Nothing—other than thrust and lift. We arrived in Norfolk, and no sooner had the wheels touched the tarmac than a round of applause burst out, as everyone throughout the airplane simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief.
喀噠——
機艙內一片哀號，似乎我們搭乘的是一艘瀕臨毀滅的飛船。似乎我們都坐在一口鋁製大棺材裏，被安全帶牢牢扣住，身旁坐着的都是陌生人。畢竟，那位機長說他也很沮喪。他告訴我們，我們的一個引擎正在加速運轉，而他的詳細計劃是先升空，然後隨機應變！接着，我們真的這麼做了。我們升上半空，然後發生了什麼呢？什麼也沒有發生，除了感受到推力和上升力。我們抵達了諾福克市，飛機的輪子接觸到停機坪的地面時，機艙裏掌聲雷動，飛機上的每個人都同時舒了一口氣。
Although, I do sincerely like to have a plan better than “see what happens” worked out when flying—it really isn’t such a bad life strategy. All too often, I would see people chasing their goals halt frozen with inaction just because they don’t have all the necessary pieces or guaranteed result when in reality—they will never have all the pieces. Success will never be guaranteed. The best thing that you can do is just get up in the air, and see what happens. Sometimes adjustments would be made in the air, or shall we say, in the middle of the process.
雖然在飛行的時候，我誠摯地希望能有一個比“隨機應變”更好的計劃——但“隨機應變”也不失爲一個良好的人生策略。我時常會看到追求目標的人們怠於行動，僅僅因爲他們不具備所有的必要條件，或者對結果沒有十足的把握；其實在現實生活中，他們永遠都不可能具備所有的必要條件。成功從來不是十拿九穩的。你能做的最好的事就是飛上半空，然後隨機應變。有時候，你可以在半空中，或者說在事情的進程中，根據情況做出調整。
If your effort is to build a busines then listen closely, “Get up in the air, and see what happens!” Don’t give yourself all the reasons why you can’t. Do not wait until you have everything you need. You never will!
如果你在努力開創一番事業，那麼可要聽仔細了：“先飛到半空中，然後隨機應變！”不要總是爲自己找理由解釋爲什麼你做不到。不要等到你擁有了你所需要的一切再行動——你永遠都等不到那一天。
If your mission is to start a friendship, say “Hello”; get up in the air, and see what happens! Don’t stress over what you will talk about—wing it, and make mid-air adjustments. The results could be very rewarding. Do not allow yourself to stay on the runway, just because you feel the flight may seem doomed. In friendships the only doomed flights are the ones that stay on the runway.
如果你想開始一段友誼，就主動地說“你好”，試着交往，然後隨機應變！不要擔心你接下來的話題——隨機應變，在交往的過程中進行調整，結果會很有收穫的。不要僅僅因爲你覺得這次“飛行”可能會失敗，就讓自己一直停留在跑道上。對於友誼來說，唯一會失敗的“飛行”就是那些一直停留在跑道上的“班機”。
If your goal is to learn a new skill, “Get up in the air, and see what happens!” It might not be as challenging as you thought. You might be smarter than you thought. It could be fun!
如果你的目標是學習一種新技能，“飛到半空中，然後隨機應變！”這種新技能可能沒有你想的那麼富有挑戰。你也可能比自己以爲的更聰明。學習的過程可能是很有趣的！
When traveling, I still hope that my pilot has a more detailed plan than, “We will see what happens.” Although in life, it isn’t such a bad strategy, after all.
雖然在旅行的時候，我還是希望我的機長有一個比“我們隨機應變”更周詳的計劃，但在人生中，這種策略其實還不錯。
