正文 第28章 附錄(13)(1 / 3)

ComingfromAustralia,whichdatesitsmodernnationalhistorytoafoundationlittlemorethan200yearsago,thethoughtofasociety32,000yearsagoisspeciallydifficulttoconceive.Whatwasparticularlyamazingwasthatthejadeobjecthadnoutilitarianvalue.Noneatall.Itwasnotconnectedwithfood,shelter,protection,orprocreation.Itwasjustanobjectofbeauty,createdbythemakerandpresentedtothewearersolongago.Itindicatedthat,eveninsuchancienttimes,inChina,humanbeingsenjoyednon-utilitarianfeelings.Theymanifestedadevelopedspiritualandaestheticsense.Theytriedtomaketheirliveshappierandricherinfeelingsaswellasinpossessions.

Withexcitement,Itelephonedmypartner,Johan,inAustraliatotellhimofmyjadediscovery.Tosharewithhimmysenseofhumilityandwonder.TocometoChina,withsuchalongcivilisation,tocontributetonewthinkingaboutdiversity,equality,andharmonyinthematterofsexualitymightseemapresumption.Tocomefromamuchyoungercountrytoonesoancientandlongestablished,mightseemoverlyambitious.

Mypartnerencouragedmetostaythecourse.Theself-samequestforbeautyandspiritualfeelingsillustratedbytheancientdiscofjadecannowbeinvokedtohelpinanunderstandingthathumanityisalwaysexploringitsfeelingsforloveandbeauty.Humanbeingsaremorethantheirmeansofsurvival.Theyarecomplexcreaturesinanever-continuingprocessofevolution.Theyarerichindiversity.Tovirtuallyallofthem,loveforself,forfamily,forspecialfriends,andfornatureisimportant-aconstantsourceofexplorationandyearning.

SoIovercomemyfeelingsofinadequacy.Ioffermythoughtsonthesubjectsofthisworkshop.Idosofromaperspectiveofalawyer,ajudgeinanindependentcourt,apersonwhohasbeeninvolvedintheinternationaldevelopmentofhumanrightsandmorerecentlyinthestruggleagainstHIV/AIDS.Butaboveall,asahumanbeingwithinalienablehumanrightsanddignity.Andonewhoishomosexualinsexualorientationandthusabletospeaktotheworkshopdirectly,frompersonalexperience,whichIamreadytoshare.