人生之鑰

第4部分 (第2/6頁)

中充滿了淚水。40年來的第一次，我體會到了什麼叫完整。

A　place　where　I　had　never　expected　to　find　myself：　the　ancient　city　of　Philippopolis；　capital　of　Thrace。　A　well　preserved　amphitheatre；　golden　in　the　morning　sun。

All　alone；　I　look　around：　Row　upon　row　of　concentric　stone　circles　divided　into　equal　sectors。　Lines　radiating　–　some　reaching　for　infinity；　others　anchored　by　the　transversal　of　the　stage。　Light　and　shadow　playing　over　a　balanced　blend　of　growth；　reality　and　potential。

Hovering　somewhere　near　the　centre　of　the　circle；　I　try　to　work　out　why　it　all　seems　so　familiar。　Like　being　back　in　my　very　own　landscape。　Though　I　know　that　I　have　never　been　in　Thrace　before。　Not　in　this　life　–　or　any　other。

No　–　it’s　not　the　location；　it’s　the　configuration。　The　geometric　concept　that　produced　the　amphitheatre：　a　Greek　marriage　of　structure　and　drama；　perfectly　arranged。

Ever　since　it　first　entered　my　consciousness　–　whenever　that　may　have　been　– this　figure　has　persisted　as　my　guiding　star。　The　ideal　I　always　reached　for。　Definition　of　my　aims。　It　led　to　architecture；　theatre；　astrology；　conditioned　every　word　I　wrote。

The　essence　of　my　mind　in　three　dimensions；　graphically　depicted　by　the　amphitheatre。　It　took　a　long　time　to　arrive　at　that　picture。　But　it　was　worth　waiting　for。

I　am　a　transnational。　One　of　those　people　who　leave　their　country　of　origin；　sacrifice　the　security　of　birth　right；　give　up　an　established　identity　honed　by　background　and　education。

All　for　the　dubious　pleasure　of　starting　anew；　unconditioned；　unencumbered；　naked　as　the　day　you　were　born；　even　at　the　price　of　being　relegated　to　the　bottom　rung　of　the　social　ladder。　Everyone；　down　to　the　beggar　in　the　street　–　provided　he　is　in　his　own　country　–　is　better　placed　th