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いやしの木
いやしの木
最近、筆者はアメリカで、木に登ることで
子供の心がいやされる様子を目の当たりにした。
愛知県で「木登り学校」を主催する筆者は、
日本でも木の力をもっと借りた方がいいと主張する。
The Tree of Life
By JOHN GATHRIGHT
It was only six short years since the boy murdered his mother and older sister. Now at 18, his sentence would be over in two days. Prison had not been kind to him and he looked much older than his years - hardened and cold. When I reached to shake his hand he clenched his fist as if to strike. My first thoughts were: "Put him back behind bars!"
In June of this year, in Oregon, Rob (not his real name), his juvenile detention counselor Mark and I climbed a 40-meter sugar pine. Just before our ascent,we were surrounded by five
policemen with their dogs. I was given a bulletproof vest and a stun gun "in case some of
his old gang members show up unexpectedly."
sentence completion.Time had run out, and Rob wasn't ready. A tree climbing experience was
Mark's last opportunity to connect with Rob.
During our ascent, Rob was cold and silent, concentrating on his climb. When we reached 20
meters, all of a sudden, he started to shake. He was very scared. I quietly reassured him,
"As long as you stay in your harness and keep on your rope, you won't fall. Hold on to the
tree trunk, feel her strength!"
As his hands hugged the huge trunk, his countenance seemed to relax. As we climbed, we
talked slowly. We talked about trees and leaves and forests. Rob was impressed that the forest
was a world in itself, with all of the plants and animals helping each other to survive.
When we finally reached the top he was sharing the exuberance and the excitement of the
rest of us. It was his first climb and he had never been so high under any circumstances.
Mark seized this shared moment. "Rob, the world is full of new adventures and challenges,
and society is like a forest. Everyone needs to help each other." Guilt and fear seemed to
melt away as Rob responded, sharing his fears for the future.
After four hours and many tears, we left the treetop and headed for earth. As we descended
, the circle of police could be seen through the lower branches.
When they saw Rob, one of them blurted out, "Hav' ya seen a ghost? You look different."
Rob did look different. Some of the cold hardness had melted from his eyes and he did seem more
relaxed. He shook our hands, and to me his eyes said thank you.
In Japan, juvenile crime is on the rise.Tragically, hideous crimes committed by youth are not rare. The Ministry of Education is calling for more counselors. I feel strongly that along
with this counseling, youth need a chance to change their perspective and surroundings. They
need to be challenged. Overcoming challenges helps build confidence and self-worth. I firmly
believe that people who like themselves don't hurt others.
Native Americans call trees "standing people." Their belief is that if we are silent and
listen, we will be taught great wisdom. As the head of Tree Climbing Japan I've had many
opportunities to see the soothing effect that trees have on troubled youth.
Japan is one of the most forested nations in the world. Let's put this great resource to work to help our youth. Let's ask the standing people for help.
It was only six short years since the boy murdered his mother and older sister. Now at 18, his sentence would be over in two days. Prison had not been kind to him and he looked much older than his years - hardened and cold. When I reached to shake his hand he clenched his fist as if to strike. My first thoughts were: "Put him back behind bars!"
In June of this year, in Oregon, Rob (not his real name), his juvenile detention counselor Mark and I climbed a 40-meter sugar pine. Just before our ascent,we were surrounded by five
policemen with their dogs. I was given a bulletproof vest and a stun gun "in case some of
his old gang members show up unexpectedly."
For the past six years Mark worked with Rob to prepare him for a new civilian life after his
sentence completion.Time had run out, and Rob wasn't ready. A tree climbing experience was
Mark's last opportunity to connect with Rob.
During our ascent, Rob was cold and silent, concentrating on his climb. When we reached 20
meters, all of a sudden, he started to shake. He was very scared. I quietly reassured him,
"As long as you stay in your harness and keep on your rope, you won't fall. Hold on to the
tree trunk, feel her strength!"
As his hands hugged the huge trunk, his countenance seemed to relax. As we climbed, we
talked slowly. We talked about trees and leaves and forests. Rob was impressed that the forest
was a world in itself, with all of the plants and animals helping each other to survive.
When we finally reached the top he was sharing the exuberance and the excitement of the
rest of us. It was his first climb and he had never been so high under any circumstances.
Mark seized this shared moment. "Rob, the world is full of new adventures and challenges,
and society is like a forest. Everyone needs to help each other." Guilt and fear seemed to
melt away as Rob responded, sharing his fears for the future.
After four hours and many tears, we left the treetop and headed for earth. As we descended
, the circle of police could be seen through the lower branches.
When they saw Rob, one of them blurted out, "Hav' ya seen a ghost? You look different."
Rob did look different. Some of the cold hardness had melted from his eyes and he did seem more
relaxed. He shook our hands, and to me his eyes said thank you.
In Japan, juvenile crime is on the rise.Tragically, hideous crimes committed by youth are not rare. The Ministry of Education is calling for more counselors. I feel strongly that along
with this counseling, youth need a chance to change their perspective and surroundings. They
need to be challenged. Overcoming challenges helps build confidence and self-worth. I firmly
believe that people who like themselves don't hurt others.
Native Americans call trees "standing people." Their belief is that if we are silent and
listen, we will be taught great wisdom. As the head of Tree Climbing Japan I've had many
opportunities to see the soothing effect that trees have on troubled youth.
Japan is one of the most forested nations in the world. Let's put this great resource to work to help our youth. Let's ask the standing people for help.
Shukan ST: Aug. 18, 2000
(C) All rights reserved
chu.htm
- (見出し)The tree of life
- 聖書の中に出てくる木で、無限の生命を与えたり、民をいやすとされる。
- murdered
- 殺害した
- sentence
- 刑
- had not been kind to him
- 彼にとって過ごしやすい所ではなかった
- hardened
- かたくなな
- clenched his fist as if to strike
- 殴りかかるかのようにこぶしを握った
- behind bars
- 刑務所に
- juvenile detention counselor
- 少年拘置所のカウンセラー
- sugar pine
- 五葉松の一種(米国北西部産)
- ascent
- 登ること
- bulletproof vest
- 防弾チョッキ
- stun gun
- スタンガン(ショック電流発射銃)
- in case 〜
- 〜 する場合に備えて
- show up
- 現れる
- unexpectedly
- 不意に
- civilian life
- 一般市民としての生活
- sentence completion
- 刑期満了
- had run out
- もうなくなっていた
- connect with 〜
- 〜 と心を通わせる
- (was)scared
- 怖がっていた
- reassured 〜
- 〜 を安心させた
- harness
- ハーネス(落下防止用ベルト)
- keep on 〜
- 〜 を離さないでいる
- Hold on to 〜
- 〜 をしっかり抱いて
- trunk
- 幹
- hugged 〜
- 〜 を抱き締めた
- countenance
- 表情
- was impressed
- 感動した
- a world in itself
- それ自体が一つの世界になっている
- was sharing 〜 of the rest of us
- ほかの二人と同じ 〜 を感じていた
- exuberance
- 豊かな気持ち
- seized this shared moment
- 心が通じたこの瞬間を捕らえて(説得に)うまく使った
- Guilt
- 自責の念
- melt away
- 溶け出す
- headed for 〜
- 〜 へ向かった
- descended
- 降りていった
- branches
- 枝
- blurted out
- 口走った
- Hav'ya
- = Have you
- juvenile crime
- 少年犯罪
- is on the rise
- 増えている
- hideous
- ぞっとするような
- are not rare
- 珍しいことではない
- Ministry of Education
- 文部省
- is calling for
- が必要だと呼びかけている
- along with 〜
- 〜 に加えて
- perspective
- ものの見方
- surroundings
- 環境
- be challenged
- やりがいのある難題を与えられる
- Overcoming 〜
- 〜 を克服すること
- self-worth
- 自己信頼
- hurt
- 傷つける
- Native Americans
- アメリカ先住民
- wisdom
- 知恵
- head
- 校長
- Tree Climbing Japan
- 筆者が主宰する木登り学校(瀬戸市、http://treeclimbingjapan.com)
- soothing effect
- 和らげる作用
- troubled
- 問題の多い
- forested
- 森林の多い
- put to work
- 立てる
- resource
- 財産