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When Caro was 2 years old
and playing near a water heater, a gas can fell over, igniting a
2,500-degree fireball that engulfed him. His tiny body became so hot
that once he arrived at the hospital, doctors had to cut him with a
scalpel to release trapped heat. During those first tentative hours, he
died three times. Eighty percent of his body received third- and
fourth-degree burns, which meant extensive loss of skin, including on
his face. He also lost his fingers and most of his hands.
卡羅兩歲時，在一個熱水爐旁玩耍，弄翻了汽油桶，引燃溫度高達2500度的火球，吞沒了他。小小的身軀溫度高得像火一樣，以致一到醫院，醫生不得不立刻動刀劃開他的皮肉，好讓體內的高溫散發出來。在最初嘗試醫治的幾個小時，卡羅三度死亡。百分之八十的身體，包括他的臉，遭受三級及四級灼傷，幾乎是體無完膚。他還失去了手指和大部份的手。
As a child, Caro spent more
than four years in the hospital undergoing 80 grafting and
reconstruction surgeries. Much of that time was spent in isolation rooms
because his thin skin made him susceptible to staph infections. It was
during this period that Caro discovered how people truly treat one
another and where they place their values.
年幼的卡羅在醫院度過四年多的時間，接受八十次皮膚移植和重建手術。他大部分的時間都待在隔離病房，因為他薄弱的皮膚，很容易遭受葡萄球菌感染。就在這段期間，卡羅發現人們如何彼此真誠相待，以及他們所重視的生命價值。
“All of that
self-reflection set me on a path to discovering my
dharma,
which is my life’s purpose,” says Caro. “I’ve always felt compelled to
excel so that I can inspire people to live their lives to the fullest
without complaint or excuse.”
卡羅說：「對所有這些經歷的反思，促使我找尋我生命中的『法』(dharma)
(註：梵文•佛陀的法教；解脫之道)和意義。我總覺得自己非追求卓越不可，這樣才能激勵別人，盡心盡力過生活，不找藉口，不怨天尤人。」
During childhood when other
kids were fretting over skinned knees and homework assignments, Caro
struggled to achieve tasks that many take for granted, such as tying his
shoelaces.
當其他的孩子老為膝蓋的擦傷或學校的作業愁眉苦臉時，年幼的卡羅，卻為達成大家習以為常的，像繫鞋帶這種小事奮鬥。
“I attended a private
school from preschool through eighth grade, and initially the kids made
fun of me until one day when I chased after the class bully and
overpowered him,” he says. “From that day on, I was friends with
everyone.”
卡羅說：「從幼兒班到八年級，我在一家私立學校就讀，起初同學們都嘲弄我，直到有一天我追著班上一個壞蛋並且擺平了他，從那天開始，我成了每個同學的朋友。」
Determination Pays Off
決心有了代價
With no fingers or even
hands, Caro’s seven-year struggle to tie his shoelaces wasn’t as quickly
overcome, but the experience taught him a wealth of other great skills,
including patience and persistence. “Though I lacked the dexterity to
grip the shoelaces, I tried every day until I finally tied them,” he
says. “I can only explain it as a spiritual energy. On that particular
day, things clicked and I suddenly had a new-found strength. I believed
so strongly that I could tie my shoes that my intentions led to the
manifestation of the goal.”
因為沒有手指甚至沒有手，儘管卡羅為綁鞋帶費了七年的功夫，卻沒有那麼快就成功，但是這個經驗卻教導他另外許多難得的技能，如耐心和毅力等。卡羅說：「雖然我缺少手的靈巧來繫鞋帶，但是我每天努力嘗試，直到最後我搞定它為止，我只能說它像是一種精神能量。就在那不尋常的一天，我恍然大悟，霎時有了一股全新的力量。我堅定地相信，我一定能把鞋帶繫好，我的企圖終於使目標實現。」
After succeeding with his shoelaces, Caro decided to tackle the drums.
“I have a functional thumb on my left hand, but not on my right one, so
it’s hard to grip anything, such as a drumstick,” he says. “After a few
unsuccessful attempts that included painful things like glue, my dad
called a drummer friend and he suggested wrist bands, which I
supplemented with rubber bands, creating fully functioning hands.”
征服鞋帶這道難關後，卡羅決定挑戰擊鼓。他說：「我左手有隻正常的拇指，但是右手沒有，所以很難抓住像鼓槌之類的東西，幾經嘗試，包括使用惱人的強力膠，都沒有成功。我爹打電話給一位當鼓手的朋友，他建議使用腕帶，我還用橡皮筋加強，創造出能完全運作的雙手。」
Caro began playing the
drums at age 12 and found steady work for many years throughout his
hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana. At one time he was the primary
drummer for 11 jazz bands.
卡羅從十二歲開始打鼓，並且找到長期穩定的工作，足跡遍及他的家鄉新奧爾良，路易斯安納州的每個角落。並曾一度擔任過十一個樂團的主鼓手。
“Dan is a remarkable drummer, which is especially impressive when you
consider his situation,” says Stanton Moore, a professional drummer in
New Orleans who has known Caro for several years. “I’ve seen Dan power
through a gig with such determination, and he does it all with a smile.
He is one of the most inspirational people I’ve ever met. Whenever I
think my life is tough, I just look at him and realize that I have no
excuses.”
一位認識卡羅多年的新奧爾良職業鼓手史坦頓．摩爾說：「丹(指卡羅)
是一位了不起的鼓手，尤其當你想到他的情況，更教人印象深刻。我已經在一場演奏會上見識到丹．卡羅堅強意志的震撼力，擊鼓間他還帶著微笑。他是我所見過最能鼓舞人心的人。每當我想起我艱苦的生活時，只要看看他，立刻明白自己不該有任何藉口。」
It was Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 that prompted Caro to change his
career path from drumming to professional speaking and writing. “Katrina
taught me to not ground yourself with a location or get attached to your
stuff, because it can all go away suddenly. I realized that who you are
and what you have inside of you – your consciousness – is all that
really matters.”
促使卡羅轉換他的生涯跑道，從擊鼓改變為專業演說和寫作的是2005年八月的颶風卡翠納。「卡翠納颶風教導我不要固定待在一個地方，或太過執著擁有的東西，因為任何東西都可能轉眼成空。我領悟到，認識自己和內在自我的覺知，才是最重要的。」
Caro’s speaking career actually started two years before, in 2003, when
his father suggested he attend a Toastmasters meeting. “Back then if
someone asked me a question, I would freeze up and had difficulty
expressing myself,” says Caro. “Going to Toastmasters was one of the
best decisions I’ve ever made. The organization gave me the tools and
confidence to do what I’m doing now.”
其實卡羅的演說生涯開始於兩年前，也就是2003年，他的父親建議他去參加一個演講會的集會，卡羅說：「在那時候，若有人問我問題，我一定會張口結舌難以表達自己。加入演講會是我曾做過的最棒的決定。這個組織讓我獲得技能和信心，得以勝任現在從事的工作。」
Becoming a Toastmasters Leader
成為演講會的領導者
He quickly earned his
Competent Communicator award and became president of his club, Totally
Toastmasters in Mandeville, Louisiana, bringing it back to Distinguished
status by his second year. Today Caro is a sought-after speaker and
author who regularly presents to audiences numbering in the thousands.
他很快地拿到了中級演講員榮銜，並且成為路易斯安那州曼德維爾市Totally演講會的會長，並在第二年讓自己的分會重返傑出演講會的地位。現在卡羅是一位極受歡迎的演說家和作家，經常對數以千計的觀眾演講。
Steve Siebold is a professional speaker who met Caro at a speech
workshop several years ago and became Caro’s coach. “Dan’s message was
unbelievably compelling and inspirational; he just needed some
refinement in how he shared it,” says Siebold, who speaks on the topic
of mental strength. “Considering his heart-wrenching story, there is the
challenge of the audience feeling emotionally drained after hearing it.
But Dan connects with the audience and shares the wisdom he acquired
because of his tragedy, convincing listeners that they too can succeed,
no matter the odds. He makes the presentation even more uplifting by
playing the drums.”
史提夫．希柏德是一位專業演講家，七年前在一個研討會上遇見卡羅，成了卡羅的教練。希柏德在一場以精神力量為題的演講中說：「丹的演講內容，既扣人心弦，又鼓舞人心；他只要在如何與大家分享的技巧上，稍作改善即可。就他令人心痛的遭遇來說，在聽了他不幸的故事後，觀眾必然感受到心灰意冷的考驗，儘管如此，卡羅與觀眾站在一起，分享他從困境中學到的智慧，讓聽眾相信，無論環境多麼艱難，大家都可以克服。他還當場演奏鼓樂，使他的演講更鼓勵人心。」
While Siebold helped Caro develop his speaking skills, he has learned a
great deal from Caro in return. “Dan is never really out of my mind as I
go about my life,” he says. “When I compare my challenges to his, I just
laugh.”
當希柏德幫助卡羅培養演說技巧的時候，也從卡羅身上學到很多。他說：「丹一直都存在我的生活中，與他相較，我自己的遭遇，實在不算什麼。」
Toastmasters Past
International President Bennie Bough, DTM, agrees. “As a burn victim,
Dan electrifies his audience with his message and demonstrates that
being handicapped is not an obstacle,” says Bough. “He captivates your
heart and inspires you to higher levels of success.”
前世界總會會長班尼鮑，傑出會員(譯者註：台北演講會創會會長，曾多次拜訪台灣)，有相同的感受。他說：「身為被火燒傷的受難者，丹以他的心路歷程，激勵觀眾並且證明殘障並不是障礙，他感動你的心、鼓舞你更上層樓。」
Today Caro is busy speaking and writing. His current mentor is Wayne
Dyer, who wrote the for- ward for Caro’s newly released book,
The Gift of Fire.
While he doesn’t play the drums professionally anymore, Caro still
enjoys music and has started composing. He is also a spokesperson for
Shriners International, a philanthropic organization that supports
Shriners Hospitals, an international health care system of 22 hospitals
that – specializes in treating children free of charge for burns,
orthopedic– conditions, spinal-cord injuries and cleft lip and palate.
“It was at Shriners Hospitals that I had my 80 surgeries, and I feel
it’s my duty to give back to the organization that saved my life,” he
says.
目前卡羅忙著演講和寫作。他現在的導師韋恩戴爾，為卡羅最近出版的書—火的贈禮
寫序。雖然卡羅不再是職業鼓手了，他仍然很喜愛音樂，而且已開始作曲。他也是薛里納國際慈善機構的發言人，該機構資助有廿二家分院的薛里納醫院，這個國際醫療組織，專門為燒燙傷、脊髓傷害、裂唇、裂顎及需要外科整形的兒童，提供免費治療服務。卡羅說：「我就是在薛里納醫院接受八十次手術的，我覺得回饋挽救我生命的醫院是我的責任。」
Caro plans to continue sharing his message of determination, strength
and hope. “I have come to realize that people looked at me differently
throughout different periods of my life because of how I looked at
myself. I don’t get many weird looks anymore, and I think it’s because
when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at
change. When you live with no judgments or terms or conditions, things
manifest the way you want them to – with no negatives.”
卡羅計畫繼續與大家分享他決心、力量、希望的故事。「我已經體會到，在我過去人生的不同階段，人們隨著我怎麼看待自己，而對我有不同的看法。如今我不再遭受那麼多異樣的眼光，我想這是因為，當你改變對事物的看法，你所看到的事物就會改變。當你在生活中不妄加評斷、不討價還價、不講條件，事物自然而然會顯露出你希望的樣子—沒有負面因素。」
For more information about Dan Caro, visit
www.DanCaro.com. 更多丹卡羅相關資訊於
www.DanCaro.com
網頁
Julie Bawden Davis
is a freelance writer based in Southern California and a longtime
contributor to the
Toastmaster.
You can reach her at
Julie@JulieBawdenDavis.com.
作者：Julie
Bawden Davis
是位自由職業作家，演講會長期的撰稿人，工作室設於南加州。她的電郵網址：
Julie@JulieBawdenDavis.com
譯者：洪梓煌
Albert, 彰化英語演講會 |
