《长者说．我们听》系列访谈 梦想不老：曹大哥的人生故事与遗憾
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《长者说．我们听》系列访谈 梦想不老：曹大哥的人生故事与遗憾
Elders Speak, We Listen – Interview Series
Dreams Unfaded : Life and Quiet Regrets of Mr. Cao
文｜道明国际学校 公益服务社团 社长 陈玟安 Dominican International School Hunger Free Project Taiwan Adrienne Chen
每年的暑假期间，也迎来熟悉的毕业季，不论是学生，大家都准备迈向人生的 下一个阶段。对年轻人来说，毕业象徵著结束，也代表新的开始。但在人生的路上，毕业不只是离开校园，更是开始做选择、寻找方向。新的旅程也象徵著梦想的开始，其实许多长者与独居老人年轻时也曾怀抱梦想。今天我们拜访了住在中和独老公寓永乐居的曹大哥，他和我们分享了他的故事与梦想。
Every June marks the familiar graduation season. Whether students or not, it’s a time when many begin moving on to the next stage of life. For young people, graduation symbolizes more than just a farewell to school; it marks the beginning of a new journey, one filled with ambition and dreams. But as we look ahead, it’s also a time to reflect on those who came before us. Older generations once stood where we are now, filled with hopes of their own. Today, we visited Mr. Cao, who lives in Yongleju, and he shared his story and the dreams he once had.
今年76岁的曹大哥，他说自己在年轻时并没有太多梦想，因为身为缅甸华侨，那时国家政局不稳，生活充满不确定。他在高中便辍学去学修汽车，过不久便在30岁只身移民来台湾，一住就是四十几年，家人仍留在缅甸。这辈子，他没有结婚，也没有组成自己的家庭，始终一人面对生活的起伏。他在台湾当了四十年的计程车司机，工作虽然弹性自由，但一个人生活难免感到孤单，其中也遇到了许多经济上的困难。
Unlike many, Mr. Cao did not grow up dreaming big. His path in life was shaped more by necessity than by choice. As a Burmese Chinese raised during a time of political instability, he never imagined a grand future, as reality felt too uncertain for dreams. To support his family, Mr. Cao dropped out of high school to learn car repair, with no clear goals at the time—only the need to survive. At the age of 30, he immigrated to Taiwan alone, hoping to find more stability in life. He has lived here for over 40 years, while his family remained in Myanmar. Throughout his life, he stayed unmarried and without a family. He faced every challenge alone, working as a taxi driver to make ends meet while struggling under intense financial pressure. Although the job provided flexibility and independence, the long hours and solitary lifestyle often left him feeling isolated.
曹大哥说在他年轻时，他的梦想其实很简单，就是拥有一个家庭。他非常喜欢小孩，也渴望有人能陪伴，但因为经济条件与生活限制，这个梦想一直没有实现。搬到独老公寓永乐居之前，他的生活也不太稳定，总是搬家、找地方住。直到来到这里，他才慢慢有了「家的感觉」，能来到永乐居让他感到欣慰，生活变得稳定，不再为找房子奔波，身边也有了人陪伴，不那么孤单了。
After spending much of his life alone, Mr. Cao still held onto a simple dream: to have a family. He loved children and longed for companionship, but due to financial hardships, this dream was never fulfilled. Before moving to Yongleju, his life was unstable—he moved from place to place, always searching for somewhere to settle. It was not until he arrived that he gradually began to feel a sense of home. No longer needing to move constantly, he was grateful to be surrounded by others and found comfort that eased his loneliness.
虽然梦想没有实现，他仍然努力踏实地过好每一天。他也说，如果能重来，他会更努力把握机会，为自己的人生争取不同的可能。每个长者年轻时也都曾站在人生的起跑线上，只是命运的安排不尽相同。希望现在的我们，在还有选择与行动的能力时，勇敢地去追梦，也不要轻易错过属於自己的机会。
Though his dream was never fulfilled, unlike the past when he had to constantly move around, he now lives each day at Yongleju with steadiness. At the very least, he has found stability and companionship in his later years. Looking back, Mr. Cao shared that if he had another chance, he would try harder to seize opportunities and explore different possibilities in life. Every elder once stood where we are now, but life doesn’t unfold the same for everyone. While we still have the chance to choose and take action, I hope we can pursue our dreams and not let the opportunities meant for us pass us by.
支持我们，一起成为独居老人最坚强的后盾
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