《長者說．我們聽》系列訪談 夢想不老：曹大哥的人生故事與遺憾
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《長者說．我們聽》系列訪談 夢想不老：曹大哥的人生故事與遺憾
Elders Speak, We Listen – Interview Series
Dreams Unfaded : Life and Quiet Regrets of Mr. Cao
文｜道明國際學校 公益服務社團 社長 陳玟安 Dominican International School Hunger Free Project Taiwan Adrienne Chen
每年的暑假期間，也迎來熟悉的畢業季，不論是學生，大家都準備邁向人生的 下一個階段。對年輕人來說，畢業象徵著結束，也代表新的開始。但在人生的路上，畢業不只是離開校園，更是開始做選擇、尋找方向。新的旅程也象徵著夢想的開始，其實許多長者與獨居老人年輕時也曾懷抱夢想。今天我們拜訪了住在中和獨老公寓永樂居的曹大哥，他和我們分享了他的故事與夢想。
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歲的曹大哥，他說自己在年輕時並沒有太多夢想，因為身為緬甸華僑，那時國家政局不穩，生活充滿不確定。他在高中便輟學去學修汽車，過不久便在30歲隻身移民來台灣，一住就是四十幾年，家人仍留在緬甸。這輩子，他沒有結婚，也沒有組成自己的家庭，始終一人面對生活的起伏。他在台灣當了四十年的計程車司機，工作雖然彈性自由，但一個人生活難免感到孤單，其中也遇到了許多經濟上的困難。
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.
曹大哥說在他年輕時，他的夢想其實很簡單，就是擁有一個家庭。他非常喜歡小孩，也渴望有人能陪伴，但因為經濟條件與生活限制，這個夢想一直沒有實現。搬到獨老公寓永樂居之前，他的生活也不太穩定，總是搬家、找地方住。直到來到這裡，他才慢慢有了「家的感覺」，能來到永樂居讓他感到欣慰，生活變得穩定，不再為找房子奔波，身邊也有了人陪伴，不那麼孤單了。
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.
雖然夢想沒有實現，他仍然努力踏實地過好每一天。他也說，如果能重來，他會更努力把握機會，為自己的人生爭取不同的可能。每個長者年輕時也都曾站在人生的起跑線上，只是命運的安排不盡相同。希望現在的我們，在還有選擇與行動的能力時，勇敢地去追夢，也不要輕易錯過屬於自己的機會。
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.
支持我們，一起成為獨居老人最堅強的後盾
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