Copyright ? Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press 2013

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    Published by Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press

    No. 19 Xisanhuan Beilu

    Beijing, China 100089

    http:www.fltrp.com图书在版编目(CIP)数据

    一直走在阳光里＝Keep Walking in Sunshine：英汉对照双语悦读

    编辑组编.—北京：外语教学与研究出版社，2013.6

    (心如花园双语悦读)

    ISBN 978-7-5135-3219-8

    Ⅰ.①一… Ⅱ.①双… Ⅲ.①英语-汉语-对照读物②散文集

    -世界 Ⅳ.①H319.4：I

    中国版本图书馆CIP数据核字(2013)第120755号

    出版人 蔡剑峰

    责任编辑 米晓瑞

    出版发行 外语教学与研究出版社

    社 址 北京市西三环北路19号(100089)

    网 址 http:www.fltrp.com

    版 次 2013年6月第1版

    书 号 ISBN 978-7-5135-3219-8

    制售盗版必究 举报查实奖励

    版权保护办公室举报电话：(010)88817519CONTENTS

    目 录

    An Invisible Smile 看不见的微笑

    Get a Thorough Understanding of Oneself 悟透自己

    An Invisible Smile 看不见的微笑

    Think Positive Thoughts Every Day 积极看待每一天

    World of Wisdom 感悟生活

    A Good Measure of Equanimity 平和的心态

    Choose Optimism 选择乐观

    Our Pursuit of Happiness 我们对幸福的追求

    Giving Life Meaning 给生命以意义

    Born to Win 生而为赢

    Let Love Go 将爱放飞

    When I Become Old 当我日渐老去的时候

    Love Needs No Words 大爱无声

    Keep Walking in Sunshine 一直走在阳光里

    An Invisible Wall 无形的墙

    Loving an Imperfect Person 爱一个不完美的人

    I Love You, Son 我爱你，儿子

    Let Love Go 将爱放飞

    Love and Telephone 爱情与电话The Roses from Heaven 来自天堂的玫瑰

    Love Without Measure 爱无尺度

    A March Snow 三月的雪

    A Wayfaring Song 旅行之歌

    On the Seashore 海边

    A March Snow 三月的雪

    Our Love Is Simple as a Song 单纯如歌的爱

    Sand Dunes 沙丘

    Ode on a Grecian Urn 希腊古瓮颂

    Rush 匆匆

    Pride and Prejudice 傲慢与偏见

    Letter from an Unknown Woman 一个陌生女人的来信

    Late Summer 晚夏

    Babys World 孩童的世界

    The Old Man and the Sea 老人与海

    Life Is a Theater 人生如戏

    Life Is a Theater 人生如戏

    Get Victory out of Defeat 转败为胜

    Wait a Little Longer in Despair 绝望时再等一下

    Only a Man… 只是一个普通人

    If Only 情理之间

    Happy Life 幸福生活

    The Perfect Time to Start Is Right Now 实现梦想，最佳时机就是现在

    To Be a Super Financer 爱钱，更爱幸福

    Using the Force of Yoga 接触瑜伽的神奇力量An Invisible Smile

    看不见的微笑Get a Thorough Understanding of Oneself

    悟透自己

    In all one's lifetime, it is oneself that one spends the most time being

    with or dealing with. But it is precisely oneself that one has the least

    understanding of.

    When you are going upwards in life you tend to overestimate yourself.

    It seems that everything you seek for is within your reach; luck and

    opportunities will come your way and you are overjoyed that they constitute

    part of your worth. When you are going downhill you tend to underestimate

    yourself, mistaking difficulties and adversities for your own incompetence.

    It's likely that you think it wise for yourself to know your place and stay aloof

    from worldly success. In doing so, you are actually wearing a mask of

    cowardice, behind which the flow of sap in your life will be retarded.

    To get a thorough understanding of oneself is to gain a correct view of

    oneself and be a sober realist —aware of both one's strength and shortage.

    You may look forward hopefully to the future but be sure not to expect too

    much, for ideals can never be fully realized. You may be courageous to meet

    challenges but it should be clear to you where to direct your efforts. That's to

    say, so long as you have a perfect knowledge of yourself, there won't be

    difficulties you can't overcome, nor obstacles you can't surmount.To get a thorough understanding of oneself needs self-appreciation.

    Whether you liken yourself to a towering tree or a blade of grass, whether

    you think you are a high mountain or a small stone, you represent a state of

    nature that has its own raison d'être. If you earnestly admire yourself, you'll

    have a real sense of self-appreciation, which will give you confidence. As

    soon as you gain full confidence in yourself, you'll be enabled to fight and

    overcome any adversity.

    To get a thorough understanding of oneself also requires doing oneself a

    favor when it's needed. In time of anger, do yourself a favor by giving vent to

    it in a quiet place so that you won't be hurt by its flames; in time of sadness,do yourself a favor by sharing it with your friends so as to change a gloomy

    mood into a cheerful one; in time of tiredness, do yourself a favor by getting

    a good sleep or taking some tonic. Show yourself loving concern about your

    health and daily life. As you are aware, what a person physically has is but a

    human body that's vulnerable when exposed to the elements. So if you fall ill,it's up to you to take good care of yourself. Unless you know perfectly when

    and how to do yourself a favor, you won't be confident and ready enough to

    resist the attack of illness.

    To get a thorough understanding of oneself is to get a full control of

    one's life. Then one will find one's life full of color and flavor.

    precisely adv. 恰恰

    overestimate v. 高估，过高评价

    constitute v. 组成，构成

    adversity n. 逆境，苦难

    人生在世，和“自己”相处时间最多，打交道最多，但是恰恰最悟不透的也是“自己”。

    人在走上坡路时，往往会过高估计自己，似乎一切所求的东西都能

    唾手可得，甚至把运气和机遇也看作自己身价的一部分而喜不自胜。人

    在不得意时，往往会低估自己，把困难和逆境也看作自己的无能。你有

    可能把安分守己、远离世俗的成功认为是明智之举，而这样做，你就是

    戴上了怯懦的面具，在面具背后窒息了自己鲜活的生命。

    悟透自己，就是正确认识自己，做一个冷静的现实主义者，既知道

    自己的优势，也知道自己的不足。你可以憧憬未来，但期望值不能过

    高，因为理想不可能完全实现。可以勇敢地迎接挑战，但是应该清楚自

    己努力的方向。也就是说，人只要对自己有了充分的认识，就没有什么

    克服不了的困难，没有什么过不去的难关。

    要悟透自己就要欣赏自己。无论你将自己比作一棵参天大树还是一

    片草叶，无论你认为自己是一座巍峨的高山还是一块小小的石头，都代

    表了一种天然，都有自己存在的价值。如果你认真地欣赏自己，你就会

    真正理解自我欣赏，这会给你以信心。一旦对自己充满了信心，也就能

    够克服一切逆境。

    要悟透自己，必要时还需心疼自己。在气愤时心疼一下自己：找个

    僻静处宣泄一下，不要让那些无名之火伤身；在忧伤时心疼一下自己，找三五好友，诉说诉说，让情绪由阴变晴；在劳累时心疼一下自己，好

    好睡上一觉或是来些补品。要对自己的健康和日常生活嘘寒问暖一番。

    要明白人所拥有的不过是一个血肉之躯，经不住太多的风霜雪雨。因此

    在有病时，要由你来照顾好自己。唯有十分清楚何时要心疼自己、怎样

    心疼自己，才能拥有战胜疾病的信心和力量。

    要悟透自己，就要把控好自己的人生，这样你的生活才会多姿多

    彩，有滋有味!An Invisible Smile

    看不见的微笑

    Mr. Darwin was an old grouch, and everyone in town knew it. Kids

    knew not to go into his yard to pick a yummy apple, even off the ground,because old Darwin, they said, would come after you with his BB gun.

    One Friday, 12-year-old Janny was going to stay all night with her

    friend Emma. They had to walk by Darwin's house on the way to Emma's

    house, but as they got close Janny saw him sitting on his front porch and

    suggested they cross over to the other side of the street. Like most of the

    children, she was scared of the old man because of the stories she'd heard

    about him.

    Emma said not to worry, Mr. Darwin wouldn't hurt anyone. Still, Janny

    was growing more nervous with each step closer to the old man's house.

    When they got close enough, Darwin looked up with his usual frown, but

    when he saw it was Emma, a broad smile changed his entire countenance as

    he said, Hello, Miss Emma. I see you've got a little friend with you today.

    Emma smiled back and told him Janny was staying overnight and they

    were going to listen to music and play games. Darwin told them that sounded

    fun, and offered them each a fresh picked apple off his tree. They gladly

    accepted, Darwin had the best apples in town.

    When they got out of Darwin's earshot, Janny asked Emma, Everyonesays he's the meanest man in town. How come he was so nice to us?

    Emma explained that when she first started walking past his house he

    wasn't very friendly and she was afraid of him, but she pretended he was

    wearing an invisible smile and so she always smiled back at him. It took a

    while, but one day he half-smiled back at her.

    After some more time, he started smiling real smiles and then started

    talking to her. Just a hello at first, then more. She said he always offers her

    an apple now, and is always very kind.

    An invisible smile? questioned Janny.

    Yes, answered Emma, my grandma told me that if I pretended I

    wasn't afraid and pretended he was smiling an invisible smile at me and I

    smiled back at him, then sooner or later he really would smile. Grandma says

    smiles are contagious.

    If we remember what Emma's grandma said, that everyone wears an

    invisible smile, we too will find that most people can't resist our smile after a

    while.

    We're always on the go trying to accomplish so much, aren't we?

    Hauling the kids around, getting groceries, cleaning the house, mowing the

    yard, it's always something. It's so easy to get caught up in everyday life that

    we forget how simple it can be to bring cheer to ourselves and others. Giving

    a smile away takes so little effort and time, let's make sure that we're not the

    one that others have to pretend is wearing an invisible smile.

    When you walk into a party or gathering where everyone is smiling and

    laughing, it's mighty easy to get into a good mood and get into the spirit of

    the occasion. On the other hand, just walk into a room where the gloom

    hangs heavily in the air and people are frowning, and it's equally as easy to

    start feeling a little lower in spirit.It all starts somewhere, and if not with you and I, then where? All it

    takes to uplift the day is to remember to give that smile away! You can't save

    them, you can't store them, the only way they're any good is to share them.

    Start by giving yourself a nice, big smile when you're in the bathroom getting

    ready for the day. Look right in the mirror and smile at yourself and tell

    yourself it's going to be a great day as you do. You'll be surprised at how

    much more often you will have great days. To be sure, nothing unusual may

    happen other than you've improved your outlook. Attitude is everything.

    grouch n. 总发牢骚的人

    countenance n. 面容；面部表情

    contagious adj. 富于感染力的，会蔓延的

    达尔文先生是个怪脾气的老头，镇上每个人都知道。孩子们知道不

    能去他家院子里摘美味的苹果，连掉在地上的也不能捡起，因为他们

    说，达尔文会拿着气枪追你。

    一个星期五，12岁的詹妮打算去朋友埃玛家过夜。她们得经过达尔

    文先生的房子去埃玛家。到了近前，詹妮看见他坐在门廊下，便建议从

    街道对面绕过去。跟大多数孩子一样，听了那些传闻之后，她害怕这个

    老头。

    埃玛说不用担心，达尔文先生不会伤害任何人，可是詹妮越接近那

    老头的房子就越紧张。当她们离得足够近时，达尔文抬起头，像往常那

    样皱着眉头，可当他看见是埃玛，他的整个脸上露出了灿烂的笑容，他

    说：“你好，埃玛小姐。我看见你今天还带了一个小朋友。”

    埃玛也向他微笑，告诉他说詹妮要在她家过夜，她们会听音乐、玩

    游戏。达尔文说那听上去很好玩，还给了她们每人一个刚刚从树上摘下

    的新鲜苹果。她们开心地接受了，达尔文的苹果是镇上最好的。等她们走到达尔文听不见的地方，詹妮问埃玛：“每个人都说他是

    镇上最小气的人。怎么他对我们这么好？”

    埃玛解释说，她最初经过他家的时候，他并不怎么友好，她也害怕

    他，但她假装他带着一副看不见的笑容，这样她也总是向他报以微笑。

    这么过了一阵子，有一天他终于对她半笑不笑了一下。

    又过了些时间，他开始发自内心地笑了，并开始和她谈话。开始只

    是“你好”，后来话慢慢多了。她说他现在总是送她一个苹果，而且总是

    非常和气。

    “看不见的微笑？”詹妮问。

    “是的，”埃玛答道，“我奶奶告诉我，如果我假装自己不害怕，假

    装他在微笑，只是没有人能看见，而我也冲他微笑，那么迟早他会真心

    笑起来。奶奶说微笑具有感染力。”

    如果我们记住埃玛奶奶的话，相信每个人都带着一副看不见的微

    笑，过上一段时间，我们也会发现大多数人都无法抗拒我们的微笑。

    我们总是忙个不停，想要实现更多，不是吗？拖着孩子到处跑，采

    购食品杂货，打扫房间，修剪草坪——总有忙不完的事。我们很容易陷

    入日常琐事，而忘了给自己和他人带来快乐是件多么简单易行的事。送

    出微笑几乎不费吹灰之力，也无需多少时间，让我们确保自己不要成为

    别人得假装相信带着看不见的微笑的那种人。

    当你参加一个聚会，那里每个人都在微笑或大笑，你会很容易心情

    变得好起来并融入那种环境。相反，如果进入一个房间，那里气氛低沉

    凝重，人们脸色阴沉，同样的，你也会很容易感到心里一沉。

    总得从什么地方开始，如果不是你和我，还指望谁呢？使一天愉悦

    的方法就是记住让那个微笑绽放出来!微笑无法保存，也不能储备，微

    笑唯一的好处是和别人分享。在清晨的浴室里，当你准备好开始这一

    天，先给自己一个大大的美丽的微笑吧。直视镜子，冲自己微笑，告诉

    自己说今天会是很棒的一天。你会惊讶地发现，你会更经常地拥有很棒的一天。记住，除非你先把自己的心态改变，否则任何不寻常事的都不

    会发生。态度决定一切。Think Positive Thoughts Every Day

    积极看待每一天

    If your life feels like it is lacking the power that you want and the

    motivation that you need, sometimes all you have to do is to shift your point

    of view.

    By training your thoughts to concentrate on the bright side of things, you

    are more likely to have the incentive to follow through on your goals. You

    are less likely to be held back by negative ideas that might limit your

    performance.

    Your life can be enhanced, and your happiness enriched, when you

    choose to change your perspective. Don't leave your future to chance, or wait

    for things to get better mysteriously on their own. You must go in the

    direction of your hopes and aspirations. Begin to build your confidence, and

    work through problems rather than avoid them. Remember that power is not

    necessarily to control over situations, but the ability to deal with whatever

    comes your way.

    Always believe that good things are possible, and remember that

    mistakes can be lessons that lead to discoveries. Take your fear and transform

    it into trust; learn to rise above anxiety and doubt. Turn your worry hours

    into productive hours. Take the energy that you have wasted and direct ittoward every worthwhile effort that you can be involved in. You will see

    beautiful things happen when you allow yourself to experience the joys of

    life. You will find happiness when you adopt positive thinking into your daily

    routine and make it an important part of your world.

    incentive n. 刺激，动力

    perspective n. 角度

    aspiration n. 抱负，志向

    如果你感觉自己在生活中心有余而力不足，缺乏前进的动力，有时

    候你所需要做的就是改变思维的角度。

    通过训练自己，凡事都朝光明的一面想，你就更有可能拥有坚持到

    底直至实现自己目标的动力，而不大可能因为那些会限制你发挥的消极

    想法而停滞不前。

    当你选择变化角度想问题时，你的生活会豁然开朗，幸福也会接踵

    而至。不要让自己的未来听凭运气，或者等着事情会自己神秘地变好。

    你必须得朝着自己的希望和远大抱负的方向前进。开始建立自信，去克

    服困难，而不是逃避。记住能力并不一定是要能掌控局面的法宝，而是

    无论发生什么事情，你都能处理。

    永远相信美好总会降临，记住错误可以是带来新发现的训诫。将惶

    恐转化为信任，学会克服焦虑和怀疑。把你的“忧虑时间”转化成“产出

    时间”。把你曾经浪费的精力直接投入到你能参与的任何有价值的事情

    上。当你允许自己去体验生活中的快乐时，美好就会出现在你眼前。当

    你在日常生活中采取积极的思维方式并且让它成为你的习惯时，你就会

    找到快乐与幸福。World of Wisdom

    感悟生活

    I've learned that sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a

    heart to understand.

    I've learned that love, not time, heals all wounds.

    I've learned that everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

    I've learned that there's nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies

    and feeling their breath on your cheeks.

    I've learned that no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

    I've learned that opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones

    you miss.

    I've learned that when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock

    elsewhere.

    I've learned that I wish I could have told my mom that I love her one

    more time before she passed away.

    I've learned that one should keep his words both soft and tender,because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

    I've learned that a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

    I've learned that I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do

    about it.I've learned that everyone wants to stand on top of the mountain, but all

    the happiness and growth occur while you're climbing it.

    I've learned that it is best to give advice in only two circumstances:

    when it is requested and when it is a life-threatening situation.

    I've learned that the less time I have to work with, the more thing I get

    done.

    harbor v. 心怀，怀有

    bitterness n. 苦味；辛酸

    tender adj. 温柔的，体贴的

    我知道了有时一个人想要的只是一只可握的手和一颗感知的心。

    我知道了治愈一切创伤的并非是时间，而是爱。

    我知道了每一个与你相遇的人都值得你笑脸相迎。

    我知道了没有什么事比和孩子们睡在一起，并用脸颊感觉他们的呼

    吸更甜蜜。

    我知道了只有当爱上一个人时才会认为他(她)是完美的。

    我知道了机会从来不会消失；别人会抓住你错过的机会。

    我知道了当你心怀苦楚时，幸福就会停靠到别的港湾。

    我知道了我希望在母亲去世前能再对她说一次我爱她。

    我知道了一个人不应出言不逊，因为第二天他可能就得自食其果。

    我知道了微笑是一种改善容貌的方式，无需多少花费。

    我知道了我无法选择我的感受，但我可以选择处理的方法。

    我知道了每个人都想高踞山顶，但所有幸福和成长皆发生于爬山的

    过程中。

    我知道了最好只在两种情况下给人以忠告：别人要求时和性命攸关

    时。我知道了工作效率越高，完成的就越多。A Good Measure of Equanimity

    平和的心态

    When the moon is fullest it begins to wane, when it is darkest it begins

    to grow.

    There is a calm wisdom in this old saying that impressed me when I

    heard it first from a monk of a Buddhist monastery in China. It has often

    helped me to retain a good measure of equanimity under stress and hardship

    as well as when some unexpected success or good luck might have made me

    too exuberant. There is hope and consolation in the sure knowledge that

    even the darkest hours of pains and troubles won't last, but also a warning

    against overrating the passing glories of wealth, power and great good

    fortune. A warning and a hope, not only for the individual, but also for

    governments, nations and their leaders, a brief summing up of all that history

    and human experience can tell us. And beyond all that we might hear in an

    echo of law and order that holds our universe in safe balance.

    wane v. 变小；.亏缺

    monk n. 僧侣

    monastery n. 寺院

    exuberant adj. 纵情的，兴高采烈的月盈则亏，月晦则明。

    第一次听到这句古语是中国佛教寺庙中的一位僧人告诉我的，它表

    达了一种平静的智慧，令我印象深刻。之后，每当我有压力和遇到困

    难，或是碰到可能让我过于兴奋的不可思议的成功或好运时，它都让我

    保持镇定，泰然处之。这句古语带给我们一种希冀和慰藉：即使痛苦和

    烦恼的阴霾笼罩得再深，也不会长久持续；同时它也警示我们，不要过

    分在意财富、权力和好运的光环，它们只会昙花一现。这种警示和希冀

    不仅适用于个人，同时也适用于政府、国家和领导人，它是人类的整个

    历史和经验的总结。此外，我们还可以从中听到使宇宙保持平衡状态的

    法律和秩序的回声。Choose Optimism

    选择乐观

    If you expect something to turn out badly, it probably will. Pessimism is

    seldom disappointed. But the same principle also works in reverse. If you

    expect good things to happen, they usually do! There seems to be a natural

    cause-and-effect relationship between optimism and success.

    Optimism and pessimism are both powerful forces, and each of us must

    choose which we want to shape our outlook and our expectations. There is

    enough good and bad in everyone's life — ample sorrow and happiness,sufficient joy and pain — to find a rational basis for either optimism or

    pessimism. We can choose to laugh or cry, bless or curse. It's our decision:

    From which perspective do we want to view life? Will we look up in hope or

    down in despair?

    I believe in the upward look. I choose to highlight the positive and slip

    right over the negative. I am an optimist by choice as much as by nature.

    Sure, I know that sorrow exists. I am in my 70s now, and I've lived through

    more than one crisis. But when all is said and done, I find that the good in life

    far outweighs the bad.

    An optimistic attitude is not a luxury; it's a necessity. The way you look

    at life will determine how you feel, how you perform, and how well you willget along with other people. Conversely, negative thoughts, attitudes, and

    expectations feed on themselves; they become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

    Pessimism creates a dismal place where no one wants to live.

    Years ago, I drove into a service station to get some gas. It was a

    beautiful day, and I was feeling great. As I walked into the station to pay for

    the gas, the attendant said to me, How do you feel? That seemed like an

    odd question, but I felt fine and told him so. You don't look well, he

    replied. This took me completely by surprise. A little less confidently, I told

    him that I had never felt better. Without hesitation, he continued to tell me

    how bad I looked and that my skin appeared yellow.

    By the time I left the service station, I was feeling a little uneasy. About

    a block away, I pulled over to the side of the road to look at my face in the

    mirror. How did I feel? Was I jaundiced? Was everything all right? By the

    time I got home, I was beginning to feel a little queasy. Did I have a bad

    liver? Had I picked up some rare disease?

    The next time I went into that gas station, feeling fine again, I figured

    out what had happened. The place had recently been painted a bright, bilious

    yellow, and the light reflecting off the walls made everyone inside look as

    though they had hepatitis! I wondered how many other folks had reacted the

    way I did. I had let one short conversation with a total stranger change my

    attitude for an entire day. He told me I looked sick, and before long, I was

    actually feeling sick. That single negative observation had a profound effect

    on the way I felt and acted.

    The only thing more powerful than negativism is a positive affirmation,a word of optimism and hope. One of the things I am most thankful for is the

    fact that I have grown up in a nation with a grand tradition of optimism.

    When a whole culture adopts an upward look, incredible things can beaccomplished. When the world is seen as a hopeful, positive place, people are

    empowered to attempt and to achieve.

    Optimism doesn't need to be naive. We can be an optimist and still

    recognize that problems exist and that some of them are not dealt with easily.

    But what a difference optimism makes in the attitude of the problem solver!

    Optimism diverts our attention away from negativism and channels it into

    positive, constructive thinking. When you're an optimist, you're more

    concerned with problem-solving than with useless carping about issues. In

    fact, without optimism, issues as big and ongoing as poverty have no hope of

    solution. It takes a dreamer — someone with hopelessly optimistic ideas,great persistence, and unlimited confidence — to tackle a problem that big.

    It's your choice.

    pessimism n. 悲观；悲观主义

    optimism n. 乐观；乐观主义

    hepatitis n. [医]肝炎

    carp v. 吹毛求疵

    如果你预料某事会很糟糕，那么它很可能真会这样。悲观的想法很

    少落空。但反过来，这个原理也同样成立。如果你料想会好运连连，通

    常也会这样!乐观和成功之间似乎有一种天然的因果关系。

    乐观和悲观都是强大的力量，我们每个人都必须从中做出选择，从

    而形成我们对未来的展望和预期。每个人的生命中都有太多的起起伏

    伏：充满着忧伤和快乐、无限的喜悦和痛苦——不论我们是乐观还是悲

    观，都有充分的理由。我们可以选择笑或哭，祝福或诅咒。这是我们的

    决定：选择用什么样的眼光来看待人生？是在希望中昂首阔步，还是在

    绝望中低头长叹?我喜欢积极向上。我选择突出积极面，忽视消极面。天性和个人选

    择使我成为一名乐观主义者。当然，我知道，生命中总有悲伤。年逾古

    稀的我曾不止一次经历过危难。但是，当一切尘埃落定，我发现生命中

    的美好远多于丑恶。

    乐观的态度并非奢侈品，而是一种必需。你看待生活的方式会决定

    你如何去感受，去表现，以及你与他人如何相处。相反，消极的思想、态度和预期却自成因果，它们成为一种能自我实现的预言。悲观会制造

    一种沉闷的生活，没有人愿意活在其中。

    几年前，我开车去一个加油站加油。那天天气很晴朗，我心情很

    好。当我进站付油费时，服务员对我说：“你感觉怎么样啊?”这个问题

    似乎有些莫名其妙，但我感觉很好，也这样跟他说了。“你脸色不大

    好。”他说。这让我大为惊讶。我告诉他，我的感觉从未像现在这样好

    过，但说此话时已不那么底气十足。他毫不犹豫地继续说我脸色如何不

    好，连皮肤都发黄了。

    离开加油站时，我感到有些心神不安。开了一个街区后，我把车停

    在路边，照着镜子看自己的脸。我怎么了？是不是得了黄疸病了？一切

    都正常吗？回到家时，我开始想吐了。我的肝脏是不是出了问题？我不

    会染上什么怪病了吧？

    我再次去那个加油站时，依然心情不错，我还搞清楚了究竟是怎么

    一回事。这个地方最近涂了一种胆汁般明亮的黄漆，灯光反射在墙壁

    上，让里面的每个人看起来都像是得肝炎。我想，不知道有多少人也有

    过和我类似的反应呢。和一个完全陌生的人的短暂交谈，竟改变了我整

    整一天的心情。他告诉我，我看起来像生病了，而后不久，我真的感觉

    不舒服。仅仅一个消极的看法就深刻地影响了我的感受和行为。

    唯一比消极更具力量的是一个积极的肯定，一句乐观和希望的话

    语。最令我心存感激的事情之一就是我生长在一个有着乐观主义光荣传

    统的国度。当整体文化积极向上时，再难以置信的事也能完成。当把世界看成是一个充满希望、积极的场所，人们便能够努力进取并取得成

    就。

    乐观并不需要变得天真幼稚。我们可以在成为乐观者的同时，仍然

    意识到有问题存在，有些甚至难以解决。但是，乐观使解决问题的态度

    有所不同!乐观会使我们把注意力从消极转向积极的、有建设性的思考

    上。如果你是一个乐观的人，会更关心问题的解决而不是毫无裨益地怨

    天尤人。事实上，如果没有乐观精神，像贫穷这样沉重且持续存在的问

    题是无望解决的。解决如此巨大的问题需要一个梦想家——一个拥有绝

    对乐观、矢志不移精神和无限信心的人。乐观，或是悲观，在于你的选

    择。Our Pursuit of Happiness

    我们对幸福的追求

    We chase after it, when it is waiting all about us.

    Are you happy? I asked my brother, Ronald, one day. Yes. No. It

    depends on what you mean, he said.

    Then tell me, I asked, when was the last time you think you were

    happy?

    April 1967, he said.

    It served me right for putting a serious question to someone who has

    joked his way through life. But Ronald's answer reminded me that when we

    think about happiness, we usually think of something extraordinary, a

    pinnacle of sheer delight — and those pinnacles seem to get rarer the older

    we get.

    For a child, happiness has a magical quality. I remember making hide-

    outs in newly-cut hay, playing cops and robbers in the woods, getting a

    speaking part in the school play. Of course, kids also experience lows, but

    their delight at such peaks of pleasure as winning a race or getting a new bike

    is unreserved.

    In the teenage years, the concept of happiness changes. Suddenly it's

    conditional on such things as excitement, love, popularity and whether thatzit will clear up before prom night. I can still feel the agony of not being

    invited to a party that almost everyone else was going to. But I also recall the

    ecstasy of being plucked from obscurity at another event to dance with a

    Jason Smith look-alike.

    In adulthood, the things that bring profound joy —birth, love, marriage

    also — bring responsibility and the risk of loss. Love may not last, sex isn't

    always good, loved ones die. For adults, happiness is complicated.

    My dictionary defines happy as lucky or fortunate, but I think a

    better definition of happiness is the capacity for enjoyment. The more we

    can enjoy what we have, the happier we are. It's easy to overlook the pleasure

    we get from loving and being loved, the company of friends, the freedom to

    live where we please, and even good health.

    I added up my little moments of pleasure yesterday. First there was

    sheer bliss when I shut the last lunch-box and had the house to myself. Then I

    spent an uninterrupted morning writing, which I love. When the kids came

    home, I enjoyed their noise after the quiet of the day.

    Later, peace descended again, and my husband and I enjoyed another

    pleasure — intimacy. Sometimes just the knowledge that he wants me can

    bring me joy.

    You never know where happiness will turn up next. When I asked

    friends what made them happy, some mentioned seemingly insignificant

    moments. I hate shopping, one friend said, but there's a clerk who always

    chats and really cheers me up. Another friend loves the telephone, Every

    time it rings, I know someone is thinking about me.

    I get a thrill from driving. One day I stopped to let a school bus turn onto

    a side road. The driver grinned and gave me the thumbs up sign. We were

    two allies in a world of mad motorists. It made me smile.We all experience moments like these. Too few of us register them as

    happiness.

    Psychologists tell us that to be happy we need a blend of enjoyable

    leisure time and satisfying work. I doubt that my great-grandmother, who

    raised 14 children and took in washing, had much of either. She did have a

    network of close friends and family, and maybe this was what fulfilled her. If

    she was happy with what she had, perhaps it was because she didn't expect

    life to be very different.

    We, on the other hand, with so many choices and such pressure to

    succeed in every area, have turned happiness into one more thing we gotta

    have. We're so self-conscious about our right to it that it's making us

    miserable. So we chase it and equate it with wealth and success, without

    noticing that the people who have those things aren't necessarily happier.

    While happiness may be more complex for us, the solution is the same

    as ever. Happiness isn't about what happens to us — it's about how we

    perceive what happens to us. It's the knack of finding a positive for every

    negative, and viewing a setback as a challenge. It's not wishing for what we

    don't have, but enjoying what we do possess.

    pinnacle n. 顶点

    unreserved adj. 毫无保留的

    descend v. 下来，下降

    intimacy n. 亲密

    allies n. 同盟

    我们四处追逐幸福，而幸福其实就在我们身边。

    一天，我问哥哥罗纳德：“你幸福吗？”他回答说：“可以说幸福，也可以说不幸福，这要看你指什么了。”

    “那你告诉我，”我说，“最近一次你感到幸福是什么时候？”

    “1967年4月。”他答道。

    我真不该对一个游戏人生的人提出这么严肃的问题。但罗纳德的回

    答却启发了我：当我们考虑幸福的时候，我们通常想到一些非同寻常的

    事，一些愉快无比的时刻——但是随着年龄的增长，这种时刻好像越来

    越少了。

    对孩子来说，幸福有着一种魔力。记得我曾在新割下来的干草丛中

    捉迷藏，在树林里玩“警察与小偷”，在学校的戏剧里扮演有台词的角

    色。当然，孩子也有情绪低落的时候。但是，因为赢得一场比赛，或得

    到一辆新自行车，他们会毫无保留地释放这种极致的快乐。

    到了青少年时期，幸福观发生转变。突然间，幸福就建立在激动、爱情、受欢迎程度甚至是脸上的青春痘能否在高中舞会之夜前消失这样

    的事上。我依然能够记得大家几乎都去参加一个聚会，而我未被邀请时

    的痛苦。但我也记得在另一次活动中，名不见经传的我被选中与一个貌

    似贾森·史密斯的人共舞时的欣喜若狂。

    成年后，能带来心灵深处喜悦的是生育、爱情和婚姻，这些同时也

    带来了责任和失去的风险。爱情可能不会长久，性爱也不总是如意，心

    爱的人可能会死去。对于成人来说，幸福很复杂。

    我的字典里幸福的定义是“幸运”或“好运”，但我认为幸福更好的定

    义是“享受快乐的能力”。能更多地享受我们拥有的一切，我们就会更幸

    福。从爱与被爱，友人相伴，随心所欲择地而居，甚至身体健康中获得

    的快乐很容易被我们忽视。

    我合计了一下昨天的幸福时光。首先我准备完毕最后一个午餐饭

    盒，独享整栋房子，感觉无比的幸福。然后，整个上午我都在写作而无

    人打扰，令我愉快。当孩子们回到家，我又享受着寂静一天后的热闹。

    后来，宁静再次降临，我和丈夫享受另一种快乐——亲热。有时候只要想到他需要我，就能给我带来快乐。

    你永远不会知道幸福下一次会在什么时候出现。当我问起朋友是什

    么让他们幸福时，有些人会提到一些看似微不足道的小事。“我讨厌购

    物，”一个朋友说，“但有一个健谈的售货员的确令我很开心。”另一个

    朋友喜欢接电话，“每次电话一响，我就知道有人想我了。”

    我喜欢开车的刺激。一天，我停下来，让一辆校车拐到旁路去。那

    个司机咧嘴一笑，向我竖起大拇指。在一个充满飙车党的世界，我们俩

    结成了同盟。这让我很开心。

    我们都有过类似的经历。但很少有人将这些看作幸福。

    心理学家告诉我们，要想幸福，我们既要有愉快的休闲时间，也要

    有令人满意的工作。我的曾祖母养育了14个孩子，还要给别人洗衣服挣

    钱，我怀疑这两样她都没有。但她确有一些亲朋好友。或许，就是这些

    让她很满足。如果说她因自己拥有的一切而感到幸福，或许是因为她并

    不期待生活会有所不同。

    而我们因为有太多的选择以及想在各个领域成功的压力，把幸福变

    成了“必须得到”的另一样东西。我们对获得幸福的“权利”意识太强，这

    让我们痛苦不堪。所以我们去追求幸福，并将它与财富和成功等同起

    来，而没有意识到拥有这些的人也并不一定更幸福。

    对我们来说，幸福可能更为复杂多样，但获得幸福的方式却依旧相

    同。幸福不关乎发生在我们周围的事——而是关乎我们如何去看待周围

    发生的事。这是变不利为有利，化挫折为挑战的秘诀。幸福并非是希求

    我们未得到的，而是享受我们此刻所拥有的一切。Giving Life Meaning

    给生命以意义

    Have you thought about what you want people to say about you after

    you're gone? Can you hear the voices saying, He was a great man. or She

    really will be missed. What else do they say?

    One of the strangest phenomena of life is to engage in a work that will

    last long after death. Isn't that a lot like investing all your money so that

    future generations can bare interest on it? Perhaps, yet if you look deep in

    your own heart, you'll find something drives you to make this kind of

    contribution —something drives every human being to find a purpose that

    lives on after death.

    Do you hope to memorialize your name? Have a name that is whispered

    with reverent awe? Do you hope to have your face carved upon 50 ft of

    granite rock? Is the answer really that simple? Is the purpose of lifetime

    contribution an ego-driven desire for a mortal being to have an immortal

    name or is it something more?

    A child alive today will die tomorrow. A baby that had the potential to

    be the next Einstein will die from complications at birth. The circumstances

    of life are not set in stone. We are not all meant to live life through to old age.

    We've grown to perceive life as a full cycle with a certain number of years inbetween. If all of those years aren't lived out, it's a tragedy. A tragedy because

    a human's potential was never realized. A tragedy because a spark was

    snuffed out before it ever became a flame.

    By virtue of inhabiting a body we accept these risks. We expose our

    mortal flesh to the laws of the physical environment around us. The trade off

    isn't so bad when you think about it. The problem comes when we construct

    mortal fantasies of what life should be like. When life doesn't conform to our

    fantasy, we grow upset, frustrated, or depressed.

    We are alive; let us live. We have the ability to experience; let us

    experience. We have the ability to learn; let us learn. The meaning of life can

    be grasped in a moment. A moment so brief it often evades our perception.

    What meaning stands behind the dramatic unfolding of life? What single

    truth can we grasp and hang onto for dear life when all other truths around us

    seem to fade with time?

    These moments are strung together in a series we call events. These

    events are strung together in a series we call life. When we seize the moment

    and bend it according to our will, a will driven by the spirit deep inside us,then we have discovered the meaning of life, a meaning for us that shall go

    on long after we depart this Earth.

    reverent adj. 尊敬的；虔诚的

    granite n. 花岗岩

    complication n. 并发症

    snuff out 扑灭；消灭

    by virtue of 由于

    你有没有想过，你希望人们在你死后怎样评论你?你能否听到这样的说法，“他是个伟大的人”或“人们的确会怀念她。”他们还会说些什

    么?

    人生最奇怪的现象之一就是，你所从事的工作在你死后仍将长久存

    在。这和你用所有的钱进行投资以便后人能从中获益难道不是如出一辙

    吗?也许，如果你审视自己的内心深处，你就会发现促使你做出这种贡

    献的驱动力——驱使每个人寻找在自己死后仍能继续存在的意义。

    你希望自己的名字被人记住吗?你希望别人提起你的名字时心怀敬

    畏吗?你希望自己的面容被雕刻在50英尺高的花岗岩上吗?答案真的那么

    简单吗?贡献一生的目的难道是终将一死之人想要获得不朽名声的一种

    自我鞭策的欲望吗?抑或是其他什么?

    今天活着的孩子明天就会死去。一个有可能成为下一个爱因斯坦的

    婴儿会死于出生并发症。生命的情形并不是一成不变的。我们并没有注

    定都要活到老年。我们渐渐认识到，生命是一个有特定年限的轮回。如

    果连这些年限都没有活到，那就是个悲剧。之所以称为悲剧，是因为人

    的潜能还未发挥出来，是因为火花还没形成火焰就被扑灭。

    由于存在于肉体之中，所以我们接受这些风险。我们使凡人的肉体

    服从周围自然环境的法则。你仔细想一想就会发现，这种交易并不那么

    糟糕。当我们幻想生命应该如何时，问题就来了。当生命和我们的幻想

    不一致时，我们就变得烦恼、沮丧或消沉。

    我们活着，那就让我们活得精彩；我们有能力体验，那就让我们体

    验人生甘苦；我们有能力学习，那就让我们在学海徜徉。生命的意义可

    以在一瞬间抓住——一个经常被我们忽略的短暂瞬间。

    当生命戏剧般地一幕幕拉开时，其中隐含的意义是什么?当我们周

    围所有其他真理都似乎随着时间而消逝时，我们能够掌握并紧紧抓住哪

    个真理赋予宝贵的生命呢?

    这些瞬间串联在一起，我们称之为事件。这些事件串联在一起，我

    们称之为生活。当我们抓住那个瞬间并按照我们的意志来改变它——这种意志受我们内心深处的精神所驱使，我们就发现了生命的意义——这

    意义将在我们离开人世之后长久存在。Born to Win

    生而为赢

    Each human being is born as something new, something that never

    existed before. Each is born with the capacity to win at life. Each person has

    a unique way of seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and thinking. Each has his

    or her own unique potentials —capabilities and limitations. Each can be a

    significant, thinking, aware, and creative being — a productive person, a

    winner.

    The word winner and loser have many meanings. When we refer to

    a person as a winner, we do not mean one who makes someone else lose. To

    us, a winner is one who responds authentically by being credible,trustworthy, responsive, and genuine, both as an individual and as a member

    of a society.

    Winners do not dedicate their lives to a concept of what they imagine

    they should be; rather, they are themselves and as such do not use their

    energy putting on a performance, maintaining pretence and manipulating

    others. They are aware that there is a difference between being loving and

    acting loving, between being stupid and acting stupid, between being

    knowledgeable and acting knowledgeable. Winners do not need to hide

    behind a mask.Winners are not afraid to do their own thinking and to use their own

    knowledge. They can separate facts from opinions and don't pretend to have

    all the answers. They listen to others, evaluate what they say, but come to

    their own conclusions. Although winners can admire and respect other

    people, they are not totally defined, demolished, bound, or awed by them.

    Winners do not play helpless, nor do they play the blaming game.

    Instead, they assume responsibility for their own lives. They don't give others

    a false authority over them. Winners are their own bosses and know it.

    A winner's timing is right. Winners respond appropriately to the

    situation. Their responses are related to the message sent and preserve the

    significance, worth, well-being, and dignity of the people involved. Winners

    know that for everything there is a season and for every activity a time.

    Although winners can freely enjoy themselves, they can also postpone

    enjoyment, can discipline themselves in the present to enhance their

    enjoyment in the future. Winners are not afraid to go after what he wants, but

    they do so in proper ways. Winners do not get their security be controlling

    others. They do not set themselves up to lose.

    A winner cares about the world and its peoples. A winner is not isolated

    from the general problems of society, but is concerned, compassionate, and

    committed to improving the quality of life. Even in the face of national and

    international adversity, a winner's self-image is not one of a powerless

    individual. A winner works to make the world a better place.

    potential n. 潜能，潜力

    demolish v. 驳斥；推翻

    compassionate adj. 热忱的人皆生而为新，为前所未有之存在；人皆生而能赢。人皆有其特立

    独行之方式去审视、聆听、触摸、品味及思考，因而都具备其独特潜质

    ——能力和局限。人皆能举足轻重，思虑明达，洞察秋毫，富有创意，成就功业。

    “成者”与“败者”含义颇多。谈及成者我们并非指令他人失意之人。

    对我们而言，成者必为人守信，值得信赖，有求必应，态度诚恳，或为

    个人、或为社会一员皆能以真诚回应他人。

    成者行事并不拘泥于某种信条，即便是他们认为应为其奉献一生的

    理念；而是本色行事，所以并不把精力用来表演，保持伪装或操控他

    人。他们明白爱与装爱、愚蠢与装傻、博学与卖弄之间迥然有别。成者

    无须藏于面具之后。

    成者敢于利用所学，独立思考。他们能够区分事实与观点，且并不

    佯装知晓所有答案。他们倾听、权衡他人意见，但能得出自己的结论。

    尽管他们尊重、敬佩他人，但并不完全为他人所局限、所推翻、所束

    缚，也不对他人敬若神灵。

    成者既不佯装“无助”，亦不抱怨他人。相反，他们对人生总是独担

    责任，也不以权威姿态凌驾他人之上。他们主宰自己，而且能意识到这

    点。

    成者善于审时度势，随机应变。他们对所接收的信息做出回应，维

    护当事人的利益、康乐和尊严。成者深知成一事要看好时节，行一事要

    把握时机。

    尽管成者可以自由享乐，但他们亦能推迟享乐，适时自律，以期将

    来乐趣更盛。成者并不忌惮追求所想，但取之有道，也并不靠控制他人

    而获取安然之感。他们总是使自己立于不败。

    成者心忧天下，并不孤立于尘世弊病之外，而是置身事内，满腔热

    忱，致力于改善民生。即使面对民族、国家之危亡，成者亦非无力回天

    之个体。他总是努力令世界更好。Let Love Go

    将爱放飞When I Become Old

    当我日渐老去的时候

    Dear son…

    The day that you see me old and I am already weak, have patience and

    try to understand me…

    If I get dirty when eating… if I can not dress…have patience.

    Remember the hours I spent teaching it to you.

    If, when I speak to you, I repeat the same things thousand and one

    times… do not interrupt me…listen to me.

    When you were small, I had to read to you thousand and one times the

    same story until you get to sleep…

    When I do not want to have a shower, neither shame me nor scold me…

    Remember when I had to chase you with thousand excuses I invented, in

    order that you wanted to bath…

    When you see my ignorance on new technologies…give me the

    necessary time and not look at me with your mocking smile…

    I taught you how to do so many things… to eat good, to dress well… to

    confront life…

    When at some moment I lose the memory or the thread of our

    conversation… let me have the necessary time to remember… and if I cannotdo it, do not become nervous… as the most important thing is not my

    conversation but surely to be with you and to have you listening to me…

    If ever I do not want to eat, do not force me. I know well when I need to

    and when not.

    When my tired legs do not allow me walk… give me your hand… the

    same way I did when you gave your first steps.

    And when some day I say to you that I do not want to live any more…

    that I want to die… do not get angry… some day you will understand… try to

    understand that my age is not lived but survived.

    Some day you will discover that, despite my mistakes, I always wanted

    the best thing for you and that I tried to prepare the way for you.

    You must not feel sad, angry or impotent for seeing me near you. You

    must be next to me, try to understand me and to help me as I did it when you

    started living.

    Help me to walk… help me to end my way with love and patience.

    I will pay you by a smile and by the immense love I have had always

    for you.

    I love you son…

    Your father

    ignorance n. 无知；不知道

    mocking adj. 取笑的，愚弄的

    immense adj. 极广大的，无限的

    亲爱的儿子……

    哪天你看到我日渐老去，身体也渐渐不行，请耐着性子，试着理解我……如果我吃东西时弄得脏兮兮，如果我不会穿衣服……

    请耐心一点。

    要记住我曾花了多少时间来教你这些事。

    如果，当我一再对你重复述说同样的事情……

    不要打断我，听我说。

    你小时候，我必须一遍又一遍地读着同样的故事，直到你睡着……

    当我不想洗澡，不要羞辱我也不要责骂我……

    你记得小时候我得编出多少理由，只为了哄你洗澡……

    当你看到我对新科技的无知，给我一点时间，不要带着嘲弄的微笑

    看着我……

    我曾教了你做多少事情啊……如何好好地吃饭，好好地穿衣……如

    何面对人生……

    如果交谈中我忽然失忆不知所云，给我一点时间回想……

    如果我还是无能为力，请不要紧张……

    对我而言最重要的不是对话，而是能跟你在一起，和你的倾听……

    当我不想吃东西时，不要勉强我。

    我清楚知道该什么时候进食。

    当我疲惫的双腿不听使唤……

    扶我一把……

    如同我曾扶着你踏出你人生的第一步。

    当哪天我告诉你我不想再活下去了……我想死掉……请不要生

    气……

    总有一天你会了解……

    试着理解我已是风烛残年，来日可数。

    有一天你会发现，即使我有许多过错，我总是尽我所能要给你最好的，我也努力为你铺好道路。当我靠近你时，一定不要觉得感伤、生气或无奈，你要紧挨着我，如同我当初帮着你展开人生一样，试着理解我，帮

    助我。

    扶我一把……用爱和耐心帮我走完人生。

    我将用微笑和我对你始终不变的无边无际的爱来回报你。

    我爱你孩子!

    你的父亲Love Needs No Words

    大爱无声

    Can I see my baby? the happy new mother asked. When the bundle

    was nestled in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny

    face, she gasped. The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital

    window.

    The baby had been born without ears. Time proved that the baby's

    hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was marred.

    When he rushed home from school one day and flung himself into his

    mother's arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be a succession of

    heartbreaks. He blurted out the tragedy, A boy, a big boy…called me a

    freak.

    He grew up, handsome for his misfortune. A favorite with his fellow

    students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a

    gift, a talent for literature and music.

    The boy's father had a session with the family physician, Could nothing

    be done?

    I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears, if they could be gotten.

    the doctor declared. They searched for a person who would make such a great

    sacrifice for the young man.Two years went by. One day, his father said to the son, You're going to

    the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you

    need. But the identity of the donor is a secret.

    The operation was a brilliant success, and a new person emerged. His

    talents blossomed into genius. School and college became a series of

    triumphs. He married and led the diplomatic service.

    He would ask his father: Who gave me the ears? Who gave me so

    much? I could never do enough for him or her.

    I do not believe you could, said the father, but the agreement was that

    you are not to know…not yet.

    The years kept their profound secret, but the day did come. He stood

    with his father over his mother's casket. Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched

    forth his hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to reveal that the

    mother had no outer ears.

    Mother said she was glad she never let her hair cut, his father

    whispered gently, and nobody ever thought mother less beautiful, did they?

    mar v. 损毁，损伤

    blurt v. 脱口而出

    tragedy n. 悲剧；悲惨的事

    profound adj. 极深的；意义深远的

    “我能看看我的孩子吗？”刚刚做了母亲的女人高兴地问。当襁褓被

    放到她的怀里，她拿开挡住小孩那张小脸的布时，她倒吸了一口凉气。

    医生飞快地转身走开，眼睛望向医院高大的窗户外面。

    孩子天生没有耳朵。事后证明他的听力完全没有问题。仅仅是容貌

    被毁了。一天，他从学校飞奔回家，扑向妈妈的怀抱。她叹息着，知道他的

    一生注定会有一连串的伤心事。他脱口说出了那让人心碎的事：“一个

    男孩，大个子男孩，叫我怪物。”

    他长大了，虽然不幸但长得很英俊。他在同学中人缘很好，要不是

    因为那个残疾，本可以当班长的。他在文学和音乐方面很有天分。

    男孩的爸爸去见了家庭医生：“难道就没有办法了吗？”

    “我想我可以植入一双外耳，如果能搞到的话。”医生说。他们开始

    找寻看有谁会愿意为这个年轻人做出如此大的牺牲。

    两年时间过去了。一天，父亲告诉儿子：“孩子，你得去医院。妈

    妈和我找到愿意捐耳朵给你的人了。但捐献者的身份保密。”

    手术极其成功，一个新人诞生了。他的才华成就了一个天才，学业

    也取得了一连串的成功。他结婚了，并做了外交官。

    他会问爸爸：“谁给了我耳朵？谁如此慷慨？我永远报答不尽。”

    “我也这样认为，”爸爸说，“但协议规定你不能知道，目前还不

    能。”

    他们深藏的秘密多年来一直被保守着，但这一天终于来了。他和爸

    爸站在他妈妈的棺木前。慢慢地，轻柔地，爸爸伸出手撩起了妈妈那浓

    密的棕红色头发——妈妈竟没了外耳!

    “妈妈说她很高兴自己从来没剪过头发，”爸爸温柔地低声说

    道，“也从来没人觉得妈妈没以前漂亮了，是不是？”Keep Walking in Sunshine

    一直走在阳光里

    Years of storms had taken their toll on the old windmill. Its wheel,rusted and fallen, lay silently in the lush bluegrass. Its once animated

    silhouette was now a tall motionless steeple in the twilight sun.

    I hadn't walked across our old farm in fifteen years. Yet the sensations

    came flooding back. I could smell the freshness of new mown alfalfa. I could

    feel the ping of the ice-cold summer rain, and the sun's sudden warmth on my

    wet shoulders when it reappeared after a brisk July thunderstorm.

    Rain or shine, I used to walk this path each day to see Grace. She always

    made me smile, even after Sis and I had just had a big squabble. I would

    help Grace with her chores. Then we would visit over a generous helping of

    her delicious homemade chocolate cookies and ice cream. Being confined to

    a wheel chair didn't stop Grace from being a fabulous cook.

    Grace gave me two of the greatest gifts I've ever received. First, she

    taught me how to read. She also taught me that when I forgave Sis for our

    squabbles, it meant I wouldn't keep feeling like a victim. Instead, I would feel

    sunny.

    Mr. Norton, the local banker, tried to foreclose on Grace's house and

    land after her husband passed away. Thanks to Pa and Uncle Tony, Gracecould keep everything. Pa said that it was the least he could do for someone

    talented enough to teach me to read!

    Soon folks were coming from miles around to buy Grace's homemade

    cakes, pies, breads, cookies, cider, and ice cream. Mark, the grocery store

    man, came each week to stock his shelves and bring Grace supplies.

    Grace even had me take a big apple pie to Mr. Norton who became one

    of her best customers and friends. That's just how Grace was. She could turn

    anyone into a friend!

    Grace always said, Dear, keep walking in sunshine! No matter how

    terrible my day started, I always felt sunny walking home from Grace's house

    —even beneath the winter starlight.

    I arrived at Grace's house today just after sunset. An ambulance had

    stopped a few feet from her door, its red lights flashing. When I ran into the

    old house, Grace recognized me right away.

    She smiled at me with her unforgettable twinkling blue eyes. She was

    almost out of breath when she reached out and softly touched my arm. Her

    last words to me were Dear, keep walking in sunshine!

    I'm sure that Grace is walking in the brightest sunshine she's ever seen.

    And, I'm sure that she heard every word I read at her memorial service. I

    chose a beautiful verse by Leo Buscaglia. It's one that Grace taught me to

    read many years ago…

    Love can never grow old. Locks may lose their brown and gold.

    Cheeks may fade and hollow grow. But the hearts that love will know, never

    winter's frost and chill, summer's warmth is in them still.

    silhouette n. 轮廓；剪影

    squabble n. 口角,争吵foreclose v. 取消(抵押品的)赎回权

    memorial adj. 纪念的；追悼的

    多年的风雨侵蚀了古老的风车。车轮锈了，掉了，静静地躺卧在茂

    盛的蓝草中。落日余晖下，风车那一度生机勃勃的映像如今变成了死气

    沉沉的高大尖塔。

    我已经有15年没有步行穿过我们的农场了。然而，昔日的感觉如潮

    水般涌来。我仿佛又闻到了刚割下苜蓿的清新味道，感受到了夏日冰冷

    的雨滴敲打在身上，还有七月迅疾的雷雨后，太阳重现天际时，让我被

    打湿的肩膀瞬间便能感到温暖。

    曾经无论晴雨，我天天沿着这条小径去探望格雷斯。即使我刚和姐

    姐大吵了一场，格雷斯也总能使我开心起来。我会帮格雷斯做些杂事，然后，我们便会大快朵颐，品尝她亲手做的美味巧克力曲奇饼和冰激

    凌。尽管她只能坐在轮椅上，但这并不妨碍格雷斯成为一名出色的厨

    师。

    格雷斯送给我两件我有生以来收到的最棒的礼物。首先，她教我认

    字。另外，格雷斯还让我懂得，当我不再记恨和姐姐的争吵而原谅她

    时，这就意味着自己不再觉得像个受害者。相反，我会感到心情开朗。

    在格雷斯的丈夫去世后，当地的银行家诺顿先生要收取她抵押给银

    行的房子和土地。幸亏有爸爸和托尼叔叔的帮忙，格雷斯才保住了一

    切。爸爸说，对于一位本领高强到居然能够教会我认字的人，这只是他

    力所能及的一件小事!

    很快，方圆数英里的人们都来买格雷斯自制的蛋糕、馅饼、面包、曲奇饼、苹果酒和冰激凌。每个礼拜，杂货店老板马克都会来这里进

    货，并带给她新的材料。

    格雷斯甚至让我给诺顿先生送去一个大大的苹果馅饼，他后来也成

    了她最好的顾客和朋友之一。这就是格雷斯，她能把任何人都变成朋友!

    格雷斯总是说：“亲爱的，要一直走在阳光里!”不管这一天开始是

    多么的糟糕，从格雷斯的小屋走回家时，即使是披着冬夜的星光，我都

    总是觉得心情无比灿烂。

    这天，我来到格雷斯家时，太阳刚下山。她门外几英尺处停着一辆

    救护车，车上的红灯不住地闪烁。当我冲进那所老房子时，格雷斯立刻

    认出了我。

    她冲我微笑着，那双令人难忘的蓝眼睛闪着光芒。当她伸出手轻轻

    抚摸我的臂膀时，几乎已经奄奄一息了。她最后对我说的话是：“亲爱

    的，要一直走在阳光里!”

    我肯定格雷斯此时正走在前所未见的最灿烂的阳光里。我还肯定她

    听见了我在她的追思会上所念的每一个字。我选了利奥·巴斯卡格利亚

    的一首优美的诗，正是多年前格雷斯曾经教我念的……

    “爱会日久弥新。华发会失去原有的光彩，双颊会日显消瘦黯淡。

    然而，有爱的心中却永无寒冬霜冻，只有永存的夏日温暖。”An Invisible Wall

    无形的墙

    I first fell in love with my husband when we sat and talked in front of

    the (ceiling-to-floor) windows with the long, white curtains in the living

    room of my old apartment, drinking cups of scalding, black coffee. We

    would just sit and talk — sometimes until sunrise. I was so completely

    thrilled to have finally found that one special person and our wedding day

    was the happiest day of my life.

    However, it was not long after our honeymoon when my husband

    climbed into the tomb called the office and wrapped his mind in a shroud of

    paperwork and buried himself in clients, and I said nothing for fear of turning

    into a nagging wife. It seemed as if overnight an invisible wall had been

    erected between us. When our daughter, Daisy, was born, she quickly became

    the center of my world. I watched her grow from infant to toddler, and I no

    longer seemed to care that my husband was getting busier and spending less

    time at home. Somewhere between his work schedule and our home and

    young daughter, we were losing touch with each other. That invisible wall

    was now being cemented by the mortar of indifference. Daisy went off to

    preschool and I returned to college to finish my degree, and I tried to find

    myself in the courses I took. I complained with all the other young women oncampus about men who are insensitive. Sometimes late at night I cried and

    begged the whispering darkness to tell me who I really was, and my husband

    lay besides snoring like a hibernating bear unaware of my winter.

    Then tragedy struck our lives, when my husband's younger brother was

    killed on September 11, 2001, along with thousands of other innocent people.

    He made it out okay and spoke to his wife to say he was going back in to help

    those that were still trapped. He was identified only by the engraving on the

    inside of his wedding band. Attending his brother's memorial service was an

    eye-opening experience for both of us. For the first time, we saw our own

    marriage was almost like my in-laws. At the tragic death of the youngest son

    they could not reach out to console one another. It seemed as if somewhere

    between the oldest son's first tooth and the youngest son's graduation they

    had lost each other. Their wedding day photograph of the young, happy,smiling couple on the mantle of their fireplace was almost mocking those two

    minds that no longer touched. They were living with such an invisible wall

    between them that the heaviest battering with the strongest artillery would

    not penetrate. When love dies, it is not in a moment of angry battle or when

    fiery bodies lose their heat, it lies broken and panting and exhausted at the

    bottom of a wall it cannot penetrate.

    Recently one night, my husband told of his fear of dying. Until then he

    had been afraid to expose his naked souls. I spoke of trying to find myself in

    the writings in my journal. It seemed as if each of us had been hiding our

    soul-searching from the other. We are slowly working toward building a

    bridge not a wall, so that when we reach out to each other, we do not find a

    barrier we cannot penetrate and recoil from the coldness of the stone or

    retreat from the stranger on the other side.scalding adj. 滚烫的

    mortar n. 砂浆，灰浆

    battering n. 连续猛击

    recoil v. 畏缩；后退

    和丈夫坠入爱河那一刻，我们正坐在我旧公寓的客厅里，眼前的白

    色长窗帘垂落在落地窗前。我们边聊天，边细呷着滚烫的黑咖啡。我们

    可以就这么坐着聊天，有时候会聊到天明。当时我为自己终于能够找到

    一生的至爱而激动不已。结婚那天是我一生中最快乐的日子。

    然而，蜜月后不久丈夫就钻进了办公室这个“坟墓”，他的世界只剩

    下数不清的文书工作和接见不完的客户。对此我默不作声，生怕自己变

    成一个唠叨的妻子。就好像在一夜之间，我们之间就竖起了一堵无形的

    墙。我们的女儿黛西出生后，她马上成了我的世界的中心。看着她从嗷

    嗷待哺到跌跌撞撞地学走路，我好像已不再在乎丈夫越来越忙，在家的

    时间越来越短。在他的工作和我们的家与小女儿之间，我们彼此渐渐断

    了联系。那无形的墙现在被淡漠的灰浆接合得更加坚固了。黛西上幼儿

    园了，而我也回到大学去完成我的学位，我希望在课程中找到自我。在

    学校里我向所有的年轻女子诉苦，抱怨着男人的迟钝与麻木。有时我会

    在深夜哭泣，乞求黑暗能告诉我自己究竟是谁，而躺在身边的丈夫就像

    是冬眠的熊在打着呼噜，一点都没有意识到我的寒冬。

    不久一场悲剧降临，和其他上千名无辜的人一起，丈夫的弟弟

    在“911”事件中丧生。本来他已平安地逃了出来，但他又对妻子说他要

    回去营救那些仍然被困的人们。后来人们只能通过他戴着的结婚戒指里

    刻的字才把他辨认出来。参加他弟弟的追悼会对我们两人来说都是很有

    启发的一次经历。我们第一次意识到自己的婚姻就跟我公婆的没什么差

    别。最小的儿子惨死时，他们都没能伸出手来彼此安慰。好像从他们的

    长子长第一颗牙开始到他们最小儿子的毕业典礼，他们之间不再有任何联系似的。挂在壁炉上的结婚照中，当时年轻的他们笑靥如花，对现在

    形同陌路的他们简直就是一种极大的嘲讽。世界上最强大炮弹的最猛轰

    击都无法穿透他们生活中这堵无形的墙。当爱已逝，激烈的争斗已无济

    于事，炽热的身体已失去热情，爱支离破碎，只能躺在那无法被穿透的

    墙壁底部，心力交瘁，精疲力竭地喘气。

    最近的一个晚上，丈夫对我说起他对死亡的恐惧。在那之前，他一

    直害怕展现自己赤裸的灵魂。我跟他说了自己尝试通过写日志来找回自

    己。我们两人似乎一直都拒绝与对方进行心灵的沟通。现在我们正慢慢

    地在彼此心灵间搭建一座桥，而不是制造一堵墙。这样，当我们相互敞

    开心扉时，不会因为无法逾越的障碍而退回到冰冷的石头后面，或者躲

    避着另一方的陌生人。Loving an Imperfect Person

    爱一个不完美的人

    They have been married for two years. He loves literature and often

    posts his work on the net, but nobody ever reads them. He is also into

    photography and he handles their wedding photos. He loves her very much,likewise with her. She has a quick temper and always bullies him. He is a

    gentleman and always gives in to her.

    Today, she's being willful again.

    Her: Why can't you be the photographer for my friend's wedding? She

    promised she'd pay.

    Him: I don't have time that day.

    Her: Humph!

    Him: Huh?

    Her: Don't have time? Write fewer of those novels, and you will have

    all the time you need.

    Him: I… someone will definitely recognize my work some day.

    Her: Humph! I don't care. You'll have to do it for her!

    Him: No.

    Her: Just this time?Him: No.

    Negotiation's broken. So, she gives the final warning: Give me a Yes

    within three days, or else…

    The first day, she withholds the kitchen, bathroom, computer,refrigerator, television, hi-fi…except the double bed, to show her

    benevolence.

    Of course, she has to sleep on it too. He doesn't mind, as he still has

    some cash in his pockets.

    The second day, she conducts a raid and removes everything from his

    pockets and warns, Seek any external help, and you bear the consequences.

    He's nervous now. That night, on the bed, he begs for mercy, hoping that

    she'll end this state. She doesn't give a damn. No way am I giving in,whatever he says. Until he agrees.

    The third day, night. On the bed. He's lying on the bed, looking to one

    side. She's lying on the bed, looking to the other side.

    Him: We need to talk.

    Her: Unless it's about the wedding, or forget it.

    Him: It's something very important.

    She remains silent.

    Him: Let's get a divorce.

    She doesn't believe her ears.

    Him: I have known a girl.

    She's totally angry, and wants to hit him. But she holds it down, wanting

    to let him finish. But her eyes already feel wet. He takes a photo out from his

    chest. Probably from his undershirt pocket, that's the only place she didn't go

    through yesterday. How careless.

    Him: She's a nice girl.Her tears fall.

    Him: She has a good personality too.

    She's heartbroken because he puts a photo of some other girl close to his

    heart.

    Him: She says that she'll support me fully in my pursuit for literature

    after we get married.

    She's very jealous because she said the same thing in the past.

    Him: She loves me truly.

    She wishes to sit up and scream at him, Don't I?

    Him: So, I think she won't force me to do something that I don't want to

    do.

    She's thinking, but the rage won't subside.

    Him: Want to take a look at the photo I took for her?

    Her: …!

    He brings the photo before her eyes. She's in a total rage, hits his hand

    away and leaves a burning slap on his face.

    He sighs. She cries.

    He puts the photo back to his pocket. She pulls her hand back under the

    blanket.

    He turns off the light, and sleeps. She turns on the light, and sits up. He's

    asleep. She loses sleep. She regrets treating him the way she treated him.

    She cries again, and thinks about a lot of things. She wants to wake him

    up. She wants to have an intimate talk with him. She doesn't want to push

    him anymore. She stares at his chest. She wants to see how the girl looks.

    She slips the photo out. She wants to cry and she wants to laugh.

    It's a nicely taken photo. A photo he took for her. She bends down, and

    kisses him on his cheek.He smiles. He was just pretending to be asleep.

    You learn to love, not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to

    see an imperfect person perfectly.

    willful adj. 任性的；故意的

    subside v. 平息；减弱

    slap n. 掴；拍击

    他们结婚两年了。他喜欢文学，常把作品贴到网上，但从没人读过

    它们；他还对摄影感兴趣，亲手修饰了他们的婚礼照片。他非常爱她，她也一样。她脾气急，还总是欺负他；他有绅士风度，总是让着她。

    今天，她又找茬儿了。

    她：“你干吗不愿意给我朋友的婚礼拍照呢？她答应付钱的。”

    他：“我那天没空。”

    她：“哼!”

    他：“啊?”

    她：“没时间？少写点小说，你就有大把时间了。”

    他：“我……有朝一日肯定会有人欣赏我的小说的。”

    她：“哼!我不管，你得帮她拍照。”

    他：“不。”

    她：“就一次嘛。”

    他：“不。”

    谈判破裂。于是她发出最后通牒：“三天之内答应我，否则……”

    第一天，她独占了厨房、厕所、电脑、冰箱、电视、音响，除了大

    双人床，以示“慈悲”。

    当然，她自己也是要睡觉的。他没在意，因为反正口袋里还有些

    钱。第二天，她实行突然搜查，将他口袋里所有东西都拿走了，并警告

    说：“胆敢寻求外援，后果自负。”

    他有些紧张了。那夜，在床上，他求饶了，希望她能结束这种局

    面。她毫不理睬。“不管他怎么说，让步是没门的，除非他答应。”

    第三天夜里。他躺在床上，看着一边。她躺在床上，看着另一边。

    他：“我们得谈谈。”

    她：“除非是关于婚礼的，否则没什么可谈的。”

    他：“是非常重要的事。”

    她一言不发。

    他：“咱们离婚吧。”

    她不能相信自己的耳朵。

    他：“我认识了一个女孩。”

    她完全被激怒了，想打他。但她忍住了，想让他说完。可她的眼睛

    已经变得潮湿。他从胸口取出一张照片，好像是从汗衫的口袋，那是昨

    天她唯一漏掉的地方。太粗心了。

    他：“她是一个好姑娘。”

    她的眼泪落了下来。

    他：“她性格也很好。”

    她的心碎了，因为他把别的女孩的照片贴身放着。

    他：“她说我们结婚以后会全力支持我的文学创作。”

    她过去也说过完全一样的话，她感到非常嫉妒。

    他：“她真的爱我。”

    她真想坐起来冲他尖叫：“我不是吗？”

    他：“所以，我想她不会逼我做我不想做的事。”

    她思考着，可怒气没有平息。

    他：“想看看我给她拍的照片吗？”

    她:“……!”他将照片送到她眼前。她盛怒之下，打开他的手，并给了他一记热

    辣辣的耳光。

    他叹气。她哭泣。

    他将照片放回口袋。她将手抽回毯子下。

    他关了灯，睡了。她打开灯，坐了起来。他睡着了。她失眠了。她

    后悔过去那样对他。

    她又哭了，想起了很多事。她想叫醒他，和他说说悄悄话。她不想

    再逼迫他。她盯着他的口袋，想看看那女孩长什么样。

    她抽出了照片，既想哭，又想笑。

    这是一张拍得很美的照片，他给她拍的。她低下了头，亲了亲他的

    脸。

    他微笑了。他只是装睡。

    “你学会爱，不是通过找到一个完美的人，而是要学会让一个不完

    美的人在你的眼中看上去完美。”I Love You, Son

    我爱你，儿子

    After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman

    out to dinner and a movie. She said, I love you, but I know this other woman

    loves you and would love to spend some time with you.

    The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my mother, who

    had been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my 3

    children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.

    That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie.

    What's wrong, are you well? she asked. My mother is the type of

    woman who suspects that a late night call or surprise invitation is a sign of

    bad news.

    I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some time with you. I

    responded, Just the two of us.

    She thought about it for a moment, and then said, I would like that very

    much.

    That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up, I was a bit

    nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be

    nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had

    curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate herlast wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an

    Angel's. I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they

    were impressed. She said, as she got into the car, they can't wait to hear

    about our meeting.

    We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and

    cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat

    down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large print. Half way

    through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me.

    A nostalgic smile was on her lips. It was I who used to have to read the

    menu when you were small. She said. Then it's time that you relax and let

    me return the favor, I responded.

    During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation —nothing

    extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other's life. We talked

    so much that we missed the movie. As we arrived at her house later, she said,I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you. I agreed.

    How was your dinner date? Asked my wife when I got home.

    Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined, I answered.

    A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened

    so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anything for her. Some time

    later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same

    place where mother and I had dined. An attached note said, I paid this bill in

    advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there, but nevertheless I paid for two

    plates — one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what

    that night meant for me.

    I love you, son.

    At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time, I love

    you and to give our love ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life ismore important than your family. Give them the time they deserve, because

    these things cannot be put off till some other time.

    nostalgic adj. 怀旧的

    massive adj. 严重的

    结婚21年后，妻子想让我带别的女人去吃吃饭、看看电影。她

    说：“我爱你，但是我知道这个女人也爱你，愿意和你一起共度些时

    间。”

    这个我妻子希望我去拜访的“别的女人”其实是我的母亲。她守寡已

    经19年，但由于我工作忙，又有3个孩子，所以我只能偶尔去看看她。

    那个晚上，我打电话给她说要请她出去吃饭，并看一场电影。

    “怎么了？你还好吧？”她问道。我妈妈就是这样的女人，她会疑心

    深夜来电话或意外邀请都意味着坏消息。

    “我觉得要是能和您待一会儿就挺好的，”我继续道，“只有我们两

    个。”

    她想了一下，答道：“我非常乐意。”

    周五下班后，我开车去接她，感到有点紧张。当我到了母亲家门口

    时，我注意到她似乎也对我们的约会有些紧张。她已经穿好大衣等在门

    边了。她卷了头发，身上穿着那件她在庆祝最后一次结婚纪念日时穿过

    的礼服。她微笑着，脸上闪耀着天使般的光芒。“我跟朋友们说，我要

    跟儿子去约会，他们都很感动，”她边坐进汽车边说道，“他们等不及要

    听我的报告呢。”

    我们去了一家餐厅，尽管不是那么高级，但相当舒适惬意。妈妈挽

    着我的胳膊，那神气好像第一夫人。坐下后，我得把菜单读出来。她眼

    睛花了，只能看见大号字体。读到一半的时候，我抬眼看到妈妈正坐在

    那儿端详我，嘴角上还挂着一抹怀旧的微笑。她说：“你小时候都是我在读菜单。”我答道：“那现在该您享清福了，让我回报您吧。”

    那顿饭，我们聊得很愉快，没有什么特别的，只是互相报告近况。

    我们一直聊着，结果误了电影。当我后来把她送回家时，她说：“我会

    再和你约会的，但我要请你。”我同意了。

    “晚餐约会怎么样？”妻子在我回家后问我。

    “很好，比我想象的还要好得多。”我答道。

    几天之后，母亲死于严重的心脏病。事情发生得太突然，我都没有

    机会为她做些什么。过了一段日子，我收到了一封信和一张餐馆的收

    据，就是那个我和妈妈共进晚餐的地方。随附的一张便条上写道：“我

    预先付了这张账单。我不确定我能不能去，可是我还是付了两个餐位的

    钱——给你和你妻子。你不会知道那个晚上对我有多重要。”

    “爱你，我的儿子。”

    在那一刻，我明白了及时说出“我爱你”以及花时间陪我们所爱的人

    有多重要，他们应该得到这些时间。生命中没有什么比家人更重要的

    了。把他们应得的时间给他们吧，因为有些事情无法拖延。Let Love Go

    将爱放飞

    There was once a lonely girl who longed so much for love. One day

    while she was walking in the woods, she found two starving songbirds. She

    took them home and put them in a small cage. She cared for them with love

    and the birds grew strong. Every morning they greeted her with a wonderful

    song. The girl felt great love for the birds.

    One day the girl left the door to the cage open. The larger and stronger

    of the two birds flew from the cage. The girl was so frightened that he would

    fly away. As he flew close, she grasped him wildly. Her heart felt glad at her

    success in capturing him. Suddenly she felt the bird go limp. She opened her

    hand and stared in horror at the dead bird. Her desperate love had killed him.

    She noticed the other bird moving back and forth on the edge of the

    cage. She could feel his great need for freedom. He needed to soar into the

    clear, blue sky. She lifted him from the cage and tossed him softly into the

    air. The bird circled once, twice, three times.

    The girl watched delightedly at the bird's enjoyment. Her heart was no

    longer concerned with her loss. She wanted the bird to be happy. Suddenly

    the bird flew closer and landed softly on her shoulder. It sang the sweetest

    melody that she had ever heard.

    The fastest way to lose love is to hold on it too tight, and the best way tokeep love is to give it WINGS!

    从前，有个孤独的女孩非常渴望爱。一天，她走在丛林中，发现两

    只快要饿死的鸣鸟。她把它们带回家，放入一个小笼子。经她悉心照

    料，鸟儿强壮起来。每天早晨，鸟儿都用美妙的歌声向她表示问候。女

    孩不由得深深爱上了这两只小鸟。

    一天，女孩敞开了鸟笼的门。那只较大较壮的鸟儿飞出了鸟笼。女

    孩非常害怕鸟儿会飞走。鸟儿飞 ......