登陆注册
1089100000009

第9章 在微尘与浮梁之上 (9)

His feelings overcame him; he fell upon his knees, looked up to heaven and uttered aloud a fervent thanksgiving, in which he spoke of his wife, sick and helpless, and his children without bread, whom the timely bounty, from some unknown hand, would save from perishing.

The student stood there deeply affected, and his eyes filled with tears. “Now,” said the professor, “are you not much better pleased than if you had played your intended trick?”

The youth replied, “You have taught me a lesson which I will never forget. I feel now the truth of those words, which I never understood before: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

一天,我们大学里一个年轻的学生和一位教授一起散步。这位仁慈的教授常被学生称为朋友,他对那些急切希望得到指教的学生非常友善。

途中,他们看到一双旧鞋放在路边,便猜测鞋子可能是某个在附近田地里劳作的穷人的,他一天的劳动可能就快结束了。

学生转过头对教授说:“我们愚弄他一下吧,把他的鞋先藏起来,然后躲到灌木丛后,等着看他找不到鞋子会是怎样困惑的表情。”

“年轻的朋友,”教授答道,“我们永远不该拿穷人取乐。如果你富有,就应该去帮助穷人,那样会让你获得更大的快乐。我们在每只鞋里各放一枚硬币,然后躲起来看他对这一意外发现有何反应。”

学生按教授说的做了,然后他们躲到附近的灌木丛中。

很快,那个穷人的劳动结束了,他走出田地,来到放外套和鞋子的小路上。他边穿外套,边把一只脚伸到鞋子里,但是感觉到鞋里有硬东西,他便弯下腰摸那是什么,他发现那竟是一枚硬币。

他吃惊地看着那枚硬币,又看另一面,如此看了又看。然后,扫视了一下周围,一个人影都看不到。他把这枚硬币装进口袋,又去穿另一只鞋,结果又发现了另一枚硬币,他更惊讶了。

他感动至极,双膝跪地,仰望上苍,大声地表达着自己的感激之情——正是陌生人的解囊相助,使他患病无助的妻子和食不果腹的孩子有了新的希望。

那名学生被深深地感动了,他的眼里饱含着泪水。“喏,”教授说,“这难道不比恶作剧更使你快乐吗?”

年轻人答道:“您给我上的这堂课我将永生难忘。现在,我终于明白了那句我一直都不理解的话:‘给予比接受更幸福。’”

赠人玫瑰,手有余香。如果你有能力,就应该去帮助别人,那样会让你获得更大的快乐。

1. “My young friend,” answered the professor, “we should_________ amuse ourselves at the expense of the_________. But you are rich, and may give yourself a much greater pleasure by means of the poor man. Put a_________ into each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves and watch_________ the discovery affects him.”

2. The poor man soon_________ his work, and came across the field to the path where he had left his coat and shoes. While putting on his coat he slipped his foot into one of his_________; but feeling something_________, he stooped down to feel_________ it was, and found the coin.

3. The student stood there_________ affected, and his eyes filled with tears. “Now,” said the professor, “are you not much better_________ than if you had played your intended_________?”

1. 这位仁慈的教授常被学生称为朋友。

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. 正是陌生人的解囊相助,使他患病无助的妻子和食不果腹的孩子有了新的希望。

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. 您给我上的这堂课我将永生难忘。

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1. We should never amuse ourselves at the expense of the poor.

at the expense of:在损害……情况下,以……为代价;由……承担费用

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. While putting on his coat he slipped his foot into one of his shoes...

slip into:匆忙穿上;(使)滑进;塞进

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

接受不完美的人生

The Missing Piece

佚名 / Anonymous

Once a circle missed a wedge. The circle wanted to be whole, so it went around looking for its missing piece. But because it was incomplete and therefore could roll only very slowly, it admired the flowers along the way. It chatted with worms. It enjoyed the sunshine. It found lots of different pieces, but none of them fit. So it left them all by the side of the road and kept on searching. Then one day the circle found a piece that fit perfectly. It was so happy. Now it could be whole, with nothing missing. It incorporated the missing piece into itself and began to roll. Now that it was a perfect circle, it could roll very fast, too fast to notice the flowers or talking to the worms. When it realized how different the world seemed when it rolled so quickly, it stopped, left its found piece by the side of the road and rolled slowly away.

The lesson of the story, I suggested, was that in some strange sense we are more whole when we are missing something. The man who has everything is in some ways a poor man. He will never know what it feels like to yearn, to hope, to nourish his soul with the dream of something better.

There is a wholeness about the person who has come to terms with his limitations, who has been brave enough to let go of his unrealistic dreams and not feel like a failure for doing so. There is a wholeness about the man or woman who has learned that he or she is strong enough to go through a tragedy and survive, he or she can lose someone and still feel like a complete person.

Life is not a trap set for us by God so that he can condemn us for failing. Life is not a spelling bee, where no matter how many words you’ve gotten right, you’re disqualified if you make one mistake. Life is more like a baseball season, where even the best team loses one-third of its games and even the worst team has its days of brilliance. Our goal is to win more games than we lose.

When we accept that imperfection is part of being human, and when we can continue rolling through life and appreciate it, we will have achieved a wholeness that others can only aspire to. That, I believe, is what God asks of us—not “Be perfect” , not “Don’t even make a mistake”, but “Be whole” .

If we are brave enough to love, strong enough to forgive, generous enough to rejoice in another’s happiness, and wise enough to know there is enough love to go around for us all, then we can achieve a fulfillment that no other living creature will ever know.

同类推荐
  • 谜语绕口令英语

    谜语绕口令英语

    谜语和绕口令是英语文学中两种比较独特的语言艺术形式。前者既饶有情趣,又可以启发心智,增进思考和想像能力;后者结构巧妙,诙谐风趣,富有音乐性,最适合口头背诵,深受广大英语读者的喜爱。
  • 当幸福来敲门(英文爱藏双语系列)

    当幸福来敲门(英文爱藏双语系列)

    幸福瞬间的确存在。每天,它们在我们身边徘徊,像银光闪闪的游鱼,等待我们去捕捉。即使你没有找到幸福,它们也会找上你。快乐似乎就是简单地做事,是一种能从最简单的事物中提炼出乐趣的能力。万事万物都绽放着美。漫步于田野或者树林,闲荡在夏日海边或山涧,细碎的困惑和忧虑都会烟消云散。
  • 有一种智慧叫包容(英文爱藏双语系列)

    有一种智慧叫包容(英文爱藏双语系列)

    非凡的人生不是无根之木,更不是无源之水。它需要你永不满足,永不懈怠,永不疲倦,永不怯懦,执着地向人生的更高处攀登。你若是一道清渠,生活便是泉眼,把智慧的活水注入了你的血脉;你若是一棵绿树,生活便是土壤,把智慧的矿藏送进你的根系;你若是一弯虹桥,生活便是阳光,把智慧的颜料涂上你的躯体。
  • 把沉睡的时光摇醒

    把沉睡的时光摇醒

    《把沉睡的时光摇醒》精选了梭罗、海明威、罗斯金、莫里斯、里尔克、笛福、兰姆、马克·吐温、托尔斯泰、毛姆、戴克、怀特、艾默生等50多位全球公认的文学巨匠,近百篇最美的散文,100多幅精美插画。全书精致雅美,传承名家之灵气,有如万般激流在心中翻涌,又似气吞山河的力量,抑或万物如谜般沉默静美,给人无限的想象和心灵滋养。
  • 寻找人生的坐标(英文爱藏双语系列)

    寻找人生的坐标(英文爱藏双语系列)

    本书汇聚了众多励志佳作,通过这小短小精悍的美文,潜移默化中让读者明白自己的位置,如何寻找到自己的位置,定位自己,是一部不可多得的励志双语读物。
热门推荐
  • 三寸金莲

    三寸金莲

    前世她是大周后,才情美貌兼具,却因夫君与妹妹的偷情而含恨而终。重生后的她乃亡国公主,当她与前世的夫君相遇后,是爱人还是仇人抑或是陌生人?她又该在前世所熟悉的皇宫中如何生存?亲们,第一次写文,请多多关照。考究党慎入。。。。。
  • 百炼封神

    百炼封神

    李楚,一个淡定冷漠,坚韧果断的流浪儿,一次意外让他得到了灵阶术器铜头狮,随后便拜入三大术炼宗之一的“万兵朝”,一件件匪夷所思的异事接踵发生,他终于发现原来自己的身世、经历等等,所有的一切都并非和想象中一样平凡……情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 权国

    权国

    “风起云涌的大陆,战乱四起的王国,铁蹄是的我的脚步,箭镞是我的眼睛,战场猎鹰的旗帜迎风飘扬,从偏远的南部到繁华的京都,以独特的视角,波澜壮阔的战争,再现一个帝国的崛起之路(骑马与砍杀题材小说)
  • 天纵邪狂

    天纵邪狂

    前世她代号天凰,当代最有战斗力的特种部队里,最有价值的特别行动组长。专门带领手下执行各种国际级“斩首任务”在一次执行国际反恐任务中,为了维护同伴的尊严,完成任务毅然与目标人物同归于尽。带着现代桀骜不驯、固执张狂的灵魂,她重生在斩月大陆,一个灵武兼修的著名世家。现在她成为体弱多病、性情懦弱,人皆可欺的天生废材七少爷。被恨铁不成钢的老爹给硬拎到比武场中,还没有上台便被对手激发出的漫天剑灵而活活吓死了。当清冽的眼睛睁开,“他”已经不再是”他“。闯密地、解封印、签神兽、按照奇书《破天决》中凤凰涅槃之法,用命脉中潜力为基,彻底洗练了废弃的筋脉,重塑了羸弱的躯体。从此”他“胆怯变胆大、慌张变嚣张、病态成变态。性情乖张暴戾、行事恣意狂邪、颠覆正邪理念,打破黑白界限。以帝阶魔兽慑月为伴、异界妖皇天魅为伍、魔域至尊惊羽为友、闯荡斩月大陆,扫清三界六道中一切障碍,步上巅峰。当众生仰视时,才发现”他“竟然是她。一介撼世奇才,竟然是绝代红妆。片段一:惊羽一根手指插着那颗犹自跳动的巨大魔兽心脏,邪魅无比的讨好着慕容七少:“老弟,有没有兴趣品尝一下,皇阶魔核的滋味?”“滚,丫的,你把老子搞吐了,老子拆了你这把万年老骨头!”“呜呜呜!好歹俺也是魔界至尊,你多少给点面子!”片段二:“几百个超高级吸血鬼在旷野间游荡,寻找食物,大有横扫一切生灵的气势!”有个声音喊道:“大法师来了!”那群吸血鬼毫无反应。“法皇来了!”吸血鬼照样游荡。“冥帝来了!”那群吸血鬼开始瞪大他们那双血淋淋的眼睛,想把那个敢骗鬼的家伙找出来撕碎。“慕容七少来了!”一阵狂风卷过,当地空空如也。一个戴着面具的小人儿,从隐身处现身耸着肩膀喃喃道:“有没有搞错,偶真的哪么恐怖?”妖艳之极的冥帝也跟着现身出来,眨着妖冶的眸子叹着气补充了一句:“看来,以后,本帝只能跟你混了!”片段三:“天生废材,老子只不过把他改了一个字而已,有毛大惊小怪的?”慕容七少眨着一双颠倒众生的大眼睛,嘀咕道。”他“身体周围,被轰击成齑粉飞上半空的斩月至宝——测脉石,正纷纷扬扬的从半空飘落下来。”他“手中的斩月魔剑中被迫出的剑灵,正流散激荡如漫天烈焰。围观的众人全部石化。那可是斩月大陆传世千年的最高级别测验灵力和脉力的神器,”他“楞给当成了土块!片段四:“她”是宇文世家唯一的血脉,宇文雪凤。
  • 明治天皇:孝明帝驾崩卷(下册)

    明治天皇:孝明帝驾崩卷(下册)

    《明治天皇》再现了日本从幕末走向明治维新的历史变革,以优美的文笔,宏大的场景,详细描绘了日本近代决定国运的倒幕运动的整个过程。本书塑造了一个个鲜活的日本近代史人物形象,以及他们的坚定信念,对“安政大狱”、“樱田门之变”等重大历史事件的描述详实生动,是一部了解近代日本不可多得的佳作。
  • 首席总裁的禁宠

    首席总裁的禁宠

    电梯门打开,肖乐儿走进去,按下19层。门将关未关之际,一只手伸进来拦了,伴着一句匆匆的“稍等。”门感应后再次打开。肖乐儿心头一悸,这声音怎么这般熟悉?抬眼,便看到那张梦回千万次的俊脸。门敞开着,二人一里一外,都愣着,直视无语。肖乐儿直觉得胸闷得紧,仿佛下一秒就会缺氧晕倒,却死活撑着一丝清醒倒不下去。这分将死不死的挣扎令她的脸渐渐白了。门外的人,喃喃的叫……
  • 大援建

    大援建

    纪实作品《大援建》是奋斗在抗震救灾和灾后重建一线的广元本土文艺工作者,辛勤耕耘、倾情奋笔的结晶。该书全景式地见证和记录了史无前例的大援建这一重大历史事件,生动地诠释了伟大的抗震救灾精神,深刻地揭示了灾后重建创造奇迹的科学机制和力量源泉。
  • 遇见就不再错过

    遇见就不再错过

    【已出版】她在蓊郁韶荫,快意恩仇年华遇见他,他们的感情芳馥茂盛,悱恻绵长。然世事变迁,稚涩的他们带着对彼此最柔软的坚持面对分离。时岁清潺,人影料峭,当时间渐渐冷却情感,曾经的海誓山盟亦支离破碎,待桃花落尽自成春泥,他与她又是否能殊途同归?天上人间,明灭光影,他们的顾盼回眸将各自牵绊。那一场日光倾城的盛夏光年,在兵荒马乱的时间洪流中轻声浅吟,诉说着她与他的情深不寿。
  • 重生功夫巨星

    重生功夫巨星

    一个三流的歌手,四流的演员,不入流的导演,重生异世,欲凭借脑海之中那些经典的歌曲,火爆的电影,打造一个属于自己的娱乐王国。只是让他没有想到的是,真正让他名动世界的不是那些歌曲电影,而是是他的拳头!明星会国术,谁也挡不住!本故事纯属虚构,如有巧合,纯属鬼扯!
  • 谈婚斗爱:听说爱情在隔壁

    谈婚斗爱:听说爱情在隔壁

    订婚的日子,为何却总是有令人迷惑的身份?宿醉醒来,多么讽刺。她认定要情定一生的人,她却躺在邻居的床上,床边坐着温润有礼的男邻居,心中却潜藏着多年情伤。八年之后,一部清新御姐与温雅男教授的爱情邻里剧,一切是否能够重新来过?乔楚肯定地回答:“不能。他温文尔雅,斜撑着下巴,也是背叛的日子,深情凝视她,她随性张扬,一脸无辜。他说:“你昨晚已经答应嫁给我,现在你看着办吧!”乔楚无言,深沉专情,满头黑线,身后却站着相交多年的情人。”温雅而神秘的男邻居,敢爱敢恨,出得厅堂,入得厨房,愿为她修复受伤的爱情。她两个耳光打掉了这一段情缘。逃之夭夭。然后,谁能告诉她到底是怎么回事啊?