The Wisdom Of One Word改变一生的邂逅
Isn t it amazing how one person， sharing one idea， at the right time and place can change the course of your life s history？ This is certainly what happened in my life. When I was 14， I was hitchhiking from Houston， Texas， through El Paso on my way to California. I was following my dream， journeying with the sun. I was a high school dropout with learning disabilities and was set on surfing the biggest waves in the world， first in California and then in Hawaii， where I would later live.
Upon reaching downtown El Paso， I met an old man， a bum， on the street corner. He saw me walking， stopped me and questioned me as I passed by. He asked me if I was running away from home， I suppose because I looked so young. I told him， "Not exactly， sir，" since my father had given me a ride to the freeway in Houston and given me his blessings while saying， "It is important to follow your dream and what is in your heart. Son. "
The bum then asked me if he could buy me a cup of coffee. I told him， "No， sir， but a soda would be great." We walked to a corner malt4 shop and sat down on a couple of swiveling stools while we enjoyed our drinks.
After conversing for a few minutes， the friendly bum told me to follow him. He told me that he had something grand to show me and share with me. We walked a couple of blocks until we came upon the downtown El Paso Public Library.
We walked up its front steps and stopped at a small information stand. Here the bum spoke to a smiling old lady， and asked her if she would be kind enough to watch my things for a moment while he and I entered the library. I left my belongings with this grandmotherly figure and entered into this magnificent hall of learning.
The bum first led me to a table and asked me to sit down and wait for a moment while he looked for something special amongst the shelves. A few moments later， he returned with a couple of old books under his arms and set them on the table. He then sat down beside me and spoke. He started with a few statements that were very special and that changed my life. He said， "There are two things that I want to teach you， young man， and they are these：
"Number one is to never judge a book by its cover， for a cover can fool you. "He followed with， "I ll bet you think I m a bum， don t you， young man？"
I said， "Well， uh， yes， I guess so， sir."
"Well， young man， I’ve got a little surprise for you. I am one of the wealthiest men in the world. I have probably everything any man could ever want. I originally come from the Northeast and have all the things that money can buy. But a year ago， my wife passed away， bless her soul， and since then I have been deeply reflecting upon life. I realized there were certain things I had not yet experienced in life， one of which was what it would be like to live like a bum on the streets. I made a commitment11 to myself to do exactly that for one year. For the past year.I have been going from city to city doing just that. So， you see， don’t ever judge a book by its cover， for a cover can fool you.
"Number two is to learn how to read， my boy. For there is only one thing that people can’t take away from you， and that is your wisdom. "At that moment， he reached forward， grabbed my right hand in his and put them upon the books he’d pulled from the shelves. They were the writings of Plato13 and Aristotle-immortal classics from ancient times.
如果一个人，在适当的时候和地方因为一句话而改变了他的人生历程，你会感到惊异和不可思议吗？然而这的确是千真万确的，它就发生在我14岁那年。那时，我正在从得克萨斯州的休斯敦，经由爱坡索市前往加利福尼亚州去的旅途中。日出即行，日落即息；痴痴地追寻着我的梦想。我本来在读高中，也许我天生就不是读书的材料，因此我不得不中途辍学。随即我决心要到世界上最大的海浪上去冲浪，先准备到加利福尼亚州，再到夏威夷，然后我准备就在那里住下来。
在刚进入爱坡索市区的时候，我看到有一个老头，一个流浪者，坐在街道的拐角处。他看见了走路的我，当我就要从他的旁边走过去时，他拦住了我，并开口向我发问。他问我是不是偷着从家里跑出来的，我想他这么问我一定是看我太年轻，觉得我太嫩的缘故。“不完全是，先生。”因为是我爸爸开车把我送到休斯敦的高速公路上的，他还一边为我祝福，一边说：“儿子，追寻你的梦想和心中的憧憬非常重要。”
然后那个流浪者问我他能请我喝咖啡吗，我回答说：“不，先生，一杯汽水就可以了。”于是，我们走进街道拐角处的一家酒吧，坐在一双转椅上，喝着饮料。
在闲聊了几分钟后，这个和蔼可亲的老流浪汉要我跟他走。他告诉我说他有一样大东西给我看，要与我分享。我们走过了几个街区，来到了爱坡索市的公立图书馆。
我们沿着它前面的台阶向上走，在一处小小的咨询台前停了下来。老流浪汉向一位笑容可掬的老太太说了几句话，并问她是否愿意在他和我进图书馆时帮忙照看一下我的行李。我把行李放在那位老奶奶般的人那里，走进了那座宏伟的学习殿堂。
老流浪汉先把我带到一张桌子前，让我坐下来稍等片刻，而他则到那些林立的书架中去寻找那个特别重要的东西去了。不一会儿，他腋下夹着几本旧书回来了。他把书放到桌子上，然后他在我的身边坐了下来，打开了话匣子，出口便不凡，其话语非常特别，改变了我一生的命运。他说：“年轻人，我想教你两件事，就是：
“第一是切记不要从封面来判断一本书的好坏，因为封面有时也会蒙骗你。”他接着说道：“我敢打赌，你一定认为我是个老流浪汉，是不是？年轻人。”
我说：“嗯，是的，先生，我想是的。”
“嗯，年轻人，我要给你一个小惊喜：其实我是这个世界上最富有的人之一，人们梦寐以求的任何东西我几乎都有。我最初从美国东北部来，凡是金钱能买到的东西，我全都有。但是一年前，我妻子死了，愿上帝保佑她的在天之灵，从那以后，我开始深深地反思人生的意义。我意识到，生活中有些东西我还没有体验过，其中之一就是做一个沿街乞讨的流浪汉滋味如何。于是我对自己发誓要像流浪汉一样活一年。在过去的一年里，我从一个城市流浪到另一个城市，就像流浪汉一样生活。所以，你看，切记不要从封面来判断一本书的好坏，因为封面有时也会蒙骗你。
“第二，我的孩子，是要学会如何读书。因为这个世界上只有一种东西是别人无法从你的身上拿走的，那，就是你的智慧！”说到这，他俯身向着我，抓住我的右手放在他从书架中找到的书上。那是柏拉图和亚里士多德的著作——上古以降已经流传了几千年的不朽的经典。
Steps To Happiness通往幸福的阶梯
Everybody Knows：
You can’t be all things to all people.
You can’t do all things at once.
You can’t do all things equally well.
You can’t do all things better than everyone else.
Your humanity is showing just like everyone else’s.
So：
You have to find out who you are， and be that.
You have to decide what comes first， and do that.
You have to discover your strengths， and use them.
You have to learn not to compete with others，
Because no one else is in the contest of “being you”.
Then：
You will have learned to accept your own uniqueness.
You will have learned to set priorities and make decisions.
You will have learned to live with your limitations.
You will have learned to give yourself the respect that is due.
And you’ll be a most vital mortal.
Dare To Believe：
That you are a wonderful， unique person.
That you are a once-in-all-history event.
That it’s more than a right， it’s your duty， to be who you are.
That life is not a problem to solve， but a gift to cherish.
And you’ll be able to stay one up on what used .to get you down.
每个人都知道：
你无法为每个人办到每件事。
你无法立刻完成所有的事。
你无法把所有的事都做得尽善尽美。
你无法把每件事都做得比别人好，
你只是和其他人一样。
所以：
你要找到你是谁，做好自己。
你要决定什么是要先去做的。
你要发现自己的优点，并好好地利用。
你要学会不与其他人竞争。
因为没有人是你的对手。
接下来：
你要学着认识到自己的独一无二。
你要学习设置优先权并做决策。
你要接受生活的局限性。
你要学会适当尊重自己。
你将成为最重要的。
勇敢的相信：
你是个完美的，独一无二的人。
你创造了百年不遇的历史事件。
这是你的责任更胜过于你的权利。
生活不是一个需要解决的麻烦，而是一份需要珍惜的礼物。
勇敢的生活你将会得到你想拥有的一切。
Catch The Dream追随梦想
Catch the star that holds your destiny， the one that forever twinkles within your heart. Take advantage of precious opportunities while they still sparkle before you. Always believe that your ultimate goal is attainable as long as you commit yourself to it.
Though barriers may sometimes stand in the way of your dreams， remember that your destiny is hiding behind them. Accept the fact that not everyone is going to approve of the choices you’ve made， have faith in your judgment， catch the star that twinkles in your heart， and it will lead you to your destiny’s path. Follow that pathway and uncover the sweet sunrises that await you.
Take pride in your accomplishments， as they are stepping stones to your dreams. Understand that you may make mistakes， but don’t let them discourage you. Value your capabilities and talents for they are what make you truly unique. The greatest gifts in life are not purchased， but acquired through hard work and determination.
追随能够改变你命运的那颗星，那颗永远在你心中闪烁的明星。当它在你面前闪耀时，抓住这宝贵的机会。请谨记，只要你坚持不懈，最终的目标总能实现。
尽管实现梦想的途中有时会遇到障碍，要知道这是命运对你的挑战。不是每个人都会赞成你的选择，接受这个现实，并相信自我的判断，追随那颗在你心中闪烁的明星，它会引领你踏上命运的征途。坚持不懈，你就能享受那些幸福时刻。
每前进一步，你都应引以为豪，因为它们是你实现梦想的阶梯。要知道在这个过程中你也许会犯错误，但不要气馁。珍视自我的潜能，因为它们使你独一无二。生命中最珍贵的礼物不是花钱买来的，而是通过努力和决心而获取的。
My Miraculous Family生命的奇迹
I never considered myself unique， but people are constantly telling me， "You are a miracle." To me， I was just an ordinary "guy" with realistic goals and big dreams. I was a 19-year-old student at the University of Texas and well on my way toward fulfilling my "big dream" of one day becoming an orthopedic surgeon.
On the night of February 17， 1981 I was studying for an Organic Chemistry test at the library with Sharon， my girlfriend of three years. Sharon had asked me to drive her back to her dormitory as it was getting quite late. We got into my car， not realizing that just getting into a car would never quite be the same for me again. I quickly noticed that my gas gauge was registered on empty so I pulled into a nearby convenience store to buy $2.00 worth of gas. "I'll be back in two minutes，" I yelled at Sharon as I closed the door. But instead， those two minutes changed my life forever.
Entering the convenience store was like entering the twilight zone. On the outside I was a healthy， athletic， pre-med student， but on the inside I was just another statistic of a violent crime. I thought I was entering an empty store， but suddenly I realized it was not empty at all. Three robbers were in the process of committing a robbery and my entrance into the store caught them by surprise. One of the criminals immediately shoved a .38 caliber handgun to my head， ordered me to the cooler， pushed me down on the floor， and pumped a bullet into the back of my head - execution style. He obviously thought I was dead because he did not shoot me again. Thetrio of thieves finished robbing the store and left calmly.
Meanwhile， Sharon wondered why I had not returned. After seeing the three men leave the store she really began to worry as I was the last person she saw entering the store. She quickly went inside to look for me， but saw no one-only an almost empty cash register containing one check and several pennies. Quickly she ran down each aisle shouting， "Mike， Mike！"
Just then theattendant appeared from the back of the store shouting， "Lady， get down on the floor. I've just been robbed and shot at！"
Sharon quickly dropped to the floor screaming， "Have you seen my boyfriend？ He has auburn hair." The man did not reply but went back to the cooler where he found me choking on my vomit. The attendant quickly cleaned my mouth and then called for the police and an ambulance.
Sharon was in shock. She was beginning to understand that I was hurt， but she could not begin to comprehend or imagine the severity of my injury.
When the police arrived they immediately called the homicide division as they did not think I would survive and the 1paramedic reported that she had never seen a person so severely wounded survive. At 1：30 a.m. my parents who lived in Houston， were awakened by a telephone call from Brackenridge Hospital advising them to come to Austin as soon as possible for they feared I would not make it through the night.
But I did make it through the night and early in the morning the 1neurosurgeon decided to operate. However， he quickly informed my family and Sharon that my chances of surviving the surgery were only 40/60. If this were not bad enough， the neurosurgeon further shocked my family by telling them what life would be like for me if I 1beat the odds and survived. He said I probably would never walk， talk， or be able to understand even simple commands.
My family was hoping and praying to hear even the slightest bit of encouragement from that doctor. Instead， his pessimistic words gave my family no reason to believe that I would ever again be a productive member of society. But once again I beat the odds and survived the three and a half hours of surgery.
Granted， I still could not talk， my entire right side was paralyzed and many people thought I could not understand， but at least I was stable. After one week in a private room the doctors felt I had improved enough to be transferred by jet ambulance to Del Oro 1Rehabilitation Hospital in Houston.
My 1hallucinations， coupled with my physical problems， made my 1prognosis still very bleak. However， as time passed my mind began to clear and approximately six weeks later my right leg began to move ever so slightly. Within seven weeks my right arm slowly began to move and at eight weeks I uttered my first few words.
My speech was extremely difficult and slow in the beginning， but at least it was a beginning. I was starting to look forward to each new day to see how far I would progress. But just as I thought my life was finally looking brighter I was tested by the hospital europsychologist. She explained to me that judging from my test results she believed that I should not focus on returning to college but that it would be better to set more "realistic goals."
Upon hearing her evaluation I became furious for I thought， "Who is she to tell me what I can or cannot do. She does not even know me. I am a very determined and stubborn person！" I believe it was at that very moment that I decided I would somehow， someday return to college.
It took me a long time and a lot of hard work but I finally returned to the University of Texas in the fall of 1983 - a year and a half after almost dying. The next few years in Austin were very difficult for me， but I truly believe that in order to see beauty in life you have to experience some unpleasantness. Maybe I have experienced too much unpleasantness， but I believe in living each day to the fullest， and doing the very best I can.
And each new day was very busy and very full， for besides attending classes at the University I underwent therapy three to five days each week at Brackenridge Hospital. If this were not enough I flew to Houston every other weekend to work with Tom Williams， a trainer and executive who had worked for many colleges and professional teams and also had helped many injured athletes， such as Earl Campbell and Eric Dickerson. Through Tom I learned： "Nothing is impossible and never， never give up or quit."
Early， during my therapy， my father kept repeating to me one of his favorite sayings. I have repeated it almost every day since being hurt： "Mile by mile it's a trial； yard by yard it's hard； but inch by inch it's a cinch."
I thought of those words， and I thought of Tom， my family and Sharon who believed so strongly in me as I climbed the steps to receive my diploma from the Dean of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas on that bright sunny afternoon in June of 1986. Excitement and pride filled my heart as I heard the dean announce that I had graduated with "highest honors"， been elected to Phi Beta Kappa， and been chosen as one of 12 Dean's Distinguished Graduates out of 1600 in the College of Liberal Arts.
The overwhelming emotions and feelings that I experienced at that very moment， when most of the audience gave me a standing 1ovation， I felt would never again be matched in my life-not even when I graduated with a masters degree in social work and not even when I became employed full time at the Texas Pain and Stress Center. But I was wrong！
On May 24， 1987， I realized that nothing could ever match the joy I felt as Sharon and I were married. Sharon， my high school sweetheart of nine years， had always stood by me， through good and bad times. To me， Sharon is my miracle， my diamond in a world filled with problems， hurt， and pain. It was Sharon who dropped out of school when I was hurt so that she could constantly be at my side. She never wavered or gave up on me.
It was her faith and love that pulled me through so many dark days. While other nineteen year old girls were going to parties and enjoying life， Sharon devoted her life to my recovery. That， to me， is the true definition of love.
After our beautiful wedding I continued working part time at the Pain Center and completed my work for a masters degree. We were extremely happy， but even happier when we learned Sharon was pregnant.
On July 11， 1990 at 12：15 a.m. Sharon woke me with the news： "We need to go to the hospital… my water just broke." I couldn't help but think how ironic it was that my life almost ended in a convenience store and now on the date "7-11" we were about to bring a new life into this world. This time it was my turn to help Sharon as she had helped me over those past years.
She was in labor for 15 hours. At 3：10 p.m. Sharon and I experienced the birth of our beautiful daughter， Shawn Elyse Segal！
Tears of joy and happiness came to my eyes as our healthy， alert， wonderful daughter entered this world. We anxiously counted her 10 fingers and her 10 toes and watched her wide eyes take in the world about her. It was truly a beautiful picture that was 1etched in my mind forever as she lie in her mother's waiting arms， just minutes after her birth. At that moment I thanked God for blessing us with the greatest miracle of all-Shawn Elyse Segal.
我从未觉得自己与众不同，但人们常对我说：“你的生命是个奇迹。”对我而言，我只是一个普通人，有着现实的目标和远大的理想。我曾是德克萨斯大学一名十九岁的大学生，在通向理想之路上信步前行，梦想有一天我会成为一名整形外科医生。
1981年2月17日的晚上，我和交往三年的女友沙伦在为有机化学测试做准备。因为太晚了，沙伦叫我驾车把她送回宿舍。我们钻进汽车，谁能想到在今后的生命中我不能再如此矫健地重复这样一个简单的动作。我很快发现油表空了，于是我把车泊在附近的一家便利店旁，想买两块钱的汽油。“我两分钟就回来。”我关上车门朝沙伦喊到。但就是这短短的两分钟改变了我一生的命运，永远地改变了。
进入这家便利店就如同踏上了阴阳间的奈何桥，门外的我还是个健康的，活蹦乱跳的未婚大学生，而门内的我却成了暴力犯罪的又一个牺牲品。我还以为店里没有人，但我突然发现我错了——有三个匪徒正在打劫这家店，而我的进入让他们有些惊慌失措。其中一个匪徒迅速掏出一把口径为38毫米的手枪用力指着我的头，勒令我走到冷冻机旁，然后把我推倒在地，像执行死刑般从后面朝我头部开了一枪。他没再朝我开第二枪，显然他以为我死了。打劫完后三个劫匪逃之夭夭。
与此同时，沙伦对我的不归忧心忡忡。看到这三个匪徒离开便利店后她真的很担心，因为我是她见到的最后一个进入店里的人。她赶快跑进店来找我，只见几乎被一扫而空的收银机上挂着一张账单，还有几枚硬币散落在上面，四周无人。她在货架间飞快地跑着、喊着：“迈克！迈克！”
这时一名服务员从店后面走出来叫道：“小姐，过来一下，我刚才被打劫了，他们还向我开了枪。”
沙伦跌跌撞撞地过来哭喊道：“你见到我的男朋友了吗？长褐色头发的。” 那人默默走到冷冻机旁，找到了我，此时呕吐快令我窒息了。他赶忙帮我擦干了嘴，叫了警察和救护车。
沙伦被吓坏了。渐渐地她才明白我受伤了，但是她根本想象不到伤势的严重性。
警察来了，他们很快断定是杀人案，因为没人相信我还能活过来，而救护人员说她从来没有见过伤势如此严重的人可以逃离死劫。下午一点半，我住在奥斯汀的父母被来自布莱肯瑞吉医院的电话铃惊醒，医院通知他们尽快赶到奥斯汀，因为他们认为我熬不过当晚了。
但那晚我挺了过来，第二天清晨神经外科医生决定给我动手术。但他立即告知我的家人和沙伦我存活的机会只有百分之四十。然后他还雪上加霜地告诉我的家人，向他们描述如果我万幸活下来将面临怎样的生活——我可能再也不会走路了，不会说话了，甚至不能理解一些极其简单的命令。这些对我的家人来说都是莫大的打击。
本来家里人祈望能从医生的口中听到一点点鼓励的话，而他悲观的言语让他们没理由相信我还会成为一个对社会有用的人。在经历了三个半小时的手术之后，我再次侥幸地活了下来。
医生的话得到了应验，我不能说话，整个右边的身体瘫痪了，许多人认为我变傻了，但至少我身体状况是稳定的。在私人看护病房里呆了一个星期后，医生觉得我已经好转了许多，并可以坐救护飞机转到休斯顿的德欧洛康复医院。
意识上的幻觉和生理上的病疾使我的病情预断非常的渺茫。然而时间的飞逝使我的意识开始变得清晰，大约六个星期以后我的右腿可以轻微地活动了，七周以后我的右臂开始缓慢地活动了，八周以后我终于开口说话了。
说话对于我非常地艰难，并且开始的时候说得很慢，但是总算是开头了。我开始寄希望于新的一天的到来，祈望着新的进步。但正当我以为生活总算初露光明的时候，医院里有个欧洲来的心理学家对我做了测试。她向我解释到，从检测的结果来看她坚信我不能再重返学校，劝我对此不要抱有任何希望，希望我最好树立些更现实点的目标。
她的这番结论让我怒不可遏，“她是谁，凭什么告诉我能做什么或不能做什么。她根本不了解我。我是很坚强而固执的人！”我相信就在那时我决定无论如何，总有一天我会返回学校的。
在经历了一年半垂死挣扎的生活后，在漫长的等待和艰辛的付出后，终于在1983年的秋天，我返回了德克萨斯大学。在奥斯汀接下来的几年里我生活得非常艰难，但我确信为了看到生活中的真善美，你必须要经历一些苦难。也许我经历的苦难太多了，但我有一个信念——充实地过每一天，尽力做到最好。
日子过的很繁忙、很充实，除了读书，每周我还要在布莱肯瑞吉医院接受三到五次的治疗。如果这还不够忙的话，我还要隔周和汤姆·威廉斯飞到休斯顿工作。汤姆是一个教练兼主管，他曾效力于许多大学校队和职业联队，并帮助过许多受伤的运动员，如：厄尔·坎贝尔和艾立克·迪克森。从汤姆的身上我学到“没有什么是不可能的，千万千万不要放弃，永不放弃。”
早在我接受治疗的时候，父亲总是重复他最爱的那句话，每天当我感到痛苦的时候我也对自己重复那句话，那就是“脚踏实地，切勿急功近利。”
1986年六月那个阳光明媚的午后，当我步履蹒跚地走上德克萨斯大学迪安文学院的台阶接受文凭的时候，我思索着这些话，想到汤姆、父母还有沙伦，他们都那么坚定地给予了我信任。当我听到院长宣布我以最高荣誉毕业时，我的心中充满了骄傲和自信。接着他还宣布我被选入美国大学优等生荣誉学会，并在1600名毕业生中当选为12名迪安文学院的杰出毕业生之一。
当场有许多观众站起来为我鼓掌，那一刻令我心潮澎湃、百感交集。我甚至觉得生命中不可能再经历那样的感慨和激情，这种想法一直延续到我获得社会学的硕士学位，成为德克萨斯止痛减压中心的一名全职工作人员。但幸运之神再次眷顾了我！
1987年5月24日，我觉得再没有什么能与此时的快乐相提并论，我和沙伦结婚了。沙伦是我高中时代的女友，风风雨雨九年来，她一直陪在我身旁。对我来说，她是我的奇迹，是我在这个充满困惑和伤痛的世界上拥有的一颗钻石。为了能日夜守侯在我的身旁，沙伦在我受伤的时候放弃了学业。她的爱从未动摇过，她从未抛弃过我。
是她的忠诚和爱伴着我度过了无数个黑暗的日子。当别的十九岁的女孩子参加舞会、享受生活的时候，沙伦把青春献给了病床上的我，等待我的康复。对我来说，这就是爱的真谛。
在那个美满的婚礼之后，我继续在止痛中心做着兼职的工作，并获得了我的硕士学位。我们非常的幸福，而沙伦怀孕的消息更让我们恩爱有加。
1990年7月11日12点15分，沙伦把我从梦中唤醒：“我们得去医院了……我羊水破了。”我忍不住想命运真让人啼笑皆非，它几乎让我在那家便利店里丢了性命，而在一个命名为“7·11”的日子里它却让我迎来新生命的出世。多年来沙伦帮我渡过了一次又一次难关，这次该我来帮助她了。
沙伦经历了15个小时的分娩。在3点10分的时候，沙伦和我一起迎来了我们美丽的女儿——萧恩·艾丽斯·斯高。
当我看到美丽的女儿健康地来到这个世上，喜悦和幸福化作泪水夺眶而出。我们迫不及待地数着她的十个手指和十只脚趾，看着她大大的眼睛注视着她的世界。初生的婴儿躺在妈妈柔软的怀里如一副优美的图画将永驻我的心中。那一刻，我感谢上帝赐予我们如此最伟大的奇迹——我的萧恩·艾丽斯·斯高。
Never Give Up Hope永远别放弃希望
Life doesn’t always give us the joys we want.
We don’t always get our hopes and dreams， and we don’t always get our own way.
But don’t give up hope， because you can make a difference one situation and one person at a time.
Look for the beauty around you—in nature， in others， in yourself—and believe in the love of friends， family， and humankind.
You can find love in a smile or a helping hand， in a thoughtful gesture or a kind word. It is all around， if you just look for it.
Give love， for in giving it you will find the power in life along with the joy， happiness， patience， and understanding.
Believe in the goodness of others and remember that anger and depression can be countered by love and hope.
Even when you feel as though there isn’t a lot you can do to change unhappiness or problems， you can always do a little—and a little at a time eventually makes a big difference.
生活并非总是如你所愿。
希望有时会落空，梦想有时会破灭，我们不能一切随心所愿。
但别放弃希望，因为事物并非一成不变；不同时间，不同场合，你会呈现不同的面貌。
处处留心身边的美吧——自然中的，别人中的，你自己的——请相信，美来自朋友、家庭乃至全人类的融融爱意。
一个微笑，援助之手，关心的举止，友善的世界，无不传达着爱。爱无所不在，如果你有寻找的话。
奉献爱心吧，从中你会发现生活的力量，感受生活带来的幸福快乐，学会忍耐和理解。
相信人性本善。记住，爱心和希望能化解一切愤怒和沮丧。
哪怕生活中挥之不去的不快和困难将你重重包围，让你力不从心，但你仍可以尽力而为。累积点滴努力，最终你将扭转乾坤。
If如果
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you；
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you，
But make allowance for their doubting too；
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting，
Or， being lied about， don’t deal in lies，
Or， being hated， don’t give way to hating，
And yet don’t look too good， nor talk too wise；
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master；
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim；
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same；
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools，
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken，
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools；
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss，
And lose， and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss；
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone，
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them： “Hold on！”
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue，
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch；
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you；
If all men count with you， but none too much；
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds ’worth of distance run—
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it，
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man my son！
如果所有人都失去理智，咒骂你，
你仍能保持头脑清醒；
如果所有人都怀疑你，
你仍能坚信自己，让所有的怀疑动摇；
如果你要等待，不要因此厌烦，
为人所骗，不要因此骗人，
为人所恨，不要因此抱恨，
不要太乐观，不要自以为是；
如果你是个追梦人——不要被梦主宰；
如果你是个爱思考的人——不要以思想者自居；
如果你遇到骄傲和挫折，
把两者当骗子看待；
如果你能忍受你曾讲过的事实，
被恶棍扭曲，用于蒙骗傻子，
或者，看着你用毕生去看护的东西被破坏，
俯下身去，用破旧的工具把它修补；
如果在你赢得无数桂冠之后，
然后孤注一掷再博一次，
失败过后，东山再起，
不要抱怨你的失败；
如果你能迫使自己，
在别人走后，长久坚守阵地，
在你心中已空荡荡无一物
只有意志告诉你“坚持！”；
如果你与人交谈，能保持风度，
伴王同行，能保持距离；
如果仇敌和好友都不害你；
如果所有人都指望你，却无人苛求于你；
如果你花六十秒进行短程跑，
填满那不可饶恕的一分钟——
你就可以拥有一个世界，一切都是你的，
更重要的是，孩子，你是个顶天立地的人！
Feed Your Mind 充实你的思想
Since the pre-historic times， man has had an urge to satisfy his needs. Be it hunger， shelter or search for a mate， he has always manipulated the circumstances to the best of his advantages. Probably this might be the reason why we human are the most developed of all living species on the earth， and probably also in the universe. As we climbed the steps of evolution with giant leaps， we somehow left behind common sense and logical thinking — we forgot that we have stopped thinking ahead of times.
If you are hungry， what do you do？ Grab a piece of your favorite meal and stay quiet after that？ Just like your stomach， even your mind is hungry. But it never lets you know， because you keep it busy thinking about your dream lover， favorite star and many such absurd things. So it silently began to heed to your needs and never let itself grow. When mind looses its freedom to grow， creativity gets a full stop. This might be the reason why we all sometimes think "What happens next？"， "Why can't I think？"， "Why am I always given the difficult problems？" Well this is the aftermath of our own karma of using our brain for thinking of not-so-worthy things.
Hunger of the mind can be actually satiated through extensive reading. Now why reading and not watching TV？ Because reading has been the most educative tool used by us right from the childhood. Just like that to develop other aspects of our life， we have to take help of reading. You have innumerable number of books in this world which will answer all your “How to？” questions. Once you read a book， you just don't run your eyes through the lines， but even your mind decodes it and explains it to you. The interesting part of the book is stored in your mind as a seed. Now this seed is unknowingly used by you in your future to develop new ideas. The same seed if used many times， can help you link and relate a lot of things， of which you would have never thought of in your wildest dreams！ This is nothing but creativity. More the number of books you read， your mind will open up like never before. Also this improves your oratory skills to a large extent and also makes a significant contribution to your vocabulary. Within no time you start speaking English or any language fluently with your friends or other people and you never seem to run out of the right words at the right time.
Actually， I had a problem in speaking English fluently， but as I read， I could improve significantly. I am still on the path of improvement to quench my thirst for satisfaction. So guys do join me and give food for your thoughts by reading， reading and more reading. Now what are you waiting for？ Go， grab a book， and let me know！
自史前时代起，人类就已有满足自己需求的强烈欲望。无论是饥饿、避难或寻觅配偶，人类总是操纵着环境使其达到最利于自己的状态。这或许解答了为什么人类是地球上甚至是宇宙中最高级的现存物种。然而在进化的阶梯上取得巨大飞跃之时，我们却不知何故将一些常识和逻辑思维抛诸脑后了——我们忘记了自己已经停止了超前思维。
如果你饿了，你会怎么做？抓起你最喜爱的美食饱餐一顿，然后静静地呆在那里？而你的大脑也像你的胃，是会感到饥饿的，但它却从不让你知道，因为你让它一直想着你的梦中情人、你最喜爱的明星和许多诸如此类的荒唐事。因此它只是默默地留意着你的需要却从不让自己成长。当思维恣意成长时，创造力就戛然而止。这也许就是为什么我们有时会想“下一步该如何？”、“为什么我想不到？”、“为什么我总是碰到难题？”的原因吧。这也是我们的大脑总在考虑那些毫无价值的事情产生的后果。
事实上，思维的饥荒可以通过广泛的阅读来满足。为什么是阅读而不是选择看电视呢？因为自孩提时代起，读书就已经是最具教育性的工具了。正如人生发展的其他方面一样，我们不得不求助于阅读。世界上有无数书籍可以回答你“如何做”的问题。读书时不仅要用眼睛浏览文字，还要用脑去解读、诠释。书中有趣的部分就会像种子一样贮存在你的脑海里。将来你会不自觉地运用这粒种子引发新的想法。多次运用这粒种子将有助于你把许多事情联系起来，即使你做梦都想不到这些！这不是别的，就是创造力！你读的书越多，你的心智就会前所未有地开阔。而且这还会大幅度地提高你的演讲能力、丰富你的词汇量。你很快就能用流利的英语或别的语言与你的朋友或别人交谈，而且你再也不会在适合的场合缺少适合的词语。
实际上，我的英语还是不够流利，但只要我阅读，我就会取得显著进步。现在我仍在“自我提高”、为头脑“解渴”的长路上跋涉。请加入到我的行列吧！通过阅读、阅读、再阅读来为你的思想“喂食”。你还在等什么？现在就拿起一本书让我瞧瞧！
Life Struggle生命的拼搏
Once upon a time in a land far far away， there was a wonderful old man who loved everything. Animals， spiders， insects... One day while walking through the woods the nice old man found a cocoon of a butterfly. He took it home. A few days later， a small opening appeared； he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther.
Then the man decided to help the butterfly， so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small， shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that， at any moment， the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body， which would contract in time. Neither happened！ In fact， the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly. What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were Nature's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were allowed to go through our life without any obstacles， it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. And we could never fly.
He that has never known adversity is but half acquainted with others or himself.
The winter's frost must rend the burr of the nut before the fruit is seen. So adversity tempers the human heart， to discover its real worth.
In this wild world the fondest and the best are the most tried， most troubled and distressed.
从前，在一个非常非常遥远的国度，有一位心地善良的老人。他喜爱一切东西，动物啦，蜘蛛啦，昆虫啦。 一天，这位善良的老人在树林里散步的时候，发现了一个蝴蝶的茧。他把茧带回了家。 几天后，茧裂开了一道小缝。老人几小时地坐在那里，看着蝴蝶挣扎着让自己的身体从小缝中挤出来。后来，蝴蝶破茧好像停了下来，没有什么进展了。看来蝴蝶好像是撑到了最后，再也不可能前进了。
看到这里，老人决定帮助蝴蝶。于是他找出一把剪刀，把茧剩余的部分剪破了。这样，蝴蝶就轻易地从茧中脱出来了。但是，蝴蝶的身子肿胀着，翅膀又小又皱。老人继续观察着蝴蝶，因为他期望着这样一个时刻的到来：蝴蝶的翅膀会变大，大到能支持它的身体，而蝴蝶的身体届时也会缩小。可是什么也没有发生。事实上，这只蝴蝶的余生中就只能拖着臃肿的身体和萎缩的翅膀爬来爬去了。它永远也不能飞起来了。在好心和匆忙间，老人并不理解，蝴蝶破茧而出时需要的那种束缚和挣扎其实是大自然用来将蝴蝶的体液挤到翅膀中的方法，这样，蝴蝶一旦能从茧中脱出，就能准备好飞翔了。有时候，挣扎正是我们生活中所需要的。如果我们能得以毫无障碍地走过一生，这会使我们软弱。我们就不可能变得强壮。重要的是，我们就不可能腾飞。
从来没有遇到过逆境的人，只能对他人和自己一知半解。
只要冬天的寒霜撕碎了坚果的芒刺，才能看到果实。因此，逆境能炼就一个人的心，发现这颗心真正的价值。
在这个狂野的世界上，最可爱、最优秀的人是那些经受了最多考验、最多烦扰、最多危难的人。
Growing Roots成长的树根
When I was growing up， I had an old neighbor named Dr. Gibbs. He didn’t look like any doctor I’d ever known. He never yelled at us for playing in his yard. I remember him as someone who was a lot nicer than circumstances warranted.
When Dr. Gibbs wasn’t saving lives， he was planting trees. His house sat on ten acres， and his life’s goal was to make it a forest.
The good doctor had some interesting theories concerning plant husbandry. He came from the “No pain， no gain” school of horticulture. He never watered his new trees， which flew in the face of conventional wisdom. Once I asked why. He said that watering plants spoiled them， and that if you water them， each successive tree generation will grow weaker and weaker. So you have to make things rough for them and weed out the weenie trees early on.
He talked about how watering trees made for shallow roots， and how trees that weren’t watered had to grow deep roots in search of moisture. I took him to mean that deep roots were to be treasured.
So he never watered his trees. He’d plant an oak and， instead of watering it every morning， he’d beat it with a rolled-up newspaper. Smack！ Slap！ Pow！ I asked him why he did that， and he said it was to get the tree’s attention.
Dr. Gibbs went to glory a couple of years after I left home. Every now and again， I walked by his house and looked at the trees that I’d watched him plant some twenty-five years ago. They’re granite strong now. Big and robust. Those trees wake up in the morning and beat their chests and drink their 1coffee black.
I planted a couple of trees a few years back. Carried water to them for a solid summer. Sprayed them. Prayed over them. The whole nine yards. Two years of 1coddling has resulted in trees that expect to be waited on hand and foot. Whenever a cold wind blows in， they tremble and chatter their branches. Sissy trees.
Funny things about those trees of Dr. Gibbs’. Adversity and deprivation seemed to benefit them in ways comfort and ease never could.
Every night before I go to bed， I check on my two sons. I stand over them and watch their little bodies， the rising and falling of life within. I often pray for them. Mostly I pray that their lives will be easy. But lately I’ve been thinking that it’s time to change my prayer.
This change has to do with the inevitability of cold winds that hit us at the core. I know my children are going to encounter hardship， and I’m praying they won’t be naive. There’s always a cold wind blowing somewhere.
So I’m changing my prayer. Because life is tough， whether we want it to be or not. Too many times we pray for ease， but that’s a prayer seldom met. What we need to do is pray for roots that reach deep into 1the Eternal， so when the rains fall and the winds blow， we won’t be swept asunder.
在我还是小孩子的时候，我有一个老邻居叫吉布斯医生。他不像我所认识的任何一个医生。我们在他的院子里玩耍，他从不对我们大喊大叫。我记得他是一个非常和蔼的人。
吉布斯医生不拯救人性命的时候就去种树。他的住所占地10英亩，他的人生目标就是将它变成一片森林。
这个好医生对于如何持家有一番有趣的理论。他来自一个“不劳无获”的园艺学校。他从不浇灌他新种的树，这显然与常理相悖。有一次我问为什么，他说浇水会毁了这些树，如果浇水，每一棵成活的树的后代会变得越来越娇弱。所以你得把它们的生长环境变得艰苦些，尽早淘汰那些弱不禁风的树。
他还告诉我用水浇灌的树的根是如何的浅，而那些没有浇水的树的根必须钻入深深的泥土获得水分。我将他的话理解为：深根是十分宝贵的。
所以他从不给他的树浇水。他种了一棵橡树，每天早上，他不是给它浇水，而是用一张卷起的报纸抽打它。“啪！噼！砰！”我问他为什么这样做，他说是为了引起树的注意。
在我离家两年后，吉布斯医生就去世了。我常常经过他的房子，看着那些25年前我曾看着他种下的那些树。如今它们已是像石头般硬朗了。枝繁叶茂、生气勃勃。这些树在早晨醒过来，拍打着胸脯，啜饮着苦难的汁水。
几年前我也种下两三棵树。整整一个夏天我都坚持为它们浇水。为它们喷杀虫剂，为它们祈祷。整整9平方码大的地方。两年的悉心呵护，结果两棵树弱不禁风。每当寒风吹起，它们就颤抖起来，枝叶直打战。娇里娇气的两棵树。
吉布斯医生的树真是有趣。逆境和折磨带给它们的益处似乎是舒适和安逸永远无法给予的。
每天晚上睡觉前，我都要看看两个儿子。我俯视着他们那幼小的身体，生命就在其中起落沉浮。我总是为他们祈祷，总是祈祷他们的生活能一帆风顺。但后来我想是该改变我的祈祷词的时候了。
这改变是因为将吹在我们要害的不可避免的寒风。我知道我的孩子们将遇到困难，我祈祷他们不会幼稚而脆弱。在某些地方总会有寒风吹过。
所以我改变了我的祈祷词。因为不管我们愿不愿意，生活总是艰难的。我们已祈祷了太多的安逸，但却少有实现。我们所需要做的是祈祷深植我们的信念之根，这样我们就不会被风雨所伤害。
I Never Write Right我不懂写作
When I was fifteen， I announced to my English class that I was going to write and illustrate my own books. Half the students sneered， the rest nearly fell out of their chairs laughing. “Don’t be silly， only geniuses can become writers，” the English teacher said smugly， “And you are getting a D this semester.” I was so humiliated I burst into tears.
That night I wrote a short sad poem about broken dreams and mailed it to the Capri’s Weekly newspaper. To my astonishment， they published it and sent me two dollars. I was a published and paid writer. I showed my teacher and fellow students. They laughed. “Just plain dumb luck，” the teacher said. I tasted success. I’d sold the first thing I’d ever written. That was more than any of them had done and if it was just dumb luck， which was fine with me.
During the next two years I sold dozens of poems， letters， jokes and recipes. By the time I graduated from high school， with a C minus average， I had scrapbooks filled with my published work. I never mentioned my writing to my teachers， friends or my family again. They were dream killers and if people must choose between their friends and their dreams， they must always choose their dreams.
I had four children at the time， and the oldest was only four. While the children napped， I typed on my ancient typewriter. I wrote what I felt. It took nine months， just like a baby. I chose a publisher at random and put the manuscript in an empty Pampers diapers package， the only box I could find. I’d never heard of manuscript boxes. The letter I enclosed read， “I wrote this book myself， I hope you like it. I also do the illustrations. Chapter six and twelve are my favourites. Thank you.” I tied a string around the diaper box and mailed it without a self addressed stamped envelope and without making a copy of the manuscript.
A month later I received a contract， an advance on royalties， and a request to start working on another book. Crying Wind， the title of my book， became a best seller， was translated into fifteen languages and Braille and sold worldwide. I appeared on TV talk shows during the day and changed diapers at night. I traveled from New York to California and Canada on promotional tours. My first book also became required reading in native American schools in Canada.
The worst year I ever had as a writer I earned two dollars. I was fifteen， remember？ In my best year I earned 36，000 dollars. Most years I earned between five thousand and ten thousand. No， it isn’t enough to live on， but it’s still more than I’d make working part time and it’s five thousand to ten thousand more than I’d make if I didn’t write at all. People ask what college I attended， what degrees I had and what qualifications I have to be a writer. The answer is： “None.” I just write. I’m not a genius. I’m not gifted and I don’t write right. I’m lazy， undisciplined， and spend more time with my children and friends than I do writing. I didn’t own a thesaurus until four years ago and I use a small Webster’s dictionary that I’d bought at K-Mart for 89 cents. I use an electric typewriter that I paid a hundred and twenty nine dollars for six years ago. I’ve never used a word processor. I do all the cooking， cleaning and laundry for a family of six and fit my writing in a few minutes here and there. I write everything in longhand on yellow tablets while sitting on the sofa with my four kids eating pizza and watching TV. When the book is finished， I type it and mail it to the publisher. I’ve written eight books. Four have been published and three are still out with the publishers. One stinks. To all those who dream of writing， I’m shouting at you： “Yes， you can. Yes， you can. Don’t listen to them.” I don’t write right but I’ve beaten the odds. Writing is easy， it’s fun and anyone can do it. Of course， a little dumb luck doesn’t hurt.
十五岁的时候，我对班上同学宣布说准备写书，并自己画插图。一半的学生开始窃笑，其余的则几乎从椅子上笑得跌到地上。“别傻了，只有天才才能成为作家。”英文老师自以为是地说道，“而你这个学期只有可能得D。”我羞愧得大哭起来。
那天晚上，我写了一首关于梦想破灭的伤心短诗，并将它寄给了《卡普里周报》。出乎意料的是，他们发表了这首小诗并给我寄来了两美元。我是作家了，我的作品发表了并因此而得到了报酬。我拿给老师和同学看，他们都笑我。“瞎猫逮着死耗子。”老师说道。我尝到了成功的甜头。我的第一篇作品就卖出去了。这比他们任何人做的都强，如果这是瞎猫逮着死耗子，那么我不在乎。
在接下来的两年里，我卖掉了几十首诗歌、书信、笑话和食谱。中学毕业时，我的平均成绩是C+，但我的剪贴簿里已经贴满了我发表的作品。我再也没有将自己的写作情况告诉老师、同学或家人。他们都是无情的摧梦者。如果有人要从朋友和梦想之间作出选择，他们总该选择后者。
现时我有四个孩子，最大的只有四岁。孩子们进入梦乡时，我就在那台老掉牙的打字机前打字，我写下自己的感受，这花了我九个月的时间，就像十月怀胎。我随意选择了一家出版社，将手稿用空的“帮宝适”尿布的盒子包起来——这是我唯一能找到的盒子了。我从来没听说过手稿箱。在附信中我写道：“这本书是我自己写的，希望你喜欢。插图也是我自己画的。我本人最喜欢第六章和第十二章。谢谢。”我用绳子捆好尿布箱，然后寄了出去，甚至没有在信封上加盖自己的地址，也没有留下一份手稿的复印件。
一个月后，我收到一份合同、一份预付款，以及另一本书的约稿。我的书《哭泣的风》成了最畅销的书，并被译成15国文字和盲文，销往世界各地。白天我出现在电视上的访谈节目中，晚上则回家换尿片。为了去领各种奖项，我从纽约来到加利福尼亚、加拿大。我的第一本书被列为加拿大本土美语学校的必读课程。
自从成了作家以来，我挣得最少的一年只有两美元。那时我十五岁，还记得吗？而最多的一年我可以挣三万六千美元。多数时候我挣的钱在五千到一万之间。不，这当然不够维持生计，但总比我兼职所能赚的多，而且比我如果不写作要多赚了五千到一万美元。人们问我曾上过什么大学，曾得过什么学位，曾获过什么资格证书才可以成为作家。答案是：“什么也不需要。”我只是写。我不是天才。我并没有写作天分也不懂写作。我懒惰、没有经过正式训练，与孩子和朋友相处的时间要多过写作的时间。直到四年前我才有了一本词典。我使用的是用89美分在K市场里买来的一本韦氏小词典。我从来不使用单词处理程序。我包揽了家里六个人所有的烹调、清洁和洗涤的活儿，这里写几分钟，那里写几分钟。所有的东西我都是坐在沙发上速记在黄色的笔记簿上，四个孩子在一边吃比萨饼一边看电视。书写完了，我就打出来然后寄到出版社。我写了八本书。四本已出版，三本在出版社，还有一本写砸了。对于那些梦想写作的人，我想大喊一声：“行的！你一定能行，不要听信别人！”我不懂写作，可是我战胜了不可能。写作很容易，十分有趣，每个人都做得来。当然，哪怕是瞎猫逮着死耗子也无关紧要。
I Am The Fire Goddess Of The Volcano我就是火女神
When I was eight years old， I saw a movie about a mysterious island that had an erupting volcano and lush jungles filled with wild animals and cannibals. The island was ruled by a beautiful woman called Tondalaya， the Fire Goddess of the Volcano. It was a terrible low budget movie， but to me， it represented the perfect life. Being chased by molten lava， blood thirsty animals and savages was a small price to pay for freedom. I desperately wanted to be the Fire Goddess. I wrote it on my list of things to be when I grow up， and I asked my girlfriend if Fire Goddess was spelled with two “D”s.
Through the years， the school system did its best to mold me into a no nonsense， responsible， respectable citizen， and Tondalaya was forgotten. My parents approved of my suitable marriage and I spent the next 25 years being a good wife， eventually the mother of four， and a very respectable responsible member of society. My life was as bland and boring as a bowl of oatmeal. I knew exactly what to expect in the future. The children would grow up and leave home， my husband and I would grow old together， and we’d baby-sit the grandchildren.
The week I turned 50, my marriage came to a sudden end. My house, furniture and everything I’d owned was auctioned off to pay debts I didn’t even know existed. In a week I had lost my husband, my home and my parents who refused to accept a divorce in the family. I’d lost everything except my four teenage children. I had enough money to rent a cheap apartment while I looked for a job or I could use every penny I had to buy five plane tickets from Missouri to the most remote island in the world, the big island of Hawaii. Everyone said I was crazy to think I could just run off to an island and survive. They predicted I’d come crawling back in a month. Part of me was afraid they were right.
The next day, my four children and I landed on the big island of Hawaii with less than $2,000, knowing no one in the world was going to help us. I rented an unfurnished apartment where we slept on the floor and lived on cereal. I worked three jobs scrubbing floors on my hands and knees, selling macadamia nuts to tourists and gathering coconuts. I worked 18 hours a day and lost 30 pounds because I lived on one meal a day. I had panic attacks that left me curled into a knot on the bathroom floor shaking like a 1shell-shocked soldier.
One night as I walked alone on the beach, I saw the red orange glow of the lava pouring out of Kilauea Volcano in the distance. I was 1wading in the Pacific Ocean, watching the world’s most active volcano, and wasting that incredible moment, because I was 1haunted by the past, exhausted by the present and terrified of the future. I’d almost achieved my childhood dream but hadn’t realized it, because I was focused on my burdens instead of my blessings. It was time to live my imagination not my history. Tondalaya, the Fire Goddess of the Volcano had finally arrived.
The next day, I quit my jobs and invested my last 1paycheck in art supplies and began doing what I loved. I hadn’t painted a picture in 15 years, because we barely scratched out a living on the farm in Missouri, and there hadn’t been money for the tubes of paint, and canvas and frames. I wondered if I could still paint or if I had forgotten how. My hands trembled the first time I picked up a brush. But before an hour had passed, I was lost in the colors spreading across the canvas in front of me. I painted pictures of old sailing ships and as soon as I started believing in myself, other people started believing in me, too. The first painting sold for $1,500 before I even had time to frame it.
The past six years have been filled with adventures. My children and I have gone swimming with 1dolphins, watched 1whales and hiked around the 1crater rim of the volcano. We wake up every morning with the ocean in front of us and the volcano behind us. The dream I had more than 40 years ago is now reality. I live on an island with a continuously erupting volcano. The only animals in the jungle are wild 1boars and mongooses and there aren’t any cannibals. But often in the evening, I can hear the drums from native dancers on the beach.
I’m free for the first time in my life. I am Tondalaya, the Fire Goddess of the Volcano, spelled with two “D”s and I’m living happily ever after.
八岁的时候，我看了一部电影：在神秘的岛屿上有一座喷发的火山和葱茏的丛林，丛林里有许多野生动物与食人族。统治岛屿的美丽女子是火山的火女神，名叫彤达拉雅。那是部糟糕的低成本电影，然而对我而言，它表现了完美的人生。受熔岩浆、嗜血动物和野人追逐是换取自由的一个小小代价。我极度渴望成为火女神。我将此列入长大之后要成为的清单中，并问女友火女神的写法是否有两个“D”。
多年过去，学校教育将我塑造成一个正统、负责、可敬的公民，我忘记了彤达拉雅。父母满意我那门当户对的婚姻，随后25年我成为一名好妻子，是四个孩子的母亲，是可敬而负责的社会一员。生活平静乏味得像碗燕麦粥。未来于我了然于胸：儿女长大、离家，与丈夫白首偕老，带养孙子孙女。
在我50岁的那个星期，婚姻突然结束了。房子、家具、我拥有的一切全给拍卖掉，用来偿还那些我从未知晓存在过的债款。一周之内我失去了丈夫、家园以及父母——他们对家里出现离婚心存抗拒。除了我四个年少的孩子，我失去了一切。我的钱够用来在找工作的同时租一所廉价公寓，或者我可以倾尽积蓄买五张机票从密苏里飞往天涯海角——夏威夷的大岛。人人都认为我打算逃到一个岛上，还认为能够活下去的想法太荒唐了。他们预测不用过一个月，我准会爬着回来。我隐隐地害怕他们是对的。
次日，四个孩子与我登上夏威夷的大岛，带的钱不足两千美元，明白这世界上无人能够帮助我们。我租下一间没有家具的公寓，我们睡在地板上，以谷物为粮。我有三份工作：跪擦地板、向游客兜售澳洲坚果、采集椰子。我每天工作18个小时，由于一天只吃一顿，体重下降了30磅。焦虑侵袭着我，我蜷曲在浴室的地板上，抖得像个患了炮弹震荡症的士兵。
一天夜晚，我走在沙滩上，看到远处乞劳伊阿火山喷出橙红色的岩浆。我正在太平洋岸趟水，观看着世界上最活跃的火山，然而我却白白地浪费了这精彩的一刻，因为过去让我挂怀，现在让我疲惫，而未来又让我惧怕。我只看到重担而没看到幸福，所以丝毫没意识到自己几乎已经实现了童年的梦想。那一瞬间，我忘记了往昔，想象再次苏醒了！彤达拉雅——火山的火女神——终于到来了。
第二天，我辞去工作，把最后一笔薪水全花在艺术用品上，开始做起自己喜欢的事情来。15年以来我不曾画过一张画，因为在密苏里农场我们只是勉强糊口谋生，何况还没有钱买颜料、画布和画框。我怀疑自己是否还能画，怀疑是否还记得怎么画。第一次拿起画笔时，我的手都颤抖起来。还没到一个钟头，我就给涂在面前画布上的色彩弄得不知所措起来。我画的是古老的船只，等我渐渐拾起自信时，别人也开始对我有了信心。第一张画我还没来得及装框就卖出了1500美元。
过去的六年充满了冒险经历。孩子们与我和海豚一起游泳，观看鲸鱼，攀登火山口。每天早晨醒来，我们的前方是大海，后方是火山。我40多年前的梦想如今化为现实。我居住的岛上火山不断喷发，森林中只有野猪、猫鼬，没有食人族。而傍晚时分，我常常能听到土著在海滩上跳舞的鼓声。
有生以来我第一次感到如此自由自在。我就是火山的火女神彤达拉雅，名字的写法是两个“D”，而且从此以后我一直幸福地生活着。
Excellence Is Not Enough超越卓越的你
Consider… YOU！ In all time before now and in all time to come， there has never been and will never be anyone just like you. You are unique in the entire history and future of the universe. Wow！ Stop and think about that. You're better than one in a million， or a billion， or a gazillion…
You are the only one like you in a sea of infinity！！！
You're amazing！ You're awesome！ And by the way， TAG， you're it. As amazing and awesome as you already are， you can be even more so. Beautiful young people are the whimsey of nature， but beautiful old people are true works of art. But you don't become "beautiful" just by virtue of the aging process.
Real beauty comes from learning， growing， and loving in the ways of life. That is the Art of Life. You can learn slowly， and sometimes painfully， by just waiting for life to happen to you. Or you can choose to accelerate your growth and intentionally devour life and all it offers. You are the artist that paints your future with the brush of today.Paint a Masterpiece！
God gives every bird its food， but he doesn't throw it into its nest. Wherever you want to go， whatever you want to do， it's truly up to you.
试想一下……你！一个空前绝后的你，不论是以往还是将来都不会有一个跟你一模一样的人。你在历史上和宇宙中都是独一无二的。哇！想想吧，你是万里挑一、亿里挑一、兆里挑一的。
在无穷无尽的宇宙中，你是举世无双的！！！
你是了不起的！你是卓越的！没错，就是你。你已经是了不起的，是卓越的，你还可以更卓越更了不起。美丽的年轻人是大自然的奇想，而美丽的老人却是艺术的杰作。但你不会因为年龄的渐长就自然而然地变得“美丽”。
真正的美丽源于生命里的学习、成长和热爱。这就是生命的艺术。你可以只听天由命， 慢慢地学，有时候或许会很痛苦。又或许你可以选择加速自己的成长，故意地挥霍生活及其提供的一切。你就是手握今日之刷描绘自己未来的艺术家。画出一幅杰作吧！
上帝给了鸟儿食物，但他没有将食物扔到它们的巢里。不管你想要去哪里，不管你想要做什么，真正做决定的还是你自己。
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