The Best Time Of My Life一生中最美好的时光
It was June 15， and in two days I would be turning thirty. I was insecure about entering a new decade of my life and feared that my best years were now behind me.
My daily routine included going to the gym for a workout before going to work. Every morning I would see my friend Nicholas at the gym. He was seventy-nine years old and in terrific shape. As I greeted Nicholas on this particular day， he noticed I wasn't full of my usual vitality and asked if there was anything wrong. I told him I was feeling anxious about turning thirty. I wondered how I would look back on my life once I reached Nicholas's age， so I asked him， "What was the best time of your life？"
Without hesitation， Nicholas replied， "Well， Joe， this is my philosophical answer to your philosophical question."
"When I was a child in Austria and everything was taken care of for me and I was nurtured by my parents that were the best time of my life.
“When I was going to school and learning the things I know today， that was the best time of my life.
“When I got my first job and had responsibilities and got paid for my effort that was the best time of my life.
“When I met my wife and fell in love， that was the best time of my life.
“The Second World War came， and my wife and I had to flee Austria to save our lives. When we were together and safe on a ship bound for North America that was the best time of my life.
“When we came to Canada and started a family， that was the best time of my life.
“When I was a young father， watching my children grow up， that was the best time of my life.
“And now， Joe， I am seventy-nine years old. I have my health， I feel good and I am in love with my wife just as I was when we first met. This is the best time of my life."
那天是6月15日，再过两天我就要30岁了。要进入生命中又一个新的十年，我对此感到忐忑不安，担心自己最美好的岁月已经离我远去了。
我每日上班前都去体育馆锻炼一阵。每天早上我都会在体育馆见到我的朋友尼古拉斯。他79岁，身材棒极了。那天我跟他打招呼时，他注意到我不像往常那样充满活力，便问我有什么不对劲。我告诉他自己就要30岁了，心里很担忧。不知道我要是到了尼古拉斯的岁数会怎么回顾自己的一生，于是我问他：“你一生中最美好的时光是在什么时候？”
尼古拉斯毫不迟疑地答道：“好吧，乔，以下就是我对于你那富有哲理的问题所作出的富有哲理的回答。
“小时候我在奥地利，一切都被照顾得好好的，我在父母的抚育下成长，那是我一生中最美好的时光。
“上学的时候我学着至今都不忘记的知识，那是我一生中最美好的时光。
“当我找到第一份工作，承担了工作中的职责并且为自己的努力获得报酬时，那是我一生中最美好的时光。
“当我遇到我的妻子并坠入爱河时，那是我一生中最美好的时光。
“二次大战来临，妻子和我为活命不得不逃离奥地利。当我们一起安安全全地坐上驶往北美洲的轮船时，那是我一生中最美好的时光。
“当我们来到加拿大建立了家庭时，那是一生中最美好的时光。
“当我成了一位年轻的父亲，看着自己的孩子一点点地长大时，那是我一生中最美好的时光。
“而现在，乔，我79岁了。我身体健康，感觉很好，而且还和初次相遇时一样爱我的妻子。这是我一生中最美好的时光。”
A Place To Stand一个人的空间
If you have ever gone through a toll booth， you know that your relationship to the person in the booth is not the most intimate you’ll ever have. It is one of life’s frequent non-encounters： You hand over some money； you might get change； you drive off. I have been through every one of the 17 tollbooths on the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge on thousands of occasions， and never had an exchange worth remembering with anybody.
Late one morning in 1984， headed for lunch in San Francisco， I drove toward one of the booths. I heard loud music. It sounded like a party， or a Michael Jackson concert. I looked around. No other cars with their windows open. No sound trucks. I looked at the tollbooth. Inside it， the man was dancing.
“What are you doing？” I asked.
“I’m having a party，” he said.
“What about the rest of these people？” I looked over at other booths； nothing moving there.
“They’re not invited.”
I had a dozen other questions for him， but somebody in a big hurry to get somewhere started punching his horn behind me and I drove off. But I made a note to myself： Find this guy again. There’s something in his eye that says there’s magic in his toll booth.
Months later I did find him again， still with the loud music， still having a party.
Again I asked， “What are you doing？”
He said， “I remember you from the last time. I’m still dancing. I’m having the same party.”
I said， “Look. What about the rest of the people”
He said. “Stop. What do those look like to you？” He pointed down the row of toll booths.
“They look like tool booths.”
“Nooooo imagination！’
I said， “Okay， I give up. What do they look like to you？”
He said， “Vertical coffins.”
“What are you talking about？”
“I can prove it. At 8：30 every morning， live people get in. Then they die for eight hours. At 4：30， like Lazarus from the dead， they reemerge and go home. For eight hours， brain is on hold， dead on the job. Going through the motions.”
I was amazed. This guy had developed a philosophy， a mythology about his job. I could not help asking the next question： “Why is it different for you？ You’re having a good time.”
He looked at me. “I knew you were going to ask that， “ he said. “I’m going to be a dancer someday.” He pointed to the administration building. “My bosses are in there， and they’re paying for my training.”
Sixteen people dead on the job， and the seventeenth， in precisely the same situation， figures out a way to live. That man was having a party where you and I would probably not last three days. The boredom！ He and I did have lunch later， and he said， “I don’t understand why anybody would think my job is boring. I have a corner office， glass on all sides. I can see the Golden Gate， San Francisco， the Berkeley hills； half the Western world vacations here and I just stroll in every day and practice dancing.”
如果你仔细观察一个收费亭，你就会知道你与亭子里的这个人关系不是最亲密的，这是生命中常常出现的非偶遇者。你递给他一些钱，或许他还要找你些零钱，然后你开车走了。我仔细观察过17家收费亭，并在旧金山奥克兰海湾大桥千百次路过，却没有一次找钱值得我记起某个人。
1984年的一个上午，很晚了，我驱车去旧金山吃午饭，开到一个收费亭旁边，我听到很响的音乐声。听起来好像在开舞会，或是迈克尔·杰克逊的音乐会。我朝四周看了看。别的汽车没有打开窗户的，也没有宣传车。我朝收费亭里望去，有个人在里边跳舞。
“你在干吗？”我问。
“我在开舞会呢。”他说。
“那其他人呢？”我看了看其他的亭子，没什么动静。
“我没邀请他们。”
我还有十几个问题要问他，但我后面的人急着要去某地，开始按喇叭，我只好开走了。但我在心里告诉自己：还要再找这个人。他眼里有某种东西，告诉我在他的收费亭里有一种魔力。
几个月后我又见到了他，音乐仍然很响，舞会还在举行。
我再次问他：“你在做什么呢？”
他说：“我记得你上次问过了。我还在跳舞，还在举行同样的舞会。”
我说：“瞧，其他人呢？”
“打住。”他说，“你看那些东西像什么呢？”他指着那排收费亭。
“看来就像收费亭啊。”
“真是没有想象力！”
我说；“那好，我放弃。你看它们像什么呢？”
他说：“直立的棺材。”
“你在说些什么呀？”
“我可以证实。每早八点半，活的人进去。然后他们死亡八个小时。下午四点半，就像死人中的拉撒路，他们复活回到家中。整整八个小时，头脑思维中断，他们只是呆板地工作，重复着相同的动作。”
我感到非常惊异。这个小伙子发展了一种哲学，创造了一个有关工作的神话。我禁不住又问了一个问题：“为什么你不一样？你过得很快乐。”
他看了看我：“我就知道你会问这个，”他接着说，“总有一天我会成为一个舞蹈家。”他指向行政机关大楼：“我的老板都在那里，他们花钱为我培训。”
十六个人呆板地做着工作，而第十七个，几乎处于同样的情况，却找到另外一种生活方式。那个人在举办的舞会，你我恐怕连三天都坚持不了。无聊！他和我后来确实一起吃过午饭，他说：“我不理解为何每个人都认为我的工作很枯燥。我有一个街角办公室，四周都是玻璃。我可以看见金门海峡、旧金山和伯克利山，半个西方世界都在这儿度假，每天我只是漫步到这里，练习跳舞。”
The Builder 为自己打造的工程
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family1. He would miss the paycheck2， but he needed to retire. They could get by3.
The employer was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes， but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to4 shoddy5 workmanship6 and used inferior7 materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.
When the carpenter finished his work and the employer came to inspect the house and handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house，" he said， "my gift to you."
What a shock！ What a shame！ If he had only known he was building his own house， he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too8 well.
So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted9 way， reacting rather than acting， willing to put up10 less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized， we would have done it differently.
Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer11 a nail， place a board， or erect12 a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more， that day deserves to be lived graciously13 and with dignity. The plaque14 on the wall says， "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Who could say it more clearly？ Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.
一位上了年纪的木匠作好了退休的准备。他告诉老板他准备离开建筑行业，与老伴和儿孙们一起共享天伦之乐，过一种更悠闲自得的生活。虽然他因此而少了份薪水，但他想退休了。至于日子嘛，还可以凑合着过。
眼看这位优秀的木工就要离去，老板很遗憾。他问木工可否帮忙再建一所房子。木工答应了，可明眼人一眼就看得出来，此时他做事心不在焉，做出的活儿技艺粗糙，用的料也没那么讲究了。他就这样为自己的建筑生涯划上了句号，真是令人遗憾。
房子建好后，老板过来看新房并交给木工一把前门钥匙，说：“这房子归你了，我送给你的礼物。”
多么让人吃惊，多么让人羞愧啊！假如他知道在为自己造房，他会做得大不一样。现在他不得不住在自己建造的那所粗制滥造的房子里了。
我们又何尝不是如此呢？我们心浮气躁地打造生活，不是主动工作而是被动应付，能省事就省事。关键的时候也没尽心尽力。蓦然回首，才瞠目结舌地发现自己正住在自己建造的那所房子中，自食苦果。早知如此，何必当初。
就当你自己就是那位木工吧。就当你为自己建房，每天要钉钉、铺板、砌墙。那么，你就该用心地去建。你的生活只能这样建造。哪怕你只在房子里多生活一天，这一天也应该活得优雅、有尊严。墙上的铭匾写道：“生活正如一项为自己打造的工程。”还有什么比这更清楚的呢？明日的生活之果，孕育于你今天的态度和抉择之树上。
Your Life Is Not A Coincidence生命中没有意外
A son and his father were walking on the mountains.
Suddenly， his son falls， hurts himself and screams： "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh！！！"
To his surprise， he hears the voice repeating， somewhere in themountain： "AAAhhhhhh！！！"
Curious， he yells： "Who are you？"
He receives the answer： "Who are you？"
Angered at the response， he screams： "Coward！"
He receives the answer： "Coward！"
He looks to his father and asks： "What's going on？"
The father smiles and says： "My son， pay attention."
And then he screams to the mountain： "I admire you！"
The voice answers： "I admire you！"
Again the man screams： "You are a champion！"
The voice answers： "You are a champion！"
The boy is surprised， but does not understand.
Then the father explains： "People call this ECHO， but really this is LIFE.
It gives you back everything you say or do.
Our life is simply a reflection of our actions.
If you want more love in the world， create more love in your heart.
If you want more competence in your team， improve your competence.
This relationship applies to everything， in all aspects of life；
Life will give you back everything you have given to it.
Your life is not a coincidence， it's a reflection of you！
有一个小男孩跟他的父亲走在山中。
小男孩不小心跌倒了，忍不住痛地大叫了一声“ 哇——喔！！！”
但是令他吃惊的是，他听到了一个声音从山中的某处传出来，重复他的声音：“ 哇——喔！！！”
他很好奇的大声问：“你是谁？”
结果他得到的答案也是：“你是谁？”
小男孩生气了，大声地吼着：“胆小鬼！”
这一次得到的答案也是：“胆小鬼！”
他很好奇地问他父亲：“到底怎么回事啊？”
父亲笑笑地跟儿子说：“儿子啊，注意听喔。”
父亲大吼了一声：“我钦佩你！”
结果另一个声音传回来的也是：“我钦佩你！”
同样的，父亲再一次大声地说：“你是冠军！”
这个声音也回答：“你是冠军！”
小男孩感到非常的讶异，但又不解。
此时父亲向小男孩解释道：“一般人们称这是回音，但实际上这是‘生命’。
你所说的做的每一件事最后都会回应到你身上。
我们的生命就是很简单地回应我们所做过的事。
如果你要这个世界有更多的爱，那么你就要在你的心中创造出更多的爱；
如果你要你的团队更优秀，那么你也要先让你自己更优秀；
这样的关系可以套用在每一件事上，在生命中的每一件事。
生命，会回应给你每一件你曾做过的事。
生命中没有意外，它就是你的反射。
The Life I Desired我所追求的生活
That must be the story of innumerable couples， and the pattern of life of life it offers has a homely grace. It reminds you of a placid rivulet， meandering smoohtly through green pastures and shaded by pleasant trees， till at last it falls into the vasty sea； but the sea is so calm， so silent， so indifferent， that you are troubled suddently by a vague uneasiness. Perhaps it is only by a kink in my nature， strong in me even in those days， that I felt in such an existence， the share of the great majority， something amiss. I recognized its social value. I saw its ordered happiness， but a fever in my blood asked for a wilder course. There seemed to me something alarming in such easy delights. In my heart was desire to live more dangerously. I was not unprepared for jagged rocks and treacherous， shoals it I could only have change—change and the excitement of unforeseen.
这一定是世间无数对夫妻的生活写照，这种生活模式给人一种天伦之美。它使人想起一条平静的溪流，蜿蜒畅游过绿茵的草场，浓荫遮蔽，最后注入烟波浩渺的汪洋大海；但是大海太过平静，太过沉默，太过不动声色，你会突然感到莫名的不安。也许这只是我自己的一种怪诞想法，在那样的时代，这想法对我影响很深：我觉得这像大多数人一样的生活，似乎欠缺了一点儿什么。我承认这种生活有社会价值，我也看到了它那井然有序的幸福，但我血液里的冲动却渴望一种更桀骜不驯的旅程。这样的安逸中好像有一种叫我惊惧不安的东西。我的心渴望一种更加惊险的生活。只要生活中还能有变迁——以及不可知的刺激，我愿意踏上怪石嶙峋的山崖，奔赴暗礁满布的海滩。
Bidding The Lovely Scenes At Distance Hail！向远方的美景欢呼！
And see no end to the landscape， new objects presenting themselves as we advance； so， in the commencement of life， we set no bounds to our inclinations. Nor to the unrestricted opportunities of grastifying them. We have as yet found no obstacle， no disposition to flag； and it seems that we can go on so forever. We look round in a new world， full of life， and motion， and ceaseless progress； and feel in ourselves all the vigour and spirit to keep pace with it， and do not foresee from any present symptoms how we shall be left behind in the natural course of things， decline into old age， and drop into the grave. It is the simplicity， and as it were abstractedness of our feelings in youth， that(so to speak)identifies us with nature ，and(our experience being slight and our passions strong)deludes us into a belief of being immortal like it. Our short-lives connexion with existence we fondly flatter ourselves， is an indissoluble and lasting union-a honeymoon that knows neither coldness， jar， nor separation. As infants smile and sleep， we are rocked in the cradle of our wayward fancies， and lulled into security by the roar of the universe around us0we quaff the cup of life with eager haste without draining it， instead of which it only overflows the more-objects press around us， filling the mind with their magnitude and with the strong of desires that wait upon them， so that we have no room for the thoughts of death.
此时，但觉好风光应接不暇，而且，前程更有美不胜收的新鲜景致。在这生活的开端，我们听任自己的志趣驰骋，放手给它们一切满足的机会。到此为止，我们还没有碰上过什么障碍，也没有感觉到什么疲惫，因此觉得还可以一直这样向前走去，直到永远。我们看到四周一派新天地——生机盎然，变动不居，日新月异；我们觉得自己活力充盈，精神饱满，可与宇宙并驾齐驱。而且，眼前也无任何迹象可以证明，在大自然的发展过程中，我们自己也会落伍，衰老，进入坟墓。由于年轻人天真单纯，可以说是茫然无知，因而将自己跟大自然划上等号；并且，由于经验少而感情盛，误以为自己也能和大自然一样永世长存。我们一厢情愿，痴心妄想，竟把自己在世上的暂时栖身，当作千古不变、万事长存的结合，好像没有冷淡、争执、离别的密月。像婴儿带着微笑入睡，我们躺在用自己编织成的摇篮里，让大千世界的万籁之声催哄我们安然入梦；我们急切切，兴冲冲地畅饮生命之杯，怎么也不会饮干，反而好像永远是满满欲溢；森罗万象纷至沓来，各种欲望随之而生，使我们腾不出工夫想死亡。
Love Your Life热爱生活
However mean your life is， meet it and live it； do not shun it and call it hardnames. It is not so bad as you are. It looks poorest when you are richest. Thefault-finder will find faults in paradise. Love your life， poor as it is. Youmay perhaps have some pleasant， thrilling， glorious hours， even in a poor-house. The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the alms-house as brightly asfrom the rich man's abode； the snow melts before its door as early in thespring. I do not see but a quiet mind may live as contentedly there， and have ascheering thoughts， as in a palace. The town's poor seem to me often to live themost independent lives of any. May be they are simply great enough to receivewithout misgiving. Most think that they are above being supported by the town； but it often happens that they are not above supporting themselves by dishonestmeans. Which should be more disreputable？Cultivate poverty like a garden herb， like sage. Do not trouble yourself much to get new things， whether clothes orfriends， Turn the old， return to them. Things do not change； we change. Sellyour clothes and keep your thoughts.
不论你的生活如何卑贱，你要面对它生活，不要躲避它，更别用恶言咒骂它。它不像你那样坏。你最富有的时候，倒是看似最穷。爱找缺点的人就是到天堂里也能找到缺点。你要爱你的生活，尽管它贫穷。甚至在一个济贫院里，你也还有愉快、高兴、光荣的时候。夕阳反射在济贫院的窗上，像身在富户人家窗上一样光亮；在那门前，积雪同在早春融化。我只看到，一个从容的人，在哪里也像在皇宫中一样，生活得心满意足而富有愉快的思想。城镇中的穷人，我看，倒往往是过着最独立不羁的生活。也许因为他们很伟大，所以受之无愧。大多数人以为他们是超然的，不靠城镇来支援他们；可是事实上他们是往往利用了不正当的手段来对付生活，他们是毫不超脱的，毋宁是不体面的。视贫穷如园中之花而像圣人一样耕植它吧！不要找新的花样，无论是新的朋友或新的衣服，来麻烦你自己。找旧的，回到那里去。万物不变，是我们在变。你的衣服可以卖掉，但要保留你的思想。
Words To Life生活的忠告
I’ll give you some advice about life.
Eat more roughage；
Do more than others expect you to do and do it pains；
Remember what life tells you；
Don’t take to heart every thing you hear.Don’t spend all that you have.Don’t sleep as long as you want；
Whenever you say "I love you"， please say it honestly；
Whenever you say "I’m sorry"， please look into the other person’s eyes；
Fall in love at first sight；
Don’t neglect dreams；
Love deeply and ardently， even if there is pain， but this is the way to make your life complete；
Find a way to settle， not to dispute；
Never judge people by their appearance；
Speak slowly， but think quickly；
When someone asks you a question you don’t want to answer， simle and say， “Why do you want to know？”
Remember that the man who can shoulder the most risk will gain the deepest love and the supreme accomplishment；
Call you mother on the phone. If you can’t， you may think of her in your heart；
When someone sneezes say， “God bless you”；
If you fail， don’t forget to learn your lesson；
Remember the three “ respects” .Respect yourself， respect others， stand on dignity and pay attention to your behavior；
Don’t let a little dispute break up a great friendship；
Whenever you find your wrongdoing， be quick with reparation！
Whenever you make a phone call smil when you pick up the phone， because someone feel it！
Marry a person who likes talking； because when you get old， you’ll find that chatting to be a great advantage；
Find time for yourself.
Life will change what you are but not who you are；
Remember that silence is golden；
Read more books and watch less television；
Live a noble and honest life. Reviving past times in your old age will help you to enjoy your life again；
Trust God， but don’t forget to lock the door；
The harmonizing atmosphere of a family is valuable；
Try your best to let family harmony flow smoothly；
When you quarrel with a close friend， talk about the main dish， don’t quibble over the appetizers；
You cannot hold onto yesterday；
Figure out the meaning of someone’s words；
Share your knowledge to continue a timeless tradition；
Treat our earth in a friendly way，don’t fool around with mother nature；
Do the thing you should do；
Don’t trust a lover who kisses you without closing their eyes；
Go to a place you’ve never been to every year.
If you earn much money， the best way to spend it is on charitable deeds while you are alive；
Remember， not all the best harvest is luck；
Understand rules completely and change them reasonably；
Remember， the best love is to love others unconditionally rather than make demands on them；
Comment on the success you have attained by looking in the past at the target you wanted to achieve most；
In love and cooking， you must give 100% effort……but expect little appreciation.
给你生活的忠告。
多吃些粗粮；
给别人比他们期望的更多，并用心去做；
熟记生活告诉你的一切；
不要轻信你听到的每件事，不要花光你的所有，不要想睡多久就睡多久；
无论何时说“我爱你”，请真心实意；
无论何时说“对不起”，请看对方的眼睛；
相信一见钟情；
请不要忽视梦想；
深情热烈地爱，也许会受伤，但这是使人生完整的唯一方法；
用一种明确的方法解决争议，不要冒犯；
永远不要以貌取人；
慢慢地说，但要迅速地想；
当别人问你不想回答的问题时，笑着说：“你为什么想知道？”
记住：那些敢于承担最大风险的人才能得到最深的爱和最大的成就；
给妈妈打电话，如果不行，至少在心里想着她；
当别人打喷嚏时，说一声“上帝保佑”；
如果你失败了，千万别忘了汲取教训；
记住三个“尊”：尊重你自己；尊重别人；保持尊严，对自己的行为负责；
不要让小小的争端损毁了一场伟大的友谊；
无论何时你发现自己做错了，竭尽所能去弥补；动作要快！
无论什么时候打电话，摘起话筒的时候请微笑，因为对方能感觉到！
找一个你爱聊的人结婚；因为年纪大了后，你会发觉喜欢聊天是一个人最大的优点；
找点时间，单独呆会儿；
欣然接受改变，但不要摒弃你的个人理念；
记住：沉默是金；
多看点书，少看点电视；
过一种高尚而诚实的生活。当你年老时回想起过去，你就能再一次享受人生。
相信上帝，但是别忘了锁门；
家庭的融洽氛围是难能可贵的；
尽你的能力让家平顺和谐；
当你和你的亲近吵嘴时候，试着就事论事，不要扯出那些陈芝麻、烂谷子的事；
不要摆脱不了昨天；
多注意言下之意；
和别人分享你的知识，那才是永恒之道；
善待我们的地球，不要愚弄自然母亲；
做自己该做的事；
不要相信接吻时从不闭眼的伴侣；
每年至少去一个你从没去过的地方。
如果你赚了很多钱，在活着的时候多行善事，这是你能得到的最好回报；
记住有时候，不是最好的收获也是一种好运；
深刻理解所有的规则，合理地更新他们；
记住，最好的爱存在于对别人的爱胜于对别人的索求这上；
回头看看你发誓取得的目标，然后评价你到底有多成功；
无论是烹饪还是爱情，都用百分之百的负责态度对待，但是不要乞求太多的回报。
11 Mottos Of Your Life 11条人生箴言
In Bill Gates" Book for high school and college graduates， there is a list of 11 things they did not learn in school. In his book， Bill Gates talks about how feelgood， politically-correct teachings created a full generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this education set them up for failure in the real world.
The 11 things are：
1、Life is not fair， get used to it.
2、The world won"t care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something before you feel good about yourself.
3、You will not make 40 thousand dollars a year right out of high school. You won"t be a vice president with a car phone， until you earn both.
4、If you think your teacher is tough， wait till you get a boss. He doesn"t have tenure.
5、Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping； they called it opportunity.
6、If you mess up， it"s not your parents" fault， so don"t whine about our mistakes， learn from them.
7、Before you were born， your parents weren"t as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills， cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you are. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parents" generation， try "delousing" the closet in your own room.
8、Your school may have done away with winners and losers， but life has not. In some schools they have abolished failing grades； they"ll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. This doesn"t bear the slightest resemblance to anything in real life.
9、Life is not divided into semesters. You don"t get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time.
10、Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
11、Be nice to nerds. Chances are you"ll end up working for one.
在比尔·盖茨写给高中毕业生和大学毕业生的书里，有一个单子上面列有11项学生没能在学校里学到的事情。比尔·盖茨在书中谈到让你感觉良好的“政治上正确”的教导培养出一整代不知现实为何物的年轻人，这种教育只能导致他们成为现实世界中的失败者。
这11项事情是：
1、生活是不公平的；要去适应它。
2、这世界并不会在意你的自尊。这世界指望你在自我感觉良好之前先要有所成就。
3、高中刚毕业你不会一年挣4万美元。你不会成为一个公司的副总裁，并拥有一部装有电话的汽车，直到你将此职位和汽车电话都挣到手。
4、如果你认为你的老师严厉，等你有了老板再这样想。老板可是没有任期限制的。
5、烙牛肉饼并不有损你的尊严。你的祖父母对烙牛肉饼可有不同的定义；他们称它为机遇。
6、如果你陷入困境，那不是你父母的过错，所以不要尖声抱怨我们的错误，要从中吸取教训。
7、在你出生之前，你的父母并非像他们现在这样乏味。他们变成今天这个样子是因为这些年来他们一直在为你付账单，给你洗衣服，听你大谈你是如何的酷。所以，如果你想消灭你父母那一辈中的“寄生虫”来拯救雨林的话，还是先去清除你房间衣柜里的虫子吧。
8、你的学校也许已经不再分优等生和劣等生，但生活却仍在作出类似区分。在某些学校已经废除不及格分；只要你想找到正确答案，学校就会给你无数的机会。这和现实生活中的任何事情没有一点相似之处。
9、生活不分学期。你并没有暑假可以休息，也没有几位雇主乐于帮你发现自我。自己找时间做吧。
10、电视并不是真实的生活。在现实生活中，人们实际上得离开咖啡屋去干自己的工作。
11、善待乏味的人。有可能到头来你会为一个乏味的人工作。
Secrets About Women 女人的32个秘密
1、Women need to cry. And they won’t do it alone unless they know you can hear them.
2、Women especially love a bargain.
3、Women love to shop. It is the only area of the world wheretheyfeel like they’re actually in control.
4、Women will always ask questions that have no center answers，inan effort to trap yousintosfeeling guilty.
5、Women love to talk. Silence intimidates them and they feelaneed to fill it， even if they have nothing to say.
6、Women need to feel like there are people worse off than they are.
7、Women hate bugs. Even the strong -willed ones need a man around when there's a spider or a wasp involved.
8、Women can’t keep secrets.
9、Women always go to public rest rooms in groups. It gives themachance to gossip.
10、Women can’t refuse to answer a ringing phone， no matter whatshe's doing.
11、Women never understand why men love toys. Men understand that they wouldn't need toys if women had an"on／off"switch.
12、Women think all beer is the same.
13、Women keep three different shampoos in the shower. After a woman showers， the bathroom will smell like a tropical rainforest.
14、Women don' understand the appeal of sports. Men seek entertainment that allows them to escape reality. Women seek entertainment that reminds them of how horrible things could be.
15、If a man goes on a seven-day trip， he'll pack five days worth of clothes and will wear some things twice；if a woman goes on a seven-day trip she’ll pack 21 outfits because she doesn’t know what she’ll feel like wearing each day.
16、Women brush their hair before bed.
17、Women are paid less than men， except for one field：Modeling.
18、Women are never wrong. Apologizing is the man's responsibility.
19、Women do not know anything about cars， even if they drive car themselves.
20、Women have better rest rooms. They get the nice chairs and red carpet.
21、Women love cats. Men say they love cats， but when women aren't looking， men kick cats.
22、Women love to talk on the phone. A woman can visit her girl friend for two weeks， and upon returning home， she will call the same friend and they will talk for three hours.
23、A woman will dress up to go shopping， water the plants，emptythe garbage， answer the phone， read a book， or get the mail.
24、Women do NOT want an honest answer to the question，＂How do I look？＂
25、〃Oh，nothing，〃has an entirely different meaning in woman-language than it does in man-language.
26、All women will say that they are overweight， but don't agree with them about it.
27、Only women understand the need for〃guest towels〃and the〃good china〃.
28、Women want equal centers， but you rarely hear them clamoring to cover the responsibilities that go with those centers.
29、Women can get out of speeding tickets by pouting. This will get men arrested.
30、Women don’t really care about a sense of humor in a guy despite claims to the contrary.
31、Women will spend hours dressing up to go out， and then they'll go out and spend more time checking out other women. Men can never catch women checking out other men；women will always catch men checking out other women.
32、The most embarrassing thing for women is to find another woman wearing the same dress at a formal party.
1、女人需要哭泣，并且只有在你能听到时才哭。
2、女人特别喜欢便宜货。
3、女人喜欢购物，她们觉得那是她们在这个世界上能控制的惟一领域。
4、女人总是问一些没有正确答案的问题，她们想使你有犯罪感。
5、女人喜欢交谈。沉默使她们不安，她们需要用交谈打破沉默，即使她们没什么可说的。
6、女人需要感觉到别人不如她们。
7、女人讨厌虫子。当看到一只蜘蛛或黄蜂时，即使意志力很强的女人也需要一个男人在身旁。
8、女人不能保守秘密。
9、女人经常结伴去公共卫生间，这是她们闲谈的好机会。
10、女人不会拒绝接听任何来电。电话铃一响，不论正在做什么，她都会去接电话。
11、女人永远不会明白男人为什么喜欢玩具。男人认为，如果女人有开关，他们就不再需要玩具了。
12、女人觉得所有品牌的啤酒都是一个味儿。
13、通常，女人的浴室里总放着3种不同的洗发香波。她们沐浴后，浴室就散发着热带雨林的味道。
14、女人不能领略体育节目的魅力。男人从那些能让他们逃离现实的东西中寻找娱乐，女人则从那些能提醒她们现实有多糟糕的东西中寻找娱乐。
15、如果一个男人要出门7天，他会带够5天穿的衣服，并且会将一些衣物穿两次。如果一个女人要出门7天，她会带够21天穿的衣服，因为她不知道自己每天喜欢穿什么。
16、女人在睡觉前梳头。
17、女人的薪水比男人低，只有一个行业例外——模特。
18、女人永远不会犯错。道歉是男人的责任。
19、女人对汽车一无所知，即使她们自己开车。
20、女人的卫生间很讲究，那里有精致的椅子和红地毯。
21、女人喜欢猫。男人说他们喜欢猫，但当女人看不见的时候，他们就会踢猫。
22、女人喜欢煲电话粥。一个女人去看她的女朋友，她们一起生活了两个星期，她刚刚回家便会给这个女朋友打电话，她们会聊上3个小时。
23、女人做什么事之前都会化妆——购物、给植物浇水、倒垃圾、接电话、读书、收邮件……
24、在这个问题上女人不想得到诚实的答案——“我看上去怎么样？”
25、“哦，没什么。”这句话在女人的字典里的意思和在男人字典里的完全不同。
26、所有女人都会说自己超重，但千万别对此表示赞同。
27、只有女人知道为什么“客用毛巾”和“好瓷器”是必要的。
28、女人要求享有与男人同样的权利，但你几乎听不到她们吵嚷着要求承担和男人同样的责任。
29、面对超速行驶的罚单，噘嘴可以使女人免于处罚，却会使男人被拘留。
30、女人并不真的在乎男人是否有幽默感，尽管她们声称幽默感很重要。
31、女人在出门前将花费数小时化妆，然后她们出门，花更多时间注视其他女人。男人永远不会察觉女人注视着其他男人，而女人总能察觉男人注视着其他女人。
32、最让女人尴尬的，就是在一个正式的聚会上发现另一个女人穿着和自己同样的衣服。
Three Peach Stones三颗核桃
Observe a child; any one will do. You will see that not a day passes in which he does not find something or other to make him happy, though he may be in tears the next moment. Then look at a man; any one of us will do. You will notice that weeks and months can pass in which day is greeted with nothing more than resignation1, and endure with every polite indifference. Indeed, most men are as miserable as sinners, though they are too bored to sin-perhaps their sin is their indifference2. But it is true that they so seldom smile that when they do we do not recognize their face, so distorted is it from the fixed mask we take for granted3. And even then a man cannot smile like a child, for a child smiles with his eyes, whereas a man smiles with his lips alone. It is not a smile; but a grin; something to do with humor4, but little to do with happiness. And then, as anyone can see, there is a point (but who can define that point?) when a man becomes an old man, and then he will smile again.
It would seem that happiness is something to do with simplicity, and that it is the ability to extract pleasure form the simplest things-such as a peach stone, for instance.
It is obvious that it is nothing to do with success. For Sir Henry Stewart was certainly successful. It is twenty years ago since he came down to our village from London, and bought a couple of old cottages, which he had knocked into one. He used his house a s weekend refuge5. He was a barrister. And the village followed his brilliant career with something almost amounting to paternal pride.
I remember some ten years ago when he was made a King's Counsel6, Amos and I, seeing him get off the London train, went to congratulate him. We grinned with pleasure; he merely looked as miserable as though he'd received a penal sentence. It was the same when he was knighted; he never smiled a bit, he didn't even bother to celebrate with a round of drinks at the "Blue Fox"7. He took his success as a child does his medicine. And not one of his achievements brought even a ghost of a smile to his tired eyes.
I asked him one day, soon after he'd retired to potter about his garden,8 what is was like to achieve all one's ambitions. He looked down at his roses and went on watering them. Then he said "The only value in achieving one's ambition is that you then realize that they are not worth achieving." Quickly he moved the conversation on to a more practical level, and within a moment we were back to a safe discussion on the weather. That was two years ago.
I recall this incident, for yesterday, I was passing his house, and had drawn up my cart just outside his garden wall. I had pulled in from the road for no other reason than to let a bus pass me. As I set there filling my pipe, I suddenly heard a shout of sheer joy come from the other side of the wall.
I peered over. There stood Sir Henry doing nothing less than a tribal war dance9 of sheer unashamed ecstasy. Even when he observed my bewildered face staring over the wall he did not seem put out10 or embarrassed, but shouted for me to climb over.
"Come and see, Jan. Look！ I have done it at last！ I have done it at last！"
There he was, holding a small box of earth in his had. I observed three tiny shoots out of it.
"And there were only three！" he said， his eyes laughing to heaven.
"Three what？" I asked.
"Peach stones"， he replied. "I've always wanted to make peach stones grow， even since I was a child， when I used to take them home after a party， or as a man after a banquet. And I used to plant them， and then forgot where I planted them. But now at last I have done it， and， what's more， I had only three stones， and there you are， one， two， three shoots，" he counted.
And Sir Henry ran off， calling for his wife to come and see his achievement-his achievement of simplicity.
仔细观察一个小孩，随便哪个小孩都行，你会发现，他每天都会发现一两件令他快乐的事情，尽管过一会儿他可能会哭哭啼啼。再看看一个大人，我们中间任何人都行。你会发现，一周复一周，一月又一月，他总是以无可奈何的心情迎接新的一天的到来，以温文尔雅、满不在乎的心情忍受这一天的消逝。确实，大多数人都跟罪人一样苦恼难受，尽管他们太百无聊赖，连罪恶都不犯——也许他们的冷漠就是他们的罪孽。真的， 他们难得一笑。如果他们偶尔笑了，我们会认不出他们的容貌，他们的脸会扭曲走样，不再是我们习以为常的固定不变的面具。即使在笑的时候，大人也不会像小孩儿那样，小孩儿用眼睛表示笑意，大人只用嘴唇。这实际上不是笑，只是咧咧嘴；表示一种心情，但跟快乐无关。然而，人人都能发现，人到了一定地步（但又有谁能解释这是什么地步呢？），成了老人，他又会笑了。
看起来，幸福同纯真的赤子之心有关系，幸福是一种能从最简单的事物里——譬如说，核桃——汲取快乐的能力。
幸福显然同成功毫不相干。因为亨利·斯图亚特爵士当然是个十分成功的人。20年前，他从伦敦来到我们的村子，买了好几座旧房屋，推倒后建了一所大房子。他把这所房子当作度周末的场所。他是位律师。我们村里的人带着一种几近父辈的骄傲心情追随他那辉煌的业绩。
我记得，大约十年前他被任命为王室法律顾问，阿莫斯和我看见他走下伦敦开来的火车便上前去表示祝贺。我们高兴地笑着；而他的表情却跟接到判刑通知书一样悲惨。他受封当爵士时也是如此，他没有一丝笑容，他甚至不屑于在蓝狐狸酒馆请我们大家喝杯酒。他对待成功就像小孩吃药一样，任何一项成就都未能使他疲惫的眼睛里露出一丝笑意。
他退休以后可以在花园里随便走走，干些轻松的闲活。有一天，我问他一个问题：一个人实现了一切雄心壮志是什么滋味？他低头看这玫瑰花，浇他的水。过了一会儿，他说：“实现雄心壮志的唯一价值是你发现他们都不值得追求。”他立刻改变话题讨论有实际意义的事情，我们很快谈论起万无一失的天气问题。这是两年前的事。
我想起这件事情，因为昨天我经过他的家，把我的大车停在他花园的院墙外边。我从大路把车赶到他花园外边是为了给一辆公共汽车让路。我坐在车上装烟斗时忽然听见院墙里面传来一声欣喜欲狂的欢呼。
我向墙内张望。里面是亨利爵士，他欢蹦乱跳像在跳部落出征的舞蹈，表现出毫无顾忌的真正的快乐。他发现了我在墙头张望的迷惑不解的面孔，他似乎毫不生气，也不感到窘迫，而是大声呼喊叫我爬过墙去。
“快来看，杰。看呀！我终于成功了！我终于成功了！”
他站在那里，手里拿着一小盒土。我发现土里有三颗小芽。
“就只有这三个！”他眉开眼笑地说。
“三个什么东西？”我问。
“核桃。”他回答道，“我一直想种核桃，从小就想，当时我参加晚会后老是把核桃带回家，后来长大成人参加宴会后也这样。我以前常常种核桃，可是过后就忘了我种在什么地方。现在，我总算成功了。还有，我只有三个核桃。你瞧，一、二、三颗芽。”他数着说。
亨利爵士跑了起来，叫他的妻子来看他的成功之作——他的单纯纯朴的成功之作。
These Things Can Never Die这些美好不会消逝
The pure， the bright， the beautiful，
That stirred our hearts in youth，
The impulses to wordless prayer，
The dreams of love and truth；
The longing after somethings lost，
The spirit’s yearning cry，
The striving after better hopes—
These things can never die.
The timid hand stretched forth to aid
A brother in his need，
A kindly word in grief’s dark hour
That proves a friend indeed；
The plea for mercy softly breathed，
When justice threatens nigh，
The sorrow of a contrite heart—
These things shall never die.
Let nothing pass for every hand，
Must find some work to do；
Lose not a chance to waken love—
Be firm，and just ，and true；
So shall a light that cannot fade
Beam on thee from on high.
And angel voices say to thee—
These things shall never die.
一切纯洁的，辉煌的，美丽的，
强烈地震撼着我们年轻的心灵的，
推动着我们做无言的祷告的，
让我们梦想着爱与真理的；
在失去后为之感到珍惜的，
使灵魂深切地呼喊着的，
为了更美好的梦想而奋斗着的——
这些美好不会消逝。
羞怯地伸出援助的手，
在你的弟兄需要的时候，
伤恸、困难的时候，一句亲切的话
就足以证明朋友的真心；
轻声地乞求怜悯，
在审判临近的时候，
懊悔的心有一种伤感——
这些美好不会消逝。
在人间传递温情，
尽你所能地去做；
别错失了唤醒爱的良机——
为人要坚定，正直，忠诚；
因此上方照耀着你的那道光芒
就不会消失。
你将听到天使的声音在说——
这些美好不会消逝。
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