A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something.

As his car passed, one child appeared, and a brick smashed into the Jag's side door. He slammed on the brakes and spun the Jag back to the spot from where the brick had been thrown.

He jumped out of the car, grabbed some kid and pushed him up against a parked car, shouting, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?" Building up a head of steam, he went on"That's a new car and that brick you threw is gonna cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?"Ys

"Please,mister, please,I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do!"pleaded the youngster.

"It's my brother," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up.

Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be okay.

"Thank you, sir. And God bless you," the grateful child said to him. The man then watched the little boy push his brother to the sidewalk toward their home.

It was a long walk backs to his Jaguar... a long, slow walk. He never did repair the side door. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention.

Life whispers in your soul and speaks to your heart. Sometimes, when you don't have the time to listen... Life throws a brick at your head.

It's your choice: Listen to the whispers of your soul or wait for the brick!

　　一位年轻的总裁，以有点快的车速，开着他的新Jaguar经过住宅区的巷道。
他必须小心游戏中的孩子突然跑到路中央，所以当他觉得小孩子快跑出来时，就要减慢车速。

　　就在他的车经过一群小朋友的时候，一个小朋友丢了一块砖头打到了他的车门，他很生气的踩了煞车并后退到砖头丢出来的地方。

　　他跳出车外，抓了那个小孩，把他顶在车门上说：“你为什么这样做，你知道你刚刚做了什么吗？”

　　接着又吼道：“你知不知道你要赔多少钱来修理这台新车，你到底为什么要这样做？”

　　小孩子求着说：“先生，对不起，我不知道我还能怎么办？”

　　他接着说：“因为我哥哥从轮椅上掉下来，我没办法把他抬回去。”

　　那男孩啜泣着说：“你可以帮我把他抬回去吗？他受伤了，而且他太重了我抱不动。”

　　这些话让这位年轻的总裁深受感动，他抱起男孩受伤的哥哥，帮他坐回轮椅上。并拿出手帕擦拭他哥哥的伤口，以确定他哥哥没有什么大问题。

　　那个小男孩感激地说：“谢谢你，先生，上帝保佑你。”然后他看着男孩推着他哥哥回去。
年轻总裁返回Jaguar的路变的很漫长，他也没有修他汽车的侧门。他保留着车上的凹痕就是提醒自己：

　　生活的道路不要走的太匆忙，否则需要其他人敲打自己来注意生活的真谛。

　　当生命想与你的心灵窃窃私语时，若你没有时间，你有两种选择：倾听你心灵的声音或让砖头来砸你！

　　Best Way to Keep Love is to Give It Wings

　　

　　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 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.

　　从前，有个寂寞的女孩非常渴望爱。一天，她走在丛林中，发现两只快要饿死的小鸟。她把它们带回家，放入一个小笼子。经她悉心照料，鸟儿一天天强壮起来。每天早晨，鸟儿都要用美妙的歌声向她表示问候。女孩不由得爱上了这两只小鸟。

　　Notelong for 渴望　starve v. 饿得要死　songbird n. 鸣禽　cage n. 笼



　　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.

　　一天，女孩敞开了鸟笼的小门。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。鸟儿飞近时，她死命将它抓住。她十分高兴，终于又把它捉了回来。突然间，她感觉到鸟儿四肢无力。她张开手，惊恐地盯着手中的死鸟。她不顾一切的爱害死了鸟儿。   

　　Notecapture v. 捕获　limp adj. 柔软的　desperate adj. 不顾一切的
　　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.

　　她注意到另一只鸟儿在笼边扑闪着翅膀。她可以感觉到它对自由的无限向往。它渴望冲向明净的蓝天。她将它举起，轻轻抛向空中。鸟儿盘旋了一圈，两圈，三圈。



　　Noteback and forth 来回地　soar v. 高飞　toss v. 投、掷

　　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.

　　看到鸟儿快乐的样子，女孩很高兴。她的内心不再计较自己的得失。她希望鸟儿幸福。突然，鸟儿飞近了，轻轻落在她的肩上，唱起了她从未听过的最动人的歌。

　　Notedelightedly adv. 欣喜地、快乐地　melody n. 悦耳的音乐

　　The fastest way to lose love is to hold on it too tight, the best way to keep love is to give it wings!

　　失去爱的方法，最快莫过于将其牢牢地抓在手心；令爱长驻的方法，最好莫过于赋予它一双翅膀——将爱放飞！

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more but enjoy less.

　　我们这个时代在历史上的说法就是我们拥有更高的建筑，但是有更暴的脾气；我们拥有更宽阔的高速公路，却有更狭隘的观点；我们花费得更多，拥有得却更少；我们购买得更多却享受得更少。

　　We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.

　　我们的房子越来越大，家庭却越来越小；便利越来越多，时间却越来越少；学位越来越多，感觉却越来越少；知识越来越多，观点却越来越少；专家越来越多，问题也越来越多；药物越来越多，福利却越来越少。

　　We drink too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry too quickly, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

　　我们喝得太多，花钱大手大脚，笑得太少，开车太快，易怒，熬夜，赖床，书读得越来越少，电视看得越来越多，却很少向上帝祈祷。

　　We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life; we’ve added years to life, not life to years.

　　我们常常夸夸其谈，却很少付出爱心，且常常心中充满了仇恨。我们学会了如何谋生，而不知如何生活。我们延长了生命的期限，而不是生活的期限。

　　We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. We’ve conquered outer space, but not inner space; we’ve done larger things, but not better things.

　　我们登上了月球，并成功返回，却不能穿过街道去拜访新邻居。我们已经征服了太空，却征服不了自己的内心；我们的事业越做越大，但质量却没有提高。

　　We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; we’ve split the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less; we plan more, but accomplish less.

　　我们清洁了空气，却污染了灵魂；我们分离了原子，却无法驱除我们的偏见；我们写得更多，学到的却更少；我们的计划更多，完成的却更少。

　　We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait; we have higher incomes, but, lower morals.

　　我们学会了奔跑，却忘记了如何等待；我们的收入越来越高，道德水平却越来越低。

　　We build more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication; we’ve become long on quantity, but short on quality.

　　我们制造了更多的计算机来存储更多的信息，制造了最多的副本，却减少了交流；我们开始渴望数量，但忽视了质量。

　　These are the days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but more broken homes.

　　这个时代有双收入，但也有了更高的离婚率；有更华丽的房屋，却有更多破碎的家庭。

　　These are the days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throw away morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. Where are we heading...?

　　这个时代有了快速旅游，免洗尿布，却抛弃了道德、一夜情、超重的身体，以及可以从快乐中走向静止和自杀的药物。我们将走向何方……？

　　If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.

　　如果我们明天就死掉，我们为之工作的公司可能会在一天内很轻易地找人代替我们的位置。但是当我们离开家人后，他们的余生将会在失落中度过。

　　And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than to our family an unwise investment indeed.

　　考虑一下吧，我们将自己的时间更多地投入到工作中，而放弃与家人在一起的时光，实在并非明智之举。

You
—by Anna Tafoya

I love having you in my life. It has never been the same since you came into it, and I know it will never be the same again.

I love you so much. You are always inside me, warm within my heart, and you are everywhere in the world that surrounds me. You come to me tenderly. You take my soul places it's never been before. You give me more of you than I ever knew anyone could give.

You give me feelings that feel like presents almost too beautiful to open. Among the gifts you have given, one of the most wonderful of all is the joy of being so close to you. Thank you for trusting me enough to share all that you are... with all that I hope to be.

I love catching glimpses of every new facet you share with me. And the more you do that... the more I can't help but adore what I see.

In the time that we have been together, you have made my sun rise on so many mornings — and I'm sure it was you who made my stars come out at night. You've surprised me with the gifts of hope and laughter and love, and you've made me a believer in something I never used to have too much faith in: the notion that dreams really can come true.

If there are times when you look at me and see my eyes filled with smiles and tears, it's only because my heart is so full of happiness, and because my life is so thankful for... you.

我愿与你共享人生，你的到来使我的生活和以前不同，而且我知道是永远的不同。
   

你在世界上的任何一个角落都困扰着我,使我感觉到温柔.你带走了我的灵魂之前从未曾有过的,你所能给我的超出了任何我所知道的人所能给与的一切.我爱你如此之深,你总在我心里面,在我心中充满了爱,你在世界上的任何一个角落都捆扰着我,使我感觉到温柔.你带走了我的灵魂之前从未曾有过的,你所能给我的超出了任何我所知道的人所能与.
你给我的感觉就象父母一样几乎都把最好的一面呈现,在你给与的礼物之中,有一样最哦精致的礼物那就是 开心,以致于我这么接近你.谢谢你能这么信任我能与你一起分享你所拥有的...这就是我所希望的一切.
  我爱上捕捉那种能与我分享时的那种笑容时刻,和更多你想做的...更多的看见使我控制不住地去爱慕你.
曾经我们有一段时间在一起,你曾经无数个早晨使我重新升起阳光--我感确定这就是你一个使我的星星能够出现在夜里.你总是用充满着希望、欢笑个爱的礼物使我感到惊喜,你使我相信以前从来不愿过度去信仰的一些事情:梦想成正的想法.
假如有时间当你看着我并注视我那双充满微笑和眼泪的眼睛时,我是如此的幸福,因为我的生活是对你是如此的感谢.

[ 本帖最后由 xuehua 于 2007-4-26 17:00 编辑 ]

有一个小男孩跟他的父亲走在山中
A son and his father were walking on the mountains.
   
小男孩不小心跌倒了,忍不住痛的大叫了一声" 哇......喔"
Suddenly, his son falls, hurts himself and screams: "AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
   
但是令他吃惊的是,他听到了一个声音从山中的某处传出來,重覆他的声音" 哇.....喔"
To his surprise, he hears the voice repeating, somewhere in themountain: "AAAhhhhhh!!!"
   
他很好奇的大声问"你是誰?"
Curious, he yells: "Who are you?"
   
结果他得到的答案也是 "你是谁?"
He receives the answer: "Who are you?"
   
小男孩生气了,大声地吼着"胆小鬼"
Angered at the response, he screams: "Coward!"
   
這一次得到的答案也是 "胆小鬼"
He receives the answer: "Coward!"
   
他很好奇的问他父亲 "到底怎么回事啊???"
He looks to his father and asks: "What's going on?"
   
父亲笑笑的跟兒子說 "儿子啊, 注意听喔"
The father smiles and says: "My son, pay attention."
   
父亲大吼了一声 " 我钦佩你"
And then he screams to the mountain: "I admire you!"
   
结果另一个声音传回來的也是 "我钦佩你"
The voice answers: "I admire you!"
   
同样的,父亲再一次大声的說 "你是冠军"
Again the man screams: "You are a champion!"
   
这个声音也回答 "你是冠军"
The voice answers: "You are a champion!"
   
小男孩感到非常的訝異,但又不解
The boy is surprised, but does not understand.
   
此时父亲向小男孩解释說 "一般人们称这是回音, 但实际上這是'生命'"
Then the father explains: "People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE.
   
你所說的做的每一件事最后都會回应到妳身上
It gives you back everything you say or do.
   
我们的生命就是很简单的回应我們所做过的事
Our life is simply a reflection of our actions.
   
如果你要這个世界有更多的爱,那么你就要在你的心中创造出更多的爱
If you want more love in the world, create more love in your heart.
   
如果你要你的团队更优秀,那么你也要先让你自已更优秀
If you want more competence in your team, improve your competence.
   
這样的关系可以套用在每一件事上,在生命中的每一件事
This relationship applies to everything, in all aspects of life;
   
生命,會回应給你每一件你曾做过的事
Life will give you back everything you have given to it.
   
生命中沒有意外,它就是你的反射
Your life is not a coincidence, it's a reflection of you!

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked. "Who would like this $20 bill?"

Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you - but first, let me do this."

He proceeded to crumple the 20 dollar note up. He then asked. "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air.

"Well," he replied, "what if I do this?" He dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?"

Still the hands went into the air.

"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless; but no matter what happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value.

Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you. The worth of our lives comes, not in what we do or who we know, but by ...WHO WE ARE.

You are special - don't ever forget it."            

二十美元

一个聚集了200多人的演讲大厅里，一位知名演讲者正在演说，他手执一张二十美元的钞票问大家，“谁想要这张钞票？”

台下人纷纷举手。“我会把这张钞票给你们中的一个人，”演讲者说，“可我得先这么折腾它一下。”说着，演讲者粗暴地揉折起手里的钞票，尔后他问，“还有想要这张钞票吗？”

台下人仍一个个举起手来。

“行，”他说，“那我这么做了以后呢？”他扔下钞票，踏上脚使劲践踏，拣起来时，钞票已是肮脏破损。“还有人要吗？”

人们依然举起手。

“朋友们，你们都很有价值概念。无论我怎么糟蹋这张钞票，你们还是愿意要，是因为它的价值未贬，仍然是20美元。

生活中，我们不免会或因自己的决定或因环境的影响而失意、落拓甚至潦倒，感觉自己一无是处。其实，无论已经发生什么或将要发生什么，你自身的价值没有改变。

无论肮脏、干净，还是皱折、平展，对于爱你的人，你始终珍贵无价。生活的价值，不在我们做什么，不在我们认识谁，而在我们是谁。

别忘了，你永远是独一无二的你！”

One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered, and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a flaw in it.
    一天，一位年轻人站在城镇的中央，宣布他的心是整个山谷中最美丽的心。围观的人很多，他们都称赞年轻人的心的确是完美无缺，并没有一点伤痕瑕疵。

    Suddenly, an old man appeared and said, "Why, your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine."
   突然，一位老人出现在人群中，说：“你的心不如我的美丽。”

     The crowd and the young man looked at the old man's heart. It was full of scars, it had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn't fit quite right, and there were several jagged edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing.
    围观者和年轻人都朝老人的心看去：它布满了伤疤，有的地方被挖去又重新填补上，但修补得不甚完整，留下一些参差不齐的疤痕。实际上，有的地方缺失了整块，甚至露出很深的豁口。

     The young man laughed. "Comparing your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars."
    年轻人笑了起来：“我们两人的心相比，我的是那么完美，而你的却是一堆伤疤。”

     "Yes," said the old man, "Yours looks perfect but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love. I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart that fits into the empty place in my heart. But because the pieces aren't exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared.
    “是的，”老人说，“你的心从表面来看很完美，但我绝不会跟你交换。你看，每个伤疤都代表我为别人献出的一份爱——我掏出一块心给他们，他们常常会掏出自己的一块回赠给我，以填补我的空缺。但由于这两块不完全一样，伤口的边缘就留下了疤痕，不过我十分珍惜这些疤痕，因为它们使我想起我们共同拥有的爱心。”

     "Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn't returned a piece of his or her heart to me. These are the empty gouges -- giving love is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for those people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?"
     “有时我送出了一瓣心，其他人并没有回赠给我，因此就出现了这些豁口——献出爱也是需要冒风险的。尽管这些豁口很疼，我还是让它们敞开着，因为它们能使我想起我付出的爱。我希望有一天，得到爱的人们能够回来填补上我心里的空间。你现在明白什么是真正的美丽了吧？”

     The young man walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect heart, and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man.
    年轻人默默走近老人，把手伸进自己完美的心中，撕下一块来，把它献给这位老人。

      The old man placed it in his heart, then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man's heart. It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges.
    老人接过馈赠，把它放进自己的心里。然后他从自己疤痕累累的心里掏出一块，放在年轻人心里的那个伤口上。正好放进去，但不是特别吻合，也出现了一些疤痕。

     The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man's heart flowed into his.
    年轻人看着自己的心，看起来不再完美但比以前更美丽了，因为老人心中的爱也流淌到了他的心里。

   They embraced and walked away side by side.
   他们拥抱着，肩并肩离开了。

这个美丽的故事流传在美洲印第安土著中已近200年了，一朵荒漠中的小花，不是为了自己的艳丽，而执着于点缀这个世界的一角……

There was a young flower in the desert where all was dry and sad looking... It was growing by itself... enjoying every day... and saying to the sun “When shall I be grown up?” And the sun would say “Be patient - Each time I touch you, you grow a little...” She was so pleased. Because she would have a chance to bring beauty to this corner of sand... And this is all she wanted to do - bring a little bit of beauty to this world.

遍地干旱、满目悲凉的沙漠中有朵小花，她独自生长在那里，享受着每一天……她问太阳公公“我什么时候才能长大？”太阳公公总是说“要有耐心-- 我每次抚摸你，你都会长大一点……”小花好开心啊，因为她也有机会为沙漠的一隅增添美丽了……这是她毕生的心愿-- 为这个世界增添一丝美丽。

One day the hunter came by - and stepped on her. - She was going to die - and she felt so sad. Not because she was dying - but because she would not have a chance to bring a little bit of beauty to this corner of the desert.

一天，一位猎人经过--正好踩在她身上――  她快要死了-- 她感到如此悲伤。并不是因为她即将死去，而是因为再没有机会为沙漠增添一丝美丽了。

The great spirit saw her, and was listening. - Indeed, he said... She should be living... And he reached down and touched her - and gave her life.

伟大的精神看到了她，并且听到了她的心里话。……事实上，他在说……她应该活着……他俯下身，抚摸着她-- 给了她生命。

And she grew up to be a beautiful flower... and this corner of the desert became so beautiful because of her.

她长成一朵美丽的花……由于她的存在，这沙漠的一隅变得如此美丽。

Don’t Quit, Keep Playing




      Wishing to encourage her young son’s progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her.

    为了让儿子能在钢琴方面有长足的进步，一位母亲带着儿子去听帕德瑞夫斯基的音乐会。待她们坐定之后，那位母亲看到一位熟人，就穿过走道过去跟朋友打招呼。

      Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked “NO ADMITTANCE.” When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing.

    小男孩好不容易有机会欣赏音乐厅的宏伟，他站了起来，并慢慢地摸索到了一扇门旁边，上面写着“禁止入内”。大厅里的灯暗了下来，音乐会马上就要开始了。那位母亲回到座位，却发现自己的孩子不见了。

      Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw　her little boy sitting at the key- board, innocently picking out Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.

    这时候，幕布徐徐拉开，大厅里的聚光灯都集中到了舞台上的士坦威钢琴上。而让母亲吃惊的是，她的儿子竟然坐在钢琴面前，自顾自地弹着《闪烁，闪烁，小星星》。

      At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy’s ear, “Don’t quit. Keep playing.”


    这时候，著名的钢琴大师走上台，并且迅速地走到钢琴旁边，并在男孩的耳边轻声说道：“孩子，别停下，继续弹。”

      Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left　hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obbligato. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was mesmerized.

    帕德瑞夫斯基俯下身去，用左手在键盘上弹奏低音部分。然后，他的右手绕过男孩的身后，弹奏出优美的伴奏。这位年长的钢琴大师和年幼的初学者一起，将原本紧张的气氛变成了一种全新的体验。全场的观众都听得入迷了。

      That’s the way it is in life. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren’t exactly graceful flowing music. But when we trust in the hands of a Greater Power, our life’s work truly can be beautiful.

    其实，生活也是如此。我们所取得的成就不一定要多么显著。我们尽力了，结果却不一定能演奏出优美流畅的音乐。但是，如果我们相信大师的力量，我们的生活就会变的非常美丽。

      Next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, “Don’t quit. Keep playing.”

   当你准备伟大作品的时候，仔细地侧耳倾听，你会听到大师的声音，在你耳边轻声说道：“别停下，继续弹！”

Who You Are Speaks Louder than Anything You Can Say

I teach economics at UNLV three times per week. Last Monday, at the beginning of class, I cheerfully asked my students how their weekend had been. One young man said that his weekend had not been so good. He had his wisdom teeth removed. The young man then proceeded to ask me why I always seemed to be so cheerful.

His question reminded me of something I'd read somewhere before: "Every morning when you get up, you have a choice about how you want to approach life that day," I said. "I choose to be cheerful."

"Let me give you an example," I continued, addressing all sixty students in the class. "In addition to teaching here at UNLV, I also teach out at the community college in Henderson, 17 miles down the freeway from where I live. One day a few weeks ago I drove those 17 miles to Henderson. I exited the freeway and turned onto College Drive. I only had to drive another quarter mile down the road to the college. But just then my car died. I tried to start it again, but the engine wouldn't turn over. So I put my flashers on, grabbed my books, and marched down the road to the college."

"As soon as I got there I called AAA and arranged for a tow truck to meet me at my car after class. The secretary in the Provost's office asked me what has happened. 'This is my lucky day,' I replied, smiling."

" 'Your car breaks down and today is your lucky day?' She was puzzled. 'What do you mean?'"

" 'I live 17 miles from here.' I replied. 'My car could have broken down anywhere along the freeway. It didn't. Instead, it broke down in the perfect place: off the freeway, within walking distance of here. I'm still able to teach my class, and I've been able to arrange for the tow truck to meet me after class. If my car was meant to break down today, it couldn't have been arranged in a more convenient fashion.'"

"The secretary's eyes opened wide, and then she smiled. I smiled back and headed for class." So ended my story.

I scanned the sixty faces in my economics class at UNLV. Despite the early hour, no one seemed to be asleep. Somehow, my story had touched them. Or maybe it wasn't the story at all. In fact, it had all started with a student's observation that I was cheerful.




我在内华达大学拉斯维加斯分校教经济学，每周上三次课。上周一，在刚开始上课的时候，我兴致勃勃地问学生们周末过得怎么样。一个男生说，他的周末不太愉快，因为他的智齿被拔掉了，结果让他痛了一整天。然后，他又问我为何我总能保持那么快乐的心情。

他的问题使我想起了一句不知出处的话：“每天早上，当你起床的时候，你可以选择如何面对一天的生活”，我说：“我选择快乐。”

“我给你们举个例子吧，”我对着全班六十个学生继续说道，“除了在这儿上课，我还在一所社区大学任教，那儿离我家17英里。几周前的一天，我驾车前往那所学校，驶离高速公路后，我转入了校园区。在只差400多米就到学校的时候，我的汽车抛锚了。我努力从新发动引擎，但就是不行。我只好把指示灯打亮，然后抓起课本直奔学校。”

“我一到学校就马上打电话给汽车协会，让他们在我下课后开辆拖车过来。院长办公室的秘书问我发生了什么事。‘今天我真走运，’我笑着答道。”

“‘你的车坏了，你还说今天走运？’她一脸的困惑。‘你什么意思啊？’”

“我回答到：‘我住在离这儿17英里的地方。其实我的车有可能在高速公路上的什么地方就坏掉了的，但庆幸的是，没有。相反，汽车是在离开了高速公路后才抛锚，刚好处于步行区内。我还赶得及上课，还能够安排拖车在课后来处理。如果我的汽车是注定了要在今天抛锚的，那我觉得自己已经很走运了。’”

“那个秘书听得目瞪口呆地，然后她笑了。我也冲她笑了一下，便上课去了。”这就是我的故事。

我扫视了一下全班六十张脸。虽然是在大清早，但没有一个学生在打盹儿。不知道为什么，他们好像被我的故事触动了。也许触动他们的并不是故事本身。其实，从一开始有学生发现我兴致高昂的时候，他们便已经被我的快乐感染了。