美丽英文:推开生活之门-第10章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
e light did not go out。
奉献是支付租金(1)
李·黑斯廷斯·布里斯托尔
人类生活在复杂的社会和文明中,总会不可避免地感到困惑。然而,我相信:人类自身才是解决全世界和群体问题的根本,无论是否公开承认,每个人的内心深处都藏着一个精神家园。揭开覆盖在它表层的东西,它永远在那里,没有人能够将其隐藏。我相信上帝和有序的宇宙,这是我所有信条中的第一个。
生命是有限的,我相信,人类应该为自己追求幸福,同时也为他人带去幸福,这才是人类真正要追求的最基本的生活目标。回顾自己丰富的生活阅历,我明白了,真正的幸福似乎是自私和以自我为中心。但是,那些牟取私利、满足个人物质需要的人永远不会拥有真正的幸福。只有当幸福与无私、体谅他人联系在一起时,这种幸福才会是有深度、真正令人满意的幸福。幸福的本质是奉献,这种奉献带来了我们所有人所追求的真正幸福。曾经有人说过这样的话:“幸福是我们为在地球上占据的空间而支付的租金。”
自私自利是世界上最令人憎恶的恶行,它是一切幸福的对立面。世界的每一个角落似乎都存在着这种恶行,国家之间对于权利的贪婪追求,人与人之间为了物质财富而进行的斗争。
每个人都需要一种幽默感和分寸感,我相信幽默感是理解的开端,能够使人类沉着、冷静。
我的信条是:同胞之间、群体之间应该快乐地相处。我反对我国早期曾盛行的宣扬残酷的地狱之火及战火这样的谬论,这让人类对来世的信仰产生了巨大恐惧。为什么连教堂里靠背椅的椅背都像件瘦小的外套,令人很不舒服!快乐地面对生活不但使自己感到高兴,还能温暖他人,减轻他人的生活负担。
我相信,幸福能够产生兄弟情谊,有助于消除小群体偏见产生的冲突和不公平的苗头。
只要每个人都能确立一个正确的哲学观,制定出一套个人行为规范,我相信我们能够解决国际问题。托马斯·曼曾经提出了这样一条富有挑战性的定义:“战争只是对和平解决问题方式的逃避。”只要心中有信仰,有良好的愿望,只要思想和灵魂追求和平,我们就一定能够在有生之年让世界变得更加美好。
无私的爱与奉献是人类存在和世界美好的基础。只要我们有一个正确的大方向,心中有信仰,有良好的愿望,只要思想和灵魂追求和平,有爱的支持,没有什么是做不到的。我们一定能够在有生之年让世界变得更加美好。
Paying the Rent of Service
Lee Hastings Bristol
In a plex society and a plex civilization the individual is inevitably confused much of the time。 But I believe that the basic solution of all world and group problems must first be solved by the individual himself。 Each one of us; whether we publicly admit it or not; has a deeply spiritual side。 Not one of us can conceal it—scratch the surface and it is always there。 So first of all—and underlying all my credo—I believe in God and an orderly universe。
As a mortal; passing through this life for just a limited period of time。 I believe that happiness is a truly basic objective—happiness for one’s self and; hopefully; happiness for others。 It hasn’t taken too much living on my part to discover that real happiness; which sounds so selfish and self…centered; is never achieved merely by selfish materialism—it can only have depth and real satisfaction if it is bound up with unselfishness—a consideration for others。 Service is the very essence of it。 It has been said that “service is the rent we pay for place on earth。” That kind of service brings the true happiness we all seek。书包 网 。 想看书来
奉献是支付租金(2)
The antithesis of all this is selfishness; which is outstandingly the greatest worldwide vice1。 It seems as though all the world had the “gimmies”; selfishly grasping for power and more power at national levels; with individuals selfishly struggling for material things at their own level。
Each one of us needs a sense of humor with its balancing factor of a sense of proportion2。 I believe a sense of humor brings poise and a start towards understanding。
My credo embraces a joyous3 approach for me towards my fellow man and for collective groups towards each other。 I want none of that grim hellfire…and…brimstone stuff that flourished in the early days of our country—a religion of frightening fear of the hereafter4。 Why; even their old church pews were as unfortable as strait jackets! A joyous approach towards living even cheers you yourself—to say nothing of its warmth that eases the burdens of others。
I believe that brotherhood can grow from this to help destroy forever the seeds of friction and injustice that stem from group minority5 prejudices。
If only each one of us can develop a sound philosophy and work out a course of conduct as individuals; then I believe we can solve our world problems at the international level。 Thomas Mann once gave this challenging definition: “War is only a cowardly escape from the problems of peace。” With faith and good will in our hearts and with peace in our souls and minds; surely we can leave this world the better for our having lived in it。
健康
H。 马丁
俗话说得好:直到失去某物时,我们才会完全懂得它的价值。我们往往在死神把朋友的生命夺走时,才会珍视他的关爱和优点,而不是他活着和我们生活在一起的时候;只有在我们从中学或大学毕业后,才会意识到获得受教育机会的重大意义,但是它已经远去,不再回来;身患疾病和体弱多病的人才会懂得健康的珍贵。身强力壮时,我们不会想到体弱多病的滋味。我们对身强力壮是如此习以为常,甚至认为这是理所当然的。我们身体的各个器官如此灵活地运转,让我们差点忘记了自己还有肺、肝、心和胃。然而一旦感到哪个器官出了问题,出现疼痛和病症时,我们就会从疼痛的经历中意识到拥有健康的身体真是无以言表的幸福。
所以,明智及必要的做法是,在尚未失去健康时,及早地意识到:要想拥有好的身体,只有通过了解和遵守健康规律才能实现。忽视自然规律会不可避免地受到惩罚。从长远的角度看,假如我们忽视了自然规律,它必然会对我们实施报复,即使不是马上实施。最初,我们也体会不到过度的行为及不健康的习惯的后果,然而终有一天,我们一定会感受得到。“天网恢恢,疏而不漏。”许多中年人发觉自己终年疾病缠身,只能对自己年轻时候的愚蠢行为感到懊恼;但是忏悔是不起任何作用的,因为大自然从不宽恕违背健康规律的行为——就像赫胥黎所言,那些都是“实质的罪过”。
失去健康令我们感到痛苦,而且让我们成了自己和朋友的负担。它还会削弱我们的努力,让我们无力完成或许早已完成的很多极其重要的事情。它毁了我们的生活,我们应该如何来保持身体健康呢?
我们必须在吃喝上有节制,对清淡、健康有益的简单食品有明智的选择。数千人毙命于暴饮暴食,而且数万人死于烈酒。年轻的时候,我们要保证有充足的睡眠,因为睡眠是“精力良好的天然恢复剂”。不要尝试蜡烛两头点,过多地消耗精力。我们要尽量多在室外生活,让室内保持良好的通风。我们需要足够而有规律的体育锻烁,并保持身体洁净。另外,我们必须要像逃避魔鬼一样,躲避恶习和犯罪活动,让我们的思想和身体保持纯洁。我们的目标就是,保持身与心同样健康。
我们对自己的思想和身体有着比想象中更多的主宰权。淡泊名利、锻炼身体,抛弃生活中愚蠢的包袱,认真地享受生活,这是现代社会中每个人每时每刻都应该做的事。对我们而言,我们活着,四肢健全,这就是世间最幸福的事,不是吗?
Health
H。 Martin
It is a mon saying that we do not fully value a thing until we lose it。 We often value the love and worth or a friend when he has been taken from us by death; more than when he was with us in the flesh; it is only when we have left school or college that we understand the greatness of our opportunity of education; which has gone for ever; and it is the sick and the ailing1 who realize the value of good health。 When we are young and strong; we cannot imagine what it is to be weak and ailing。 We are so used to vigorous2 health that we take it for granted。 The organs of our body work so smoothly that we scarcely know we have lungs and liver; heart and stomach。 But when any of these get upset and give us pain and sickness; we learn by bitter experience what an unspeakable blessing it is to be well。
It is therefore wise and necessary to learn in time; before we have lost our health; that it can be kept only by knowing and observing the laws of health。 Nature’s laws cannot be ignored with impunity3。 In the long run they will avenge themselves on us if we forget them; even if they do not do so at once。 At first we may not feel the result of excesses and unhealthy habits; but we certainly shall some day。 “The mills of God grind slowly; but they grind exceedingly small。” Many a man who in middle age finds himself a confirmed invalid has to curse the follies of his youth: but his remorse is vain; flor Nature never forgives breaches of the laws of health—“physical sins”; as Huxley called them。
Loss of health makes us miserable; and a burden to ourselves and our friends。 It cripples our efforts; so that we cannot acplish many of the good and great things we might