拥有丰富多彩的人生是一个人的幸福,但人往往身在福中不知福,不知道珍惜生命中的美好时光。智者对生命中最美好的时光的定义或许能对我们有所启示:幸福就存在于我们平凡的生活中的点点滴滴。
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 was 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 efforts, 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."
精美译文:
那天是6月15日,再过两天我就要30岁了。即将进入生命中的又一个十年,我对此感到不安,担心自己最美好的岁月已经离我远去了。
我每天的惯例是上班之前先去体育馆锻炼。每天早上我都会在体育馆见到我的朋友尼古拉斯。他79岁,身材很好。那天我跟他打招呼时,他注意到我不像往常那样充满活力,就问我有什么不对劲。我告诉他我就要30岁了,心里感到焦虑。我寻思着等我到了尼古拉斯的岁数真不知该怎样回顾自己的一生,于是我问他:"你一生中最美好的时光是什么时候?"
尼古拉斯毫不犹豫地回答:"你瞧,乔,对于你这个富有哲理的问题,这就是我富有哲理的答案。"
"小时候我在奥地利,凡事都不用操心,父母抚育我长大,那是我一生中最美好的时光。"
"上学以后,我学习知识,直到今天都没有忘。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。"
"当我遇到我的妻子而且爱上她时,那是我一生中最美好的时光。"
"第二次世界大战来临,我和妻子为了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。"
"当我们来到加拿大并建立了家庭时,那是我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。"
"现在,乔,我79岁了。我身体健康,感觉良好,爱我的妻子如同我们初次相遇。这是我一生中最美好的时光。"
注释:
1. insecure adj.不可靠的, 不安全的
2.
decade n.十年, 十
3.
routine n.常规, 日常事务, 程序
4. workout n.锻炼
5.
terrific adj.很棒的;了不起的
6.
vitality n.活力, 生命力, 生动性
7.
hesitation n.犹豫, 踌躇
8.
philosophical adj.哲学的,达观的
9. nurture vt.养育, 给与营养物, 教养
10. flee v.从...逃跑
11. bound for 驶往
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