书城外语魅力英文2:给幸福留一扇门
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第58章 他们的精彩 (8)

6. Now the once colorful moths were plain and brown. The angels up in heaven saw the rainbow, and became joyous. They smiled and the warmth of their smiles shown down on the earth as sunshine. The warm sunshine made the people on earth happy and they smiled, too. Now every time it rains the baby moths, which still have their colors, spread them across the sky to make more rainbows.”

7. My brother sank off to sleep with that story and hasn’t feared moths since. The story my aunt told us had been gathering dust in the back corners of my brain for years, but recently came back to me.

8. I have a friend named Abigail who always wears gray clothes. She is also one of the most kind and generous people I’ve ever met. When people ask her why she doesn’t wear more colors she just smiles, that smile, and says, “Gray is my color.” She knows herself and she doesn’t compromise that to appease other people. Some may see her as plain like a moth, but I know that underneath the gray, Abigail is every color of the rainbow.

1. 飞蛾很难看,这至少是一个可靠的根据告诉我不难看之前的想法。那是我5、6岁的时候。有一次我和和弟弟约瑟夫一起到我们最喜欢的琳达阿姨家玩,并在她家住了一夜。琳达阿姨从不把我们当小孩哄,跟我们说话就像对大人一样。她还总能给我们讲最好听的故事。

2. 那年约瑟夫只有4岁,晚上睡觉怕黑,琳达阿姨给我们掖完被子以后,留了一条门缝,让大厅里的灯光能照进房间。约瑟夫睡不着,躺在床上看天花板。我快睡着时他突然推醒我,“珍妮,快看,电灯旁边那些飞来飞去的难看玩意儿是什么呀?”(我一直乐意他问我问题,因为我比他大,当然应该比他懂得多了,即便不懂,也得装模作样地糊弄一番。)他指着围着大厅电灯飞转的蛾子问。“蛾子呗,”我随口敷衍道,“快睡吧。”

3. 也许是不满意我的解释,或者是不喜欢围着电灯飞转的那些蛾子,约瑟夫后来在阿姨从房门经过时叫住了她,要她弄走那些难看的蛾子。阿姨问为什么时,他说,“它们好难看,好怕人,我不喜欢它们。”阿姨听后笑着摸着他的头说,“约瑟夫,外表难看的东西内在不一定不美丽哟。你知道蛾子为什么是棕色的吗?” 约瑟夫摇摇头。

4. 蛾子是动物王国中最美丽的动物,它们原本比蝴蝶还漂亮呢,它们善良、慷慨、乐于助人。有一天,天堂里的天使哭了。他们很伤心,因为乌云密布,他们看不到地球上的人啦。天使们吧嗒吧嗒落下的眼泪掉到地球上,成了滂沱大雨。善良的蛾子不愿意看到大家这么伤心,决定编织彩虹。它们想,让蝴蝶表哥表姐们也来帮忙,大家同心协力,都来贡献一点自己的颜色,就一定能织出漂亮的彩虹。

5. 一只小蛾子飞去向蝴蝶女王求助,可蝴蝶们都很自私,没有一只蝶儿愿意为人类和天使奉献丁点儿颜色。蛾子决定独自编织彩虹,它们拼命扇动、拍打自己的翅膀,五颜六色的粉末飘飞出,形成小小云朵,风儿将它们匀称地吹展成漂亮的弧线。可惜,弧线太小。蛾子们继续扇翅拍打,直至绚烂的彩虹经过天。

6. 现在,原本多彩多姿的蛾子素面朝天了,变成棕色了,但天堂里的天使看到彩虹却高兴地笑了,他们温暖的笑容普照大地,变成了阳光。暖融融的阳光让地球人开心,他们也笑了。如今,每当下雨,那刚降生的蛾子依旧绚丽,飞越天空,搭成彩虹。

7. 弟弟听着故事,满意地沉沉睡去,从此不再害怕蛾子。阿姨讲的故事早已沉睡于我记忆深处,却被最近的一件事情唤起。

8. 我有个朋友叫阿比盖尔,她是我见到过的最善良、慷慨的人之一,爱穿灰色衣服。老有人问她为什么不穿得艳丽些,她总说,“灰色适合我。“她了解自己,她不妥协以取悦他人。或许有人会觉得她朴素得像只蛾子,但我知道,灰色外表之下的阿比盖尔,胜过绚烂的七彩之虹。

Face The Sea, With The Spring Flowers Blossoming.面朝大海,春暖花开

1. From tomorrow on, I will be a happy person;

2. Grooming, chopping, and traveling all over the world.

3. From tomorrow on, I will care foodstuff and vegetables,

4. I have a house, towards the sea, with spring flowers blossoming.

5. From tomorrow on, I will write to each of my dear ones,

6. Telling them of my happiness,

7. What the lightening of blessedness has told me,

8. I will spread it to each of them.

9. And give a warm name for every river and every mountain.

10. Strangers, I will also give you my well-wishing.

11. May you have a brilliant future!

12. May you lovers eventually become spouse!

13. May you enjoy happiness in this earthly world!

14. I only wish to face the sea, with spring flowers blossoming.

1. 从明天起,做一个幸福的人

2. 喂马,劈柴,周游世界

3. 从明天起,关心粮食和蔬菜

4. 我有一所房子,面朝大海,春暖花开

5. 从明天起,和每一个亲人通信

6. 告诉他们我的幸福

7. 那幸福的闪电告诉我的

8. 我将告诉每一个人

9. 给每一条河每一座山取一个温暖的名字

10. 陌生人,我也为你祝福

11. 愿你有一个灿烂的前程

12. 愿你有情人终成眷属

13. 愿你在尘世获得幸福

14. 我也愿面朝大海,春暖花开

The Closest I’ve Been To Facing Death与死神擦肩

1. When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

2. Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything—all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure—these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

3. About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn’t even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor’s code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you’d have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.