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第26部分（第1页）

赖以生存的两条真理（2）

■　心灵小语

赖以生存的两条真理：一是珍惜周围的一切；二是放弃欲念，追求心中的美好。

Two　Truths　to　Live　By

Alexander　M。　Schindler

The　art　of　living　is　to　know　when　to　hold　fast　and　when　to　let　go。　For　life　is　a　paradox：　it　enjoins　us　to　cling　to　its　many　gifts　even　while　it　ordains　their　eventual　relinquishment。　The　rabbis　of　old　put　it　this　way：　“A　man　es　to　this　world　with　his　fist　clenched；　but　when　he　dies；　his　hand　is　open。”

Surely　we　ought　to　hold　fast　to　life；　for　it　is　wondrous；　and　full　of　a　beauty　that　breaks　through　every　pore　of　God’s　own　earth。　We　know　that　this　is　so；　but　all　too　often　we　recognize　this　truth　only　in　our　backward　glance　when　we　remember　what　was　and　then　suddenly　realize　that　it　is　no　more。

We　remember　a　beauty　that　faded；　a　love　that　waned。　But　we　remember　with　far　greater　pain　that　we　did　not　see　that　beauty　when　it　flowered；　that　we　failed　to　respond　with　love　when　it　was　tendered。

A　recent　experience　re…taught　me　this　truth。　I　was　hospitalized　following　a　severe　heart　attack　and　had　been　in　intensive　care　for　several　days。　It　was　not　a　pleasant　place。

One　morning；　I　had　to　have　some　additional　tests。　The　required　machines　were　located　in　a　building　at　the　opposite　end　of　the　hospital；　so　I　had　to　be　wheeled　across　the　courtyard　on　a　gurney。

As　we　emerged　from　our　unit；　the　sunlight　hit　me。　That’s　all　there　was　to　my　experience。　Just　the　light　of　the　—how　warming；　how　sparkling；　how　brilliant！

I　looked　to　see　whether　anyone　else　realized　the　sun’s　golden　glow；　but　everyone　was　hurrying　to　and　fro；　most　with　eyes　fixed　on　the　ground。　Then　I　remembered　how　often　I；　too；　had　been　indifferent　to　the　grandeur　of　each　day；　too　preoccupied　with　petty　and　sometimes　even　mean　concerns　to　respond　to　the　splendor　of　it　all。

The　insight　gleaned　from　that　experience　is　really　as　monplace　as　was　the　experience　itself：　life’s　gifts　are　precious—but　we　are　too　heedless　of　them。

Here　then　is　the　first　pole　of　life’s　paradoxical　demands　on　us：　Never　too　busy　for　the　wonder　and　the　awe　of　life。　Be　reverent　before　each　dawning　day。　Embrace　each　hour。　Seize　each　golden　minute。

Hold　fast　to　life；　but　not　so　fast　that　you　cannot　let　go。　This　is　the　second　side　of　life’s　coin；　the　opposite　pole　of　its　paradox：　we　must　accept　our　losses；　and　learn　how　to　let　go。

This　is　not　an　easy　lesson　to　learn；　especially　when　we　are　young　and　think　that　the　world　is　ours　to　mand；　that　whatever　we　desire　with　the　full　force　of　our　passionate　being　can；　will；　be　ours。　But　then　life　moves　along　to　confront　us　with　realities；　and　slowly　but　surely　this　second　truth　dawns　upon　us。

At　every　stage　of　life　we　sustain　losses—and　grow　in　the　process。　We　begin　our　independent　lives　only　when　we　emerge　from　the　womb　and　lose　its　protective　shelter。　We　enter　a　progression　of　schools；　then　we　leave　our　mothers　and　fathers　and　our　childhood　homes。　We　get　married　and　have　children　and　then　have　to　let　them　go。　We　confront　the　death　of　our　parents　and　our　spouses。　We　face　the　gradual　or　not　so　gradual　waning　of　our　own　strength。　And　ultimately；　as　the　parable　of　the　open　and　closed　hand　suggests；　we　must　confront　the　inevitability　of　our　own　demise；　losing　ourselves　as　it　were；　all　that　we　were　or　dreamed　to　be。

赖以生存的两条真理（3）

But　why　should　we　be　reconciled　to　life’s　contradictory　demands？　Why　fashion　things　of　beauty　is　evanescent　？　Why　give　our　heart　in　love　when　those　we　love　will　ultimately　be　torn　from　our　grasp？

In　order　to　resolve　this　paradox；　we　must　seek　a　wider　perspective；　viewing　our　lives　as　through　windows　that　open　on　eternity。　Once　we　do　that；　we　realize　that　though　our　lives　are　finite；　our　deeds　on　earth　weave　a　timeless　pattern。

Life　is　never　just　being。　It　is　a　being；　a　relentless　flowing　on。　Our　parents　live　on　through　us；　and　we　will　live　on　through　our　children。　The　institutions　we　build　endure；　and　we　will　endure　through　them。　The　beauty　we　fashion　cannot　be　dimmed　by　death。　Our　flesh　may　perish；　our　hands　will　wither；　but　that　which　they　create　in　beauty　and　goodness　and　truth　lives　on　for　all　time　to　e。

Dont　spend　and　waste　your　lives　accumulating　objects　that　will　only　turn　to　dust　and　ashes。　Pursue　not　so　much　the　material　as　the　ideal；　for　ideals　alone　invest　life　with　meaning　and　are　of　enduring　worth。

Add　love　to　a　house　and　you　have　a　home。　Add　righteousness　to　a　city　and　you　have　a　munity。　Add　truth　to　a　pile　of　red　brick　and　you　have　a　school。　Add　justice　to　the　far…flung　round　of　human　endeavor　and　you　have　civilization。　Put　them　all　together；　exalt　them　above　their　present　imperfections；　add　to　them　the　vision　of　humankind　redeemed；　forever　free　of　need　and　strife　and　you　have　a　future　lighted　with　the　radiant　colors　of　hope。

第二次生命的启示（1）

拉尔夫？里士满

就在十年前，我与拿着听诊器的医生相对而坐。他说：“你的左肺叶上部有一处坏损，病情正在恶化……”听到这些，我顿时愣住了，他接着说道：“你必须放下工作，卧床休息。稍后，我们会对你进行进一步的观察……”对于我的病情，医生也不是太确定。

事业正值中天的我突然感觉像被判了刑，而刑期却尚未确定。我走出医生的办公室，坐在公园的长椅上，自言自语道，这也许是最后一次了。我需要好好想一想。