經典雙語美文：品味現在
在我們的潛意識之中隱藏著一派田園詩般的風景。我們仿佛處在一次橫跨大陸的迢迢旅途之中。我們乘著火車，領略著窗外流動的景色：附近公路上馳騁的汽車、十字路口處揮手的孩童、遠處山坡上吃草的牛群、不斷從電廠排放出的煙霧、成片成片的玉米和小麥、平原和山谷、群山和綿延起伏的丘陵、天空襯托下城市的輪廓，以及鄉間的莊園宅第。
可是我們心中想得最多的卻是最后的目的地。在某一天的某一時刻，我們的火車將會到站，迎接我們的將是演奏的樂隊和飄舞的旗幟。一旦到了那兒，多少美妙的夢將成為現實，我們的生活也將變得完整，好像一幅拼好了的拼圖。我們在車廂過道里煩躁不安地踱來踱去，咒罵火車的磨磨蹭蹭，等待著，等待著，等待著火車進站的時刻。
“當我們到站后，一切就好了!”我們呼喊著。“當我到18歲的時候。”“當我有了一輛新的450SL奔馳轎車的時候。”“當我供最小的孩子念完大學的時候。”“當我還清抵押貸款的時候。”“當我升官晉職的時候。”“當我到了退休的時候，從此就可以過上幸福的生活啦!”
可是我們遲早會認識到人生之旅并沒有什么車站，也沒有什么能夠“一到就可永逸”的地方。人生的真正樂趣在于旅行的過程，而車站僅僅是個夢，它總是遙遙領先于我們。
“品味現在”是一句很好的箴言，尤其是把它與《圣經·詩篇》中第118篇第24段的話相結合的時候，更是如此：“今日乃主所創造;生活在今日我們將歡欣、高興。”讓人發瘋的不是今天的負擔，而是對昨天的悔恨及對明天的恐懼。悔恨和恐懼是一對孿生竊賊，將今天從我們身邊偷走。
那么就停止在車廂過道里徘徊吧，別總惦記著你距離車站還有多遠。何不換種活法，去攀爬更多的高山，多吃點冰激淋解解饞，經常光著腳閑游漫步，在更多的河流里暢游，多多欣賞夕陽西下，多點歡笑，少些淚花。生活要過在當下，車站會很快到達。
Tucked away in our subconsciousness is an idyllic vision. We see ourselves on a long trip that spans the continent. We are traveling by train. Out the windows, we drink in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing, of cattle grazing on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, of row upon row of corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hills, of city skylines and village halls.
But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour, we will pull into the station. Bands will be playing and flags waving. Once we get there, so many wonderful dreams will come true and the pieces of our lives will fit together like a completed jigsaw puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles, damning the minutes for loitering — waiting,waiting, waiting for the station.
“When we reach the station, that will be it!” we cry. “When I’m 18.” “When I buy a new 450SL Mercedes Benz.” “When I put the last kid through college.” “When I have paid off the mortgage.” “When I get a promotion.” “When I reach the age of retirement, I shall live happily ever after!”
Sooner or later, we must realize that there is no station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly out distances us.
“Relish the moment” is a good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24: “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” It isn’t the burdens of today that drive men mad. It is the regret over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today.
So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more icecream, go barefoot more often, swim more rivers, watch more sunset, laugh more and cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. Then the station will come soon enough.
在我們的潛意識之中隱藏著一派田園詩般的風景。我們仿佛處在一次橫跨大陸的迢迢旅途之中。我們乘著火車，領略著窗外流動的景色：附近公路上馳騁的汽車、十字路口處揮手的孩童、遠處山坡上吃草的牛群、不斷從電廠排放出的煙霧、成片成片的玉米和小麥、平原和山谷、群山和綿延起伏的丘陵、天空襯托下城市的輪廓，以及鄉間的莊園宅第。
可是我們心中想得最多的卻是最后的目的地。在某一天的某一時刻，我們的火車將會到站，迎接我們的將是演奏的樂隊和飄舞的旗幟。一旦到了那兒，多少美妙的夢將成為現實，我們的生活也將變得完整，好像一幅拼好了的拼圖。我們在車廂過道里煩躁不安地踱來踱去，咒罵火車的磨磨蹭蹭，等待著，等待著，等待著火車進站的時刻。
“當我們到站后，一切就好了!”我們呼喊著。“當我到18歲的時候。”“當我有了一輛新的450SL奔馳轎車的時候。”“當我供最小的孩子念完大學的時候。”“當我還清抵押貸款的時候。”“當我升官晉職的時候。”“當我到了退休的時候，從此就可以過上幸福的生活啦!”
可是我們遲早會認識到人生之旅并沒有什么車站，也沒有什么能夠“一到就可永逸”的地方。人生的真正樂趣在于旅行的過程，而車站僅僅是個夢，它總是遙遙領先于我們。
“品味現在”是一句很好的箴言，尤其是把它與《圣經·詩篇》中第118篇第24段的話相結合的時候，更是如此：“今日乃主所創造;生活在今日我們將歡欣、高興。”讓人發瘋的不是今天的負擔，而是對昨天的悔恨及對明天的恐懼。悔恨和恐懼是一對孿生竊賊，將今天從我們身邊偷走。
那么就停止在車廂過道里徘徊吧，別總惦記著你距離車站還有多遠。何不換種活法，去攀爬更多的高山，多吃點冰激淋解解饞，經常光著腳閑游漫步，在更多的河流里暢游，多多欣賞夕陽西下，多點歡笑，少些淚花。生活要過在當下，車站會很快到達。
Tucked away in our subconsciousness is an idyllic vision. We see ourselves on a long trip that spans the continent. We are traveling by train. Out the windows, we drink in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing, of cattle grazing on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, of row upon row of corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hills, of city skylines and village halls.
But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour, we will pull into the station. Bands will be playing and flags waving. Once we get there, so many wonderful dreams will come true and the pieces of our lives will fit together like a completed jigsaw puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles, damning the minutes for loitering — waiting,waiting, waiting for the station.
“When we reach the station, that will be it!” we cry. “When I’m 18.” “When I buy a new 450SL Mercedes Benz.” “When I put the last kid through college.” “When I have paid off the mortgage.” “When I get a promotion.” “When I reach the age of retirement, I shall live happily ever after!”
Sooner or later, we must realize that there is no station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly out distances us.
“Relish the moment” is a good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24: “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” It isn’t the burdens of today that drive men mad. It is the regret over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today.
So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more icecream, go barefoot more often, swim more rivers, watch more sunset, laugh more and cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. Then the station will come soon enough.
