精選勵志雙語美文閱讀
優美的文字於細微處傳達出美感，並浸潤著人們的心靈。通過英語美文，不僅能夠感受語言之美，領悟語言之用，還能產生學習語言的興趣。度過一段美好的時光，即感悟生活，觸動心靈。下面是小編為大家帶來，希望大家喜歡!
精選勵志雙語美文：生活就像一盒巧克力
Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, “Mother, you must come see the daffodils before theyare over.” I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drivefrom Laguna to Lake Arrowhead.
好幾次了,我女兒打電話來說：“媽媽，你務必得在那些水 仙花凋謝之前來看看它們。”我是想去，可從拉古娜到箭頭湖要開兩個小時的車。
“I will come next Tuesday,” I promised, a littlereluctantly, on her third call.
“那我下週二去吧。”在她第三次打來電話時，我極不情願 地答應道。
Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and so I drove there.
到了那個週二，清晨很冷又下著雨，不過既然答應了， 我還是開車去了。
When I finally walked into Carolyn’s house and hugged and greeted my grandchildren, I said,
等我終於到了卡羅琳家，擁抱問候過我的外 孫們，說:
“Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in the clouds and fog, there is nothing inthe world except you and these children that I want to see bad enough to drive another inch!”
“卡羅琳，別想那水仙了!天陰又有霧，路都看不清。 這世上除了你和這些孩子，沒有什麼能讓我為想去看他們再開一 步車了! ”
My daughter smiled calmly and said, “We drive in this all the time, mother.”
女兒平靜地笑著說：“媽媽，我們一直都在這種天氣裡開車 的呀! ”
“Well, you won’t get me back on the road until it clears, and then I’m heading for home!” Iassured her.
“那反正你甭想讓我再開車上路了，除非天晴了，然後我就 直接開車回家! ”我重申道。
“I was hoping you’d take me over to the garage to pick up my car.”
“我本來指望你能開車捎我去修車廠取我的車呢! ”
“How far will we have to drive?”
“我們得開多遠啊? ”
“Just a few blocks,” Carolyn said. “I’ll drive, I’m used to this.”
“就幾條街，”卡羅琳說，“我來開，反正我習慣了這種天氣。”
After several minutes, I had to ask, “Where are we going? This isn’t the way to thegarage!”“We ‘re going to my garage the long way,” Carolyn smiled, “by way of the daffodils.”
過了幾分鐘，我不得不問：“我們這是去哪兒啊?這不是去修車廠的路啊! ”卡羅琳笑了，“我們要去的那個修車廠很遠， 要經過水仙花。”
“Carolyn,” I said sternly, “please turn around.”
“卡羅琳，”我嚴厲地說，“請你掉頭回去。”
“It’s all right, mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience.”
“沒事的，媽媽，我保證。如果你錯過了這次經歷，你永遠不會原諒自己的。”
After about 20 minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On thefar side of the church, I saw a hand-lettered sign that read, “Daffodil Garden.”
大概過了 20分鐘，我們轉到了一條碎石小路上，我看到一個小教堂。在教堂的稍遠一側，我看見一個手寫的牌子，上面寫著：“水仙花園”。
We got out of the car and each took a child’s hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then,we turned a corner of the path, and I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorioussight.
我們走下車，一人領著一個孩子。我跟著卡羅琳順小道而行， 轉到小道的一角，我抬頭一看，驚住了。
It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it down over themountain peak and slopes. Each different-colored variety was planted as a group so that itswirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.
在我面前是極為壯觀的 景象，看上去彷彿有人把一大缸金子傾倒下來，覆蓋了峰頂和山 坡。那些花栽種成巨集偉的漩渦圖案——寬寬窄窄的條紋有很多顏 色，有深橘、白、檸檬黃、橙紅、番紅和乳黃。每種不同色系的 多種顏色種植為一組，這樣看上去每組都用自己獨特的色調一圈 圈地在自己的河流中流淌。那有五畝花。
“But who has done this?” I asked Carolyn.
“這是誰種的呢?”我問卡羅琳。
Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house that looked small and modest in nidst of all thatglory. We walked up to the house. On the patio, we saw a poster. “Answers to the Questions IKnow You Are Asking” was the headline.
“就一個女人，”卡羅琳回答，“她就以這片花為生。那是 她的家。”卡羅琳指著一個整修得很好的A字形房子，在一片 壯麗的景象當中，這房子看起來小而樸素。我走到房子跟前’ 在院子裡，我看到一張海報，標題是“答案-我知道你要問的這些問題”。
The first answer was a simple one. “50,000 bulbs,” it read.
第一個答案很簡單，寫著：“50，000株”。
The second answer was, “One at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and very littlebrain.”
第二個答案是：“一次種一株，一個女人，兩隻手，兩隻腳，不需多動腦”
The third answer was, “Began in 1958.”
第三個答案是：“開始於1958年”
There it was. The Daffodil Principle. For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. Ithought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than 35 years before, had begun—one bulb at a time—to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountain top.
這就是“水仙定律”。對於我，那一刻是一次改變生活的經歷。我在琢磨這個我從未謀面的女人，她，在35年前，開始一次種一株——給她自己帶來了美的景象和花滿山頂的快樂。
Just planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changedthe world in which she lived. She had created something of ineffable magnificence, beauty,and inspiration.
就這樣一次種一株，年復一年，這個不知名的女人永遠地 改變了她所居住的世界，她創造了無法形容的壯麗、美好和感動。
The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration. That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time—often just one baby-step ata time—and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time.
在這個水仙花園中得出的定律是值得慶祝的最偉大的定律 之一。那就是，懂得向我們的目標邁進，只求一步一個腳印——懂通常一次就一小步——懂得去熱愛正在做的事，懂得利用時間的 積累。
When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find wecan accomplish magenificent things. We can change the world.
當我們把時間的碎片疊加，再加上每天的一點努力，我們 會發現我們也能成就輝煌。我們也能改變這個世界。
It makes me sad in a way," I admitted to Carolyn. "What might I have accomplished if I hadthought of a wonderful goal thirty-five or forty years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulbat a time' through all those years? Just think what I might have been able to achieve!"
“這讓我在某種意義上有點喪氣。”我跟卡羅琳說，“如果我 35年前有一個巨集偉的目標，然後也像這樣，次種一株’地做 下去，這些年我會有什麼成就呢?想想我到底能做成什麼! ”
My daughter summed up the message of the day in her usual direct way. "Start tomorrow," shesaid.
女兒直截了當地總結了那天的收穫。她說：“從明天開始。”
精選勵志雙語美文：一隻讓我悟道的烏龜
Life is good, really good. Sometimes I feel like thegood karma train picked me up, and simply refusesto let me off.
生活不錯，很不錯。有時我覺得彷彿坐上了一列善有善報 的列車，想下車都不行。
I have an amazing wife, a teenage son that makesme glow with pride, good health, a wonderful familyand the best friends a guy could ask for. I have a lotto be grateful for.
我有個人人誇好的妻子，有個給我臉 上增光的十幾歲的兒子，我們身體健康，家庭美滿和睦，還有 一幫世上最棒的朋友。我有好多值得感恩的東西。
For many years now, “thank you” has become my meditation as I start each day.
多年來，“感 謝老天” 經成了我開始每一天的默禱詞。
But the truth is, life was not always this good. It wasn’t all that long ago, when the resume’ ofmy life looked radically different.
可是事實上，生活並不總是這麼美好。就在不久前，我的 人生簡歷看上去還是迥然不同。
At one time, my life was filled with nearly everything people try to avoid.
曾經一度，我的生活充滿了令 每個人都想躲避的東西。
Experiencing everything from unhappy relationships to financial struggles, poor health,depression, and an endless stream of negative habits was a part of my daily life.
從讓人沮喪的婚姻,到困窘的經濟狀況， 糟糕的健康，抑鬱的心情和無窮無盡的壞毛病，都是我每天生 活的一部分。
It seemed that no matter how hard I tried, happiness was constantly eluding me anddisappointment became my shadow.
似乎不管我怎麼努力，快樂總是躲著我走，而失 望則如影隨形。
It also seemed as if I was paving the way for a future that sadly resembled my father’s…until hetook his own life at the age of 54.
而且似乎我在亦步亦趨地把日子過成父親那樣， 他在54歲的時候自殺了。
This was a defining moment for me. Once the shock of losing my father began to fade, clarityand a new sense of purpose became the dominant force in my life.
那一刻成了我人生的轉折點，一度失 去父親所受的打擊開始消退，慈善和生活的目標感開始支配我 的生活。
I remember feeling as if I had “met myself” for the very first time while also becomingconscious of my life’s true purpose.
我覺著好像有生以來第一次發現了自己，認識到了生 命的真正目的。
It was in that moment that I had made a major decision. Not only would I change my own life,but I would also make a difference in the lives of others.
從那一刻起，我便做了一個重大決定。我不僅 要改變自己的生活，而且要令別人的生活改觀。
Enlightenment and epiphanies can show up in some pretty strange ways. The Buddha found itunder a Boddhi tree, Nelson Mandela in prison and spiritual guru Ram Dass throughpsychedelic drugs.
令人茅塞頓開的靈光會以相當奇特的方式出現。佛祖在菩 提樹下悟道;納爾遜?曼德拉在獄中覺醒;靈魂大師瑞姆?達; 斯則在致幻劑中獲得昇華。
Little did I know, mine would arrive in the form of a hard-shelled reptile simply trying to crossthe road -- a turtle.
我從未曾料到，我的啟示會以一隻 試圖穿越馬路的硬殼爬行動物的形象出現，它是一隻烏龜。
But this wasn’t just any turtle, this was the world’s most optimistic one. He was tenaciouslydetermined to cross twenty feet of tar as cars zoomed by at 55 mph.
但這可不是一隻普通的烏龜，這是世上最樂觀的一隻烏龜。 它不屈不撓地打算穿越一條寬20英尺的柏油馬路，路上是川流 不息的以時速55英里行駛的車輛。
But today was his lucky day.
可是今天是它的幸運日。
My wife’s quick reflexes not only ensured that “turtle soup” would not be for dinner that night,but her act of kindness would eventually become the foundation for everything I teachtoday.
我 妻子的快速反應不僅保證了它不會以“烏龜湯”的形式成為今 晚的餐桌一景，而且她接下來的善舉還成就了我今天要講述的 一切的基礎。
As unusual as this sounds, the simple act of pulling our car over, removing this little turtlefrom harms way, and placing him back into the wild, caused something extraordinary tohappen inside of me.
這聽上去要多玄有多玄，一個簡單的將車停到路邊， 把這隻小烏龜救離險境並將之歸還給大自然的舉動引發了我內 心深處一場驚天動地的變革。
As I stood there holding this tiny creature in my hands, a wave of pure joy came over me. Itwas that warm, teary-eyed sensation that we feel during life’s greatest moments; like falling inlove or the birth of a child.
當我站在那裡,手捧著這個小生命， 一種純粹的喜悅感席捲了我。那是一種溫暖的催人淚下的感覺， 往往發生在人生最偉大的時刻，比如墜入愛河，比如嬰兒降生。
I honestly felt as if my heart was completely opening up as everything stood still around me. Inno way would I have described it as “enlightenment”, but there was no doubt about it—helpingthis little turtle just felt so damn good! But why? After all, it’s just a turtle, right?
我真的覺得我的心完完全全地向著我周圍靜止的萬物開啟。我 不想把這稱之為“啟示”，但它又千真萬確就是一一幫助這隻小 烏龜感覺真是太棒了!可是，為什麼會這樣?它終究不過是一隻烏龜嘛，是吧?
And then it hit me. I finally realized what was happening. At that point, a flood of inspiringthoughts surged through me.
然後事情發生了。我終於明白自己頓悟到了什麼。彼時彼刻， 思想的潮水洶湧而至。
I walked back to the car, opened my journal and wrote eight words that would later prove to belife changing for me: “kindness creates happiness” and “live a life of kindness”. It was theanswer I had been looking for. The secret to inner peace and lasting happiness was kindness.
我走回車裡，開啟筆記本，寫下8個字， 事後證明這8個字成為了我的人生轉折點：“善生樂”，以及“人 生須行善”。這就是我孜孜以求的答案。內心寧靜和永遠快樂的 奧祕就是善?
Not “random acts of” or simply being nice, but rather as...a way of life. I had already knownthe benefits of kindness through studying many eastern philosophies, but I had never actuallyconsidered it as a lifestyle.
不是“偶爾為之”或簡單發發善心，而是變成一 種生活方式。我已經通過研究許多東方哲學知道了善的妙處， 但從沒想過要把它變成一種生活方式。
But, this day was just beginning…
可是，這一天來臨了。
Just thirty minutes after my mini-epiphany, my wife and I arrived at our original destination—a country garden show. After walking around for just a few minutes, a gentle faced 60-something looking man waved me over to the front porch of his farmhouse, for no apparentreason.
就在我小小頓悟完畢的30分鐘後，我和妻子到了原定的目 的地，那是一個鄉村花園展覽所。四處走了一小會兒 一個60 歲左右的慈眉善目的男人在他的農舍門前向我揮手，好像沒什 麼明顯的理由。
The entire setting was like a scene out of an old movie -- weathered rocking chairs -- the smellof cookies baking -- and a coon cat that looked as old as the farmhouse itself. “Let her lookaround, come and sit with me” he said.
這一幕完全像是老電影中的場景：老舊的搖椅， 烘烤糕點的氣息，一隻看上去和農舍一樣老的長毛貓。“讓她隨 意走走，你過來坐坐。”他說，
I had no idea what to expect, but as I sunk into the large wicker chair beside him, I couldn’thelp feeling that he was going to say something profound.
我不知道將要發生什麼，但當我坐進他身旁那張寬大的藤 椅裡，不由覺得他會對我說些意味深長的話。
After all, if a turtle can change my life, why not a wise old farmer? After a brief hello and apolite introduction, we simply sat in silence and let the sunlight warm our faces.
畢竟，要是一隻 烏龜都能改變我的人生，為什麼一個睿智的老農不能呢?
After what seemed like an eternity, he finally spoke. “You know” he said, “I’ve often thoughtthat the meaning of life is making things a little bit easier for those around us , what do youthink?”.
簡單 寒暄之後，我們都靜靜地坐著，陽光溫暖地照著臉龐。好像過 了—輩子那麼久，他終於開□了。“你瞧，”他說，“我常以為， 生命的意義是讓周圍的人過得好一點，你說呢?”
I was speechless. It felt like I had just been hit on the head again with life’s big karma stick.
我啞口無言。 好像腦袋上又捱了人生的一記悶棍。
He went on to tell me his version of “the secrets to life” and how “true happiness can only befound by loving and serving others”.
他繼續跟我說起他理解的“人生奧祕”，和“真正的快樂只能從關愛和服務他人中獲得'
Finally he finished with, “oh, and don’t forget…you really gotta’ love the one you’rewith...yourself ”.
最後他說，“喚，別忘了……你必須得愛你與之相伴的那個人, 就是你自己”。
Life was obviously trying to tell me something. In the days and weeks that followed, the worldlooked completely different to me.
顯然，生活會讓我領悟到些什麼。隨後的幾天和幾個星期， 整個世界在我眼中完全變了模樣。
The more I studied and tested my “kindness creates happiness” theory, the more I was blownaway by its life-changing power.
我越是研究和驗證我的“善生 樂”理論，我越是為它那改變人生的力量所傾倒。
I realized that most of my disappointments in life were simply because I had been unkind toothers and especially to myself.
我發現生活中 絕大多數失望都是源於我對別人的不善，尤其是對自己的不善。
After spending much of my life thinking “what’s in it for me”, my new inner mantra became; “Am I being kind?”. This one simple question changed my life. So, whenever I feel the need todisagree with my wife, lash out at a rude employee in the mall or even before I shove tencookies into my mouth, I go within and ask; “am I being kind?”. These four little words havebecome my source to inner peace.
花了大半輩子琢磨人生的意義，我的新靈魂咒語變成，“我 有沒有為善?”這個簡單的問題改變了我的生活。當我想和妻子 爭論的時候，當我想對粗魯的商店售貨員訓斥的時候，甚至當 我想往嘴巴里狂塞餅乾的時候，我都會自問，“我有沒有為善廣 這幾個字成為我內心平靜的源泉。
It has created many positive changes in me such as recycling and acting more “green” andconsciously respecting all of life. I even stopped setting the mousetraps in the garage. ***Mywife is going to kill me when she reads that last one***.
它在我內心生出許多好的變 化，比如迴圈再利用資源，做環保人士，而且有意識地尊重一 切事物。我甚至不再在車庫裡安置捕鼠器***我妻子要是讀到這 最後一句可能會殺了我***。
Another big change in my life was the irresistible urge to perform “spontaneous acts ofkindness”. Things like buying coffee for strangers and giving money to the homeless justseemed natural. Each kind act felt like a blissful surge of energy through my chest.
另一個大變化是我控制不住地要去做 “自然而然的善行”。比如給陌生人買咖啡，把零錢給流浪漢等， 這樣的行為做起來是那麼自然。每個蕃行都好似一股幸福的能 量在我胸膛裡洶湧澎湃。
But what became even more exhilarating were the intense feelings of warmth towardseveryone around me -- especially difficult people. Whether there was someone who acted rudein traffic or an inconsiderate person in line at the grocery store, I no longer felt anxious oroffended -- I simply wished for their happiness. That’s when I realized what it truly meant to beliving kindness.
但最讓人愉快的是對我周圍每一個人 的強烈的親切感，尤其是對那些壞脾氣的人。不管是粗野無禮 的司機，還是食品店排隊加塞的傢伙，我不再覺得焦灼不安或 是怒不可遏，我只是希望他們能快樂。那是當我明白了人生須 行蕃的真意之後。
All thanks to an unexpected turtle crossing the street, that one day.
所有這一切，都要歸功於那天的一隻不期而至穿過馬路的烏龜。