我们能成功
文/荷叶
当英国伟大的首相温斯顿-丘吉尔爵士年轻时，他就读时哈罗公学。他不是个好学生，事实上，如果他父亲不是个著名的领袖，他很可能会因为他的冒犯行为而被赶出学校。然而，他在哈罗完成了学业，上了大学，接下来又参了军，军旅生涯非常成功，周游了非洲和印度。后来当选为首相，在二战中黑暗的日子里，以他的演讲和行动为英国民众注入了极大的勇气。
在他首相任期即将结束时，他接受母校的邀请来给年轻的男生们讲话。校长这样宣布这位伟大领袖的到来，“年轻的绅士们，当代最伟大的演说家，我们的首相几天后将来给大家讲话，届时他给出的任何明智的建议，大家都该遵守。”
那个伟大的日子到了，首相出现在哈罗公学。经过介绍，温斯顿爵士站了起来，他身高五英尺五英寸，体重一百零七公斤！他做了这样一个又短又感人的演讲：“年轻人，永不放弃，永不放弃！永不放弃！永不，永不，永不！”
个人历史，受教育情况，当前形势，所有这些都无法阻止强大的精神力量。想想亚伯拉罕-林肯的例子，他于一八六零年当选为美国总统。他在当时处于美国稳定区域边缘的一个农场上长大，只受过一年的正规教育。早年，他家一文不名，没有读过几本书。一八三二年他失了业，在竞选伊诺州政府的竞选中被击败。一八三三年，他的生意失败。一八三四年，他被选入国家政府，但在一八三五年，他所爱的女人去逝。一八三八年，他竞选州政府首脑失败，一八四三年，他竞选进入美国国会失败。一八四六年，他被选入国会，但却在一八四八年的二次选举中失败而被迫出局。一八四九年，国家政府拒绝给他提供工作，一八五四年，他竞选美国参议员失败。一八五六年，他竞选美国副总统失败。一八五八年，他竞选参议员再次失败。
许多人把林肯看作是美国历史上最伟大的总统，而我们则应该铭记标志着他早年生活的诸多失败。
一些世界上最伟大的人，在生命的某些时段都曾遭遇过巨大的困难和问题，但他们却转而做出了丰功伟绩。
约翰-班扬曾被被封锁在潮湿的监狱里。乔治-华盛顿曾被埋葬在福吉谷的大雪里。
路德维希-贝多芬，一个天才音乐家失了聪。小马丁-路德金，在充满种族仇恨的社会里被生为一个黑人。
伊扎克-帕尔曼，一个音乐会上小提琴演奏家，父母在纳粹的死亡集中营里生下了他，四岁时又失去了行走能力。
艾伯特-爱因斯坦，曾被认为学东西太慢而不可救药。
附：原文
We Can SucceedWhen Britain's great Prime Minister, Sir WinstonChurchill, was young, he attended a public school called Harrow.He was not a good student, and as matter of fact, had he not been the son of afamous leader, he probably would have been thrown out of the school for hisoffences. However, he completed his work at Harrow, went on to the University,and then had a successful career in the British Army, touring both Africa and India. He laterwas elected prime minister and brought great courage to Britain thoughhis speeches and other work during the dark days of World War II. Toward the very end of his period as prime minister, he was invited toaddress the young boys at his old school, Harrow.In announcing the coming of their great leader, the headmaster said,"Young gentlemen, the greatest speaker of our time, our prime minister,will be here in a few days to address you, and you should obey whatever soundadvice he may give you at that time."The great day arrived, and the prime minister appeared at Harrow. After being introduced, Sir Winston stood up -all five feet, five inches and 107 kilos of him! He gave this short but movingspeech: "Young men, never give up. Never give up! Never give up! Never,never, never, never! " Personal history, education, situation - none of these can hold back astrong spirit. Think, for example, of Abraham Lincoln, who was electedpresident of the United States in 1860. He grew up on a small farmat what was then the edge of the settled part of the United States. He had only one yearof regular education. In those early years, his family hardly had a penny andhe only read about half a dozen books. In 1832 he lost his job and was defeatedwhen he tried to get elected to the Illinoisgovernment. In 1833 he failed in business. In 1834 he was elected to the stategovernment, but in 1835 the woman he loved died. In 1838 he was defeated whenhe tried to become a leader in the Illinoisgovernment, and in 1843 he was defeated when he tried to enter the U.S. Congress.In 1846 he was elected to Congress but in 1848 lost a second election and wasforced out. In 1849 he was refused a job with the national government, and in1854 he was defeated for the U.S.Senate. In 1856 he was defeated in the election for vice president, and in 1858he was again defeated for the Senate. Many people consider Lincolnto be the greatest president of all time. Yet it should be remembered how manyfailures and defeats marked his early life. Some of the world's greatest men and women have met huge problemsand difficulties at some time in their lives, but have gone on to do greatdeeds. Lock him in a damp prison, and you have a John Bunyan. Bury him in the snows of Valley Forge,and you have a George Washington. Make a musical genius unable to hear, and you have a Ludwig van Beethoven. Have him born black in a society filled with bitter hate between races,and you have a Martin Luther King, Jr. Have him born of parents who survived a Nazi death camp, destroy hisability to walk when he is four, and you have the concert violin player, ItzhakPerlman. Call him slow to learn, and write him off as stupid, and you have anAlbert Einstein.
