本帖最后由 ヮ成熟、羙° 于 2013-11-14 19:57 编辑
智慧是别人无法拿走的东西
荷叶/译
真奇怪，在合适的时间合适的地点与一个人分享一个观点，可以改变一个人的人生轨迹。这正是我的生活中发生的事。十四岁时，我徒步旅行，从德克萨斯的休斯敦，经埃尔帕索到加里弗尼亚，我正在追梦，跟着太阳走。我有学习障碍，从高中肄业，突发奇想，要去冲世界上最大的浪，先去加州，再去夏威夷，然后定居在那里。
一到埃尔帕索的闹市区，我在街角遇到了一位老人，一个流浪汉。他见我在步行，当我经过他身边时，他拦住我，问我是否是从家里逃出来的。我想可能是因为我看起来很年轻吧。我说：“才不是呢。”因为我父亲开车送我到休斯敦的高速公路，还给我祝福了呢，他说：“儿子，追寻自己心中的梦想很重要。”
然后流浪汉问，是否可以给你买杯咖啡。我说：“不必，先生，一杯苏打水就很棒。”我们走到一个街边小店，坐在可转动的高凳上，享受着我们的饮料。
谈了几分钟，这位友好的流浪汉让我跟他走。他说有样很好的东西要让我看，和我分享。我们走过几个街区，到了埃尔帕索的公共图书馆。
我们走上台阶，在一个小问讯台旁停下来。在这儿流浪汉和一个满面笑容的老妇人说话，问她能否帮我们照看一下东西，我把自己的行李交给了这个祖母般慈祥的人，走进了这座宏伟的知识殿堂。
流浪汉先把我领到一张桌子前，请我坐下来等会儿，他去书架中间找一样特别的东西。一会儿以后，他回来了，胳膊下夹着几本旧书，把书放在桌子上。接下来他坐在我身旁开始说话。他的话非常特别，改变了我的人生。他说；“年轻人，我想教你两件事，他们是：
第一：永远也不要以貌取人，因为外表可能欺骗你。”接下来他说：“我猜你一定认为我是流浪汉，对吗，年轻人？”
我说：“对呀，我是这样认为的，先生。”
“好了，年轻人，给你一点惊喜，我是这个世界上最富有的人之一。我可能拥有人们想要的一切。我来自东北部，我拥有金钱所能买到的一切。一年前，我妻子去逝，天哪，从那以后，我一直在反思自己的生活。我意识到生活中有几样东西我没有体验过，其中之一就是我不知道街上流浪汉的生活滋味。我许下诺言，让自己做一年流浪汉。刚过去的一年里，我从一个城市到别一个城市，做的正是流浪汉。因此，你看，不要以貌取人，因为外表可能欺骗你。
第二：要学会读书，孩子。因为只有一样东西没有人可以从你身上拿走，那就是智慧。”那时，他探过身来，抓住我的右手，放到他从书架上拿来的书上。这是柏拉图和亚里士多德的著作，不朽的精典。
流浪汉接着领我往回走，经过门口笑容可掬的老妇人，下了台阶，回到了我们见面时的街角。分手时，他请我不要忘记他所教给我的东西。
我至今没忘。
附；原文 The wisdom of one word Isn't it amazing howone person, sharing one idea, at the right time and place can change the courseof your life's history? This is certainly what happened in my life. When I was14, I was hitchhiking from Houston, Texas, through El Paso onmy way to California.I was following my dream, journeying with the sun. I was a high school dropout with learning disabilities and was set on surfing the biggest waves in theworld, first in California and then in Hawaii, where I would later live. Upon reaching downtown El Paso, I met an oldman, a bum, on the street corner. He saw me walking, stopped me and questioned me as I passed by. He asked me if I was running away from home, I suppose becauseI looked so young. I told him, "Not exactly, sir," since my fatherhad given me a ride to the freeway in Houstonand given me his blessings while saying, "It is important to follow your dream and what is in your heart. Son. " The bum then asked me if he could buy me a cup of coffee. I told him, "No, sir, but a soda would be great." We walked to a corner malt shop and sat down on a couple ofswiveling stools while we enjoyed our drinks. After conversing for a few minutes, the friendly bum told me to follow him. He told me that he had something grand to show me and share with me. We walked a couple of blocksuntil we came upon the downtown El Paso Public Library. We walked up its frontsteps and stopped at a small information stand. Here the bum spoke to a smilingold lady, and asked her if she would be kind enough to watch my things for amoment while he and I entered the library. I left my belongings with this grandmotherly figure and entered into this magnificent hall of learning. The bum first led me toa table and asked me to sit down and wait for a moment while he looked for something special amongst the shelves. A few moments later, he returned with acouple of old books under his arms and set them on the table. He then sat down死我活beside me and spoke. He started with a few statements that were very specialand that changed my life. He said, "There are two things that I want toteach you, young man, and they are these: "Number one is to never judge a book by its cover, for a cover can fool you. "He followedwith, "I’ll bet you think I m a bum, don t you, young man?" I said, "Well, uh,yes, I guess so, sir. " "Well, young man,I've got a little surprise for you. I am one of the wealthiest men in theworld. I have probably everything any man could ever want. I originally comefrom the Northeast and have all the things that money can buy. But a year ago,my wife passed away, bless her soul, and since then I have been deeplyreflecting upon life. I realized there were certain things I had not yetexperienced in life, one of which was what it would be like to live like a bumon the streets. I made a commitment to myself to do exactly that for one year.For the past year I have been going from city to city doing just that. So, yousee, don't ever judge a book by its cover, for a cover can fool you. "Number two is tolearn how to read, my boy. For there is only one thing that people can't takeaway from you, and that is your wisdom. " At that moment, he reached forward, grabbed my right hand in his and put them upon the books he'd pulledfrom the shelves. They were the writings of Plato and Aristotle-immortal classics from ancient times. The bum then led meback past the smiling old woman near the entrance, down the steps and back onthe streets near where we first met. His parting request was for me to never forget what he taught me. I haven't.
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发表于 2013-11-13 09:28:51
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