20-Relish the Moment

    Relish the Moment

    Tucked away in our subconsciousness is an idyllic vision. We see ourselves on a long trip that spans the moment. 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 ad wheat， of flatlands and valleys， of mountains and rolling hillsides， 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 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 outdistances us.

    It isn‘t the burdens of today that drive men mad. It is the regrets 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 ice cream， go barefoot more often， swim more rivers， watch more sunsets， laugh more， cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. The station will come soon enough.

    譯文：

    品味現在

    我們的潛意識里藏著一派田園詩般的風光！ 我們仿佛身處一次橫貫大陸的漫漫旅程之中！ 乘著火車， 我們領略著窗外流動的景色：附近高速公路上奔馳的汽車、十字路口處招手的孩童、遠山上吃草的牛群、源源不斷地從電廠排放出的煙塵、一片片的玉米和小麥、平原與山谷、群山與綿延的丘陵、天空映襯下城市的輪廓， 以及鄉間的莊園宅第！

    然而我們心里想得最多的卻是最終的目的地！ 在某一天的某一時刻， 我們將會抵達進站！ 迎接我們的將是樂隊和飄舞的彩旗！ 一旦到了那兒， 多少美夢將成為現實， 我們的生活也將變得完整， 如同一塊理好了的拼圖！ 可是我們現在在過道里不耐煩地踱來踱去， 咒罵火車的拖拖拉拉！ 我們期待著， 期待著， 期待著火車進站的那一刻！

    "當我們到站的時候， 一切就都好了！ "我們呼喊著！ "當我18歲的時候！ ""當我有了一輛新450SL奔馳的時候！ ""當我供最小的孩子念完大學的時候！ ""當我償清貸款的時候！ ""當我官升高任的時候！ ""當我到了退休的時候， 就可以從此過上幸福的生活啦！ "

    可是我們終究會認識到人生的旅途中并沒有車站， 也沒有能夠"一到永逸"的地方！生活的真正樂趣在于旅行的過程， 而車站不過是個夢， 它始終遙遙領先于我們！

    真正令人發瘋的不是今日的負擔， 而是對昨日的悔恨及對明日的恐懼！ 悔恨與恐懼是一對孿生竊賊， 將今天從你我身邊偷走！

    那么就不要在過道里徘徊吧， 別老惦記著你離車站還有多遠！ 何不換一種活法， 將更多的高山攀爬， 多吃點兒冰淇淋甜甜嘴巴， 經常光著腳板兒溜達， 在更多的河流里暢游， 多看看夕陽西下， 多點歡笑哈哈， 少讓淚水滴答！ 生活得一邊過一邊瞧！ 車站就會很快到達！