英语美文摘抄：不积跬步无以至千里

2014-07-11 18:04:05来源：新东方网

　　Before I ever began each writing session, I would close my eyes for 10 minutes and end my meditation whispering, “Please grant me the words to touch just one person’s life.”

　　每次提笔写新内容之前，我都会闭目沉思10分钟，然后低声说：“请赐予我一种力量，让我的文字能够感动一位读者。”

　　I truly was inspired, and despite my ascetic lifestyle, I knew that’s what I had to do to maintain the grace in my words with which I wanted my readers to eventually be touched.

　　写作时，我确实是文思泉涌。虽然我过着苦行僧般的生活，但我深知为保持文字的优美流畅我必须这么做，我希望我的文字最终能够感动读者。

　　Now, sitting there alone at my first book signing, I wondered if my entire life wasn’t just a big joke. I watched the minutes agonizingly tick by on a clock on the wall. At 6:25pm, just before the store’s closing, defeated, I began to get myself ready to leave.

　　然而现在，我孤单一人坐在这里，举行自己的第一次签名售书活动。我开始怀疑自己的人生是不是一个天大的玩笑。我苦闷地盯着墙上的时钟，指针走了一圈又一圈。到了下午6点25分，书店马上就要关门了。我备受打击，开始准备离开。

　　At that moment, just when I couldn’t feel any worse, a middle-aged couple walked into the room. Trying to regain my composure, I managed to hide my emotions and introduced myself and my book:

　　这时，就在我情绪低落到极点的时候，一对中年夫妇走了进来。我一边强作镇定，极力掩饰失落的情绪，一边向他们介绍我自己和我的新书。

　　“Well,” I started hesitantly, “It’s called The 9 Insights of the Wealthy Soul, and it’s a story of a WWII pilot, my dad, and the lessons he was giving me in wealth accumulation while he was facing a terminal illness. And each lesson in the story becomes a much deeper lesson about life and death, and finding the greatest spiritual meaning anytime we are facing our greatest adversities.”

　　“嗯，”我开始解说，语气有些犹豫，“这本书的名字叫《富足灵魂的九大顿悟》，讲述的是我父亲—一位二战飞行员，在患了晚期重病的时候，教我积累人生财富的故事。从这个故事里得到的每一个教诲，都成为一个对生死有更深刻理解的教诲，这些教诲也讲到当我们面对自己最大的不幸时，该怎样寻求最大的精神慰藉。”

　　Both the man and the woman’s eyes were now glued on me. There was something different about the way they were looking at me that I couldn’t quite identify. But I didn’t know what else to say. However, additional words were unnecessary.

　　夫妇俩的眼睛都紧紧地盯着我。他们看我的眼神有点异样，至于怎么个异样法，我说不上来。但我又不知要说些什么。反正此刻再说什么，也是多余的。

　　The couple turned to each other, and the husband nodded solemnly to his wife. She then told me, “I think we’ll get the book.” My heart began to pound. But instinctively, despite the impulse to jump in the air and wring their hands to thank them for being my first readers, I realized the woman was trying to say something else.

　　夫妇俩对望了一下，然后丈夫严肃地朝妻子点了点头。接着那位妻子对我说：“我们想买下这本书。”我的心开始“怦怦”地狂跳起来。尽管出于本能，我有种雀跃腾空的冲动，并想紧紧握住他们的手以感谢他们做我的第一批读者，但我意识到那位女士似乎还有别的话要说。

　　“The reason we’re buying it,” she said hesitantly, “is because our son committed suicide two years ago.” She took my hand. “Maybe your story will help us get over it.”

　　“我们之所以决定买这本书，”她有些犹豫地说，“是因为我们的儿子两年前自杀了。”她握住我的手。“也许你的书能帮助我们抚平心灵的创伤。”

　　hesitantly ['hɛzətəntli]adv. 迟疑地;踌躇地

　　I felt my eyes glisten. I was speechless.

　　我感到自己的眼里泛着泪光，一时无语。

　　In that moment, I knew if I never sold another copy of the book, my four years of writing it had served its purpose. My prayer of asking for the words to touch just one person’s life had already been answered.

　　那一刻，我知道，即便我只卖出这一本书，我四年的写作也有了回报。我曾经祈求自己的文字能打动一个人，现在我如愿了。

　　Although I would have many more challenging years until my book caught on and sawsubstantial distribution, this couple’s story was all the motivation I needed at that point to keep me moving ahead.

　　尽管经过多年的挑战和考验以后，我的书才终于引起人们的注意，成为畅销书，但在当时，这对夫妇的故事就是支撑我继续前行的全部动力。

　　substantial [səb'stænʃ(ə)l] adj. 大量的;实质的;内容充实的 n. 本质;重要材料

　　Thanks to them, I would come to the realization that the greatest of lives are made all in the same way: One challenge... one hurdle... one step... and one small victory at a time.

　　感谢他们，我后来意识到，那些最伟大的人都有着相同的经历：一次挑战……一次困难……一次突破……每次都是一小步的成功。

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