to tap human potentialities; and that by a continuing humble but persistent study of human behavior; we can learn consciously to create civilizations within which an increasing proportion of human beings will realize more of what they have it in them to be。
I believe that human life is given meaning through the relationship which the individual’s conscious goals have to the civilization; period and country; within which one lives。 At times the task may be to fence a wilderness; bridge a river; or rear sons to perpetuate a young colony。 Today it means taking upon ourselves the task of creating one world in such a way that we both keep the future; safe and leave the future free。
生命在时间的土壤里成长
托马斯?曼
短暂是我的信仰,也是我认为最重要的东西。
然而短暂,如生命的消逝,不是非常哀伤的事情吗?不!它正是生命存在的精髓。它赋予了生命价值、尊严和情趣。短暂创造了时间——而“时间正是其本质”。至少,时间是至高的,是最有用的礼物。
时间与所有富有创造力和活力的事物,及每一个达到更高目标的进步息息相关——是的,它甚至等同于这一切。
没有短暂,没有开始与结束、生与死,时间也就不复存在。永恒是毫无意义的停滞,它意味着时间永远没有结束,也永远没有开始,绝对令人乏味。
生命顽强无比。即便如此,它的存在也依赖于一定的条件,正如它有始亦有终。也因如此,我坚信,生命的价值与魅力将会不断地增长。
人同自然界其他事物之间最重要的区别之一就是,人懂得短暂、始与终,所以也了解时间是一种恩赐。
可以这么说,在人身上,短暂的生命达到了其活力与精神力量的巅峰。这并不是说只有人拥有灵魂。万物皆有灵性。但是对于“存在”与“短暂”的可互换性,只有人的大脑才能最清楚地意识到。
对于人类来说,时间就如赐予的一片土地,等待他去辛勤耕种;是一个让他不断奋斗进取,实现自我价值,不断前进向上的空间。是的,在时间的帮助下,人可以从有限的生命中获得永恒。
在内心深处,我相信宇宙中最为重要的当属我们的地球,并认为这样的信念存在于每一个人的心中。从内心深处,我相信混沌中宇宙的创造,无机中生命的萌芽,最终都是为了创造人类。我相信人类本身便是一项伟大的实验,它可能会因人类自身的罪恶而失败,但这也成为创造本身最主要的失败。
无论这个信仰是否真实,人类如果能依此行事,将会获得更为有益的忠告。
■ 心灵小语
整个世界就是在不断的更迭中发展的,结束和开始,生与死都是并存的,否则,世界就会令人乏味。
Life Grows in the Soil of Time
Thomas Mann
What I believe; what I value most; is transitoriness1。
But is not transitoriness—the perishableness of life—something very sad? No! It is the very soul of existence。 It imparts value; dignity; interest to life。 Transitoriness creates time—and “time is the essence。” Potentially at least; time is the supreme; most useful gift。
Time is related to—yes; identical with—everything creative and active; every process toward a higher goal。
Without transitoriness; without beginning or end; birth or death; there is no time; either。 Timelessness—in the sense of time never ending; never beginning—is a stagnant2 nothing。 It is absolutely uninteresting。
Life is possessed by tremendous tenacity。 Even so its presence remains conditional; and as it had a beginning; so it will have an end。 I believe that life; just for this reason; is exceedingly enhanced in value; in charm。
One of the most important characteristics distinguishing man from all other forms of nature is his knowledge of transitoriness; of beginning and end; and therefore of the gift of time。
In man transitory life attains its peak of animation; of soul power; so to speak。 This does not mean man alone would have a soul。 Soul quality pervades all beings。 But man’s soul is most awake in his knowledge of the interchangeability3 of the terms “existence” and “transitoriness”。
To man time is given like a piece of land; as it were; entrusted to him for faithful tilling; a space in which to strive incessantly; achieve self…realization; move onward and upward。 Yes; with the aid of time; man bees capable of wresting the immortal from the mortal。
Deep down; I believe—and deem such belief natural to every human soul—that in the universe prime significance must be attributed to this earth of ours。 Deep down I believe that creation of the universe out of nothingness and of life out of inorganic state ultimately aimed at the creation of man。 I believe that man is meant as a great experiment whose possible failure of man’s own guilt would be paramount4 to the failure of creation itself。
Whether this belief be true or not; man would be well advised if he behaved as though it were。
做好每件小事
佚名
几天来,米开朗基罗一直在钻研一尊雕塑。他用了很长时间去修饰每一个细节,但这些细节对旁观者来说似乎毫无意义。当有人问他为什么要这样做的时候,米开朗基罗说道:“琐事成就完美,追求完美并非琐事。”
大多数人会忘记你的工作速度有多快,但他们会记得你做得有多好。
小马丁?路德?金说:“作为一名清洁工,他就应该像米开朗基罗作画、贝多芬作曲或者莎士比亚写诗那样来清扫街道。他应该做得尽善尽美,以至于所有的人都会停下来赞叹:这里有一位杰出的清洁工,他把工作做得这么完美。”
谁也不会在质量和服务面前妥协。据说麦当劳的创始人雷?科洛克有一次在参观一个法式快餐店时看到一只苍蝇,这家餐厅在两周后就失去了加盟权了。雷说道:“你应当为了荣誉和成就而工作,我从小就明白,回报终究会到来的。”
很好地完成一项工作,其本身就是一种回报。做好每件小事,比把许多事情做糟要好得多。
■ 心灵小语
琐事成就完美,追求完美并非琐事。把每一件小事做好,那么,你离成功还会有多远呢?看看,它就在你前方的不远处。
Do Small Things Well
Anonymous
Michelangelo was working on a statue for several days and he was taking a long time to retouch1 every small detail; which seemed rather insignificant to a bystander2。 When asked why he did it; Michelangelo replied: “Trifles make perfection and perfection is no trifle。”
Most people forget how fast you did a job; but they remember how well it was done.
Matin Luther King; JR。 said: “If a man is called to be streetsweeper; he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted; or Beethoven posed music; or Shakespeare wrote poetry。 He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say; here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well。”
One can not promise3 on quality and service。 It is said that Ray Kroc; founder of McDonald’s; found a fly during one of his visits at a franchise。 Two weeks later the franchise lost his franchise。 Ray said:“You should work for pride and acplishment。 I was; brought up to understand that reward will e later。”
The feeling of a job well done is a reward in itself。 It is better to do small things well than do many things poorly.
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梦想与理想(1)
詹姆斯?艾伦
这个世界的救星就是那些梦想家,因为这个现实的世界是由梦想支撑的。所以历经了层层考验、痛苦和磨难的人们,是美丽的梦想滋润了他们孤独的灵魂。人类不能忘记自己的梦想,也不允许自己的理想褪色和逝去;梦想存在于人类的内心之中,并且坚信总有一天会实现。
作曲家、雕塑家、画家、诗人、先知和智者,他们全都是未来的缔造者、天堂的建筑师。这个世界之所以这么美好,都是因为他们的存在;没有了他们,人们会因辛劳而逐渐毁灭。
心中有着美好梦想和崇高理想的人,总有一天会实现愿望。哥伦布对另一个世界怀揣着梦想,于是发现了新大陆;哥白尼对世界的多样性和更为宽广的宇宙有着美好的梦想,于是他翻开宇宙的新篇章;释迦牟尼梦想着一个没有瑕疵、完美祥和的精神世界,于是他如愿以偿了。
珍视你的梦想,珍视你的理想,珍视撩动你心弦的音乐、你心中想象的美好以及内心最纯净美妙的思想,因为一切令人愉悦的环境,一切天堂般的美好均来自于此。如果你为自己的梦想而努力,便终会建起一个自己的梦想世界。
即便是最伟大的成就在最初阶段也仅仅是梦想。橡树沉睡在橡果中,鸟儿在鸟蛋中守候;最崇高的梦想存在于灵魂中,苏醒的天使蠢蠢欲动。梦想孕育着现实。
你周围的环境可能不令人满意,可是假如你胸怀大志,并不断为这个理想而奋力拼搏,那么你周围的环境一定会迅速改变。内心的改变会促使外界环境产生相应的变化。有一个被穷苦和劳作所压迫的年轻人,长期待在一个环境恶劣的车间里,他接受不到教育,也没有接触高雅艺术的机会。可是他怀揣着对美好事物的梦想,他渴望智慧、优雅和美好。这一切督促着他采取行动,利用一切业余时间和一切方法(尽管它们微不足道)来发展他所蕴藏的能量和资源。不久,他的思想产生了巨大变化,那个小车间再也束缚不了他了。他把生活中的所有不如意都扔在了一边,好像扔掉一件旧袍子一样。机会不断出现,他找到了可以自我发挥的空间,开始大展宏图。多年以后,我们眼前的这个年轻人已经是一个成