雙語美文：路坑與酸酸糖
Oh where to begin...
從何說起呢……
life can be a thorn in your side
生活可能化作你側肋上的一根刺
(or in my case, a nail)
在我這個故事中，是一根釘子
leaving you feeling defeated
讓你感到挫敗
and full of self doubt and disappointment.
讓你滿心自我懷疑，悲觀失望
YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
不是隻有你纔會這樣！
But you need to know one thing
但你要知道一件事
-the only way to make lemonade out of those nasty molded lemons life throws your way,
生活朝你扔來苦澀的檸檬，你可以把它們變成甘甜的檸檬汁，唯一的辦法
is to change your attitude about it all.
就是改變你對這一切的態度
You see,
你明白了嗎
it's not necessarily about the situation you find yourself in,
最重要的並不一定是你所身處的處境
but the way you respond to it.
而是你應對它的態度
Let me explain...
讓我解釋一下
Do not expect to be treated fairly in this life.
請不要奢望生活會對你公允
My 43 years have taught me that.
我43年的人生閱歷教會了我這一點
Just get over it now.
放下過去就好
If you start each day acknowledging the fact that
如果你在每一天剛開始的時候都能意識到一個事實
you will more than likely hit a "pothole" or two,
即，你很可能會踩入一個，甚至兩個泥坑
then you are already a step ahead.
那麼，你已經朝未來邁進了一大步
But here is where it gets tricky...
但是，至此，事情也變得複雜起來
When you are cruising along
如果你只是在生活之路上信馬由繮
and catching every green light in life
每個生活的岔路口都會遇到綠燈
with no traffic around
周圍也沒有其他車輛阻礙交通
and everyone is following the rules
每個人都在按規矩行事
and all is good,
一切都十分美好
out of nowhere one of those proverbial potholes makes it's presence
直到傳說中的一個路坑沒來由的突然出現，
known in the form of a flat tire.
看到被扎破的輪胎你才知道發生了什麼
Now, you are allowed to be upset
現在，生活允許你情緒低沉
and maybe a bit scared or worried,
或許還有些害怕或者擔心
but don't live there.
不要沉湎於此
Pack up your bags and move on.
收拾好行裝，繼續上路
May your response be "I won't let this slow me down."
希望你對這件事的反應是，“我不會讓這件事放慢我前進的速度”
Choose to see it as a life lesson...
你可以選擇將它視爲生活給你的一個教訓
hitting the pothole made you aware that
踩進路坑會讓你明白
all 4 tires were dangerously bald
生活之路上載你前行的四個輪胎都狀態極差，情況危急
and needing replacing.
需要替換
Or, think how this tiny pothole saved you from another more serious pothole down the road,
或者，想想看，或許這個小小的路坑讓你免於掉進前面的另一個路坑，或者可能更加危險
or see it as a challenge to be a crying shoulder for a friend
或者，將此視爲一種挑戰，挑戰你是否能成爲供朋友哭泣的臂膀
or a trusted listener to people's issues
能否成爲遇到麻煩的他人的忠實聽衆
because you have survived these potholes .
因爲你是從路坑中走出來的倖存者
It's all in the way you respond.
關鍵就在於你應對的態度
Now, I don't know about you
現在，我可能不認識你
but I think it takes some training and self discipline
但我覺得，你可能需要長期的自我訓練和自律
to be able to smile
才能微笑應對
and skip away from a "flat tire by a pothole" kind of day,
才能忘記這樣“被一個路坑扎破輪胎”的日子
but you can do it!
但我相信你能做到！
It's not easy everyday,
想要每天如此並非易事
and some potholes are bigger and deeper than others...
有些路坑比你見過的更大，更深
the days you want to kick and scream
有些日子，你只想雙腳亂踢，想要尖叫
and cry and shake your fist at life and accuse it.
想要痛苦，想要對生活揮舞你的拳頭，想要詛咒生活
The struggle is real, I know firsthand .
我已經在你之前知曉，你會真切的感受到生活的折磨
Suffering with my disease and illnesses,
於自己的大病小病鬥爭
I have no choice but to respond to those rough days,
我不得不直面那些艱難的日子，除此別無選擇
the days you wish you could have a do over
有些日子，你只想重新來過
with a positive outlook
帶着更爲積極的態度
and remind yourself that it's a part of life.
提醒自己，這只是生活的一部分
And you know what is even better,
你知道更好的是什麼嗎
pushing through those seemingly impossible days,
當你熬過那些看似無法熬過的艱難日子
makes those "perfect" days all the more delicious...
會讓那些“完美”的日子更加美味
it reminds me of sour ball candy.
這讓我想到了酸酸糖
At first it's so sour
一開始你只覺得太酸了
and tingles your tongue
你舌頭打結
and you pucker
你齜牙咧嘴
and struggle to keep it in your mouth,
剋制自己不把糖吐出去
but if you push through for a few seconds,
但如果你能堅持幾秒鐘
you find yourself beginning to enjoy the second layer of the candy
你會發現，自己已經開始品味這顆糖深層的滋味
because it is sweet and tasty
因爲它十分甜美可口
and brings pleasure to your taste buds
讓你的味蕾倍感愉悅
and you realize that it was a great piece of candy after all.
你最終意識到，說到底，這的確是一顆滋味絕讚的糖果！
