登陆注册
15347800000003

第3章 每个人都可以是天使(3)

"Yes,"I said,"I sure am."

I contemplated the wisdom of a 5-year-old boy,as I got the last seat on that flight home.

在一个闷热而潮湿的8月的下午,我有足够的理由同情我自己。争吵混乱的闹剧从飞机的安检开始,紧接着是抽样药检,然后是由于天气因素和机械故障造成的误点航班。

登机口一片混乱与喧闹,这时我注意到一个5岁的小男孩,他正站在他妈妈的身边盯着我。他看看我,再看看我的提包,又再看看我。

他小心谨慎地离开妈妈那边,慢慢地向我走来,他不时地看看我,看看他妈妈和我的提包。他靠近我时,我才发现他并不是冲着我而是冲着我的帽子来的,这既让我宽慰,又让我觉得奇怪。

我本想告诉他不要乱动我的东西,但是不知道为什么我没去拦他,而是想看看他究竟要做什么。他在我的提包前停下,看看我的帽子,然后抬头看看我。

他的眼睛睁得很大,他轻轻地摸了摸我的帽檐,食指慢慢地沿着帽边划来划去,然后小心地摸着帽子的徽章。

他抬起头来笑眯眯地看着我,但是没有说话。我问他想不想戴戴我的上尉帽子。他激动地连连点头,脸上依旧挂着那种微笑。我把帽子扣在他的头上,帽子一下滑到他的耳际,但是他丝毫不介意,两只小手把帽子调到合适的位置。他跑过去给他的妈妈看,然后又眉开眼笑地跑回来。

他用两只小手慢慢地把帽子取下,犹如手捧王冠一样,他以一种非常崇敬的方式把帽子还给了我。

我戴上帽子,给了他一张明信片,他仍旧是充满崇敬地用双手捧住。

拿到这张明信片后,他非常激动,但是他还是没有说话。其实,我也非常高兴,因为他把我从坏心境中拉了出来。

他的两只小手仍然小心捧着明信片,然后,他抬起头来看看我,对我说:“先生,你一定会有好运的。”

“是的,”我说,“我肯定。”

我是最后一个坐到座位上的人,在返乡的飞行中,我思考着那5岁小男孩话中的智慧。

Life experience

生活的经验

"Everything happens for the best."My mother said whenever I faced disappointment."If you carry on,one day something good will happen.And you'll realize that it wouldn't have happened if not for that previous disappointment."

Mother was right,as I discovered after graduating from college in 1932.I had decided to try for a job in radio,then work my way up to sports announcer.I hitchhiked on the door of every station-and got turned down every time.

In one studio,a kind lady told me that big stations wouldn't risk hiring an inexperienced person."Go out in the sticks and find a small station that'll give you a chance."She said.

I thumbed home to Dixon,Illi.While there were no radio-annoucing jobs in Dixon,my father said Mont-gomery Ward had opened a store and wanted a local athlete to manage its sports department.Since Dixon was where I had played high-school football,I applied.The job sounded just right for me,but I wasn't hired.

My disappointment must have shown."Everything happens for the best."Mom reminded me.

Dad offered me the car to drive 70 miles to the Tri-Cities.I tried WOC Radio in Davenport,Iowa.The program director,a wonderful Scotsman named Peter Macarthur,told me they had already hired an announcer.

As I left his office,my frustration boiled over.I asked aloud,"How can a fellow get to be a sports announcer if he can't get a job in a radio station?"I was waiting for the elevator when I heard Macarthur calling."What was that you said about sports?Do you know anything about football?"Then he stood me before a microphone and asked me to broadcast an imaginary game.

The preceding autumn,my team had won a game in the last 20 seconds with a 65-yard run.I did a 15-minute buil-dup to that play,and Peter told me I would broadcast Saturday's game!

On my way home,as I have many times since,I thought of my mother's words,"If you carry on,one day something good will happen-something that wouldn't have happened if not for that previous disappointment."

I often wonder what direction my life might have taken if I'd gotten the job at Montgomery Ward.

A Lesson for Living.

“任何事都会有个完美的结局。”无论何时我面对失望,妈妈都会这么说。“如果你坚持不懈,总有一天美好的事情会发生。并且你会意识到如果没有以前的沮丧,美好的事就不会发生。”

1932年我大学毕业后,发现妈妈是对的。我已经决定尝试找一家电台工作,然后逐步做到体育节目播音员。我搭便车到每个电台,但是每次都被拒绝。

在一个播音室,一位好心的女士告诉我,大的电台不会冒险雇用一个没有经验的人。“出去到远离城市的边远地方,并找一个小的电台,那会给你一个机会。”她说。

我搭便车回到了位于伊利诺伊州迪克森的家。当时在迪克森没有电台广播的工作,我父亲说蒙哥马利·沃德开了一家商店,并且需要一个当地运动员管理体育用品部。因为迪克森是我高中打橄榄球的地方,我申请了那个职位。工作听起来对我很适合,但我没能被录用。

我的失望一定挂在了脸上。“每件事都会有个圆满的结局。”妈妈提醒我。

父亲提供给我一辆车,开出70里路到了Tri-Cities。我试着去了爱荷华州达文波特的WOC电台。节目负责人是一位叫彼特·麦克阿瑟的好心的苏格兰人,他告诉我他们已经雇用了一个广播员。

当我离开他的办公室时,我沮丧至极。我大声问:“如果一个人在电台都不能找到工作,他又怎么能成为一个体育播音员呢?”这时我正在等电梯,我突然听到麦克阿瑟问:“你刚才说什么体育?你知道关于橄榄球的事吗?”然后他让我站在麦克风前播了一段想像中的体育比赛。

前一个秋天,我们的球队以一个65码的跑动在最后20秒钟赢得了一场比赛。我对那场比赛作了一个15分钟的评论,然后彼得告诉我说我可以播星期六的节目。

在回家的路上,我又一次想起妈妈的话:“如果你坚持不懈,总有一天美好的事情会发生;如果没有以前的失望,美好的事就不会发生。”

我经常想如果我得到了蒙哥马利·沃德的工作,我的生命将转向哪个方向。

这就是生活的经验。

Life changes

生命的转变

In 1921,Lewis Lawes became the warden of Sing Sing Prison.No prison was tougher than Sing Sing during that time.But when Warden Lawes retired some 20 years later,that prison had become a humanitarian institution.Those who had studied the system said credit for the change belonged to Lawes.But when he was asked about the transformation,here was what he said,"I owe it all to my wonderful wife,Catherine,who is buried outside the prison walls."

Catherine Lawes was a young mother with three small children when her husband became the warden.Everybody warned her from the beginning that she should never set foot inside the prison walls,but that didn't stop Catherine!When the first prison basketball game was held,she went into the gym with her three beautiful kids and she sat in the stands with the inmates.

Her attitude was:"My husband and I are going to take care of these men and I believe they will take care of me!I don't have to worry!"She insisted on getting acquainted 3 with them and their records.She discovered one convicted 4 murderer was blind so she paid him a visit.Holding his hand in hers she said,"Do you read Braille?"

"What's Braille?"he asked.Then she taught him how to read.Years later he would still weep in love for her.Later,Catherine found a deaf-mute in the prison.She went to school to learn how to use sign language.Many people said that Catherine Lawes was the body of Jesus who came alive again in Sing Sing from 1921 to 1937.

Then,she was killed in a car accident.The next morning Lewis Lawes didn't come to work,so the acting warden took his place.It seemed almost instantly that the prisoners knew something was wrong.

同类推荐
  • 学生赠言妙语5000句

    学生赠言妙语5000句

    一句短短的赠言妙语,虽不是贵重礼物,但却如甘泉更能滋润心田,更能耐人寻味。它可以架设彼此的桥梁,使情感流通,使心灵交融,让你我获得深深的默契。
  • 忍耐的智慧

    忍耐的智慧

    本书共分8章,内容包括:卧薪尝胆——举大事者不忍则溃、深藏不露——树大招风巧遮蔽、豁达宽容——饶得人才能助得己、审时度势——隐忍中顺势而为等。
  • 活该笨死的牛:方法比勤奋更重要

    活该笨死的牛:方法比勤奋更重要

    牛从来没有自己的目标,他只知道做别人现在让他做的事,他不知道为什么要这些事,做这些事的结果是什么,他更不知道自己以后要做什么。如果你问他:“你为什么而活?”,他就会迷惘地看着你。这本书正是要告诉你,设定明确的目标,是所有成就的出发点。那些98%的人之所以失败,就在于他们都没有设定明确的目标,并且也从来没有踏出他们的第一步。
  • 幸福女人必备的100条锦囊妙计

    幸福女人必备的100条锦囊妙计

    幸福女人不光拥用漂亮的外貌,还要拥有智慧;幸福女人只拥有涵养还不够,还要有十足的女人味;幸福女人不但要事业有成,还要拥有完美的婚姻;幸福女人不但要会管钱,更要会享受生活……本书为你提供幸福女人所必备的100条锦囊妙计。女人如水,水能避高而趋下,因地而制流。所以说,女人因柔弱而坚强。俄国作家托尔斯泰叹道:“女人是旋转一切的枢纽。”不要做花瓶,修身养性心畅快。不要苦自己,做足女人味。休要嫁错郎,合适的最好。别把婚姻当坟墓,耐心经营甜如蜜。不要蹉跎岁月,怡然享受生活。不要把命运付他人,开辟自己一片天。不负上天创意,秀出独特的你。异性交往别大意,距离适度不受欺。
  • 爱上你的工作

    爱上你的工作

    本书从员工的角度出发,立足于工作的实际情况,挖掘懒散慢的问题根源,旨在帮助员工认识懒散慢对自己、对企业的危害以及摒弃懒、散、慢的意义,进而自动自发地端正自身心态,重燃工作激情,把工作做好做到位。
热门推荐
  • 小姐要好强

    小姐要好强

    卓婷婷穿越变成水月派的大小姐,没过几天就被赐婚!我不想嫁人,我还是个少女!!殊不知阴错阳差,转眼变成了武林盟主。【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 娶个老婆是女娲

    娶个老婆是女娲

    吴力是位重度残疾人,只有换头才有可能继续活下去,一次偶然的机会,有机构愿意给他免费换头,从而结缘了他天神一样的妻子,走向了统治宇宙的旅程。
  • 地狱鬼妃

    地狱鬼妃

    豆蔻香天生灾星,人所过处,便是旱灾。她是第十九层地狱的“主人”,往来地府人间寻找可灌溉地狱之树的怨魂与腐尸。百年后的她,以鬼妃身份玩转后宫,玩儿美男,虐炮灰虐皇后虐渣渣……但是,这个法力无边又神秘的夫君是谁?男子一只手慢慢伸到豆蔻香吹弹可破的嫩脸处,轻轻弹了一弹:“本君要与你同枕共眠,然后生个小娃娃,生了小娃娃之后还要与你同枕共眠!唔——我娘子的身子真软,又香又软又能生娃娃!不错,本君……喜欢!”豆蔻香莞尔一笑:“你也不错,我喜欢!”【感谢阅文书评团提供书评支持】微信订阅号、新浪微博【净瓶子】求关注
  • 分裂100天

    分裂100天

    火车上遇见了她,相约100天后相见。你会相信么?
  • 娱乐圈之宝贝无敌

    娱乐圈之宝贝无敌

    她,不笑的时候优雅端庄;笑的时候,挑起的眼尾妖娆妩媚,是当红的女星,影后。她,温婉柔美,长发飘逸,眼眸明亮,说话浅声细语,不骄不躁,京城军区司令的孙女,天之骄女。他,眉目俊朗,温润如玉,嘴角的浅笑永远似一抹骄阳,抚慰人心,京门高官之后。他,面容刀削般精致似完美的瓷器,霸气凛然,一双眸子却若寒潭,富二代。(本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿。)
  • 邪帝的浅月小萌妃

    邪帝的浅月小萌妃

    她本是一个孤儿,却被一对夫妻领养,拿来试药,被蛇蝎美人的姐姐欺辱,过着生不如死的日子,如果没慕婆婆,她早就死了,可她在杀了那对夫妻后穿越了······咳咳,穿越后,被一名美男相救,美男混成了混成啦自个的哥哥,一天,美男哥哥说:“月儿,我救你一命,你是否需要以身相许呢?”白浅月:“给我滚!”美男哥哥:“好,我们一起在床上滚吧。”说完将白浅月将其扑倒吃掉......
  • 重生之惊才傻妃

    重生之惊才傻妃

    安千岭——前世,安氏集团的董事千金,越岭集团的幕后大老板,爱情果然能让人丢掉大脑,在商场上杀伐果断的商场精英安千岭,却连自己的未出世孩子,死在未婚夫沈俊与妹妹安千瑶手下。重生,却来到了古代,她还是安千岭,不过却是一个痴小姐。同样有个恶毒庶姐安千瑶,同样有个与庶姐勾搭的未婚夫。可是她再也不是原来的她。毒父不亲,后母不慈,庶姐不仁,哦,还有一个未婚夫呢!看她怎么装疯卖傻的把他们全部打入十八层地狱,重新得到属于自己的亲情、友情与爱情。
  • 驭兽仙师

    驭兽仙师

    一个到处都是魔兽的国度,十八岁即将进入大学的少年李萧阳机缘巧合下共生了一只灵兽,并在岩浆中修炼,进入大学校园后更在图书馆角落里找到一本《无为心经》凭借灵兽和功法,在学校里英雄救美锄强扶弱,出了学校与各路妖兽妖皇拼杀,最终成为驭使万兽的无敌仙师。
  • 文峰居随笔

    文峰居随笔

    收录50余篇篇幅长短不一的作品。内容涵盖了写史、怀旧、记人、忆事、纪游、赏物、评事、品文等等;形式有随笔、杂文、日记、书信、序跋等。内容五彩缤纷,形式杂然纷呈,这是一本多姿多彩的书。
  • 穿书女配之把悲剧变成喜剧

    穿书女配之把悲剧变成喜剧

    若风穿越到自己以前看到的一本小说里去了,那篇都市小说写的是男女主在没有学历,没有背景的条件下奋发一路冲上人生顶峰,最终成功的故事。但,若风只是一号女配,从小和男女主一起长大,却总是陷入女主的情感纠葛之中,不看就知道,这样的女配一定没有好结果。且看她如何将杯具变洗具!(本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿。)