人生不設(shè)限·請盡量使用我吧

我收到過很多類似的信，真的非常感恩。對于童年時期十分沮喪的我來說，這種狀況真的很奇特，因為那時我覺得我連享受自己的生命都談不上，更別提幫助別人享受他們的生命。你或許還在追尋生命的意義，但我認(rèn)為如果服務(wù)他人，你就能獲得滿足——我們每個人都希望好好運用自己的才華、知識，讓他人受惠，而不只是拿來賺錢吧。

I am grateful to receive many letters like that, and it seems especially odd given how despondent I was as a child about ever enjoying my own life, much less helping others with theirs. Your search for meaning may still be under way. But I don't think you can really feel fulfilled without serving others. Each of us hopes to put our talents and knowledge to use for benefits beyond paying the bills.

在今日的世界，即使大家都十分清楚，物質(zhì)上的成就并不代表心靈上的滿足，但我們?nèi)皂氁辉俦惶嵝眩簣A滿的人生與擁有財物沒有關(guān)系。人們會試圖用各種奇怪的方法得到滿足感：喝酒、嗑藥麻痹自己;扭曲身體以迎合某些霸道的“美”的標(biāo)準(zhǔn);一輩子拼命工作，以求達到成功的巔峰，但這種成功往往一瞬間就會毫不留情地離去。大部分有智慧的人都知道恒久的幸福沒有捷徑，如果你押寶在短暫的快樂上，就只能得到短暫的滿足。你付出什么，就會得到什么——廉價的刺激得來容易，但是今天還在，明天就消失了。

In today's world, even though we may be fully conscious of the spiritual emptiness of material attainment, we still need reminders that fulfillment has nothing to do with having possessions. People certainly try the strangest options for attaining fulfi llment. They may drink a six-pack of beer. They may drug themselves into oblivion. They may alter their bodies to achieve some arbitrary standard of beauty. They may work their whole lives to reach the pinnacle of success, only to have it mercilessly yanked from them in a second. But most sensible people know that there are no easy routes to long-term happiness. If you place your bets on temporary pleasures, you will find only temporary satisfaction. With cheap thrills, you get what you pay for—here today, gone tomorrow.

生命的重點不是擁有，而是存在。你可以用錢能買到的所有東西把自己團團圍住，但你依然會是最可悲的人。我認(rèn)識一些四肢健全且身材完美的人，他們的快樂卻不及我的一半。四處旅行時，我在孟買貧民窟和非洲孤兒院里看到的喜樂，老實說，比我在那些管理森嚴(yán)的高檔社區(qū)和價值幾百萬美元的豪宅里看到的還要多。

Life isn't about having, it's about being. You could surround yourself with all that money can buy, and you'd still be as miserable as a human can be. I know people with perfect bodies who don't have half the happiness I've found. On my journeys I've seen more joy in the slums of Mumbai and the orphanages of Africa than in wealthy gated communities and on sprawling estates worth millions.

為什么會這樣?

Why is that?

當(dāng)你的天賦與熱情找到交集，全然發(fā)揮時，你會獲得滿足。請認(rèn)清速食般的自我滿足的真面目，抗拒物質(zhì)世界的誘惑，例如豪宅、最炫的衣著，或最熱門的車款。“如果我有……就會很快樂”癥候群是個大騙局，如果你只在物質(zhì)事物上尋找快樂，那么東西再多也不夠。

You'll find contentment when your talents and passion are completely engaged, in full force. Recognize instant self-gratifi cation for what it is. Resist the temptation to grab for material objects like the perfect house, the coolest clothes, or the hottest car. The if I just had X, I would be happy syndrome is a mass delusion. When you look for happiness in mere objects, they are never enough.

不要把注意力全部放在物質(zhì)上，要看看生命的所有層面，向內(nèi)觀看。

Look around. Look within.

 

——

當(dāng)我還是個小男孩時，我常常在想，如果上帝給我雙手雙腳，那我從此以后一定可以過著幸福快樂的生活。這種想法不算自私吧，畢竟手腳是“基本配備”啊。不過就像你知道的，沒有這些附件，我發(fā)現(xiàn)自己也可以很快樂、很滿足。

As a boy, I figured that if God would just give me arms and legs, I would be happy for the rest of my life. It hardly seemed selfish since limbs are standard equipment. Still, as you know, I found that I can be happy and fulfilled without the usual appendages.

丹尼爾讓我再次確認(rèn)這件事，和他們一家人接觸的經(jīng)驗提醒了我，我為何存在這個世界上。

Daniel helped confirm that for me. The experience of reaching out to him and his family reminded me why I am on this earth.

父母一到加州，我們就一起去丹尼爾家拜訪。我和父母花了好幾個小時跟他的父母聊天，交流彼此的生活經(jīng)驗，也提到丹尼爾未來會碰到的事，以及過往我們是怎么處理的。

Once my parents arrived in California, we met with Daniel's family and I witnessed something so special. My parents and I spent hours talking to his mother and father, comparing experiences, discussing how we've dealt with challenges that await him.

就從那時開始，我們之間建立了堅固的聯(lián)結(jié)，直到今天。

From those first days we formed a strong bond that remains to this day.

一年后我們再次碰面，丹尼爾的父母提到，醫(yī)生覺得他還沒準(zhǔn)備好擁有一部像我的一樣的特制輪椅。

About a year after our first meeting, we got together again, and during our discussion Daniel's parents noted that his doctors felt he wasn't ready to have his own customized wheelchair like mine.

“怎么會?”我問，“我也是在丹尼爾這個年紀(jì)就開始自己操作輪椅啊。”

"Why not?" I asked. "I was about Daniel's age when I started driving my own wheelchair."

為了證明我的論點，我跳下輪椅，讓丹尼爾坐上來，他的小左腳恰好能配合那支操縱桿。他愛死了，操作得很棒呢!

To prove my point, I hopped out of my chair and let Daniel take my seat. His foot fit the joystick perfectly. He loved it! He did a great job maneuvering the chair.

就因為有我們在那里，丹尼爾才有機會向他父母證明他可以操控特制輪椅——這是我知道我能通過自身經(jīng)驗帶給他的許多協(xié)助之一?？梢詾榈つ釥枎?，我真是有說不出的激動。

Because we were there, Daniel had the opportunity to prove to his parents that he could handle a customized wheelchair. This was one of the many ways I knew I could be there for him and help light his path based on my shared experiences. I can't tell you what a thrill it is to serve as Daniel's guide.

那天，我們給了丹尼爾一件珍貴的禮物，但他給我的回饋更棒——他的喜悅讓我感受到無可比擬的充實圓滿。不是豪華轎車，也不是大宅邸，沒有什么東西比與上帝同行，實現(xiàn)他對我們的人生計劃更棒的了。

We provided Daniel with a rare gift that day, but he presented me with an even better one in the matchless fulfillment I felt at feeling his joy. Not a luxury car. Not a McMansion. Nothing compares to fulfilling your destiny and aligning with His plan.

禮物還在繼續(xù)送出去。后來又去拜訪丹尼爾一家人時，父母提到以前很擔(dān)心我會因為沒手沒腳浮不起來，而溺死在浴缸里，所以當(dāng)我還是個嬰兒時，他們幫我洗澡時就會非常小心;但是等我大一點，爸爸會在水中輕柔地托住我，讓我知道其實我浮得起來。久而久之，我變得愈來愈有自信和冒險精神，還發(fā)現(xiàn)只要在肺里保留一些空氣，我就能很輕易地浮在水面上。我甚至學(xué)會利用小左腳幫助自己在水中前進，就像推進器一樣。想象一下，當(dāng)我父母看到我在水里面會有多驚恐，而我變成一個看到泳池就要跳進去的游泳狂，又讓他們有多詫異了。

This gift just keeps on giving. In a later visit with Daniel and his family, my parents shared their early concerns that I could easily drown in the bathtub without arms and legs to keep me afloat. As a result they were very careful when bathing me as an infant, and as I grew older, my dad held me in the water gently, showing me that I could float. Over time I became more confident and adventurous and learned I could float easily as long as I held a bit of air in my lungs. I even figured out how to use my little foot as a propeller to motor myself through the water. Considering how frightened my parents had understandably been about me in the water, imagine their amazement as I became an avid swimmer, leaping into any pool of water I could find.

我們后來很高興地知道，丹尼爾開始學(xué)講話時，最先說出的幾句話之一就是：“像力克一樣游泳!”現(xiàn)在，他也成了游泳狂，這真是太棒了?？吹降つ釥枏奈业慕?jīng)驗中受益，賦予了我的生命更深刻的意義。就算我的故事沒有打動其他任何人，但有了丹尼爾這一句“像力克一樣游泳”，也足以讓我人生所經(jīng)歷的一切苦難變得值得。

After sharing that story with Daniel's family, we were delighted to learn later that one of the first phrases he said to his parents when he was old enough to speak clearly was: "Swim like Nick!" Now Daniel too is an avid swimmer. I can't express to you how awesome that makes me feel. To see Daniel benefit from my experiences gives deeper meaning to my life. If my story never touched another person, Daniel's determination to "swim like Nick" would be enough to make my life and all the hardships I've encountered worthwhile.

認(rèn)清你生命的目的是最重要的事，而且我向你保證，你肯定也可以有所貢獻?；蛟S現(xiàn)在還看不出那是什么，但你要知道，如果沒有什么可貢獻，你就不會出現(xiàn)在這個地球上。

Recognizing your purpose means everything. I assure you that you too have something to contribute. You may not see it now, but you would not be on this planet if that were not true.

我十分確定上帝不會制造錯誤，但他會創(chuàng)造奇跡。我是一個，你也是。

I know for