我的爸爸沒有工作，但他的啟發(fā)讓我走進了耶魯

Each year, we post a casting call for writers and their college application essays that have something to do with money. Nearly 300 people responded this year. Below, you’ll find five that stood out for their sensitivity, depth of insight and sheer geekiness. Who would have imagined, for instance, that there was a high school student out there helping people with their tax returns — or that she could learn so much about the world by doing so?

每一年，我們都會向作者征集他們所寫的與有關(guān)金錢的大學(xué)申請作文。今年有將近300人回應(yīng)。下面你會看到五篇文章因為它們的情感領(lǐng)悟、洞察能力和全然的古怪脫穎而出。比方說，誰能想到一個高中生會幫人報稅——或是她通過這一件事，能對世界有了這么多的了解?

ENDICOTT, N.Y.

紐約恩迪科特

Jeffrey C. Yu 杰弗里·C·余

Not all sons of doctors raise baby ducks and chickens in their kitchen. But I do. My dad taught me.

并非所有醫(yī)生的兒子都會在廚房里養(yǎng)小雞小鴨。但我會。是我爸教我的。

While my childhood was spent in a deteriorating industrial town, my dad was raised during the onset of Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution. After forgoing university so his sister could attend, my dad worked on a commune as a farmer. So while I grew up immersed in airy Beethoven melodies each morning, my dad grew up amid the earthy aromas of hay and livestock. Every time that I look between our grand piano and our baby chickens, I’m amazed by the stark differences between our childhoods, and how in raising livestock, my dad shares a piece of his own rural upbringing with me.

我是在一個衰敗的工業(yè)城鎮(zhèn)長大的，而我父親的童年卻正值毛澤東掀起他的文化大革命。為了讓姊妹能上大學(xué)，我的父親放棄了自己上大學(xué)的機會，去公社當(dāng)起了農(nóng)民。因此，我每天早上在貝多芬的悠揚樂曲中醒來，我的父親卻是在干草和牲畜散發(fā)的生活氣息里長大的。每當(dāng)我望向我們的三角鋼琴和我們的小雞，我都會驚訝于我們童年的鮮明差異，以及我的父親是如何通過飼養(yǎng)牲畜與我分享他的鄉(xiāng)村成長。

Embracing these differences, my dad has introduced me to diverse experiences, from molding statues out of toilet paper plaster to building greenhouses from the ground up. So you might be wondering: What does he do for a traditional 9-to-5 job? He’s already captained a research vessel that’s navigated across the Pacific, designed three patentable wind turbines and held every position imaginable, from sous chef to Motorola technician.

我的父親接受了這些不同。從如何用廁紙制作石膏塑像，到如何從無到有建起一座溫室，他向我介紹了不同的經(jīng)驗。于是你可能想問：他朝九晚五的傳統(tǒng)工作是什么?他曾經(jīng)是駕駛著考察船跨越太平洋的船長，設(shè)計過三種可取得專利的風(fēng)力渦輪機，從副廚到摩托羅拉(Motorola)技術(shù)員，一切你能想象得到的工作他都做過。

The answer? Nothing. He’s actually a stay-at-home dad right now.

現(xiàn)在呢?都不是。實際上，他現(xiàn)在是一名居家老爸。

My family is a matriarchy in a patriarchal community. Accordingly, I’m greeted with astonishment whenever I try to explain my dad’s financial status. “How lazy and unmotivated he must be!” Many try to hide their surprise, but their furtive glances say it all. In a society that places economic value at the forefront of worth, these assumptions might apply to other individuals, but not to my dad.

我的家庭是一個父系社會中的母系部落。因此，每當(dāng)我解釋父親的財務(wù)狀況時，都會得到人們驚訝的反應(yīng)。“他這是有多懶，多沒出息!”也有許多人試圖掩飾他們的驚訝，但他們游移的眼神透露了一切。在一個把經(jīng)濟價值擺在最前沿的社會中，這些假設(shè)對其他人可能適用，但對我父親不行。

When I look at the media, whether it be the front cover of a newspaper or a featured story in a website article, I often see highlights of parents who work incredible hours and odd jobs to ensure their children receive a good upbringing. While those stories are certainly worthy of praise, they often overshadow the less visible, equally important actions of people like my dad.

我看媒體，不論是新聞頭版，還是網(wǎng)站上的專題文章，都常常突出描寫那些為了保證孩子能接受良好教育而長時間工作，一人打多份工的父母。這些報道當(dāng)然值得稱贊，但它們往往會蓋過那些相對不為人所知的、像我父親這樣的人，他們的所為是同樣重要的。

I realize now that my dad has sacrificed his promising career and financial pride to ensure that his son would get all of the proper attention, care and moral upbringing he needed. Through his quiet, selfless actions, my dad has given me more than can be bought from a paycheck and redefined my understanding of how we, as people, can choose to live our lives.

我現(xiàn)在意識到了，我的父親犧牲了他前途大好的事業(yè)和錢財上的成就，以確保他的兒子能得到恰當(dāng)?shù)年P(guān)注、照料和道德教育。父親從他無言、無私的舉動中所給予我的，遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)大于一份薪水所能買到的，也讓我重新認(rèn)識到，我們——作為人類——能如何為自己的生活做出選擇。

I'm proud to say that my dad is the richest man I know — rich not in capital, but in character. Infused with the ingenuity to tear down complex physics and calculus problems, electrified with the vigor of a young entrepreneur (despite beginning his fledgling windmill start-up at the age of 50) and imbued with the kindness to shuttle his son to practices and rehearsals. At the end of the day, it’s those traits in people that matter more to me than who they are on paper.

我很自豪地說，我的父親是我認(rèn)識的人中最富有的——不是金錢上的富有，而是品格上的富有。他擁有解決復(fù)雜的物理和微積分問題的聰明才智，充滿年輕創(chuàng)業(yè)者的活力(盡管他在50歲時才創(chuàng)立了一家正在起步的風(fēng)車公司)，會貼心地接送兒子去訓(xùn)練、排練。歸根結(jié)底，對我來說更為重要的是一個人身上的這些品質(zhì)，而非書面上的記錄。

Stories like my dad’s remind me that worth can come in forms other than a six-figure salary. He’s an inspiration, reminding me that optimism, passion and creativity can make a difference in a life as young as mine. It’s those unspoken virtues that define me. Whether it’s when I fold napkin lotuses for my soup kitchen’s Christmas dinner, or bake challah bread French toast sticks for my chemistry class, I’m aware that achievement doesn’t have to be measured empirically. It’s that entrepreneurial, self-driven determination to bring ideas to life that drives me. My dad lives life off the beaten path. I, too, hope to bring that unorthodox attitude to other people and communities.

像我父親這樣的故事提醒著我，價值不只是六位數(shù)薪資這一種形式。他是一個啟發(fā)我的人，他提醒著我，哪怕是對我這樣一個年輕人的生活，樂觀、熱情和創(chuàng)造力都能帶來不同。是這些無言的品質(zhì)塑造了我。不論是當(dāng)我為救濟廚房的圣誕晚餐折餐巾花的時候，還是為化學(xué)課同學(xué)烘焙辮子面包法式吐司條的時候，我都知道成就不一定要用實證的方法來衡量。推動我前進的是這種創(chuàng)業(yè)者式的、自我驅(qū)動的決心，要讓生活充滿創(chuàng)意。我的父親沒有按著慣有的道路生活。而我，也希望為他人、為社會帶去這樣一種非正統(tǒng)的態(tài)度。

All too often I’m left with the seemingly unanswerable question: “What does my dad do?” But the answer, all too simply, is that he does what he does best: Inspire his son.

我時不時會面對這個看似無法回答的問題：“我的爸爸是做什么的?”但其實非常簡單，答案就是，他做的是他最擅長的事情：給他的兒子帶去啟發(fā)。