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青 春
'犹太'塞缪尔·乌尔曼
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塞缪尔·乌尔曼(1840—1920),犹太人,出生于德国,1851年随家人移民到美国密西西比。乌尔曼虽以教育家和社会活动家而闻名于世,但在文学创作方面也很有才华。他的《青春》因为麦克阿瑟将军的推崇而广为传颂。
青春不是年华,而是一种心态;不是玫瑰般的脸庞,红润的嘴唇和敏捷的双腿,而是坚韧的意志,丰富的想象力,以及无穷的激情;青春是生命深处的一股清泉。
青春意味着勇气多于怯懦,青春意味着喜欢冒险而讨厌安逸。拥有此种品质的人之中,60岁的老人往往多于20岁的年轻人。没有人只因年龄的增长而年老,人们往往因放弃理想而年老。
岁月可使肌肤长满皱纹,但放弃激情可使心灵布满灰尘。焦虑、疑惑、猜疑、恐惧和沮丧——都会挫伤心灵,磨损意志。
不管是白发老人还是青春少年,每个人的心里皆有其喜欢之新奇事物,对星星和类似星星的东西皆有好奇之心,敢于挑战,对未知事物的孩子般的渴求之心,乐于享受生活带来的乐趣。
我们因充满信心而变得年轻;因心存疑虑而变得年老;因自信而年轻,因心存恐惧而年老;因充满希望而年轻,因满怀沮丧而年老。
人人心里都有一座无线电台,只要接收到来自地球、人类和宇宙的美好、希望、勇气、庄严及力量,就会变得年轻。
当心灵的天线倒下,心如大雪般悲观、如冰块般愤世嫉俗时,那时,唯有那时,我们将真正老去。
Youth
Samuel Ullman
Youth is not entirely a time of life; it is a state of mind; it is not a matter of rosy cheeks; red lips and supple knees; it is a temper of the will; a quality of the imagination; a vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life。
Youth means the temperamental predominance of courage over timidity; of the appetite of adventure over the love of ease。 This often exists in a man of sixty more than in a boy of twenty。 Nobody grows old by merely living a number of years。 We grow old by deserting our ideals。
Years may wrinkle the skin; but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul。 Worry; doubt; self…distrust; fear and despair—these bow the heart and turn the spirit back to dust。
Whether sixty or sixteen; there is in every human being’s heart the love of wonder; the sweet amazement at the stars and the star like things; the undaunted challenge of events; the unfailing child…like appetite for what…next; and the joy of the game of living。
You are as young as your faith; as old as your doubt; as young as your self…confidence; as old as your fear; as young as