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生活的艺术(The Art of Living)

theartoflivingistoknowwhentoholdfastandwhentoletgo.forlifeisaparadox:itenjoinsustoclingtoitsmanygiftsevenwhileitordainstheireventualrelinquishment.therabbisofoldputitthisway:\d,butwhenhedies,hishandisopen.\ndrous,andfullofabeautythatbreaksthrougheveryporeofgod'sownearth.weknowthatthisisso,butalltoooftenwerecognizethistruthonlyinourbackwardglancewhenwerememberwhatwasandthensuddenlyrealizethatitisnomore.werememberabeautythatfaded,alovethatwaned.butwerememberwithfargreaterpainthatwedidnotseethatbeautywhenitflowered,thatwefailedtorespondwithlovewhenitwastendered.arecentexperiencere-taughtmethistruth.iwashospitalizedfollowingasevereheartattackandhadbeeninintensivecareforseveraldays.itwasnotapleasantplace.onemorning,ihadtohavesomeadditionaltests.therequiredmachineswerelocatedinabuildingattheoppositeendofthehospital,soihadtobewheeledacrossthecourtyardonagurney.asweemergedfromourunit,thesunlighthitme.that'salltherewastomyexperience.justthelightofthesun.andyethowbeautifulitwas--howwarming,howsparking,howbrilliant!ilookedtoseewhetheranyoneelserelishedthesun'sgoldenglow,buteveryonewashurryingtoandfro,mostwitheyesfixedontheground.thenirememberedhowofteni,too,hadbeenindifferenttot

hegrandeurofeachday,toopreoccupiedwithpettyandsometimesevenmeanconcernstorespondfromthatexperienceisreallyascommonplaceaswastheexperienceitself:life'sgiftsareprecious--butwearetooheedlessofthem.herethenisthefirstpoleoflife'sparadoxicaldemandsonus:nevertoobusyforthewonderandtheaweoflife.bereverentbeforeeachdawningday.embraceeachhour.seizeeachgoldenminute.holdfasttolife...butnotsofastthatyoucannotletgo.thisisthesecondsideoflife'scoin,theoppositepoleofitsparadox:wemustacceptourlosses,andlearnhowtoletgo.thisisnotaneasylessontolearn,especiallywhenweareyoungandthinkthattheworldisourstocommand,thatwhateverwedesirewiththefullforceofourpassionatebeingcan,nay,will,beours.butthenlifemovesalongtoconfrontuswithrealities,andslowlybutsurelythistruthdawnsuponus.ateverystageoflifewesustainlosses--andgrowintheprocess.webeginourindependentlivesonlywhenweemergefromthewombandloseitsprotectiveshelter.weenteraprogressionofschools,thenweleaveourmothersandfathersandourchildhoodhomes.wegetmarriedandhavechildrenandthenhavetoletthemgo.weconfrontthedeathofourparentsandourspouses.wefacethegradualornotsogradualwaningofourstrength.andultimately,astheparableoftheopenandclosedhandsuggests,wemustconfronttheinevitabilityofourowndemise,losingourselvesasitwere,allthatwewereordreamedtobe.