“心存希望”可以改变任何人的生活
人们的生活经历各有不同，或许有些人比别人多了一些磨难。但是不管有多苦有多难，希望是每个人的精神支柱，它可以改变任何人的生活。
It's true that some people have more hurdles in life than others. But commentator Joseph C. Phillips says regardless of the trials and tribulations, one factor can improve the lives of all people – hope.
An 8th grade reading teacher recently told me that quite often she held out very little hope for young people today. We spoke during a reception for the author Pearl Cleage. She sipped her cosmopolitan and shook her head sadly: "'These kids feel as if they are grown, they don't wanna listen and dare you to tell them anything,' she continued. 'They come into class and do hair, turn on their radios and will curse you out in a minute.''
As she took another sip of her drink, the teacher lamented that times have changed. 'I've been assaulted twice.' She said, 'One of the students currently in trouble for attacking my conversationalist is a girl with a particularly difficult family life. Her story is not new, her mother is a single parent with several children from different fathers and a history of mental health issues. As a result, this young girl often finds herself missing school to parent her younger siblings. While other children are exploring the newness of their teenage years, this girl has been handed responsibilities not of her making, and is no doubt, trying to cope as best she can with, it would appear, scarcely any help. It is little wonder that she snapped, the fact that this girl ended up in a hospital suffering high blood pressure and stress at the tender age of 13 may be a blessing in disguise.
From the surface it would appear that without intervention of some kind, a better life than the one she is living will be a long trek along a difficult road indeed.'
Given the story, the educator told me her pessimism is understandable. One can't help but feel a sense of trepidation, given the deep singular focus and effort it will take for her 8th grade student to rise above her circumstances and build a life of significance. However, this stands in stark contrast with the story of the educator's daughter who accompanied her to the reception. Her daughter is a beautiful young woman entering her senior year in high school. Unlike the young student in her mother's class, the doors to the world are wide-open to this young lady. And she was filled with enthusiasm. She will attend a major university, will meet new and exciting people, and barring some major distraction will have every opportunity to achieve her dream of becoming a journalist. It would be difficult not to feel excited and optimistic about the future of this country when speaking to her.
Life sometimes deals us cards from the bottom of the deck. Indeed, for some it seems that cards are not dealt at all. And yet, regardless of the hand, we're all expected to play as best we can. That's life. And life is not fair. Some young girls break bread with famous authors while others are forced to raise their siblings while their mothers slip into madness. Yet, the difference between the two girls is more than circumstance. It is also, and I think more significantly, a difference in hope. Young people like this 8th grade girl must have faith that the hand of God will move in their lives. However, they also need hope in the form of human hands that will reach to offer them counsel and support.
Hope is a hand that will guide young people towards the doors of opportunity. Hope will not alleviate the difficult work. Sweat and striving will always be necessary for success. Hope will, however, maintain a forward focus and will be the fuel that powers dreams. I share the teacher's concern, but I do not share her pessimism. Experience has taught me that as a bit of native American wisdom teachers, all roads are good. Hope tells me this is true, even when the reality is that for some, the road is made through walking.
Joseph C. Phillips is an actor and columnist living in Los Angeles. |
新民谣代表人物Shawn Colvin的音乐是荡漾在青绿间的浮云，它用根源的纯朴与本色带给人们生活中的点滴感动。快来欣赏这首由中国英语学习网每日英语频道精彩推荐的《Sunny Came Home》。