生活的艺术(The Art of Living)

详细内容

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theartoflivingistoknowwhentoholdfastandwhentoletgo.forlifeisaparadox:itenjoinsustoclingtoitsmanygiftsevenwhileitordainstheireventualrelinquishment.therabbisofoldputitthisway:"amanestothisworldwithhisfistclenched,butwhenhedies,hishandisopen."

surelyweoughttoholdfasttolife,foritiswondrous,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,hadbeenindifferenttothegrandeurofeachday,toopreoupiedwithpettyandsometimesevenmeanconcernstorespondfromthatexperienceisreallyasmonplaceaswastheexperienceitself:life'sgiftsareprecious--butwearetooheedlessofthem.

herethenisthefirstpoleoflife'sparadoxicaldemandsonus:nevertoobusyforthewonderandtheaweoflife.bereverentbeforeeachdawningday.embraceeachhour.seizeeachgoldenminute.

holdfasttolife...butnotsofastthatyoucannotletgo.thisisthesecondsideoflife'scoin,theoppositepoleofitsparadox:wemustaeptourlosses,andlearnhowtoletgo.

thisisnotaneasylessontolearn,especiallywhenweareyoungandthinkthattheworldisourstomand,thatwhateverwedesirewiththefullforceofourpassionatebeingcan,nay,will,beours.butthenlifemovesalongtoconfrontuswithrealities,andslowlybutsurelythistruthdawnsuponus.

ateverystageoflifewesustainlosses--andgrowintheprocess.webeginourindependentlivesonlywhenweemergefromthewombandloseitsprotectiveshelter.weenteraprogressionofschools,thenweleaveourmothersandfathersandourchildhoodhomes.wegetmarriedandhavechildrenandthenhavetoletthemgo.weconfrontthedeathofourparentsandourspouses.wefacethegradualornotsogradualwaningofourstrength.andultimately,astheparableoftheopenandclosedhandsuggests,wemustconfronttheinevitabilityofourowndemise,losingourselvesasitwere,allthatwewereordreamedtobe.