第36章 重新振作起来Second Wind
佚名 /Anonymous
April days in Portland, Oregon, can convince you that winter will never end. A gray sky of drizzle after two weeks of downpours and puddles in the parking lots wouldn't give way. Looking at the city through the trees, I sat at my desk feeling a little sorry for myself. It seemed like I'd been giving out so much for so long. Juggling the multiple priorities most professional women do, I felt tired and discouraged.
I noticed the clutter on my desk: clean-up from a business trip piled high, stacks of articles, projects that needed attention, and an overwhelming list of phone mail messages. Slumping in my chair, chin in hands, I wondered what all this was worth.
The physical, emotional, and spiritual energy required in a f ield that called upon my professional singing, speaking, and consulting talents was exhausting. Giving out to others in an effort to make a difference had taken its toll. I wondered. Does any of this really matter? Am I making any kind of contribution?
Morosely, I was plotting the career change I would inevitably need to make when the phone rang. The ring startled me from my brooding. A lyrical male voice, obviously Southern, said, “Hi, I'm Dan, and I'm calling from Texas. You don't know me, but I heard you sing in Japan.”
Japan! That was years ago. It seemed like another lifetime. “Well,” he continued, “I f igured I needed to call you, because your music made a real impact on my life, and I f igured you don't always get to know. I heard you sing at that school for missionary kids in Tokyo. During your concert, I was so moved, I knew then and there I needed to change direction. After your concert, I started studying my music so I could go into the ministry myself and touch others the way you touched me. I'm calling you because I just graduated from college this week and will be moving ahead with my dream.”
“How in the world did you ever f ind my number?” I asked, fairly stunned at these revelations from this friendly stranger on the end of the line. “Oh, I called around till I found it,” he said. “Somehow, to call you right now felt real important.” Real important! Little did he know!
We continued with our conversation, remembering that day years ago when I sang and spoke in Tokyo. I remembered feeling scared out of my wits singing for an assembly of high school kids. He remembered several of the songs. I remembered thinking it had probably been a total waste. He remembered it changed his life! I don't always get to know whom I touch or how. I don't always get to know the impact when I give of myself. I don't always get to see the fruit of my labors. But this time, God used his impeccable timing to give me a precious gift-a call from a young man named Dan to give me a second wind.
我一直不大清楚我能感动谁，如何感动；我也不大清楚，我的付出会产生怎样的影响；我一直也看不到我的劳动成果。然而这次，上帝在完美的时刻给了我一份贵重的礼物——一个叫丹的年轻人打来的电话。它让我重新振作。
俄勒冈州波特兰的四月，能让你相信冬天永远不会过去。两周的瓢泼大雨过后，灰色的天空中还是阴雨连连。停车场上随处可见的积水还未消退。我坐在书桌前，透过树丛，看着这个城市，感受着自己的小故事。我感觉自己长久以来似乎给予了太多。同多数的职业妇女一样，我要应对各种事情，我感到疲惫和气馁。
我注意到了书桌上的零乱：要清整的出差东西堆得老高，成堆的项目单，费神的计划，还有大堆的语音信箱留言。我坐在椅子上，托着下巴在想：我做这一切是为了什么。
我专业的歌唱、演讲和顾问才能，在需要体力、情感和精神能量的工作中，正在衰竭。我竭尽全力使别人感觉不同，而自己的热情已经不在。我怀疑：这一切真的重要吗？我做出了一些贡献吗？
我觉得很苦恼。电话响起时，我正盘算着改行，这是不可避免的。铃声将我从沉思中惊醒。电话那端显然是个南方人，他热情地说：“喂，我叫丹。现在在德克萨斯。你不认识我，不过我在日本听过你唱歌。”
日本！有很多年了，似乎都是上辈子的事了。“然后，”他继续说道，“我认为我需要给你打电话，因为你的音乐在我的生命中产生了真实的影响。我想你一直都不知道吧。在东京传教士子弟学校，我听到了你的歌唱。在你的音乐会上，我被你的歌声感动了，那时我明白，我需要改变自己的人生方向。音乐会结束后，我开始学习音乐，以使我自己可以投身到教会工作中去，并用你影响到我的方式去影响别人。我之所以打电话给你，是因为这周我就要大学毕业了，就要带着梦想前进了。”
“你是如何找到我的号码的？”我问道，对于电话那端友好的陌生人所倾诉的一切，我感到相当吃惊。“哦，我到处打电话打听，直到找到了你的号码，”他说道，“不知为什么，想要马上给你打电话，我感觉这很重要。”的确很重要！他不知道我的情况啊！
我们继续着谈话。我还记得数年前，我在东京那一天，为高中学生唱歌时异常恐惧的感觉。他依然记得演唱会上的几首歌。当时我认为那可能完全是一种浪费。可他记得，那场演唱改变了他的生活！我一直不大清楚我能感动谁，如何感动；我也不大清楚，我的付出会产生怎样的影响；我也一直看不到自己的劳动成果。然而这次，上帝在完美的时刻给了我一份贵重的礼物——一个叫丹的年轻人打来的电话。它让我重新振作。
记忆填空
1.I noticed the clutter on my_______: clean-up from a business trip piled_______, stacks of articles, projects that_______ attention, and an overwhelming list of phone_______messages. Slumping in my chair, chin in hands, I wondered what all this was_______.
2.We continued_______ our conversation, remembering that day years ago when I sang and spoke_______Tokyo. I remembered feeling scared out of my_______ singing for an assembly of high school kids. He remembered several of the_______ . I remembered thinking it had probably been a total_______. He remembered_______ it changed his life! I don't always get to know_______I touch or how.
佳句翻译
1.我坐在书桌前，透过树丛，看着这个城市，感受着自己的小故事。
译_______________________________________________________________
2.在你的音乐会上，我被你的歌声感动了，那时我明白，我需要改变自己的人生方向。
译_______________________________________________________________
3.我一直不大清楚我能感动谁，如何感动；我也不大清楚，我的付出会产生怎样的影响；我也一直看不到自己的劳动成果。
译_______________________________________________________________
短语应用
1.I'm calling you because I just graduated from college this week and will be moving ahead with my dream.
graduate from：毕业于
造_______________________________________________________________
2.Somehow, to call you right now felt real important.
right now：现在，立即，马上
造_______________________________________________________________