英语故事:在你开口抱怨之前

 There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, "If I could only see the world, I would marry you." 

从前有一个盲姑娘，她非常恨自己双目失明。她恨所有的人，但她亲爱的男朋友除外，因为无论什么时候，他都在她身边。她对男朋友说：“如果我能获得光明，我就嫁给你。”

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend. 

有一天，有人给她捐了一双眼。等绷带解开后，她什么都可以看见了，这也包括了她的男朋友。

He asked her, "Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?" The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids¹ shocked her. She hadn't expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him. 

他问：“现在你可以看到这个世界了，你会嫁给我吗？”那个女孩子看着自己的男友，看到他是双目失明的。但他双眼紧闭的样子让她很意外，这是她之前没有料想到的。想到余生都要看着这紧闭的双眼，她拒绝嫁给他。

Her boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: Take good care of my eyes, dear. I'll always love you. 

她的男朋友流着眼泪走了。几天后，他给她写了一张纸条：亲爱的，好好珍惜我的双眼。我会永远爱你。

This is how the human brain often works² when our status changes. Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations. Life is a gift. 

当我们的身份变了之后，我们的思想也通常会发生变化。只有很少人会记得以前的生活是什么样子，在最痛苦的时候又是谁陪在他们的身边。生活是一份礼物。

Today before you say an unkind³ word—Think of someone who can't speak. 

今天，在你就要说出不善之语之前——想一下那些无法开口说话的人。

Before you complain about the taste of your food—Think of someone who has nothing to eat. 

在你抱怨食物味道不如意之前——想想那些没有东西吃的人。

Today before you complain about life—Think of someone who went too early to heaven. 

今天，在你打算因为生活状况而发牢骚的时候——想想那些过早离开了人世的人。

Before whining⁴ about the distance you drive—Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet. 

在你为驾驶距离不满的时候——想想那些要用双脚走完同样距离的人。

And when you are tired and complain about your job—Think of the unemployed⁵, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job. 

在你疲惫不堪，抱怨自己的工作的时候——想想那些失业者、残疾人，还有那些想获得你那份工作的人。

And when depressing⁶ thoughts seem to get you down—Put a smile on your face and think: you're alive and still around. 

在你情绪低落，一蹶不振的时候——要面带笑容，然后这样想：你活着，还活得好好的。

1 eyelids   

n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色

参考例句：

• She was so tired, her eyelids were beginning to droop. 她太疲倦了，眼睑开始往下垂。
• Her eyelids drooped as if she were on the verge of sleep. 她眼睑低垂好像快要睡着的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

3 unkind   

adj.不仁慈的，不和善的

参考例句：

• He was never unkind to her.他从未亏待过她。
• Unkindness often reacts on the unkind person.恶人有恶报。

4 whining   

n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚

参考例句：

• That's the way with you whining, puny, pitiful players. 你们这种又爱哭、又软弱、又可怜的赌棍就是这样。
• The dog sat outside the door whining (to be let in). 那条狗坐在门外狺狺叫着（要进来）。

5 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

6 depressing   

a.令人沮丧的；令人忧愁的

参考例句：

• Laundromat is really depressing. 自助洗衣店真闷。
• The retrospect was depressing. 回想起来令人沮丧。