英语标准美文100篇 066

Hold fast, and let go

Hold fast, and let go .Understand this paradox¹, and you stand At the very gate of wisdom.

The art of living is to know when to hold fast and when to let go. For life is a paradox: it enjoins² us to cling to its many gifts even while it ordains³ their eventual⁴ relinquishment⁵. The rabbis of old put it this way: “a man comes to this world with his fist clenched⁶, but when he dies, his hand is open.”

Surely we ought to hold fast to life, for it is wondrous⁷, and full of a beauty that breaks through every pore of God’s own earth. We know that is so, but all too often we recognize this truth only in our backward glance when remember what it was and then suddenly realize that it is no more.

We remember a beauty that faded, a love that waned⁸. But we remember with far great pain that we did not see that beauty when it flowered, that we failed to respond with love when it was tendered.

A recent experience re-taught me this truth. I was hospitalized following a severe heart attack and had been in intensive care for days. It was not a pleasant place.

One morning, I had to have some additional tests. The required machines were located in a building at the opposite end of the hospital, so I had to be wheeled across the courtyard on a gurney.

As we emerged from our unit, the sunlight hit me. That’s all there was to my experience. Just the light of the sun. And yet how beautiful it was—how warning, how sparking, how brilliant!

I looked to see whether anyone else realized that sun’s golden glow, but everyone was hurrying to and fro, most with eyes fixed⁹ on the ground. Then I remembered how often, too, had been indifferent to the grandeur¹⁰ of each day, too preoccupied¹¹ with petty and sometimes even mean concerns to respond to the splendor¹² of it all.

The insight gleaned¹³ from that experience is really as commonplace as was the experience itself: life’s gifts are precious-but we are too heedless of them.

Here then is the first pole of life’s paradoxical demands on us: Never too busy for the wonder and the awe¹⁴ of life. Be reverent¹⁵ before each dawning day. Embrace each hour. Seize each golden minute.

Hold fast to life…but not so fast that you cannot let go.

This is second side of life’s coin, the opposite pole of its paradox: we must accept our losses, and learn how to let go.

This is not an easy lesson to learn, especially when we are young and think that the world is ours to command, that whatever we desire with the full force of our passionate¹⁶ being can, nay¹⁷, will, be ours. But then life moves along to confront us with realities, and slowly but surely this second truth dawns upon us.

At every stage of life we sustain losses—and grow in the process. We begin our independent lives only when we emerge from the womb and lose its protective shelter. We enter a progression of schools; then we leave our mothers and fathers and our childhood homes. We get married and have children and then have to let them go. We confront the death of our parents and our spouses¹⁸. We face the gradual or not so gradual waning¹⁹ of our own strength. And ultimately, as the open and closed hand suggests, we must confront the inevitability²⁰ of our own demise²¹, losing ourselves, as it were, all that we were or dreamed to be.

But why should we be reconciled to life’s contradictory²² demands? Why fashion things of beauty when beauty is evanescent? Why give our heart in love when those we love will ultimately be torn from our grasp?

In order to resolve this paradox, we must seek a wider perspective, viewing our lives as through windows that open on eternity²³. Once we do that, we realize that though our lives are finite, our deeds on earth weave a timeless pattern.

Life is never just being. It’s a becoming, a relentless²⁴ flowing on. Our parents live on thought us, and we will live on though our children. The institutions we build endure, and we will endure though them. The beauty we fashion cannot be dimmed by death. Our flesh may perish; our hands will wither²⁵, but that which they create in beauty and goodness and truth lives on for all time to come.

Don’t spend and waste your lives accumulating objects that will only turn to dust and ashes. Pursue not so much the material as the ideal, for ideals alone invest life with meaning and are of enduring worth.

Add love to a house and you have a home. Add righteousness to a city and you have a community. Add truth to a pile of red brick and you have school. Add religion to the humblest of edifices²⁶ and you have a sanctuary²⁷. Add justice to the far flung round of human endeavor and you have civilization. Put them all together, exalt²⁸ them above their present imperfections, add to them the vision of humankind redeemed²⁹, forever free of need and strife³⁰ and you have a future lighted with the colors of hope.
该抓就抓，该放就放

该抓就抓，该放就放, 明白这个道理，你就打开了智慧之门

人生的艺术就是，要知道何时该紧紧把握以及何时该放弃。因为人生就是一对矛盾，它既让我们要抓住人生的多种赐予，同时又迫使我们到头来不得不放弃。正如前辈们所言：人出生时双拳紧握而来，去世时却是松手而去。

我们当然应该抓紧这神奇而美妙的生命，因为它的美，充满了我们这片神圣土地的每一个角落。其实，这个道理我们都懂，可是我们却常常只有在回首往事时，才突然觉醒意识到其中之美，可为时已晚，一切都时过境迁。

我们深深铭记的是褪色的美，消逝的爱。但是这种记忆却饱含苦涩：我们痛惜没有在美丽绽放的时候注意到它，没有在爱情到来的时候给出积极的回应。

最近我自己的一个经历又令我悟出了这其中的道理。我因为严重的心脏病发作而住进了加护病房，那可不是个好呆的地方。

一天上午时分，我要接受几项辅助检查。因为检查的器械在医院对面的一幢建筑中，所以我就要穿过庭院，躺在轮床上被推到那里。

就在从病房出来的那一瞬，迎面的阳光一下子洒在我的身上。我所感受的就只有这阳光，但它却是如此美丽，如此温暖，如此璀璨和辉煌！

我看看周围是否有人也沉醉在这金色的阳光中，而事实是大家都来去匆匆，大都目不斜视，双眼只顾盯着地面。继而我就想到我平常也太过于沉湎于日常的琐碎俗物中，而对身边的美景漠然，甚至是视而不见。

从这次的经历中我所获得的感悟，就像这个经历本身一样并无什么奇特之处：生活的恩赐是珍贵的――只是我们对此留心甚少。

于是人生的第一个方面就是：不要太过于忙碌而忽视了人生的美好，和失去对生命的敬畏。虔诚地迎接每个黎明的到来。把握每个小时，抓住宝贵的分分秒秒。

紧紧地把握人生，但是又不能抓得过死，松不开手。这正是人生的另外一面，也就是矛盾的另外一面：我们要接受失去的一切，懂得如何放手。

其实这个并不是容易做到的，尤其当我们尚年轻时，自以为世界在我们的掌控之中，而不论什么，只要我们以满腔热情、全力以赴，就会心想事成！但是现实往往事与愿违，然后渐渐地这第二条真理接踵而来。

在人生的每个阶段，我们都会承受失去――也因此成长起来。我们出生的同时也失去母体的保护，从那一刻我们开始了独立的生命。而后我们上学，一级一级地升上去，接着又得离开父母和儿时的家。我们结婚生子，然后又眼睁睁地看着他们离去；我们遭遇父母及爱人的离逝。我们也要面临自己逐渐，或者突然的衰老。而最终，就像握手和松手的比喻那样，我们必须面对自己不可避免的死亡。就这样，我们失去了一切，包括我们已经所拥有的和尚未实现的。

但是我们为什么要服从于这种人生中矛盾的要求呢？为什么明知美是短暂的还要去创造美好？为何明知自己所爱的人会最终离我们而去，却还要投入全身心地去爱？

要解开这个矛盾我们就必须把眼光放开，像透过可以通向永恒的窗户那样来审视我们的生活。一旦这样做，我们就会知道我们的生命虽然有限，可我们在地球上的作为却在造就永恒。

人生不仅仅是静止的一生而已。它是在不断变幻的，是一股不屈不挠的奔流。我们的父母通过我们得到生命的延续，然后我们通过我们的子女得到生命的延续。我们所创立的社会会保留下来，我们也与之长存；我们所崇尚的美不会因为我们的死亡就失去颜色。我们的身体会腐朽，我们的双手会枯萎，但是我们所创造的美、善和真却可以永存而不朽。

不要将你的生命浪费在聚财敛物，他们只会变为尘埃，化为虚无。与其追求物质，不如追求理想，因为只有理想才会赋予生命以意义，也只有理想才会有长存的价值。

房子有了爱便成为了家。城市有了道义就成为社会。一堆红砖碧瓦，一旦有了真理就成了学校。陋室有了宗教就成了圣堂。人类全方面的努力，有了正义就成为了文明。把这一切全放在一处，完善他们，使之精益求精；而这一切，有了在人类获得救赎后那永远无欲无求的远景，便成就了一个充满希望的绚烂未来。

1 paradox   

n.似乎矛盾却正确的说法；自相矛盾的人(物)

参考例句：

• The story contains many levels of paradox.这个故事存在多重悖论。
• The paradox is that Japan does need serious education reform.矛盾的地方是日本确实需要教育改革。

2 enjoins   

v.命令( enjoin的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Accordingly, Council enjoins concerned branch undertook nervous investigation, argumentation works further. 据此，国务院责成有关部门进一步进行了紧张的调查、论证工作。 来自互联网
• Humanity enjoins us to teach them agriculture and the domestic arts. 基于人道精神我们乃教导他们农业与持家之道。 来自互联网

3 ordains   

v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的第三人称单数 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定

参考例句：

• The festival ordains the Jains to observe the ten universal supreme virtues in daily practical life. 盛典命令耆那教徒日常遵守十大美德。 来自互联网

4 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。

5 relinquishment   

n.放弃；撤回；停止

参考例句：

• One kind of love is called relinquishment. 有一种爱叫做放手。
• Our curriculum trains for the relinquishment of judgment as the necessary condition of salvation. 我们的课程则训练我们把放弃判断作为得救的必需条件。

6 clenched   

v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He clenched his fists in anger. 他愤怒地攥紧了拳头。
• She clenched her hands in her lap to hide their trembling. 她攥紧双手放在腿上，以掩饰其颤抖。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 wondrous   

adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地

参考例句：

• The internal structure of the Department is wondrous to behold.看一下国务院的内部结构是很有意思的。
• We were driven across this wondrous vast land of lakes and forests.我们乘车穿越这片有着湖泊及森林的广袤而神奇的土地。

8 waned   

v.衰落( wane的过去式和过去分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡

参考例句：

• However,my enthusiasm waned.The time I spent at exercises gradually diminished. 然而，我的热情减退了。我在做操上花的时间逐渐减少了。 来自《用法词典》
• The bicycle craze has waned. 自行车热已冷下去了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

10 grandeur   

n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华

参考例句：

• The grandeur of the Great Wall is unmatched.长城的壮观是独一无二的。
• These ruins sufficiently attest the former grandeur of the place.这些遗迹充分证明此处昔日的宏伟。

11 preoccupied   

adj.全神贯注的，入神的；被抢先占有的；心事重重的v.占据（某人）思想，使对…全神贯注，使专心于( preoccupy的过去式)

参考例句：

• He was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to notice anything wrong. 他只顾想着心事，没注意到有什么不对。
• The question of going to the Mount Tai preoccupied his mind. 去游泰山的问题盘踞在他心头。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 splendor   

n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌

参考例句：

• Never in his life had he gazed on such splendor.他生平从没有见过如此辉煌壮丽的场面。
• All the splendor in the world is not worth a good friend.人世间所有的荣华富贵不如一个好朋友。

13 gleaned   

v.一点点地收集（资料、事实）( glean的过去式和过去分词 )；（收割后）拾穗

参考例句：

• These figures have been gleaned from a number of studies. 这些数据是通过多次研究收集得来的。
• A valuable lesson may be gleaned from it by those who have eyes to see. 明眼人可从中记取宝贵的教训。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

14 awe   

n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧

参考例句：

• The sight filled us with awe.这景色使我们大为惊叹。
• The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。

15 reverent   

adj.恭敬的，虔诚的

参考例句：

• He gave reverent attention to the teacher.他恭敬地听老师讲课。
• She said the word artist with a gentle,understanding,reverent smile.她说作家一词时面带高雅，理解和虔诚的微笑。

16 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

17 nay   

adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者

参考例句：

• He was grateful for and proud of his son's remarkable,nay,unique performance.他为儿子出色的，不，应该是独一无二的表演心怀感激和骄傲。
• Long essays,nay,whole books have been written on this.许多长篇大论的文章，不，应该说是整部整部的书都是关于这件事的。

18 spouses   

n.配偶，夫或妻( spouse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Jobs are available for spouses on campus and in the community. 校园里和社区里有配偶可做的工作。 来自辞典例句
• An astonishing number of spouses-most particularly in the upper-income brackets-have no close notion of their husbands'paychecks. 相当大一部分妇女——特别在高收入阶层——并不很了解他们丈夫的薪金。 来自辞典例句

19 waning   

adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡

参考例句：

• Her enthusiasm for the whole idea was waning rapidly. 她对整个想法的热情迅速冷淡了下来。
• The day is waning and the road is ending. 日暮途穷。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

20 inevitability   

n.必然性

参考例句：

• Evolutionism is normally associated with a belief in the inevitability of progress. 进化主义通常和一种相信进步不可避免的看法相联系。
• It is the tide of the times, an inevitability of history. 这是时代的潮流，历史的必然。

21 demise   

n.死亡；v.让渡，遗赠，转让

参考例句：

• He praised the union's aims but predicted its early demise.他赞扬协会的目标，但预期这一协会很快会消亡。
• The war brought about the industry's sudden demise.战争道致这个行业就这么突然垮了。

22 contradictory   

adj.反驳的，反对的，抗辩的；n.正反对，矛盾对立

参考例句：

• The argument is internally contradictory.论据本身自相矛盾。
• What he said was self-contradictory.他讲话前后不符。

23 eternity   

n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷

参考例句：

• The dull play seemed to last an eternity.这场乏味的剧似乎演个没完没了。
• Finally,Ying Tai and Shan Bo could be together for all of eternity.英台和山伯终能双宿双飞，永世相随。

24 relentless   

adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的

参考例句：

• The traffic noise is relentless.交通车辆的噪音一刻也不停止。
• Their training has to be relentless.他们的训练必须是无情的。

25 wither   

vt.使凋谢，使衰退，(用眼神气势等)使畏缩；vi.枯萎，衰退，消亡

参考例句：

• She grows as a flower does-she will wither without sun.她象鲜花一样成长--没有太阳就会凋谢。
• In autumn the leaves wither and fall off the trees.秋天，树叶枯萎并从树上落下来。

26 edifices   

n.大建筑物( edifice的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They complain that the monstrous edifices interfere with television reception. 他们抱怨说，那些怪物般的庞大建筑，干扰了电视接收。 来自辞典例句
• Wealthy officials and landlords built these queer edifices a thousand years ago. 有钱的官吏和地主在一千年前就修建了这种奇怪的建筑物。 来自辞典例句

27 sanctuary   

n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区

参考例句：

• There was a sanctuary of political refugees behind the hospital.医院后面有一个政治难民的避难所。
• Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。

28 exalt   

v.赞扬，歌颂，晋升，提升

参考例句：

• She thanked the President to exalt her.她感谢总统提拔她。
• His work exalts all those virtues that we,as Americans,are taught to hold dear.他的作品颂扬了所有那些身为美国人应该珍视的美德。

29 redeemed   

adj. 可赎回的，可救赎的 动词redeem的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• She has redeemed her pawned jewellery. 她赎回了当掉的珠宝。
• He redeemed his watch from the pawnbroker's. 他从当铺赎回手表。

30 strife   

n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争

参考例句：

• We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。
• Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。