LetYourselfGo!
佚名/Anonymous
Severalyearsago,IreceivedapostcardfromafriendinJacksonHole,Wyo.,whowrote,「Iamskiingwithabandon!」Iwonderedwhathemeant,forwhenIskiitisalwayswithtrepidation.Ibelievehemeanthewasskiingskillfully,joyfully,peacefullyandconfidently.AlthoughIhavenohopesofeverskiingthatway,Idodreamoflivingwithabandon.Ibelievethatmenandwomenthroughtheageswhohaveledsuccessfulliveshavecapturedthesefivesecretsoflivinglifetothefullest.
1.Haveaself-respect.Thismeanshavingadeepsenseofresponsibilityforyourthoughtsandactions.Itmeanskeepingyourword,andbeingfaithfultoself,familyandwork.Itmeansbelievinginwhatyoudoandworkinghard.Itmeanssettingyourowninternalstandards,andnotcomparingyourselftoothers.It』snotaquestionofbeingbetterthansomeoneelse;respectandintegritydemandthatyoubebetterthanyouthoughtyoucouldbe.
WinstonChurchillexemplifiedintegrityandrespectinthefaceofopposition.Duringhislastyearinoffice,heattendedanofficialceremony.Severalrowsbehindhistwogentlemenbeganwhispering.「That』sWinstonChurchill.」「Theysayheisgettingsenile.」「Theysayheshouldstepasideandleavetherunningofthenationtomoredynamicandcapablemen.」Whentheceremonywasover,Churchillturnedtothemenandsaid,「Gentlemen,theyalsosayheisdeaf!」
Churchillknewthatonesecrettoaselfyoucanrespectistochooseacourseofactionbasedonwhatisright,notexpedient,andnotwaverfromitwhencriticized.
2.Commityourselftoothers.Believeinothers,andtaketimetonurturetheirdreams.Awisemansaid,「Ifyouwantoneyear』sprosperity,growgrain.Butifyouwanttenyears』prosperity,growmenandwomen.」
Youcanbuildintothelivesofyourfamily,friendsandcolleaguesbyprovidingnutrientsofgratitudeandencouragement,andbyinvestingyourtimeandenergyintheiraspirations.Ifatreeisgivenminimalnourishment,itwilllive,butitwillnotgrow.Butifnourishmentisgivenoverandbeyondwhatisneededforlife,thetreewillliveandgrowupward,producingfruit.
3.Turndisappointmentsintostrengths.Individualswholivewithabandonhavediscoveredthatpersonaltrialsmakethemmoresensitiveandloving,whilebuildingenduranceandcharacter.Theyhavelearnedthatachievementsworthrememberingarestainedwiththebloodofdiligenceandetchedwiththescarsofdisappointment.
Thepagesofhistoryarefilledwiththeheroicstoriesofundauntedmenandwomenwhotriumphedoverdisabilitiesandadversitiestodemonstratevictoriousspirits.Raisehiminabjectpoverty,andyouhaveanAbrahamLincoln.Makeherblindanddeaf,andyouhaveaHelenKeller.