SeizeYourOpportunity
奧裡森·馬登/OrisonMarden
「WhenIwasaboy,」saidGeneralGrant,「mymotheronemorningfoundherselfwithoutbutterforbreakfast,andsentmetoborrowsomefromaneighbor.Goingintothehousewithoutknocking,Ioverheardaletterreadfromthesonofaneighbor,whowasthenatWestPoint,statingthathehadfailedinexaminationandwascominghome.Igotthebutter,tookithome,and,withoutwaitingforbreakfastrantotheofficeofthecongressmanforourdistrict.『Mr.Hammer,』Isaid,『willyouappointmetoWestPoint?』『No,yourneighbor』ssonisthere,andhasthreeyearstoserve.』『Butsupposeheshouldfail,willyousendme?』Mr.Hammerlaughed.『Ifhedon』tgothrough,nouseforyoutotry,Ugly.』『Promisemeyouwillgivemethechance,Mr.Hammer,anyhow.』Mr.Hammerpromised.Thenextdaythedefeatedladcamehome,andthecongressman,laughingatmysharpness,gavemetheappointment.Now,」saidGrant,「itwasmymother』sbeingwithoutbutterthatmademegeneralandpresident.」Buthewasmistaken.Itwashisownshrewdnesstoseethechance,andthepromptnesstoseizeit,thaturgedhimupward.
「Thereisnobody.」saysaRomanCardinal,「whomFortunedoesnotvisitonceinhis1ife;butwhenshefindsheisnotreadytoreceiveher,shegoesinatthedoor,andoutthroughthewindow.」Opportunityiscoy.Thecareless,theslow,theunobservant,thelazyfailtoseeit,orclutchatitwhenithasgone.Thesharpfellowsdetectitinstantly,andcatchitwhenonthewing.
Theyouthwhostartsoutinlifedeterminedtomakethemostofhiseyesandletnothingescapehimwhichhecanpossiblyuseforhisownadvancement,whokeepshisearsopenforeverysoundthatcanhelphimonhisway,whokeepshishandsopenthathemayclutcheveryopportunity,whoiseveronthealertforeverythingwhichcanhelphimtogetonintheworld,whoseizeseveryexperienceinlifeandgrindsitupintopaintforhisgreatlife』spicture,whokeepshisheartopenthathemaycatcheverynobleimpulseandeverythingwhichmayinspirehim,willbesuretoliveasuccessfullife;therearenoifsorandsaboutit.Ifhehashishealth,nothingcankeephimfromsuccess.
Manyofuswhothinkwearepoorarerichinopportunitiesifwecouldonlyseethem,inpossibilitiesallaboutus,infacultiesworthmorethandiamondbracelets,inpowertodogood.
Inourlargeeasterncitiesithasbeenfoundthatatleastninety-fouroutofeveryhundredfoundtheirfirstfortuneathome,ornearathand,andinmeetingcommoneverydaywants.Itisasorrydayforayoungmanwhocannotseeanyopportunitieswhereheis,butthinkshecandobettersomewhereelse.SeveralBrazilianshepherdsorganizedapartytogotoCaliforniatodiggold,andtookalongahandfulofclearpebblestoplaycheckerswithonthevoyage.TheydiscoveredafterarrivingatSacramento,aftertheyhadthrownmostofthepebblesaway,thattheywerealldiamonds.TheyreturnedtoBrazilonlytofindthatthemineshadbeentakenupbyothersandsoldtothegovernment