They had both endured the same ordeal， but their different attitudes determined the nature of their lives. It is true that life is unpredictable. Disasters can strike at any time. How you handle misfortune when confronted with it， is the true test of your character. If you choose only to complain and escape from the ordeal， it will always follow you wherever you go. But if you decide to be strong， the hardship will turn out to be a fortune on which new hopes will arise.
在一次事故中，作为家中顶梁柱的父亲永远地离去了，他也因此失去了双手。从此弟弟的手便成了他的手。为了照顾他，弟弟从小到大总是形影不离地跟在他的身边，他除了学会了用脚趾头写字做作业外，生活上完全不能自理。
有一次，他因肠胃不好，半夜起来要上厕所，于是他叫醒了弟弟。弟弟帮着他进了厕所后，就回宿舍躺下了。由于太劳累，弟弟闭上眼就睡着了。结果他在厕所里等了整整两个小时，才被查夜的老师发现。慢慢长大了的两兄弟也有了烦恼和争执，有一天弟弟终于提出要离开他，因为弟弟要和很多正常人一样需要过自己的生活。为此，他很伤心，不知如何是好。
无独有偶，另一个女孩也有着同样的遭遇。因为妈妈长期患有精神病，在一天晚上无故出走，爸爸去找妈妈了，家中便只留下她一人。她决定做好饭菜等爸爸妈妈回来吃，却不小心将灶台上的煤油灯打翻，结果双手便被大火夺走了。虽然在外地读书的姐姐愿意照顾她，可倔强的她一定要自己照顾自己。在学校，她不但读书认真，更重要的是她学会了生活自理。她曾在一篇作文里写道：我幸福，虽然断了双手，但我还拥有一双脚；我幸福，虽然翅膀断了，但心也要飞翔……
有一天，他们被一家电视台邀请到了演播室。面对主持人，男孩表现出了对前途的迷茫，而女孩则对生活充满了热情。主持人要求他们分别在一张白纸上写一句话。他们分别用脚趾头夹起了笔，男孩写的是：弟弟的手便是我的手。女孩却写下了：翅膀断了，心也要飞翔。
他们俩都经受了同样的苦难，但不同的人生态度却决定了其生活的本质。是的，人生多变幻，苦难总是在不知不觉中骤然降临。如何应对苦难，是对你的性格的真正考验。面对苦难，如果选择抱怨与逃避，苦难就永远如影随形；但如果选择坚强，苦难便会化作甘泉，滋润美好的希望。
Get a Thorough Understanding of Oneself
悟透自己
In all one"s life time it is oneself that one spends the most time being with or dealing with. But it is precisely oneself that one has the least understanding of. When you are going upwards in life you tend to overestimate yourself. It seems that everything you seek for is within your reach； luck and opportunities will come your way and you are overjoyed that they constitute part of your worth. When you are going downhill you tend to underestimate yourself， mistaking difficulties and adversities for your own incompetence. It’s likely that you think it wise for yourself to know your place and stay aloof from worldly wearing a mask of cowardice， behind which the flow of sap in your life will be retarded.
To get a thorough understanding of oneself is to gain a correct view of oneself and be a sober realist——aware of both one’s strength and shortage. You may look forward hopefully to the future but be sure not to expect too much， for ideals can never be fully realized. You may be courageous to meet challenges but it should be clear to you where to direct your efforts. That’s to way so long as you have a perfect knowledge of yourself there won’t be difficulties you can’t overcome， nor obstacles you can’t surmount.
To get a thorough understanding of oneself needs self-appreciation. Whether you liken yourself to a towering tree or a blade of grass， whether you think you are a high mountain or a small stone， you represent a state of nature that has its own reason. If you earnestly admire yourself you’ll have a real sense of self-appreciation， which will give you confidence. As soon as you gain full confidence in yourself .you’ll be enabled to fight and overcome any adversity.
To get a thorough understanding of oneself also requires doing oneself a favor when it’s needed. In time of anger， do yourself a favor by giving vent to it in a quiet place so that you won"t be hurt by its flames； in time of sadness， do yourself a favor by sharing it with your friends so as to change a gloomy mood into a cheerful one； in time of tiredness， do yourself a favor by getting a good sleep or taking some tonic. Show yourself loving concern about your health and daily life. As you are aware， what a person physically has is but a human body that’s vulnerable when exposed to the elements. So if you fall ill， it’s up to you to take a good care of yourself. Unless you know perfectly well when and how to do yourself a favor， you won’t be confident and ready enough to resist the attack of illness.
To get a thorough understanding of oneself is to get a full control of one’s life. Then one will find one’s life full of color and flavor.
人生在世，和“自己”相处最多，打交道最多，但是往往悟不透“自己”。
人生走上坡路时，往往把自己估计过高，似乎一切所求的东西都能垂手可得，甚至把运气和机遇也看作自己身价的一部分而喜不自胜。人在不得意时，又往往把自己估计过低，把困难和不利也看作自己的无能，以至把安分守己，与世无争误认为有自知之明，而实际上往往被怯懦的面具窒息了自己鲜活的生命。
悟透自己，就是正确认识自己，也就是说要做一个冷静的现实主义者，既知道自己的优势，也知道自己的不足。我们可以憧憬人生，但期望值不能过高．因为在现实中，理想总是会打折扣的。可以迎接挑战，但是必须清楚自己努力的方向。也就是说，人一旦有了自知之明，也就没有什么克服不了的困难，没有什么过不去的难关。
要悟透自己就要欣赏自己，无论你是一棵参天大树，还是一棵小草，无论你成为一座巍峨的高山，还是一块小小的石头，都是一种天然，都有自己存在的价值。只要你认真地欣赏自己，你就会拥有一个真正的自我。只有自我欣赏才会有信心，一旦拥有了信心也就拥有了抵御一切逆境的动力。
要悟透自己，就要心疼自己．在气愤时心疼一下自己，找个僻静处散散心，宣泄宣泄，不要让那些无名之火伤身；忧伤时，要心疼一下自己，找个三五好友，诉说诉说，让感情的阴天变晴；劳累时，你要心疼一下自己，为自己来一番问寒问暖，要明白人所拥有的不过是一个血肉之躯，经不住太多的风力霜剑；有病时，你要心疼一下自己，惟有对自己的心疼，才是战胜疾病的信心和力量。
悟透了自己，才能把握住自己，你生活才会有滋有味！
为了心中的梦想
To dream in the heart
I used to watch her from my kitchen window， she seemed so small as she muscled her way through the crowd of boys on the playground. The school was across the street from our home and I would often watch the kids as they played during recess. A sea of children， and yet to me， she stood out from them all.
I remember the first day I saw her playing basketball. I watched in wonder as she ran circles around the other kids. She managed to shoot jump shots just over their heads and into the net. The boys always tried to stop her but no one could.
I began to notice her at other times， basketball in hand， playing alone. She would practice dribbling and shooting over and over again， sometimes until dark. One day I asked her why she practiced so much. She looked directly in my eyes and without a moment of hesitation， she said， “I want to go to college.The only way I can go is if I get a scholarship. I like basketball. I decided that if I were good enough， I would get a scholarship. I am going to play college basketball. I want to be the best .My Daddy told me if the dream is big enough， the facts don’t count.”Then she smiled and ran towards the court to recap the routine I had seen over and over again.
Well， I had to give it to hershe was determined. I watched her through those junior high years and into high school. Every week， she led her varsity team to victory.