在人与人的交往中，微笑是最质朴，最能打动人心的。它能消除人们之间的陌生感，能够冰释人们之间的怨恨。然而，历经挫败和痛苦之后，仍然绽放的微笑则更加珍贵，更能打动人心。
confidently ['knfidntli] adv. 自信地；安心地
We have to do what is right confidently.
我们要信心十足地做正确的事。
sweep [swi:p] v. 扫除；用手指弹；掠过
The students sweep the classroom in turn.
学生们每天轮流打扫教室。
scorn [sk:n] v. 不屑做；轻蔑；藐视
You have no right to scorn a poor girl.
你无权鄙视一个贫穷的姑娘。
delicacy ['deliksi] n. 精密（优美，敏感，微妙）
The delicacy of roses makes them unfit for an extreme climate.
玫瑰因其娇贵纤弱而不能适应极冷或极热的气候。
从前，有一枝自出生起就始终带着微笑的玫瑰。
做一枝乐观的玫瑰！
这个微笑从此便永远地印在了小男孩的脑海里，时间也无法将其冲淡。
There was once a rose who had been smiling ever since her birth.
ever since：从那时起；从那时起一直到现在
But the loving mother wouldn' t be satisfied with her boy' s answer.
be satisfied with：满足
33至少我还活着
I' m Having a Day
佚名 / Anonymous
A dear friend of mine lost her husband in an accident. Her husband' s passing was sudden and unexpected. It happened out of the blue. The tragedy was a shock to everyone. They were such a happy and lucky couple.
For me, it drove home the realization that you just don' t know when a loved one will leave you.
We sometimes take our loved ones for granted. We expect that they' ll be with us forever.
However, life doesn' t work that way. Sometimes we get a wake up call that shocks us. A wake up call like that makes us realize how short life is.
In consoling her, I tried to imagine how I would feel if I was in her shoes. How would I feel if I had just lost my husband? It was impossible to imagine what she was going through. I didn't know what words to say to help her feel better.
Sometimes words just cannot express our feelings. Sometimes our actions are much more meaningful than words. A hug can sometimes express more. Sometimes, even just being there to listen can be more meaningful.
I didn' t know what to say to her so I didn' t say anything. I just let her cry and held her. I made sure she had something to eat and I listened when she talked.
As I was leaving the funeral parlor, I ran into Marilyn. Marilyn has been a true friend to me over the years. She is one of those friends who is with you in the good times and is always by your side in the bad times. She has a sense of humor that makes everyone laugh and she makes everyone feel at ease. We chitchatted for a few moments.
She asked me how my job was. I started talking on and on. I told her about how I was having a stressful week with my job.
I complained to her about all the issues at work. She listened to me as I ranted and raved about my frustrations. I went on and on about how hard my week had been.
"Oh," I said, "And don' t even get me started about what happened yesterday. Let me just tell you that I had an awful day." She gave me a look that made me stop talking. Marilyn took my face gently in her hands and kissed my forehead. Tenderly, and with love, she said, "But at least you had a day."
I was floored. The touch of her hands on my cheeks, the calmness in her voice, and the words she spoke hit me like a tonne of bricks.
All the frustration and stress that had been building up inside of me came to a complete stop. She was right. I might have had a bad day but at least I' d had one. My dear friend in the other room would have given anything to have one more day with her husband.
Since then, when I start feeling stressed, I remind myself of Marilyn' s words. At least I' m having a day! Things can always be a lot worse. The stress of the situation can always be worse. It doesn' t matter.
All that matters is that I am alive. I have a lot to be thankful for so I shall not waste my days with stress and frustrations any more. Life is too short!
在一场意外事故中，我一个好朋友的丈夫去世了。悲剧来得这样突然，让大家惊愕不已。他们曾是多么快乐幸福的一对啊！
对我来说，我更加深刻地意识到：你永远不能知晓你挚爱的人何时会离你而去。
有时，我们视所爱的人为理所当然，期待永远有他们相伴。
然而，生命不以我们的意志行事。有时，我们从震惊中清醒，像这样的清醒使我们意识到生命的短暂。
在安慰她的同时，我试着去想象：如果换做是我，我会怎样？如果失去了我的丈夫，我是什么感觉？她正在经受的苦痛，是不可想象的。我不知道说些什么能使她稍感宽慰。
有时，言语无以表达我们的情感；有时，行动的意义胜过千言万语；有时，一个拥抱反而会表达很多；有时，即使只是在这里倾听，也会更有意义。
因为不知道能对她说些什么，所以我什么也没说。我只是抱着她，任她哭泣。我除了劝她吃些东西，只能在她诉说的时候倾听了。
离开殡仪馆时，我遇到了玛丽莲。多年来，她一直是我真正的朋友。她是朋友中能与我同甘共苦的人。她具有使每个人欢笑的幽默感，会让跟她在一起的人感到很自在。我们聊了一会儿。
她问了我的工作情况，我开始说个不停。我告诉她，这周的工作压力有多大，并向她抱怨着工作上遇到的各种问题。
在我为挫折愤慨时，她一直聆听着。我不断地抱怨着上个星期的日子有多难。
“哦，对了，”我说，“更别提昨天发生的事了。我只能对你说，我度过了可怕的一天。”玛丽莲看了我一眼，我顿时哑然。她用手轻轻拍了拍我的脸，然后亲了一下我的额头。她温柔地、充满关爱地说：“但是，至少你活过了一天。”
我被击垮了。她的双手在我的脸颊上的触摸，她言语中的平静，还有她所说的字句，像一块砖头敲击在我的心头。
所有堆积在我心里的挫折和压力顿时消失得无影无踪。她是对的，或许我的一天是糟糕的，但是至少我拥有这一天。在另一间屋子里，我亲爱的朋友，她愿意付出一切代价，来换取与丈夫多待一天。
从那以后，当我开始觉得有压力时，就会用玛丽莲的话提醒自己。至少我活过了一天！事情可能变得更糟糕，压力也可能会更严重，但是，这都无关紧要。重要的是，我还活着！
我有很多值得感谢的东西，所以，我不该再将时间浪费在感受压力和挫折上。生命太短暂了！
每个人只有一次生命，而人生又是如此短暂。不要让挫折和压力掌控你的生活，珍惜生命中的每一份真诚的情感，珍惜生活中每一个美好的瞬间，不要在失去后才懂得那些日子原来是这样珍贵。
tragedy ['tr鎑idi] n. 悲剧；惨事；灾难
The film is a tragedy.
这部电影是个悲剧。
console [kn'sul] v. 慰藉；安慰
I always console my friend in grief.
在朋友忧伤时，我总是予以慰问。
awful [':ful] adj. 可怕的；庄严的
Nobody can imagine her doing such an awful thing.
没有人会想到她能做出这样可怕的事。
calmness [k:mnis] n. 平静；安宁；冷静；镇静
No matter what happens, he always shows his calmness.
不管出现什么问题，他总能展示他的镇静。
你永远不能知晓你挚爱的人何时会离你而去。
我有很多值得感谢的东西，所以，我不该再将时间浪费在感受压力和挫折上。
生命太短暂了。
It happened out of the blue.
out of：在……外；离开……；丧失；失去；缺乏；没有
I started talking on and on. I told her about how I was having a stressful week with my job.
talk on：继续谈；（系统地）谈