谷歌办公室装修:双语：I believe I am not my body 我的精神超越躯体

双语 我的精神超越躯体

      我相信，我不是我的身体。

      Every day, we see images of perfect bodies we can never have, and we become convinced our bodies are who we are. Passing through puberty, into adulthood and now into middle age, I've wasted a lot of time lamenting the size of my hips, the gray in my hair, and the lines in my face. Finally, as I approach my 50s, I believe my parents were right all along: I am not my body.

      每天，都会有完美身材的影像出现在我们眼前，艳羡之余，我们逐渐相信我们的身体就是我们。走过青春、成年，再到现在的中年，我花了大把的时间哀叹自己的曲线、发色、皱纹。最后，在我接近50岁的时候，终于相信，父母的话一直是对的：我不是我的身体。

      I was born in 1959, at the tail end of the baby boom. Unfortunately I arrived without all my body parts fully intact. My left arm is a short stub with a small hand and three fingers, reminiscent of a thalidomide defect. To my good fortune, I had superb parents. They were fighters who struck "I can't" from my vocabulary, and replaced it with "I will find a way." They believed the development of the mind, heart and soul determine who you are and who you will become. My body was not to be used as an excuse; instead it was a catalyst.

      我出生在1959年，正赶上婴儿潮的尾巴。不幸的是，我降生的时候，身体是不健全的。由于萨立多胺（thalidomide又名反应停）的影响，我的左臂比正常人短小，像一截可怜的树桩，上面插着只有三个手指的小手掌。然而，幸运的是，我有一对非凡的父母。他们是勇敢的斗士，努力把“我不能”从我的字典里去掉，而取而代之以“我会找到办法”。他们相信头脑、心灵、精神的成长决定了你是谁，你会变成什么样的人。我的身体没有成为逃避的借口，相反，它是催化剂，催我奋进。

      My body was not neglected, though. It endured surgery; it was dragged to physical therapy, then to swimming, and finally to yoga. But it was not the focus of my life. I was taught to respect my body, but to remember that it was only a vehicle that carried the important things: my brain and soul. Moreover, I was taught that bodies come in all shapes, colors and sizes, and that everyone was struggling in some way with their physical inadequacies. Infomercials have convinced me this must be true, although through adolescence I found it difficult to believe the cheerleading squad had any self-doubts.

      但是我的身体从来没有被（父母）忽略过。它经历了手术、被拖着去做各种理疗、然后去游泳，最后去练了瑜伽。但是，（他们）从没把它作为我生活的焦点。父母教育我尊重我的身体，但是要记住这只是一副皮囊而已，里面的思想和精神才是真正重要的。而且，父母教给我，我们以不同的样子、肤色和大小来到世间，每个人，一生中，都要在某种层面上与他自己的缺陷做斗争。电视里的信息式广告告诉我这些肯定是对的，尽管，在青少年时期，我很难相信学校里那些美丽骄傲的啦啦队员会怀疑自己有任何的缺陷。

      In my alternately formed body, I have learned lessons about patience, determination, frustration and success. This body can't play the piano or climb rock walls, but it taught all the neighborhood kids to eat with their feet, a skill it learned in the children's hospital. Eventually it learned to tie shoes, crossed a stage to pick up a college diploma, backpacked through Europe and changed my baby's diapers.

      就是在这副不一样的身体里，我学会了什么是耐心和决心，什么是沮丧和成功。这个身体不能弹钢琴或者爬石墙，但是它在儿童医院里学过怎么用脚吃饭，并且教会了所有邻居的孩子。最后，这个身体学会了系鞋带，穿过人们的视线，拿到了大学的学位，背包穿越了欧洲，而且，给孩子换尿布。

      Some people think I am my body and treat me with prejudice or pity. Some are just curious. It took years, but I have learned to ignore the stares and just smile back. My body has taught me to respect my fellow humans — even the thin, able-bodied, beautiful ones.

      有的人把我的身体当成我，他们或者歧视或者同情我，而有的人对我感到很好奇。这需要时间。多年以后，我已经学会忽视这些注目，而回之以微笑。我的身体教会我尊重其他的人类朋友，甚至是那些（曾让我黯然落泪的）矫健、完美的身姿。

      I am my words, my ideas and my actions. I am filled with love, humor, ambition and intelligence. This I believe: I am your fellow human being and, like you, I am so much more than a body.

      我是我的所言、所思以及所行。我充满爱意、幽默、雄心和才智。我相信：同为人类，你我一样，而且，跟你一样，我相信，人之为人，远远不仅仅是一个身体而已。

      来源：中国英语网