快過年了-------珍惜生命之贈言

快過年了-------珍惜生命之贈言 

丹奇 （2009年1月17日）

前日，我先生讀高中的侄女MARIE給我們寄來了賀年卡，碩大的信封里除了一個小小的賀年卡，就是一篇列印得很精美的文章，沒有題目，也沒有作者名。看完以後，體會頗深，於是順手翻譯成中文與大家分享。並祝大家牛年萬事如願，心想事成！

附英語原文在後面。 

我們人類歷史上自相矛盾的是我們的房子越高，脾氣越短，高速公路越寬，觀點越窄。我們消費越多，但擁有的越少。我們買的更多，但開心更少。我們擁有更大的房子和更小的家庭，更多的方便，但更少的時間。我們擁有更多的學歷，但更少理智。更多的知識，但更少的判斷力。更多學者，然而更多的問題，更多的藥物，但更少健康。

我們喝的太多，抽煙太多，太無節制地花費，笑的太少，開車太快，太氣憤，睡得太晚，起床太累。讀書太少，看電視太多，太少禱告。 

我們擁有的翻倍了，但我們的價值卻減少了。我們說話太多，太少去愛，太經常痛恨。 

我們學會了如何謀生，但沒學會如何生活。我們延年但未益壽。我們已經從月球來回，但困惑於如何到對面街上去與新鄰居打招呼。我們征服了外太空，但沒有征服內心世界。我們做了大事，但未做更好的事。 

我們清潔了空氣，卻污染了靈魂。我們征服了原子，但沒有征服我們的偏見。我們寫的更多，但學的更少。我們計劃更多，但是成就更少。我們學會了趕路，但未學會等待。我們造了更多電腦來儲存更多的資訊，製造了比以往更多的拷貝，但我們交流越來越少。 

已有時日人們享用快餐食品，但消化緩慢，人大心小，利潤豐厚，但關係日淺。已有時日人們有雙份工資，但離婚更多，房子更奢華，但家庭破裂。已有時日，旅行快速，一次性尿布，但把道德扔掉，一夜情，過於肥胖的身體，以及可以使人興奮，安靜或殺人的藥物。這是一個展示窗里有很多東西但倉庫里卻一無所有的時代。一個要麼選擇分享這個觀點，或只需按消除鍵的時代。 

記住吧：與你所愛的多呆一會，因為他們不會永遠在你身旁。 

記住吧： 對那個敬畏地仰視你的人說句好話，因為這個小人很快就會長大並離開你的身旁。 

記住吧： 給你身邊的人一個溫暖的擁抱，因為這是你可以把心一起獻出的唯一財富，而且它不花你一分錢。 

記住對你的伴侶和你愛的人說「我愛你」，但最重要的是，要由衷地。來自你內心深處的一個吻和擁抱可以彌補人們的創傷。 

記住牽手慶賀這個時光，因為哪一天，這個人不會再來。給點時間去愛，給點時間訴說！給點時間分享你的心裡想什麼。

永遠記住：生命不是由我們呼吸的次數來衡量的，而是由把我們的呼吸拿走的那個瞬間決定的！

（譯后註：經網友李河提示，英文原創作者為GEORGE CARLIN)

 （英語原文）

How to treasure our life?  

The Paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less. We buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicines, but less wellness. 

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired. Read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. 

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. 

We』ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We』ve added years of life not life to years. We』ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We』ve done larger things, but not better things. 

We』ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We』ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We』ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

There are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. There are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. There are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throw away morality, one night stands, over weight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when choose either to share this insight, or just hit delete. 

Remember: spend some time with your loved ones, because they』re not going to be around forever. 

Remember: say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side. 

Remember: to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn』t cost a cent. 

Remember to say 「I love you」 to our partner and your loved ones, but most of all, mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you. 

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.  

And always remember: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.