弯下腰，不要断
Bend, but don’t break
One of my fondest memories as a child is walking by the river and sitting idly on the bank. There I would enjoy the peace and quiet, watch the water rush downstream, and listen to the chirps of birds and the rustling of leaves in the trees. I would also watch the bamboo trees bend under pressure from the wind and watch them return gracefully to their upright or original position after the wind had died down.
When I think about the bamboo’s ability to bounce back or return to its original position, the word resilience comes to mind. When used in reference to a person this word means the ability to readily recover from shock, depression or any other situation that stretches the limits of a person’s emotions.
Have you ever felt like you are about to snap? Have you ever felt like you are at your breaking point? Thankfully, you have survived the experience to live to talk about it.
During the experience you probably felt a mix of emotions that threatened your health. You felt emotionally drained, mentally exhausted and you most likely endured unpleasant physical symptoms.
Life is a mixture of good times and bad times, happy moments and unhappy moments. The next time you are experiencing one of those bad times or unhappy moments that take you close to your breaking point, bend but don’t break. Try your best not to let the situation get the best of you.
A measure of hope will take you through the unpleasant ordeal. With hope for a better tomorrow or a better situation, things may not be as bad as they seem to be. The unpleasant ordeal may be easier to deal with if the final result is worth having.
If the going gets tough and you are at your breaking point, show resilience. Like the bamboo, bend, but don’t break!
【助读词汇】
◇chirp n. 喳喳声，唧唧声
◇rustle v. (使)沙沙作响
◇resilience n. 弹性，韧性
◇depression n. 抑郁，沮丧，情绪低落
◇symptom n. 病症，症状
◇ordeal n. 严酷的考验，苦难的经历
◇snap v. 突然折断
【参考译文】
弯下腰，不要断
我记忆里最美好的时光就是小时候在河边散步，悠闲地坐在岸上。在那里我可以享受平静，看河水顺流而下，听小鸟叽叽喳喳地叫以及树叶沙沙作响。我还常看到竹子因为风吹的压力而弯下腰，但风渐平息后，它又会优雅地恢复到原来笔直向上的姿势。
当我想起竹子能弹到原先的位置的时候，我脑海里出现了韧性这个词。当这个词用于指人的时候，它说明这个人能快速地从遭受打击、失意或其他超出人类情感极限的境况中挺过来。
你是否有过自己快折成两段的感觉？是否感到过自己处在崩溃的边缘？所幸的是你熬了过来，并能与人分享那段经历。
在那种时候你很可能产生危害健康的复杂情绪。你觉得感情枯竭，精神萎靡，而且还可能出现难受的生理症状。
生活既有幸运的日子又有倒霉的日子，既有快乐的时光又有悲伤的时光。下一次，你遇到倒霉的日子或不开心的时刻，感觉即将崩溃，请你弯下腰，但是不要断了，并尽力不要让它占你的上风。
抱着一定的希望会让你渡过所面对难关。如果你相信明天会更好，情况会有所改善，事情就不会像看上去那样糟。如果最后的结果值得为之奋斗，那么所面对的难关就可能容易应对些。
如果事情变得非常艰难，令你到了崩溃边缘，那就拿出你的韧性来。像竹子一样，弯下腰，但是不要断。
【人生启迪】
成大事者，须能屈能伸。尽管在通往成功的道路上可能充满坎坷和荆棘，也可以途中遭遇失败，但是不要因此倒下，不要受失败后产生的消极情绪的影响，而应尽快调整好心态，从哪里跌倒就从哪里爬起来，因为从失败的阴影里越快走出来的人越早达到终点。