第35章思想的守望者(2)
第35章思想的守望者(2)
theboyandhisfatherlookedatthehandsomefish,gillsplayingbackandforthinthemoonlight.thefatherlitamatchandlookedathiswatch.itwas10:00p.m.—twohoursbeforetheseasonopened.helookedatthefish,thenattheboy.
“you’llhavetoputitback,son.”hesaid.
“dad!”criedtheboy.
“therewillbeotherfish.”saidhisfather.
“notasbigasthisone.”criedtheboy.
helookedaroundthelake.nootherfishermenorboatswereanywherearoundinthemoonlight.helookedagainathisfather.eventhoughnoonehadseenthem,norcouldanyoneeverknowwhattimehecaughtthefish,theboycouldtellbytheclarityofhisfather’svoicethatthedecisionwasnotnegotiable.heslowlyworkedthehookoutofthelipofthehugebassandlowereditintotheblackwater.
thecreatureswisheditspowerfulbodyanddisappeared.theboysuspectedthathewouldneveragainseesuchagreatfish.
thatwas34yearsago.today,theboyisaessfularchitectinnewyorkcity.hisfather’scabinisstillthereontheislandinthemiddleofthelake.hetakeshisownsonanddaughtersfishingfromthesamedock.
andhewasright.hehasneveragaincaughtsuchamagnificentfishastheonehelandedthatnightlongago.buthedoesseethatsamefishagainandagain—everytimehecomesupagainstaquestionofethics.
for,ashisfathertaughthim,ethicsaresimplemattersofrightandwrong.itisonlythepracticeofethicsthatisdifficult.dowedorightwhennooneislooking?dowerefusetocutcornerstogetthedesigninontime?orrefusetotradestocksbasedoninformationthatweknowwearen’tsupposedtohave?wewouldifweweretaughttoputthefishbackwhenwewereyoung.forwewouldhavelearnedthetruth.thedecisiontodorightlivesfreshandfragrantinourmemory.itisastorywewillproudlytellourfriendsandgrandchildren.notabouthowwehadachancetobeatthesystemandtookit,butabouthowwedidtherightthingandwereforeverstrengthened.
他11岁那年,一有机会就到新汉普郡湖心岛上他家的小屋码头钓鱼。
在鲈鱼季节来临的前一天,他和父亲傍晚很早就开始准备了。他们用小虫做诱饵来钓太阳鱼和鲈鱼。他在银色的钓钩上放好诱饵,开始练习抛线。钓钩撞到水面上,在夕阳中荡起一片金光闪闪的水波。月亮升起来时,水波就变得银光闪闪。
当钓竿弯下去的时候,他知道线的那一端一定钓到了一条大鱼。他灵巧地在码头边沿和那条大鱼周旋。父亲用赞赏的眼神关注着他。
最后,他很小心地将那条筋疲力尽的鱼从水里拉了出来。这可是他所见过的最大的一条鱼,而且还是条鲈鱼。
男孩和他的父亲凝视着这条漂亮的鱼,它的鳃在月光下一张一翕。父亲点燃一根火柴,看了一下表。现在是10点——离鲈鱼季节的开放时间还有两个小时。他看了看鱼,又看了看儿子。
“你要把它再放回去,儿子。”他说。
“爸爸!”男孩喊。
“还会有其他鱼的。”父亲说。
“但肯定不会像这条一样大。”男孩喊道。
他看了看湖的周围。月光下,周围没有其他渔民或船只。他再一次看着父亲。尽管并没有人看着他们,也没有人知道他们是什么时候钓到鱼的,但从父亲那坚定的声音中,男孩知道这个决定是不容更改的。他慢慢地将钓钩从大鲈鱼的唇上拿下来,然后蹲下来把那条鱼再放回水里。
那条鱼摆了摆强健的躯体,消失在水里。男孩怀疑他再也不可能看到那么大的鱼了。
那件事已经过去34年了。而今,男孩已经成为纽约城里一位成功的建筑师。他父亲的小屋仍然伫立于湖心岛上。他也曾带着自己的儿子和女儿回到同一个码头去钓鱼。
他当时的猜想是对的。他再也没有见过那么大的鱼了,就像很久以前的那天晚上所钓到的那样。但是,在他每次面对道德难题时,那条大鱼总会浮现在他的眼前。
因为正如父亲告诉他的那样,道德就是简单的对和错的问题,困难的是付诸行动。在无人旁观时,我们的行为能否仍然正当?为了将图纸及时送到,我们是否会抄近路?或者在明知不应该的情况下,我们是否会将公司股份卖掉?
当我们年轻的时候,如果有人要让我们把鱼放回去,我们应该那样去做,因为我们将从中学到真理。选择去做正确事情的决定将在我们的记忆里变得深刻而清晰。我们可以把这个故事自豪地讲给我们的朋友和后辈听。这并不是关于如何攻击某种体制并战胜它,而是关于如何去做正确的事情,从而不断完善自己。
道德就是简单的对和错的问题,困难的是付诸行动。在无人旁观时,我们的行为能否仍然正当?当我们年轻的时候,如果有人要让我们把鱼放回去,我们应该那样去做,因为我们将从中学到真理。
1.whenhispeapoledoubledover,heknewsomething_________wasontheother_________.hisfatherwatched_________admirationastheboyskillfullyworkedthefishalongsidethedock.
2.helooked_________athisfather.eventhoughnoonehadseenthem,norcouldanyoneeverknowwhattimehecaughtthe_________,theboycouldtellbytheclarityofhisfather’svoicethatthedecisionwasnotnegotiable.heslowlyworkedthehookoutofthelipofthehugebassandlowereditintotheblack_________.
3.thatwas34years_________.today,theboyisaessfularchitectinnewyorkcity.hisfather’scabinisstillthereontheislandinthemiddleofthe_________.hetakeshisownsonanddaughters_________fromthesamedock.
1.钓钩撞到水面上,在夕阳中荡起一片金光闪闪的水波。
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2.道德就是简单的对和错的问题,困难的是付诸行动。
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3.选择去做正确事情的决定将在我们的记忆里变得深刻而清晰。
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1.theboyandhisfatherlookedatthehandsomefish,gillsplayingbackandforthinthemoonlight.
backandforth:来回地
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2.eventhoughnoonehadseenthem,norcouldanyoneeverknowwhattimehecaughtthefish
eventhough:尽管,虽然
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思想的守望者
thewatchmanatthegate
佛罗伦萨?斯高伏尔?西恩/florencescovelshinn
wemustallhaveawatchmanatthegateofourthoughts.thewatchmanatthegateisthesuperconsciousmind.
wehavethepowertochooseourthoughts.
sincewehavelivedintheracethoughtforthousandsofyears,itseemsalmostimpossibletocontrolthem.theyrushthroughourmindslikestampedingcattleorsheep.
butasinglesheep-dogcancontrolthefrightenedsheepandguidethemintothesheeppen.isawapictureinthenews-reelsofashepherddogthesheep.hehadroundedupallbutthree.thesethreeresistedandresented.theybaaedandliftedtheirfrontfeetinprotest,butthedogsimplysatdowninfrontandnevertookhiseyesoffthem.hedidnotbarksorthreaten.heoustsatandlookedhisdetermination.inalittlewhilethesheeptossedtheirheadsandwentinthepen.
wecanlearntocontrolourthoughtsinthesameway,bygentledetermination,notforce.