你爱自己吗？ Love of Self

佚名/Anonymous

When I was younger, I thought that to love one's self was vanity and not a virtuous trait.

As I have grown older, that belief has passed away, as have so many others. There is a vast deviation between being vain and loving one's self.

We are all in this world together striving for more or less the same things. To contribute and have our lives count for something. To love and be loved, to laugh and... yes, to cry.

We seek shelter, nourishment, a mate, warmth, clothing, family, friends; we seek approval, love and self-esteem. We are all imperfect. Often during our search we forget to simply enjoy what life is. We become so caught up in what could have been, what should be, what might be, that many of our todays are lost. Let yesterday rest, live for today, hope and dream for your tomorrows.

If there is some part of you that lessens your self-image, some part of you that prevents you from loving yourself, change it, for only you can. Life is filled with things we have no control over, but ourselves, we can control. You are the clay, you are the sculptor and you have the ability to create a masterpiece. The shape and form are there. You have only to refine the work.

Is the task an easy one? No. There will be sips and flaws and you will be required to work and rework just as a sculptor must rework the clay before the piece is completed. Should the sculptor throw out the piece condemning it as worthless because of a blemish or nick? Of course not, where then would all the world's treasured art be? I doubt we would have any. How many masterpieces do you think have been created in one fell-swoop, a first effort completely successful without error, without change? Is it possible we fail to see that mankind is the most marvelous of all works of art? A living, continuous, developing work of art.

How often have you heard the question "what is the human race coming to"? The answer, in my mind at least, is whatever we make it, for we are the weavers of tomorrow. You are a treasure, beyond price, one of a kind, irreplaceable. Not perfect but well on your way to being a masterpiece, Do not let your yesterdays hinder tomorrow's achievements.

Again, I say to you that these words are merely feelings and thoughts, one person's outlook and subject to change with tomorrows setting sun, as I too continue to sculpt the lump of clay given to me at birth, called self.

小时候，我总觉得自爱是一种虚荣，不是优点。

长大后，像很多人一样，我逐渐摒弃了这种观念。虚荣和自爱之间有着天壤之别。

我们都在人世间努力奋斗，所追寻的或多或少有几分相似：奉献，让我们的人生有价值，爱与被爱，欢笑甚至……哭泣。

我们寻求庇护所、食物、伴侣、温暖、衣服、家庭、朋友；追求赞赏、爱情和自尊。我们都不完美。通常，在追求过程中，我们忘记了生活中细微的快乐。过分沉溺在过去，专注在未来，和其他一切可能，结果我们的今天反而遗失了。让昨天长眠吧，活在今天，来期待和梦想明天。

如果某些部分有损你的形象，妨碍你去爱自己，只要你能够，就改变它吧！生活中有太多控制不了的事，但是我们对自己，却可以控制。你是黏土，同时也是雕刻家，你有能力创造一幅杰作。模型和样板已经形成，你要做的只是精雕细琢。

这个任务轻松吗？不，它有瑕疵和缺陷，你需要坚持不懈地努力，像一个雕刻家那样在作品完成之前，反复雕琢。雕塑家难道会因为某件作品有一点瑕疵或裂痕，就认为该作品毫无价值，而将之抛弃吗？当然不会，那样的话，世间还有艺术珍品吗？我想一件都没有。你想想，会有多少杰作在创造的过程中是毫无缺陷、没有经过任何改动、一蹴而就的呢？我们怎能看不见所有艺术品中最最珍品的人类呢？他才是最有生命力、生生不息的杰作。

多少次，你听到一个这样的问题：人类将何去何从？至少在我看来，这个答案要看我们的创造，因为是我们在编织未来。你就是无价之宝，万事万物中无可替代。尽管身为杰作，我们并不完美，但别让昨天阻碍你明天的成就。

再重申一次，这些言语只是我个人的感受和想法，人的思想会随着明天的日落而改变，尽管我也在继续雕琢这块与生俱来的泥塑，它就叫做自我。

trait[treit]n.特征；特点；特性；品质

One of his less attractive traits is criticizing his wife in public.

他有个不大讨人喜欢的特点，就是爱当众责备妻子。

deviation[ˌdi:viˈeiʃən]n.偏差；偏离；背离

A deviation from a vertical or horizontal line, plane, position, or direction.

倾角来自垂直或水平线、面、位置或方向的偏差。

lessen[ˈlesn]v.减少；变小；减轻

What can we do to lessen her vexation?

我们做些什么才能减轻她的烦恼呢？

blemish[ˈblemiʃ]n.污点；缺点

The slightest blemish can reduce the market value.

只要有一点最小的损害都会降低市场价值。

让昨天长眠吧，活在今天，来期待和梦想明天。

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生活中有太多控制不了的事，但是我们对自己，却可以控制。

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尽管身为杰作，我们并不完美，但别让昨天阻碍你明天的成就。

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We are all in this world together striving for more or less the same things.

strive for：奋斗；争取

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To contribute and have our lives count for something.

count for：有价值；有重要性