The Bamboo Trees

竹的啟示

One of my fondest memories as a child is going by the river and sitting idly on the bank.

孩提時最美好的回憶就是河邊的堤岸上閑坐。

There I would enjoy the peace and quiet,

在那里我可以享受閑適和寧靜，

watch the water rush downstream,

看河水奔流而下，

and listen to the chirps of birds，

聽鳥兒啁啾，

and the rustling of leaves in the trees.

而鳴樹葉沙沙作響。

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.

我看到竹子在風的壓力下彎曲風過后再優雅地或復原或筆挺。

When I think about the bamboo tree’s ability to bounce back or return to its original position,

每當我想到竹子這種彈回去或者說恢復原狀的本領時，

the word resilience comes to mind.

韌性一詞便會在腦海中浮現。

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.

當這個詞用于描述人時，指的是從驚嚇，沮喪及其他任何觸及某人情感極限的狀態下從容的恢復過來的能力。

Have you ever felt like you are about to snap?

你是否曾覺得自己快要垮掉?

Have you ever felt like you are at your breaking point?

你是否曾感覺自己即將崩潰?

Thankfully, you have survived the experience to live to talk about it.

令人欣慰的是你已經挺過來了。是生活得以繼續讓你能夠在此談論過往的經歷。

During the experience you probably felt a mix of emotions that threatened your health.

在那樣的經歷中你或許體會到了某些威脅健康的復雜情緒。

You felt emotionally drained, mentally exhausted and you most likely endured unpleasant physical symptoms.

你會感到情緒上萎靡不振，心力交瘁并且很可能還要受到各種討厭的身體癥狀的折磨。

Life is a mixture of good times and bad times,

人生是一個五味瓶，

happy moments and unhappy moments.

既有順境也有逆境既有快樂也有悲傷。

The next time you are experiencing one of those bad times or unhappy moments that take you close to your breaking point,

下一次當你遭遇逆境感受悲傷幾乎要被它們推到崩潰的邊緣時，

bend but don’t break.

你應曲而不折。

Try your best not to let the situation get the best of you.

盡你所能不被現狀擊敗。

A measure of hope will take you through the unpleasant ordeal.

心懷希望將會幫你渡過難關。

With hope for a better tomorrow or a better situation,

心懷希望迎接一個更美好的明天或者更好的狀況時，

things may not be as bad as they seem to be.

事情或許就沒有看上去的那么糟糕。

The unpleasant ordeal may be easier to deal with if the end result is worth having.

如果結局值得擁有你將會更容易戰勝那些不愉快的考驗。

If the going gets tough and you are at your breaking point,

假如你正面對困難處在崩潰的邊緣，

show resilience.

請表現出你的韌性來

Like the bamboo tree, bend, but don’t break.

就像竹子一樣，彎曲但不折斷。