Stand Tall Like the Sunflower

I find it humorous sometimes that even the most mundane occurrences can have an impact on our awareness．

My wife，daughter，and I moved into our home nine years ago and we spent a lot of time and energy in the yard to get it looking like it does today．We live on a corner，higher than street level，and the entire side of the yard is encased by a professionally built rock wall．The front of the house though is another story because instead of a wall along the sidewalk，the rocks appear to be just thrown up onto the dirt as if someone were in a hurry to finish．

We did the best we could with what we had to work with and called this area our“rock garden”．Whenever we had leftover flowers or plants，Denise or I would stick them out front，just to bring some color to the area．

I still do all of my own yard work，even the dreaded weed-pulling．After putting on my knee pads I assume the position to clear the yard of weeds，even in the rock garden．

Last summer I had reached the end of the rock garden and found a tiny little plant that I could not immediately identify，I knew I didn't plant it and Denise claimed that she didn't either．We decided to let it continue growing until we could figure out what it was．

Weeks passed and as I made my way back to the mystery plant，it appeared to be a Sunflower．It was spindly looking with a tall skinny stalk and only one head on it．I decided to baby it along and weed around it．As I pulled rocks from the area to get to the weeds，I noticed something unusual．The Sunflower had not started where I saw the stalk begin．It actually had begun under a big rock and grown under and around it to reach the sun．

That's when I realized that if a tiny little Sunflower didn't let a big rock stand in its way of developing，we too have the capability of doing the same thing．Once our environment begins to see that we believe in ourselves like that little Sunflower，we can attain the same nourishment and nurturing as well．

First，we need to believe in ourselves knowing we have the capabilities in achieving our desires．Like the Sunflower，it knew it had the capability to overcome its obstacle because it trusted in the Universal Truth and had faith it would succeed．

Stand tall like the Sunflower and be proud of who and what you are and the environment will begin to support you．You will find a way to go under or around your big obstacle in order to reach your desires．

Words and Expressions

- mundane adj．平凡的；宇宙的；寻常的；世俗的

- encase vt．包装；围绕；把……装箱

- dreaded adj．令人畏惧的；害怕的

- spindly adj．细长的

- baby vt．把……当作婴孩看待，娇养；纵容

- attain v．达到，获得

- nurture v．养育；培育；滋长；助长

Read and recite the following sentences：

（1）That's when I realized that if a tiny little Sunflower didn't let a big rock stand in its way of developing，we too have the capability of doing the same thing．Once our environment begins to see that we believe in ourselves like that little Sunflower，we can attain the same nourishment and nurturing as well．

（2）Stand tall like the Sunflower and be proud of who and what you are and the environment will begin to support you．You will find a way to go under or around your big obstacle in order to reach your desires．

Now try writing the sentences out here：

（1）That's when I realized that if a tiny little Sunflower didn't let a big rock __________，we too __________ of doing the same thing．Once our environment begins to see that we __________ like that little Sunflower，we can attain the same __________ as well．

（2）Stand tall like the Sunflower and be proud of __________ and the environment will begin to __________ ．You will find a way to go under or around your big obstacle in order to __________ ．

参考译文

如向日葵般高高站立

有时候我觉得很有意思，甚至连最平凡的事情都能够对我们的认识产生影响。

九年前，我的妻子、女儿和我搬进了现在的家，我们花了大量的时间和精力整修我们的院子，让它看起来像今天这个样子。我们住在一个拐角处，比街道的水平面要高。院子的外侧围着一面砌得很讲究的石墙。尽管房子的前边是另一码事——因为沿人行道修建的不是一面墙，而是在泥地上草草垒起来的石头堆，好像是什么人匆忙赶工完成的。

我们竭尽所能来做我们必须做的工作，并把这个地方叫做我们的“岩石花园”。每当我们在这里种上花或其他植物，丹尼丝或者我就会让它们伸到墙外，只是为了给这个地方增添一些色彩。

我还在做自己的庭院劳作，包括让人生畏的拔杂草工作。带上护膝后，我便着手清理庭院杂草，即使是在岩石花园里。

去年夏天，我走到岩石花园的一端，发现一株我不能立刻认出来的小植物。我知道我没有在那里种过它。丹尼丝说她也没有种过。我们决定让它继续生长，直到我们能搞清楚，它到底是什么植物。

几周过去了，我回到那株神秘的植物跟前，它看起来像是一棵向日葵。它还很纤细，长着细高的茎秆，上面只有一个头。我决定好好照看它，除去它周围的杂草。当我把这个地方的石头挪开以便除草时，我发现有些非同异常的情况。向日葵并不是从我发现茎秆的地方开始生长的。实际上，它从一块大石头下面开始发芽、生长，然后绕过石头，以获取阳光。

那使我认识到，如果一棵小小的向日葵都没有让一块大石头挡住它成长的路，那么我们同样有能力做同样的事情。一旦我们的环境开始看到，我们像那棵小小的向日葵一样相信自己，我们就能够得到同样的养分并且成长起来。

首先，我们需要相信自己，认识到我们有能力实现我们的愿望。就像向日葵那样，它知道自己有能力去克服障碍，因为它相信普遍真理，并且相信自己会成功。

只要你像向日葵一样高高站着，为自己感到自豪，环境就会开始支持你。为了达成愿望，你会在障碍下边或其周围找到一条出路。