When I was four, I was still on an old bike with training wheels. Of course, I wanted a new bike. My parents said, “Son, when you can ride a bike without training wheels, we'll buy you a new bike.”
Last week while on vacation, I was spending the day at the pool in my backyard. My 3-year-old son Skylar was able to swim short distances. He felt most comfortable near the edge of the pool.
I noticed Skylar many times hanging on the edge and throwing himself underwater only to come up quickly to catch his breath. He was testing his limits. One day, without worry, I was keeping an eye on Skylar while he continued his plunge, releasing the wall, resurfacing and grabbing the wall. Suddenly, he burst up through the water with enough energy to catch my attention. He exclaimed, “Daddy! I touched the bottom all by myself!”
Of course I praised him for his accomplishment, thinking of how far he had come lately with his confidence and ability in the water. Then, I realized. This boy had a goal! He was excited because he had accomplished a goal!
His acts reminded me of my childhood. My parents worried that I would fall from a bike without training wheels, so they refused my demand. But life is all about pain and pleasure no matter how young or how old we are. Either we experience enough pain to stop what we are doing or we experience enough pleasure to continue. Pain, however, can stop us from taking risks. Trying the unknown can be painful, so why should we try that? Toddlers don't have that choice. They must continue to try the unknown or they will forever remain in that state. Why should we, as adults, stop our growth by not trying the unknown?
【助读词汇】
-plunge v.& n. (纵身)投入(水)；猛冲；猛跌，骤降
-release vt. 解放，释放；松开，解开
-toddler n. 蹒跚学步的儿童
【参考译文】
4岁的时候，我还在骑带着助跑轮子的自行车。我当然想要一辆新自行车。但是爸妈说：“儿子，当你会骑没有助跑轮子的自行车时，我们就给你买一辆新的。”
上周放假的时候，我待在后院的游泳池边。我三岁大的儿子斯卡拉已经能游一点点远了。他觉得挨着泳池边缘最踏实。
我发现斯卡拉一次又一次攀在边缘的墙上然后一头扎进水里，又迅速地冒上来换气。他正在测试自己的极限。一天，我看着他不停地放开墙，扎到水里，然后重新冒出来又抓稳墙，一点都不担心。突然，他猛得从水里冲出来，引起了我的注意。他喊道：“爸爸，我能摸到池底了。”
当然我为此表扬了他，想着最近他游泳越来越有长进，越来越有自信。我突然明白了，他给自己立了个目标呢。他兴奋不已那是因为他达到了自己的目标。
他的行为让我想起了我的童年。爸妈害怕我会从没有助跑轮子的自行车上摔下来，所以没答应我的要求。但是，人生就是痛苦和愉快的综合，不管你太小还是上了年纪。有时候痛苦太多，所以我们停下来，有时候快感不断，所以我们继续。痛苦让我们停止冒险。尝试未知的事物可能会带来痛苦，那么我们为什么还要尝试呢？蹒跚学步的小孩没有选择。他们必须不断尝试新的事物，否则只能永远保持原状。作为成年人，我们为什么不尝试新事物，不再成长了呢？
【人生启迪】
仔细观察孩子，我们总能在他们身上发现值得学习的地方。小时候我们学习走路摔了许多跤，但是懵懂的我们哭完鼻子后继续练习，直到能自己独立行走。但是长大成人的我们摔了一跤，碰到一点小挫折，就不愿再尝试了。要成长，要成功，就得付出疼痛的代价。这是我们幼时不知不觉中践行而长大后却忘记了的真理。