Sometimes I have thought it would be an excellent rule to live each day as if we should die tomorrow.Such an attitude would emphasize sharply the values of life.We should live each day with gentleness, vigor and a keenness of appreciation which are often lost when time stretches before us in the constant panorama of more days and months and years to come.There are those, of course, who would adopt the Epicurean motto of“Eat, drink, and be merry”.But most people would be chastened by the certainty of impending death.
Most of us take life for granted. We know that one day we must die, but usually we picture that day as far in the future.When we are in buoyant health, death is all but unimaginable.We seldom think of it.The days stretch out in an endless vista.So we go about our petty tasks, hardly aware of our listless attitude toward life.
The same lethargy, I am afraid, characterizes the use of all our faculties and senses.Only the deaf appreciate hearing, only the blind realize the manifold blessings that lie in sight.Particularly does this observation apply to those who have lost sight and hearing in adult life.But those who have never suffered impairment of sight or hearing seldom make the fullest use of these blessed faculties.Their eyes and ears take in all sights and sounds hazily, without concentration and with little appreciation.It is the same old story of not being grateful for what we have until we lose it, of not being conscious of health until we are ill.
I have often thought it would be a blessing if each human being were stricken blind and deaf for a few days at some time during his early adult life. Darkness would make him more appreciative of sight；silence would teach him the joys of sound.
-emphasize [ˈemfəsaɪz]v.强调；着重；加强
典型例句
He emphasized the importance of careful driving.
他强调小心驾驶的重要性。
联想记忆
emphasis n.加强语气；强调
-vigor [ˈvɪgə（r）]n.体力；精力；活力
典型例句
At 40，he was in his prime and full of vigor.
他40岁时正年富力强。
联想记忆
vigorous adj.强壮的；积极的；有力的
-chasten [ˈtʃeɪsn]v.惩罚；磨炼；抑制
典型例句
The difficulty can chasten man to be excellent character.
困难可以磨练出一个人最优秀的品质。
-grant [grɑːnt]v.授予；同意；承认；认为
典型例句
I grant that your explanation is reasonable.
我承认你的解释是合理的。
最常用法
take sth for granted 将……看作理所当然
-unimaginable [ˌʌnɪˈmædʒɪnəbl]adj.不能想象的；不可思议的
典型例句
All of these were unimaginable 10 years or 20 years ago.
这些事情在10年或20年以前是无法想象的。
联想记忆
imaginable adj.可想象的；想象得到的
imagination n.想象力
-aware [əˈweə（r）]adj.知道的；意识到的
典型例句
John has been aware of having done something wrong.
约翰已意识到自己做错了事情。
最常用法
be aware of 意识到，察觉到，知道
联想记忆
awareness n.认识；觉察；意识
-characterize [ˈkærəktəraɪz]v.描绘……的特性；具有……的特征
典型例句
Your work is characterized by lack of attention to details.
你的工作特点是缺乏对细节的注意。
联想记忆
characteristic n.特点；特性；特色
adj.典型的；特有的
-particularly [pəˈtɪkjuləlɪ]尤其；特别地；特殊地
典型例句
I like all her novels, but her latest is particularly good.
她的小说我都喜欢，最新的一部尤其好。
联想记忆
in particular 尤其；特别
special adj.特殊的；特别的
-observation [ˌɔbzəˈveɪʃn]n.观察；观察力；评论
典型例句
He didn’t make a single observation during the whole dinner.
在吃饭的整个过程中他没有发表任何评论。
最常用法
keep sb.under observation
严密监视或细心观察某人（尤指嫌疑犯或医院病人）
联想记忆
observe v.评说；评论；注意到
-.hazily [ˈheɪzɪli]adv.朦胧地；模糊地
典型例句
we saw the distant hills hazily.
我们朦朦胧胧地看见远处的小山。
联想记忆
vague adj.（表达或感知）含糊的，不明确的，不清楚的
-.concentration [ˌkɔnsnˈtreɪʃn]n.集中；专心
典型例句
Found it hard to keep my concentration with such a noise going on.
吵闹声不绝于耳，我很难保持精神集中。
最常用法
concentration on sth.集中于某事物
有时我想，把每天都当作生命中的最后一天来过，也不失为一个极好的生活法则。这种态度会使人格外重视生命的价值。我们每天都应该以优雅的姿态，充沛的精力，抱着感恩之心来生活。但当时间以无休止的日、月和年在我们面前流逝时，我们却常常没有了这种感觉。当然，也有人奉行“吃，喝，享受”的享乐主义信条，但绝大多数人还是会受到即将到来的死亡的惩罚。
我们中的大多数人都把生命看成是理所当然的。我们知道有一天我们必将面对死亡，但总认为那一天还在遥远的将来。当我们身强体健之时，死亡简直不可想象，我们很少考虑到它。日子多得好像没有尽头。因此我们一味忙于琐事，几乎意识不到我们对待生活的冷漠态度。
我担心同样的冷漠也存在于我们对自己能力和意识的运用上。只有聋子才理解听力的重要，只有盲人才明白视觉的可贵，这种结论特别适合于那些在成年阶段失去视力和听力的人们，而那些从没有遭受视觉或听觉损伤之苦的人却很少充分利用这些天赐的感官。他们的眼睛和耳朵模糊地感受着周围的景物与声音，心不在焉，也无所感激。这正好像我们只有在失去后才懂得珍惜一样，我们只有在生病后才意识到健康的可贵。
我经常想，如果每个人在年轻的时候都有几天失明失聪，也不失为一件幸事。黑暗将使他更加感激光明，寂静将告诉他声音的美妙。