第40章 生活的艺术（1/2）

TheArtofLivg

Theartoflivgistoknowwhentoholdfastandwhentoletgo.Forlifeisaparadox：itenjostoclgtoitsanygiftsevenwhileitordastheireventualrelquishnt.Therabbisofoldputitthisway：“Aaothisworldwithhisfistched，butwhenhedies，hishandisopen.”

Surelyweoughttoholdfasttolife，foritiswondro，andfullofabeautythatbreaksthrougheveryporeofGod’sowh.Weknowthatthisisso，butalltoooftenwereghistruthonlyourbackwardgncewhenwereberwhatwasandthensuddenlyrealizethatitisnoore.

Wereberabeautythatfaded，alovethatwaned.Butwereberwithfargreaterpathatwedidnotseethatbeautywhenitflowered，thatwefailedtorespondwithlovewhenitwastendered.

Aretexperieaughtthistruth.Iwashospitalizedfollogasevereheartattadhadbeentensivecareforseveraldays.Itwasnotapleasantpce.

One，Ihadtohavesoadditionaltests.Therequiredacheswerelocatedabuildgattheoppositeendofthehospital，soIhadtobewheeledacrosstheurtyardonajourney.

Asweergedfroourunit，thesunlighthit.That’salltherewastoyexperiethelightofthesun.Ahowbeautifulitwas—howwarg，howsparklg，howbrilliant！Ilookedtoseewhetheranyoneelserelishedthesun’sgoldenglow，buteveryonewashurrygtoandfro，ostwitheyesfixedontheground.ThenIreberedhowoftenI，too，hadbeendifferenttothegrandeurofeachday，toopreoupiedwithpettyandsotisevenannstorespondfrothatexperie’sreallyasonpceastheexperieself：life’sgiftsareprecio—butwearetooheedlessofthe.

Herethenisthefirstpoleoflife’sparadoxicaldeandson：oobyforthewonderandtheaweoflife.Bereverentbeforeeachdawngday.Ebraceeachhour.Seizeeachgoldenute.

Holdfasttolife...butnotsofastthatyouotletgo.Thisisthesendsideoflife’s，theoppositepoleofitsparadox：wetaeptourlosses，andlearnhowtoletgo.

Thisisnotaneasylessontolearn，especiallywhenweareyoungandthkthattheworldisourstoand，thatwhateverwedesirewiththefullforceofourpassionatebeg，ay，will，beours.Butthenlifeovesalongtonfrontwithrealities，andslowlybutsurelythistruthdawnsupon.

Ateverystageoflifewestalosses—andgrowtheprocess.Webegourdepelivesonlywhenweergefrothewobandloseitsprotectiveshelter.Weenteraprogressionofschools，thenweleaveourothersandfathersandourchildhoodhos.Wegetarriedandhavechildrenandthenhavetoletthego.Wenfrontthedeathofourparentsandourspoes.Wefacethegradualornotsogradualwangofourstrength.Andultiately，astheparableoftheopenandclosedhandsuggests，wetnfronttheevitabilityofourowndeise，losgourselvesasitwere，allthatwewereordreadtobe.

懂得何时取舍，这便是生活的艺术。生活本身就是自相矛盾的：它劝诫我们珍惜生活赋予的诸多恩赐，但这一切最终又将会化为乌有。古犹太教士说过：“人握拳而来，撒手而去。”

的确，我们应牢牢地把握生活，因为它是奇妙无穷的，它的美妙存在于上帝所创造的这个世界的每一个角落。虽然我们知道事实果真如此，但常常只有在回首往事时才会懂得这一真理。当我们忆起人生的美妙时，才突然发现早已物是人非。

我们追忆那褪色的美，还有消逝的爱。但回忆时，我们总会深感痛苦，因为我们不曾看到美丽绽放的时刻，也未曾回应爱的呼唤。

近来的一次经历再次让我领会到了这一真理。由于心脏病发作，病情加重，我必须住进医院特护区接受数天的治疗。医院可不是一个令人愉快的地方。

一天清晨，我必须去做一些额外的检查。而检查所需的仪器放在医院尽头对面的大楼里，因此我不得不坐着轮椅穿过院子去那里。

当我们从病房出来时，阳光照在了我身上。我所能感受到的一切全都是阳光。它是那么的美好——那么温暖，灿烂，夺目！

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