d at myself。 Imagine getting all philosophical and sentimental5 about a mug of coffee。 I must be getting old。
And yet it was a young woman who stared back at me from the mirror。 A young woman full of promise and hope； a young woman with bright eyes and full lips just waiting to take on the world。 I never loved Mike anyway。 Besides there are more important things。 More important than love； I insist to myself firmly。 The lid goes back on the coffee just like closure on the whole Mike experience。
He doesn’t haunt my dreams as I feared that night。 Instead I am flying far across fields and woods； looking down on those below me。 Suddenly I fall to the ground and it is only when I wake up that I realize I was shot by a hunter； brought down by the burden of not the bullet； but the soul of the man who shot it。 I realize later； with some degree of understanding； that Mike was the hunter holding me down and I am the bird that longs to fly。 The next night my dream is similar to the previous nights； but without the hunter。 I fly free until I meet another bird who flies with me in perfect harmony。 I realize with some relief that there is a bird out there for me； there is another person； not necessarily a lover perhaps just a friend； but there is someone out there who is my soul mate。 I think about being a broken vase again and realize that I have glued myself back together； what Mike has is merely a little part of my time in earth； a little understanding of my physical being。 He has only； a little piece of me。
。 最好的txt下载网
新年沉思
艾伦·吉德曼
与陌生人擦肩而过时，我们中的大部分人会将眼睛转向别处。假如有人停下脚步，帮一位妇女哄哄她的孩子或者帮她把食品搬上楼梯，一定会被别人当作另类。在排队乘地铁或乘公共汽车时，我们很少给别人让座。坐在自己的汽车里，我们宁肯堵车也不会心甘情愿地给别人让路。
平日的这些接触，当他们怒气冲天抑或是令人反感时，会大大缩减我们生活中的乐趣；假如它们是令人愉悦的，则会使我们的精神为之一振。可是，当我们坐在家中做出决策时，我们想到的仅仅是我们的私人空间——家庭和工作中能够实现的目标。许多人已经放弃了他们也是管理着共享的以及公有的世界这个信念。
作为众多个体，我们能够改变一天的面貌、一时的情绪，以及人们的感觉方式。公共生活的毁坏和重建是人们每天每时做出的个人决定的最终结果。其中有：在公交车上给别人让座，面对种种逆境而保持的容忍或乐观的精神；让笨蛋从右车道往左拐，而并不是摇下车窗骂他一声笨蛋。
这就是作为一个文明的、社会的人的决定。
或许，今天是人们为了腰围的缩小和胆固醇的降低而斗争的高峰期。但是，只要我们愿意，反对城市野蛮行为和人际敌对态度的蔓延，也是能够做到的事。礼貌的举止无法制止核战争，也无力为流浪者提供栖身之所，然而它能政变社会集体的面貌，就像举重会改变一个人的体形一样。
如同山谷里的回声一样，人也是相互作用的。你表现出一分敌意，我就会还你两分：相反，我给你两分友善，你则会还我四分……你的一个微笑，就会使我原本暗淡无光、极为普通的一天变得阳光灿烂。
Thoughts for a New Year
Ellen Goodman
Most of us look away when we pass strangers。 It is the exceptional person who stops to help the woman maneuvering her kids and groceries up the staircase。 We rarely give up in line or on the subway or bus。 Locked into our automobiles； we prefer gridlock to giving way。
These daily encounters； when they are angry or alien； diminish our lives。 When they are pleasant； we feel buoyed。 Yet when we sit at home and make resolutions； we think about what we can acplish in private spaces： home； work。 Too many have given up the belief that they control the shared； the public world。
As individuals we can change the contour of a day； the mood of a moment； the way people feel。 The demolition and reconstruction of public life is the result of personal decisions made every day： the decision to give up a seat on the bus； the decision to be patient or pleasant against all odds； the decision to let that jerk take a left…hand turn from a right…hand lane—without rolling down the window and calling him a jerk。
It’s the resolution to be a civil； social creature。
This may be a peak period for the battle against the spread of a waistline and creeping cholesterol。 But it is also within our willpower to fight the spread of urban rudeness and creeping hostility。 Civility doesn’t stop nuclear holocaust and doesn’t put a roof over the head of the horrieless。 But it makes a difference in the shape of a munity； as surely as lifting weights can make a difference in the shape of a human torso。
。 最好的txt下载网
自由思想与心灵的作用（1）
杰基·罗宾逊
1947年，世界职业棒球大赛开赛当天。我的心随着美国国歌的响起产生了一种全新的情感。就像曾经为其他人奏响那样，这一次国歌为我奏响。这是职业棒球大赛，我成为了整个赛事的一分子，与其他人一起站在这里。
大约一年之后，乔治亚州的亚特兰大举行了一场棒球表演赛，我参加了这次比赛。这是黑人和白人运动员第一次同时出现在亚特兰大的体育场上，除了我，还有其他的黑人选手。我想，那一刻，我终于实现了自己的信念。
那么，我的信念是什么呢？首先，我知道人无完人，然而人只要能够呼吸和思考，不管经过多么漫长的过程，都一定能够消除这些缺陷。我不认为我们已经找到了完美，或离完美越来越近。在人类社会中，完美并不是必不可少的一部分。残疾、障碍或偏见，这些都是存在于社会中的不完美，我们必须面对它们。
不管遇到什么障碍，它们都只能使我更加努力地去克服。我坚信，奋斗是有希望的，如果没有了这种信念，我将无法坚持到现在。因为这是一个自由的社会，所以我的奋斗是有希望的。不止一次，我遇到了无法逾越的障碍；也不止一次，我遭遇了严峻的形势，几乎陷入了绝境。然而，自由的思想和心灵使我的身心得到了救助，从而走出了窘境。现在，我看着自己的孩子，知道我要帮助他们做好面对障碍与歧视的准备。
但是，我可以告诉他们，前人的努力战斗使他们以后将永远不用去面对这些歧视。同时，我也告诫自己，社会上的许多教条会随着孩子们的逐渐长大而被淘汰，因为社会必然要进步。因此，我会对孩子们说：虽然我无法向你们做出什么保证，但你们是有希望的，一定会有希望。你们会有希望，因为思想自由的人不会停留在原地。中世纪的荒谬逻辑曾经是那么强大，它阻断了人类前进的步伐，不过，以后再也不会出现这样的逻辑了。让每个行业的每个人都能够克服障碍取得成功，这只是一种完美境界，所以我并不认同这种观点。我之所以能够取得现在的成就，发现当前的真理，或许还能够找到未来的伟大，这是因为我摒弃了过时的教条——这就是我无时不刻都在坚持的信念。
我相信人类。
我相信温暖的心。
我相信人类的正直。
我相信自由的社会是美好的。
我还相信，只要我们愿意奋斗，愿意与一切缺陷作斗争，社会将会一直美好。
我与阻止黑人参加棒球比赛这个障碍作斗争，因为这就是社会中存在的一个缺陷，是我力所能及的事情，是一场并非注定要失败的战斗。
总而言之，我相信我对上帝的信仰使他一直支持我，自己所做的一切是上天赋子我的使命。我相信，上天也一定会把这个使命赋予其他人。
人无完人。社会中也存在着或多或少的不完美，如残疾、障碍或偏见。而不管遇到什么困难，只要我们勇敢面对，始终坚持，就一定会看到希望。让我们一起放飞自由的思想和心灵，迎接美好的明天。
Free Minds and Hearts at Work
Jackie Robinson
At the beginning of the World Series of 1947； I experienced a pletely new emotion； when the National Anthem was played。 This time； I thought； it is being played for me； as much as for anyone else。 This is organized major league baseball； and I am standing here with all the others； and everything that takes place includes me。
About a year later； I went to Atlanta； Georgia； to play in an exhibition game。 On the field； for the first time in Atlanta； there were Negroes and whites。 Other Negroes； besides me。 And I thought： What I have always believed has e to be。txt电子书分享平台
自由思想与心灵的作用（2）
And what is it that I have always believed？ First； that imperfections are human。 But that wherever human beings were given room to breathe and time to think； those imperfections would disappear； no matter how slowly。 I do not believe that we have found or even approached perfection。 That is not necessarily in the scheme of human events。 Handicaps； stumbling blocks； prejudices—all of these are imperfect。 Yet； they have to be reckoned with because they are in the scheme of human events。
Whatever obstacles I found made me fight all the harder。 But it would have been impossible for me to fight at all； except that I was sustained by the personal and deeprooted belief that my fight had a chance。 It had a chance because it took place in a free society。 Not once was I forced to face and fight an immovable object。 Not once was the situation so cast…iron rigid that I had no chance at all。 Free minds and human hearts were at work all around me； and so there was the probability of improvement。 I look at my children now； and know that I must still prepare them to meet obstacles and prejudices。
But I can tell them； too； that they will never face some of these prejudices because other people have gone before them。 And to myself I can say that； because progress is unalterable； many of today’s dogmas will have vanished by the time they grow into adults。 I can say to my children： There is a chance for you。 No guarantee； but a chance。 And this chance has e to be； because there is nothing static with free people。 There is no Middle Ages logic so strong that it can stop the human tide from flowing forward。 I do not believe that every person； in every walk of life； can succeed in spite of any handicap。 That would be perfection。 But I do believe—and with every fiber in me—that what I was able to attain came to be because we put behind us （no matter how slowly） the dogmas of the past： to discover the truth of today； and perhaps find the greatness of tomorrow。
I believe in the human race。
I believe in the warm heart。
I believe in man’s integrity。
I believe in the goodness of a free society。
And I believe that the society can remain good only as long as we are willing to fight for it—and to fight against whatever imperfections may exist。
My fight was against the barriers that kept Negroes out of baseball。 This was the area where I found imperfection； and where I was best able to fight。 And I fought because I knew it was not doomed to be a losing fight。
And； in the largest sense； I believe that what I did was done for me—that it was my faith in God that sustained me in my fight。 And that what was done for me must and will be done for others。
txt电子书分享平台
交友的唯一方式（1）
赫伯特·H。 菜曼
有许多事情会影响一个人的人生哲学和生活，我发现很难用语言来表达我的信念。我犹豫不决，害怕公然谈及我的信念，会给人留下说教的印象。
不过，有两条信念，我认为无论是私人生活还是在公共生活中，都对我产生了极为深刻的影响。
其一，它可能听起来很普通，我相信在生活中，我们付出多少，就会收获多少。其二，我必须尊重他人的意见，即使我并不认同。
在漫长而忙碌的工作生涯中，我一直坚信：付出多少，就会收获多少。如果这种人生哲学是正确的，我也相信如此，我希望它能适用于我的所有活动——我的家庭，我的日常工作，我的政治活动，特别是我与他人的关系。
生活不是一条单行街。我的所做、所说，甚至是所想，都不可避免地直接影响着我和他人的关系。在一定程度上，我确信我对他人的态度表明了我的忠减、真挚、诚实、谦恭以及正直。我也鼓励他人以同样的态度对待我。尊重他人，会被人尊重；怀疑他人，则会被人怀疑。常言道：“交友的唯一方式就是做对方的朋友。”
在我们美国公民自由的伟大传统中，没有任何一项是自动生效的。要使手足情谊、仁慈、同情、人类的行为准则、机会自由以及生命的宝贵等生效——要使这些成为现实，需要尊重和坚持不懈。这就是我的美国信仰的核心。
正如我提到过的，我认为我必须帮助所有人保护他们的言论自由，尽管我不同意他们的意见。我必须倾听并研究可信赖的观点；�