“为什么不呢？”朋友反问道，“我怎么做，为什么要让他决定呢？”
后来，我反复思索这件小事，“主动”这个重要的词让我受到触动。朋友的举动是主动待人，而我们大多数都是被动地回应。
他拥有内心的平衡感，而我们大多数人都很缺乏平衡感；他了解自我，明确自己的立场，通晓处世之道。他拒绝以怨抱怨，那样他将不再是自己行为的主宰。
遵奉《圣经》以德报怨的训诫时，我们视其为一种道德规范——它的确如此。但同时，它也是精神健康的一剂良药。
一味被动回应的人最不容易快乐。他情感的重心随外界转移，而非根植于自己的内心世界；他的情绪随周围的社会风尚变迁，成了受这些因素摆布的可怜虫。
称赞并不能给他带来真正的快乐，因为它不持久，也并非来自自我认可；批评会使他过度悲伤，因为他内心深处的不自信再一次得到确认；冷落会使他伤痛，他也会因某处，哪怕一点点的怠慢而痛苦不堪。
要做到平心静气，我们就要主宰自己的行为和态度。如果我们的举止是粗鲁或优雅、是欢欣或沮丧，都要由他人来决定的话，那就是放弃对自我的主宰，而这正是我们真正拥有的东西。我们唯一真正拥有的就是自我控制。
Do You Act or React
Anonymous
I walked with my friend to the news…stand the other night； and he bought a paper； thanking the newspaper seller politely。 The vendor1 didn’t even acknowledge it。
“A sullen2 fellow； isn’t he？” I mented。
“Oh； he’s that way every night；” shrugged my friend。
“Then why do you continue to be so polite to him？” I asked。
“Why not？” inquired my friend。 “Why should I let him decide how I’m going to act？”
As I thought about this incident later； it occurred to me that the important word was “act。” My friend acts toward people； most of us react toward them。
He has a sense of inner balance which is lacking in most of us； he knows who he is； what he stands for； how he should behave。 He refuses to return incivility3 from incivility； because then he would no longer be in mand of his own conduct。
When we are enjoined in the Bible to return good for evil； we look upon this as a moral injunction—which it is。 But it is also a psychological prescription for our emotional health。
Nobody is unhappier than the perpetual reactor。 His center of emotional gravity is not rooted within himself； where it belongs； but in the world outside him。 His spiritual temperature is always being raised or lowered by the social climate around him； and he is a mere creature at the mercy of these elements。
Praise gives him a feeling of euphoria； which is false； because it does not last and it does not e from self approval4。 Criticism depresses him more than it should； because it confirms his own secretly shaky opinion of himself。 Snubs hurt him； and the merest suspicion of unpopularity in any quarter rouses him to bitterness。
A serenity of spirit cannot be achieved until we bee the masters of our own actions and attitudes。 To let another determine whether we shall be rude or gracious5； elated or depressed； is to relinquish control over our own personalities； which is ultimately all we possess。 The only true possession is self…possession。
敢于梦想（1）
佚名
生命！多么宝贵的礼物啊，这是上帝赐予人类的。我们应该为能生活在这样一个美好、充满生机和无限可能的世界里而感到幸福！然而，灾难降临了，这份“礼物”给人的感觉更像是一种诅咒、一场灾难。“为什么？为什么倒霉的是我？”我们不解。我们永远无从知晓其答案，不是吗？我七岁时得了霍奇金病（译者注：这是一种病因不明的疾病，特征为淋巴结及肝脾进行性肿大及贫血），只有六个月的存活时间，而我却奇迹般地战胜了病魔。运气、希望也好，信念、勇气也罢，总之，世界上有几千个这样的幸存者！我们这些胜利者知道答案——“为什么我们没有失败，因为我们控制了它！”癌症没能将我击垮。我与癌症并存。无论以后遭遇什么困难，我都不会恐惧了，因为天生我材必有用。
大二时，班上举行一英里赛跑。那一天我永生难忘。因为手术，腿上留下了很多肿块和疤痕。我怕别人嘲笑，在恐惧中生活了两年。整整两年，我都没穿短裤。但那天，我不在乎了。我准备好了——短裤，心理和思想也都早有准备。我来到起跑线前，周围立刻议论纷纷。“好臃肿！”“真胖！”“难看死了！”对这些议论，我充耳不闻。
然后，教练大喊：“各就各位——预备——跑！”我像离弦的箭一样冲了出去，开始的20英尺，我跑得比谁都快。那时，我还不太懂控制速度，那也没关系，因为我下定决心要第一个冲到终点。一共要跑四圈。第一圈时，跑道上随处可见同学的身影。第二圈快结束时，许多同学都放弃了，停下来拼命地喘着气。当我开始跑第三圈时，跑道上只剩几个同学了，我的步履也开始蹒跚。第四圈时，跑道上就我一个人了。我突然意识到，并没有人放弃，而是他们都跑完了。跑最后一圈时，我哭了。我知道自己输给了班里的所有同学。跑了12分42秒后，我终于冲到了终点。我跌坐在地上，汗如雨下。我简直羞愧难当。
突然，教练跑过来，把我抱起，喊道：“你成功了。曼纽尔！曼纽尔，你做到了，孩子。你跑完了！”他手里挥动着一张纸条，注视着我。我忽然想起来了，那是上课前我交给他的，是那天我为自己制定的一个目标。他大声地把纸条读给大家听，上面简单地写着：“我，曼纽尔？迪耶特，无论如何，都要完成明天的一英里赛跑。痛苦和挫折并不能将我击退。因为，上帝赐予了我力量，使我有足够的能力实现这一目标，相信自己一定可以。”署名为曼纽尔？迪耶特——在字母“D”当中，我画了一张笑脸，这是我署名的一个习惯。我深受鼓舞，像吃了香蕉一样甜蜜，不禁破涕为笑。同学们都站起身来鼓掌，这是我生平第一次得到如此“礼遇”。就是在那时，我意识到，胜利并非总意味着最先完成某事，有时，仅仅完成某事也是胜利。
… 心灵小语
现代社会中有太多的不如意，生活中有太多的无奈与不协调，但我们不能因此而消沉。因为生活中还有许多美好，值得我们去体味、去珍惜。
Dare to Dream
Anonymous
Life！What a precious1 gift from God。 What a blessing to be alive in a wonderful； vibrant world of unlimited possibilities。 Then； adversity strikes； and this “gift” feels more like a curse2。 “Why？ Why me？” We ask。 Yet we never get an answer； or do we？ After contracting Hodgkin’s disease at age seven and being given six months to live； I triumphed over the odds。 Call it luck； hope； faith or courage； there are thousands of survivors！ Winners like us know the answer—“Why not us？ We can handle it！” I’m not dying3 of cancer。 I’m living with cancer。 God doesn’t make junk； regardless of what es our way； and I don’t have to be afraid anymore。 txt小说上传分享
敢于梦想（2）
In my sophomore4 year of high school； the class was scheduled to run the mile。 I will always remember that day because due to the swelling and scars from surgery on my leg； for two solid years I had not worn shorts。 I was afraid of the teasing。 So； for two years I lived in fear。 Yet that day； it didn’t matter。 I was ready —shorts； heart and mind。 I no sooner got to the starting line before I heard the loud whispers。“Gross ！”“How fat！”“How ugly！” I blocked it out。
Then the coach yelled； “Ready。 Set。 Go！” I jetted out of there like an airplane； faster than anyone for the first 20 feet。 I didn’t know much about pacing then； but it was okay because I was determined to finish first。 As we came around the first of four laps； there were students all over the track。 By the end of the second lap； many of the students had already quit。 They had given up and were on the ground gasping for air。 As I started the third lap； only a few of my classmates were left on the track； and I began limping。 By the time I hit the fourth lap； I was alone。 Then it hit me。 I realized that nobody had given up。 Instead； everyone had already finished。 As I ran that last lap； I cried。 I realized that every boy and girl in my class had beaten m