famous.flower

A cactus stood all alone the desert, wondering why it was stuck in the middle of nowhere. “I do nothing but stand here all day,’ it sighed. “ what use am I? I’m ugliest plant in the desert. My spines are thick and prickly, my leaves are rubbery and tough, and my skin is thick and bumpy. I can’t offer shade or juicy fruit to any passing traveler. I don’t see that I’m any use at all.” All it did was stand in the sun day after day, growing taller and fatter. Its spines grew longer and its leaves tougher, and it swelled here and there until it was lumpy and lopsided all over. It truly was strange-looking.

“I wish I could do do something useful,” it sighted. By day hawks circled high overhead. “What can I do with my life?” the cactus called. Whether they heard or not, the hawks sailed away. At night the moon floated into the sky and cast its pale glow on the desert floor. “What good can I do with my life?” the cactus called. The moon only stared coldly as it mounted its course. A lizard crawled by, leaving a little trail in the sand with its tail. “What worthy deed can I do?” the cactus called. “ You?”  the lizard laughed, pausing a moment. “Worthy deed? Why, you can’t do anything The hawks circle way overhead, tracing delicate patterns for us all to admire. The moon hangs high like a lantern at night, so we can see our ways home to our loved ones. Even I, the lowly lizard, have something to do. I decorate the sands with these beautiful brushstrokes as I pull my tail along. But you? You do nothing but get uglier ever day.”

And so it went on, year after year. At last the cactus grew old, and it knew its time was short. “Oh, Lord,” it cried out, “ I’ve wondered so long, and I’ve tried so hard. Forgive me if I’ve failed to find something worthy to do. I fear that now it’s too late.” But just then the cactus felt a strange stirring and unfolding, and it knew a surge of joy that erased all despair. At its very tip, like a sudden crown, a glorious flower suddenly opened in bloom. Never had the desert known such a blossom. Its fragrance perfumed the air far and wide and brought happiness to all passing by. The butterflies paused to admire its beauty, and that night even the moon smiled when it rose to find such a treasure. The cactus heard a voice. “ You have waited long,” the Lord said. “ The heart that seeks to do good reflects My glory, and will always bring something worthwhile to the world, something in which all can rejoice—even if for only a moment.”

一個黑人小孩在他父親的葡萄酒廠看守橡木桶。

每天早上，他用抹布將一個個木桶擦拭乾淨，然後一排排整齊地擺放好。

令他生氣的是：往往一夜之間，風就把他排列整齊的木桶吹得東倒西歪。

小男孩很簍屈地哭了。父親撫摸著男孩的頭說：“孩子，別傷心，我們可以想辦法去征服風。”

於是，小男孩擦幹了眼淚，坐在木桶旁邊想啊想啊，想了半天，他終於想出了一個辦法，他去井裏挑來一桶桶的清水，然後把它們倒進空空的橡木桶裏，然後忐忑不安地回家睡覺了。

第二天天剛蒙蒙亮，小男孩就匆匆爬了起來，他跑到放桶的地方一看，那些木桶一個一個排放得整整齊齊，沒有一個被風吹倒的，也沒有一個被吹歪的。

小男孩高興地笑了，他對父親說：“木桶要想不被風吹倒，就要加重木桶自己的重量。”男孩的父親贊許地笑了。

這個世界上我們有很多東西是控制不了的，但是我們可以改變自己，改變我們自身的能力和我們的思維。提升自我的能力，這是一個人不被打翻的唯一方法。