Love of Self
佚名 / Anonymous
When I was younger， I thought that to love one’s self was vanity and not a virtuous trait. As I have grown older， that belief has passed away， as have so many others. There is a vast deviation between being vain and loving one’s self.
We are all in this world together striving for more or less the same things. To conduct and have our lives count for something. To love and be loved. To laugh and... yes， to cry.
We seek shelter， nourishment， a mate， warmth， clothing， family， friends； we seek approval， love and self-esteem. We are all imperfect. Often during our search we forget to simply enjoy what life is. We become so caught up in what could have been， what should be， what might be， that many of our today’s are lost. Let yesterday rest， live for today， hope and dream for your tomorrows.
If there is some part of you that lessens your self-image， some part of you that prevents you from loving yourself， change it， for only you can. Life is filled with things we have no control over， but ourselves， we can control. You are the clay， you are the sculptor and you have the ability to create a masterpiece. The shape and form are there. You have only to refine the work.
Is the task an easy one？ No. There will be sips and flaws and you will be required to work and rework just as a sculptor must rework the clay before the piece is completed. Should the sculptor throw out the piece condemning it as worthless because of a blemish or nick？ Of course not， where then would all the world's treasured art be？ I doubt we would have any. How many masterpieces do you think have been created in one fell swoop， a first effort completely successful without error， without change？ Is it possible we fail to see that mankind is the most marvelous of all works of art？ A living， continuous， developing work of art.
How often have you heard the question “what is the human race coming to”？ The answer， in my mind at least， is whatever we make it， for we are the weavers of tomorrow. You are a treasure， beyond price， one of a kind， irreplaceable. Not perfect but well on your way to being a masterpiece. Do not let your yesterdays hinder tomorrow’s achievements.
当我年纪还小的时候，认为自爱是虚荣作祟而非优点。长大了，我才和许多人一样，逐渐摒弃了这种观念。虚荣与自爱有天壤之别。
人生在世，都追逐着或多或少相同的东西：付出与获得人生价值的认可；爱与被爱；欢笑与……是的，悲伤。
我们追求住所、食物、伴侣、温暖、衣裳、家庭、朋友；我们追求认同、爱情和自尊。我们并不完美。我们在人生追求中甚至忘记了去享受生活本身的乐趣。我们太沉溺于对过去的追悔、对将来的和一切可能性的关注，结果反而错失了今天。让昨天暂且释怀吧！为今天而活，并去勾画和梦想你的明天。
如果你有一点轻视自身形象，有一点不愿意爱自己，只要你能，改变它吧。生活中确实充斥着许多我们干涉不了的事情，但我们能约束自身。你既是泥土，也是泥塑匠，你有能力创造杰作。现在形态和模样都有了，你需要做的只是精雕细琢。
这个工程简单吗？不。雕塑会有缺损和瑕疵，所以你必须孜孜不倦，就像雕塑家在完工前必须一次又一次地琢磨一样。难道雕塑家会因为作品有一点瑕疵就认定它一无是处而把它抛弃吗？当然不会，否则世上哪里还有这一切工艺珍品？我想一件都不会存在。你认为有多少工艺品杰作是在雕刻中一蹴而就，没有半点失误，也没有半点改动的？我们可能都没看出，人其实是所有艺术品中最了不起的杰作吧？人类是有生命力的、生生不息的、不断发展的艺术品。
这个问题你听过多少次——人类将何去何从？至少我以为它的回答是这样的：我们成就了自己，因为编织着明天的正是我们自己。人本身就是一种财富，是无价之宝，是万物中无可替代的。虽然人无完人，但应该精益求精。别让昨天阻碍你奔向明天的辉煌。
记忆填空
1. We are all imperfect. Often our search we forget to simply enjoy what life is. We become so caught up what could have been， what should be， what might be， that many of our today’s are . Let yesterday rest， live for ， hope and dream for your tomorrows.
2. Life is with things we have no control over， but ourselves， we can . You are the clay， you are the sculptor and you have the to create a masterpiece. The and form are there. You have to refine the work.
3. There will be sips and flaws you will be required to work and rework just as a sculptor must rework the clay the piece is completed. 佳句翻译
1. 当我年纪还小的时候，认为自爱是虚荣作祟而非优点。
2. 人类是有生命力的、生生不息的、不断发展的艺术品。
3. 至少我以为它的回答是这样的：我们成就了自己，因为编织着明天的正是我们自己。
短语应用
1. We are all in this world together striving for more or less the same things.
more or less：或多或少；有点儿；大约
2. We become so caught up in what could have been， what should be， what might be， that many of our today’s are lost.
catch up：缠住；很快拾起；赶上
