英语美文：Beauty is a good word

 Of course, when thinking of beauty, I usually think of physical beauty, the female form, a “face that could launch a thousand ships,” Helen of Troy注.

　　That is beauty, I suppose, or should I say superficial[表面的] beauty—eye-candy beauty. I am not sure that the above-mentioned is a full accounting 1 of the word “beauty.”
　　When I was young, my mother thought the way to make me grow into a better person was to “beat the devil” out of me. She was convinced of the innate[先天的] sinful[有罪的] nature of all humans, especially her son—me. She would hold a switch[鞭子] over me and make me study for hours at a time. Come rain or shine, I studied: When finished with a book or passage, it was on to math or science. Nothing was more important than work. I did my work all right, all the while thinking, “When I grow up, I am going to kill that woman!”
　　I grew up. I have not killed her yet. I am pretty much over that notion[想法].
　　In thinking back, my mother had had the beauty beat down in her. Someone or something had injured her so that she could not—for the life of her—let her beauty show to her family. She is a beautiful woman and a beautiful person. She just could not, and still cannot, let her children see it.
　　I have seen her care, comfort and inner beauty manifested with other persons less fortunate—the downtrodden[受压迫的] in life, and animals—but remain hidden from the persons she should really let it shine upon.
　　Over the years of performing music, I have tried to control the audience either by laughter or witty[诙谐的] banter[逗趣] or provocative[令人振奋的] songs or any number of little acting 2 tricks to entertain while also not really showing much of my real self. Little bits of the real me can be gleaned[收集] from the lyrics 3 of my songs—bits here and there—little hints, so to speak.
　　I no longer think that is enough for me. I no longer want to hide behind this fa?ade[外观] of I-will-kick-your-ass attitude.
　　I have decided 4 now after some time and much introspection[反思] that I should not be afraid to reveal my beauty.
　　As men, we think it must be all machismo[男子气概], bluster[怒号], bad-ass attitude and scowls[不悦之色]. I know that, speaking for myself, I was and still am to a great extent[在很大程度上] afraid to reveal my soft, sensitive and beautiful nature.
　　I am going to try to do better and trust that while opening and pulling back the curtains, so to speak, others will be inspired and see themselves in the process—see themselves as beautiful. We all really are, you know. We just have to have the courage to divulge[泄露] that tender inner side. I am trying.
So when you pass someone and they say, “Hey, what’s the good word,” just say, “Beauty.”
　　You see, “beauty” is a good word.
　　“美丽”是一个好词。
　　当然了，每当想起“美丽”这个词的时候，我通常都会想到外在的美丽、女性的外貌、一张“能够发动千帆的绝世容颜”——特洛伊的海伦。
　　这就是美丽，我想，或者我是否应该说这只是表面上的美丽——“看上去很美”。我不确定以上所述是否能够概括“美丽”一词的意义。
　　小时候，母亲认为让我长大成才的方法就是“棍棒底下出孝子”。她深信所有人都有邪恶的天性，她儿子——我尤其如此。她会拿着一根鞭子盯着我，每次都让我一学习就是好几个小时。无论是下雨还是晴天，我都要学习：每学完一本书或是一段文章，接着就要做数学或是科学题。没有什么比学习更重要了。我的成绩还不错，但也一直在想：“长大以后，我要杀了那个女人！”
　　后来我长大了，却没有杀她。我已经完全放弃了那个念头。
　　现在回想起来，母亲已经在内里扼杀了自己的美丽。某些人或事伤害了她，于是她一生都无法向家人展现自己美丽的一面。她是一个美丽的女人，也是一个内在美丽的人。她只是无法让自己的孩子们看到这种美丽，直到现在还做不到。
　　我见过她对其他那些更为不幸的人们表现出来的关怀、安慰和内在美——例如为生计所迫的人和动物——但在家人面前，在这些真正应该向其展现关怀和美丽的人面前，她始终将其一一隐藏。
　　在演奏音乐的那些年里，我也曾试着掌控观众的情绪，利用笑声、诙谐的玩笑、振奋人心的歌曲或是些小小的表演技巧去取悦他们，没有真正展示出太多的自我。从我的歌曲的字里行间只能够发现一小部分真实的自我——这里一点点，那里一点点——可以说都是些细微的暗示。
　　但我现在觉得这对于我来说已经远远不够了。我不想再将自己隐藏在这副“我会给你点颜色看看”的面具之下。
　　经过一段时间的反思，如今，我决定大胆地展现自己的美丽本真。
　　作为男人，我们都认为男性美一定要有男子汉气概，要呵斥咆哮、态度恶劣、横眉怒目。我也懂，说到我自己，无论是以前还是现在，我都非常害怕展现自己温柔、敏感和美丽的本性。
　　我会试着做得更好，并试着相信在帷幕拉起和放下之时——可以这么说——其他人将在这一过程中得到鼓舞并认识自我——认识到他们自己的美丽。其实我们大家都很美，你知道。我们只不过需要鼓起勇气去展示我们温柔的内心。我正在为此而努力。
　　所以说，当你经过某人身边，他说“嗨，哪个词是好词”的时候，你就说“美丽”吧。
　　你看，“美丽”是一个好词吧。
　　注：传说特洛伊的海伦（Helen of Troy）貌若天仙，她的被诱拐成为希腊发动特洛伊战争的借口，由此产生了“能够发动千帆的绝世容颜”这一说法。