英语PK台 第649期:自励与他励让你成为更好的自己

 A teenager lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a very special relationship. The father believed in encouragement. Even though the son was always on the bench, his father was always in the stands cheering. He never missed a game.

有一位少年和父亲住在一起，他与父亲之间的关系非常特殊。父亲相信激励的力量。尽管儿子总是坐在替补席上，他的父亲却依旧总是在看台上为他欢呼。儿子的比赛，父亲每场必到，一场也没有错过。
This young man was the smallest of the class when he entered high school. His father continued to encourage him but also made it very clear that he did not have to play football if he didn't want to.
这个年轻人进入高中时是班里个子最小的。他的父亲总是不断鼓励他，但也明确表示，如果他不想打橄榄球，也不必强求。
But the young man loved football and decided 1 to hang in there. He was determined 2 to try his best at every practice, and perhaps he would get to play when he became a senior.
但年轻人热爱橄榄球，决定坚持下去。他决心在每次训练中都竭尽全力，或许这样就能在四年级时获得上场比赛的机会。
All through high school he never missed a practice or a game, but remained a bench warmer all four years. His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of encouragement for him. When the young man went to college, he decided to try out for the football team as a "walk-on."
整个高中阶段，他从来没有错过任何一次训练、任何一场比赛，但四年来却一直仅是个板凳队员。作为他忠实粉丝的父亲，每次比赛都会出现在看台上，总是给予他鼓励的话语。进入大学后，这个年轻人决定参加橄榄球队临时队员的选拔。
Everyone was sure he could never make the cut, but he did. The coach admitted that he kept him on the roster 3 because he always puts his heart and soul to every practice, and at the same time, provided the other members with the spirit and hustle 4 they badly needed. The news that he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the nearest phone and called his father. His father shared his excitement and was sent season tickets for all the college games.
每个人都理所应当地认为他绝无晋级可能，但他却做到了。教练准许他进入了名单，因为他总是在训练中全情投入，同时也为其他队员提供了他们所急需的斗志与勤勉。顺利通过选拔的消息令他激动不已，他飞奔地找到了最近的电话，把这个好消息告诉了他的父亲。与父亲分享了这份兴奋后，他还把整套大学赛季的球票寄给了父亲。
This persistent 5 young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in the game. It was the end of his senior football season, and as he trotted 6 onto the practice field shortly before the big play-off game, the coach met him with a telegram. The young man read the telegram and he became deathly silent.
这位意志顽强的年轻球员，在大学四年里从来没有错过任何一次训练，却从来没有获得出现在赛场上的机会。已到他大四橄榄球赛季的尾声阶段，在距离一场重要的淘汰赛不久的一次训练中，正当他跑向训练场时，遇到了教练，教练手里拿着一封电报。年轻人读了电报，然后陷入了深深的沉默。
Swallowing hard, he mumbled 7 to the coach, "My father died this morning. Is it all right if I miss practice today?" The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said, "Take the rest of the week off, son. And don't even plan to come back to the game on Saturday."
他强忍悲痛，咕噜着向教练道出了实情：“今天早上我父亲去世了，我可不可以不参加今天的训练？”教练轻轻地搂住他的肩膀，说：“休息一周吧，孩子，先不要考虑周六比赛的事了。”
Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well. In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent young man quietly slipped into the empty locker 8 room and put on his football gear. As he ran onto the side-lines, the coach and his players were astounded 9 to see their faithful team-mate back so soon.
周六到了，比赛进展得并不顺利。到第三节时，球队已经落后了10分，此时一个沉默的年轻人悄悄溜进空空荡荡的更衣室，穿上了自己的橄榄球装备。当他跑到边线位置时，教练和他的队友们都非常惊讶，他们没有想到这位忠实的队友会如此快地归队。
"Coach, please let me play. I have just got to play today," said the young man. The coach pretended not to hear him. There was no way he wanted his worst player in this close play-off game. But the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry for young man, the coach gave in. "All right," he said. "You can go in."
年轻人说：“教练，请让我上场吧，我今天要上场比赛。”教练装作没听到他的话。在这样重要的淘汰赛中，他不可能让队中最差的队员上场。但这个年轻人依旧坚持要上场，教练觉得有些对不住这个年轻人，终于让步了，对他说：“好吧，你可以上场。”
Before long, the coach, the players and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes. This little unknown boy, who had never played before, was doing everything right. The opposing team could not stop him. He ran, he passed, blocked and tackled like a star. His team began to triumph.
他上场不久后，教练、球员和看台上的每个人都觉得不敢相信自己的眼睛。这位不为人知、从没上过场的小男孩，在场上表现得有板有眼，非常到位。对方球队阻挡不了他的发挥。他的跑动、传球、阻挡、拦截，都像球星一样完美。他的球队开始转败为胜。
The score was soon tied. In the closing seconds of the game, this young man intercepted 10 a pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown. The fans broke loose. His team-mates hoisted 11 him onto their shoulders. Such cheering you have never heard!
比分很快就被扳平了。比赛的最后几秒钟，这位年轻人拦截到了对方的一次传球，一路跑向达阵区。球迷们沸腾了，队友们把他举在肩上。这样的欢呼庆祝前所未有！
Finally, after the stands had emptied and the team had showered and left the locker room, the coach noticed that the young man was sitting quietly in the corner all alone. The coach came to him and said, "Young man, I can't believe it. You were fantastic! Tell me what got into you? How did you do it?"
最后，在观众们全部离开看台，全队都洗完澡离开更衣室后，教练注意到这个年轻人独自静静地坐在角落里。教练来到他身边，说：“年轻人，我简直不敢相信，你表现得棒极了！告诉我是什么让你有这么棒的发挥？你是怎么做到的？
The young man looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?" The young man swallowed hard and forced a smile, "Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!"
年轻人看着教练，眼里含着泪水，回答道：“您知道我爸爸去世了，但您知道我爸爸是个盲人吗？”年轻人抑制住强烈的感情，勉强地笑着说：“爸爸每次都会来看我的比赛，但今天是他第一次能看到我上场，我想让他知道我是可以做到的！”
Remember: Every accomplishment 12 starts with the decision to try. Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished 13 by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all. Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow."
请记住：每一个成就都始于决定去尝试。世界上大部分重要的事情都是由那些在似乎毫无希望的情况下，仍不放弃尝试的人完成的。勇气并不总是大声咆哮。有时候，勇气只是在一天结束时，平静地对自己说：“我明天再试一次。”