人生教我的 45 個功課
- The 45 lessons life taught me -
★ 作者：Regina Brett，90 歲，來自俄亥俄州•克里夫蘭最大報紙 THE PLAIN DEALER 的專欄作家, 為了慶祝變得更老了，我曾經寫下人生教我的 45 個 功課，這是我寫過最叫座的專欄。我這把老骨頭 8 月就要 90 歲了，所以，再一次，在這裡呈現這一個專欄
01。人生是不公平，但還是好得很。
- Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
02。懷疑的時候，為未來踏出一小步。
- When in doubt, just take the next small step.
03。人生太短，短到來不及浪費時間去恨任何一個人。
- Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
04。生病的時候，你的工作不會照顧妳。你的朋友會。保持聯絡。
- Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
05。每一個月付清你的信用卡。
- Pay off your credit cards every month.
06。你不需要每一次都吵贏。同意你不同意的。
- You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
07。找人一起哭。它比獨自啜泣更加療愈。
- Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
08。對上帝生氣沒有關係。祂受得了。
- It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
09。退休存款從你的第一張薪水條開始。
- Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10。講到巧克力，抗拒只是徒勞無功。
- When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11。和你的過去和解，所以它不會搞砸你的當下。
- Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12。讓你的孩子看到你哭沒有關係。
- It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13。別拿自己的人生和他人做比較。你根本不清楚他們的人生是怎麼一回事。
- Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14。如果一段親密關係要偷偷摸摸，你根本不應該涉入。
- If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15。一眨眼的功夫什麼都會變。但是別擔心：上帝從來不眨眼。
- Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16。深吸一口氣。它會安定你的腦。
- Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17。沒用、不美、或不喜悅的東西都丟掉。
- Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18。沒讓你死的真的會讓你更堅強。
- Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19。重拾快樂童年永不嫌晚。但這第二次只能靠你不靠人。
- It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20。當關乎追求你生命的所愛，不要把不要當答案。
- When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21。點蠟燭，用好的床單，穿上炫麗的內衣。不要特殊場合才用。今天就是特別的一天。
- Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22。準備要過於周全，然後隨遇而安。
- Overprepare, then go with the flow.
23。現在就離經叛道。不要一把年紀了才開始穿上紫色。
- Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24。最重要的性器官是腦袋。
- The most important sex organ is the brain.
25。除了你，沒有人在主宰你的快樂。
- No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26。把所謂的不幸用這一句話把它表框起來：「五年後，這還重要嗎？」
- Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"
27。永遠選擇生活。
- Always choose life.
28。原諒每一個人每一件事。
- Forgive everyone everything.
29。別人怎麼看你不干你的事。
- What other people think of you is none of your business.
30。時間會痊癒幾乎每一件事。要給時間時間。
- Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31。無論情況多好或多壞，它都會變的。
- However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32。不要那麼認真的看待自己。沒有人會這樣看待你的。
- Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33。相信奇蹟。
- Believe in miracles.
34。上帝愛你是因為祂就是這樣，不是因為你做了什麼或是沒做什麼。
- God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35。不要稽查人生。現在就呈現和做最大的發揮。
- Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36。變老了打敗另一種選項──死得早。
- Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.
37。你的孩子只有一個童年，讓它充滿回憶。
- Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
38。最後真正最重要的是你愛過。
- All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39。每一天都出門。奇蹟在四處等著。
- Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40。如果我們都把我們的問題都丟成一堆，然後看看其他人的，我們會把我們的撿回來。
- If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41。忌妒浪費時間。你已經擁有你所需要的了。
- Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42。最好的都還沒來。
- The best is yet to come.
43。不管你感覺如何，起來、穿好和呈現。
- No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44。學會讓步。
- Yield.
45。人生不會打上蝴蝶結，但它仍然是一份禮物。
- Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.
