how well are we in tune with the rhythm of life? in our busy day to day existence, we don't often stop to ask ourselves this question. at least i don't. and it wasn't until i joined a competitive sporting event that i learned a most important lesson – we must place our mind in harmony with the natural order of things to be successful.
let me tell you what happened.
i decided to take part in an international marathon in my hometown last year. being an ambitious person, i hoped to finish it within 5 hours, accompanied by my friend with whom i had trained.
the big day finally arrived. “ready…set…bang” and we were off.
at first, we kept a rapid pace and ran nonstop. at this pace, we finished the first 20 kilometers in 2 hours and i thought running a marathon was a piece of cake. then my running mate began to slow down. i urged him to keep running at the same pace but he said no, he wanted to conserve his energy. i felt i had partnered with the wrong person, therefore, i sprinted on and left him behind in the dust.
a few kilometers later, i began to understand his strategy as my pace slowed to a jog then a walk. after that i was incapable of moving another step. i was humiliated as more and more people ran passed me. more than once i thought “maybe i should quit.” i started to doubt my ability to finish this race.
at this moment, my running mate caught up with me and slapped me on the back. “follow me,” he shouted. he had balanced his marathon pace and was encouraged me to do the same. for the rest of this grueling contest, we walked, jogged, ran a few miles, and walked again. slowly, painfully but hopefully this time, we established the most suitable pace within the natural flow of our physical capabilities.
eventually we accomplished our first marathon of 42 kilometers in 4 and half hours. i asked myself, what did this marathon mean to me? my marathon experience became an influential metaphor for my life about how we must learn to pace ourselves in everything, by being in tune with the rhythm of life.
like the tide that ebbs and flows, we must listen to advice but make our own decisions. like the show at dawn and dusk, we must learn to balance pride and modesty. and from the way the wind can both shout and whisper, we must learn when to be strong and when to be gentle, for everything moves in its own rhythm and its own yin and yang elements. it is the interaction of these complementary extremes that produces harmony, as laozi said, extremes meet. since the marathon, this notion of two opposite forces working together has been my running partner, so to speak. yin and yang exist everywhere, constantly interacting, and never existing in an absolute condition.
ladies and gentlemen, life is like running a marathon, let us discover, define and develop a natural rhythm of life, in order to achieve both harmony and success.
thank you for listening.
我们熟悉的节奏如何生活?在我们繁忙的日常生活中,我们不要经常停下来问自己这个问题。至少我不喜欢。直到我加入了一个竞争性体育活动,我学到了重要的一课——我们必须将我们的思想与事物的自然秩序和谐相处才能成功。
让我告诉你发生了什么事。
我决定参加一个国际马拉松去年在我的家乡。作为一个有抱负的人,我希望在5个小时内完成它,伴随我的朋友与我有培训。
这大日子终于来到了。“准备……爆炸”我们。
首先,我们保持快速增长,跑个不停。在这个速度,我们在2个小时完成了第一20公里,我想跑马拉松是小菜一碟。然后我的竞选搭档开始慢下来。我敦促他继续跑步速度相同但他说不,他想保存他的能量。我觉得我已经与错误的人,因此,我飞快地跑,留下他在尘土中。
几公里后,我开始理解他的战略步伐放缓至慢跑散步。后,我是无法移动的另一个步骤。我被羞辱,越来越多的人通过我跑过来。不止我认为“也许我应该辞职。“我开始怀疑我的能力来完成这场比赛。
此时此刻,我的竞选搭档赶上我,拍拍我的背。“跟我来,”他喊道。他平衡马拉松速度和鼓励我做同样的事情。剩下的这个紧张激烈的比赛,我们走,慢跑,跑几英里,走了。痛苦地缓慢,但希望这,我们建立了合适的速度在我们的身体的自然流动的能力。
我们终完成了我们的第马拉松的42公里4个半小时。我问自己,这个马拉松对我而言意味着什么?我马拉松经验成为一个有影响力的比喻我的生活步伐,我们必须学会如何自己一切,通过符合生活的节奏。
像起伏的潮流,我们必须听的建议,但我们自己做决定。像显示在黎明和黄昏,我们必须学会平衡骄傲和谦虚。和从风都可以喊,低语,我们必须学习时要坚强和温柔,一切在自己的节奏和阴阳元素。这些互补的极端之间的相互作用,产生和谐,如老子所说,两极相通。因为马拉松,这两种相反力量的概念一起工作是我的伙伴,可以这么说。阴阳到处存在,不断交流,永远存在的绝对条件。
女士们,先生们,生活就像跑马拉松,我们发现、定义和开发自然的生活节奏,以达到和谐和成功。
谢谢你听。
