美文欣赏:Today and tomorrow 今天和明天

A white-bearded ancient man was walking over the hills and valleys of the world. On his back he carried a bag which moved uneasily as if something was trying to escape from it, but he settled it between his shoulders and walked on.

He was Father Time, traveling forever, and the bag he bore was filled with Tomorrows, all struggling to get out.

Each night at twelve oclock, he opened the bag and flew out a Tomorrow, just one, with its wings of blue, and its shining feathers rising with hope. All the rest were kept back by Times strong hands and pushed deep in the bag.

Down flew the Tomorrow beating its lovely feathers, but as it touched the earth, off fell its blue wings and it changed to an ordinary white bird which could not fly. It had become a Today. Everyone knows that Today isnt as wonderful as Tomorrow, for Today can be held in ones hands, accepted, unloved, but Tomorrow is full of mystery and beauty. It is desired by all the world. Even those with little hope sigh, “Tomorrow may bring a change. Tomorrows life will be different.”

Everybody tried to catch the Tomorrow before it fell to the ground. They thought if they knew before hand what the Tomorrow carries, they could prepare for it. So they put great nets on the trees, seeking to catch one before it changed his feather. Yet although they tried every means, the birds escaped and flew to the ground as Todays.

一位胡子花白的老人在世界各地的山脉及山谷间旅行。他背着一个袋子,袋子里的东西在不安分地躁动着,好像要往外跑似的。他把袋子往肩膀上放好,继续前行。

他就是时间老人,他永远在前行。而装在袋子里的是明天,它们都想争着往外跑。

每天午夜十二点,时间老人就会打开袋子,放飞一个明天,只放飞一个!它挥动着蓝色的翅膀,展现出发亮的羽毛,带着希望飞走了。时间老人用其有力的双手把其他的明天关在袋子深处。

明天挥动着可爱的翅膀飞向大地。可当它到达地面时,它的蓝色翅膀就掉了,变成一只不会飞的白色的普通的鸟。它变成了今天。每个人都知道今天没有明天好,因为每个人可以把今天抓在手中,接受它,却不去爱它,但是明天充满神奇和美丽。世界上的每个人都想拥有明天,即使那些心中没有希望的人也会叹息说:“明天也许会带来一些变化,明天的生活会很不一样。”

每个人都想在明天到达地面时抓住它。他们认为,如果能事先知道明天带来的是什么,他们便会有所准备。所以他们在树上挂好大网,试图想在明天的羽毛变化之前抓住它。然而,尽管他们用尽了一切方法,也没能抓住明天,它还是来到了地面,变成了今天。