点击进入狄艾伦的《自我介绍》
这里介绍的是今年八月份我当时十二岁的儿子写的文章，讲述他在阳朔攀岩时的故事。原文是英文。我替他翻译的。
儿子的这篇短文给了我无限的力量。既然我的儿子面对挑战也都这么坚强，我有何理由在任何困难面前妥协呢？
供大家互勉。如果喜欢，请别吝啬你的点赞，儿子会从中受到很大鼓舞。我会鼓励他开设自己的账号。
人生如巨石
- by Alan Deutsch
“上吧！” 他说。
我跳离了地面，抓住岩石，用尽我所有的力气把我的身体往上拉，我和地面的距离越拉越远，而我和死亡的距离越拉越近。Alex在我的身边登爬，我们俩都知道我们得豁出去了，因为这已经没有回头路了。我是有过攀墙经验的，但是这么一块如墙的巨石，而唯一人工的东西就是身上的背带！这我可连做梦也没想过要攀登。我兴奋战栗，这次登山可以给我带来向人吹牛的权利，可是要体验到任何成就感却还早着呢。偏偏我是在正午登山，似乎纯粹的炎热在蒸发着我的意志。我停了一下，找个地方歇一下手。
“来吧，Alan。”
“你行的。”
这本不过是很空洞的口号，但毕竟我自己的意愿和下面警觉的观众让我感到了鼓舞。
我没有很多不利条件，除了一个致命的：我个子矮。我以前总是以为个子矮也不妨碍玩儿很多项体育，这也没错... ...在某种程度上。不过，是这样，攀岩时要去抓那一个个比你个子长的缺口似乎还真有点难，再加上我那木棍似的瘦胳膊，我真是挣扎着要把我这九十磅的身体往上拉一百五十尺。我爬到了大概中间段时，疲倦不堪，为自己的结局担忧。那会儿似乎没有任何地方可以下手，当然后来我发现很多同伴也都有处在我这样的困境。我又休息了几次，停在空中，接着我往后看了一下，看到身后那让我震撼的景色，也看到了山底下躺着的那些不起眼的小点儿。
就在那一刻、那个瞬间，我意识到我真正的目标。我并不是为了要证明我能爬上一座墙而爬墙。我爬墙是为了挑战我的极限，通过我每一次的猛力推动，每一个攀升，每一股拉力，我都让自己的极限一点点在无限延伸。于是我冒了一个险，我抓住了那座墙，这并不是因为我知道它在那儿，而是因为我并不知道它在那儿。我相信它就在那儿，那是当我的想象成为现实的一刻。我抓住了那座墙，开始往上跳，一手一手，一步一步，我豁出去了似的不再停顿，我没有为我的怀疑停下，没有为压力停下。我攀啊攀啊，我爬着那座墙，消耗着我体内的每一盎司最后的力气，而每次耗尽了，我又产生出更多。
“差不多了-”
我大吸了一口气。
“到了！”
我抓住最后一块岩石，不带一丝犹豫，我义无反顾地触摸了山顶。
我一边看着这令人吃惊的美景，一边高唱着“喔-呼-”。
在人群的喝彩声中我回到了地球。
我的眼睛现在是睁着的，而我意识到世上没有一个叫做“极限”的东西。你可以把极限这个东西设定为任何你想要的。就看你信不信你是行的。
写于2016年8月，上海
点击下一篇是艾伦的《我是》诗
点击进入艾伦的深度好文《对美国大选的思考》
Life Is A Rock
- by Alan Deutsch
“Climb on!” He said.
I hoisted myself off the ground, grabbing rocks and pulling myself with all my strength, further extending the distance between me and the ground while also closing the distance between me and my death. Alex was climbing beside me, and we both knew we were committed as there was no turning back now. I had always had experience with climbing walls, but an actual rock wall of which the only man-made thing was a harness. I never would have dreamed of climbing on that. I was thrilled to obtain the bragging-rights of climbing a mountain, but I still had a long way to go to feel any form of accomplishment. I was climbing in the peak of the day, and it was as if the sheer heat was evaporating my will. I took a break, looking for a place to put my hands.
“Come on Alan!”
“You got this.”
They were indeed cheesy remarks, but I felt encouraged by my intent and vigilant audience.
I didn’t have many dis-advantages besides one deciding factor: I’m short. I had always thought that being short didn’t mean anything when doing many sports, which is true… to an extent. You see, It’s kind of hard to climb gaps taller than you, and with my sticks for arms, I really struggled with pulling my whole 90 pounds up a hundred fifty feet. I had gotten the middle section of my course, and I was weary of my turnout. It was almost like there was nowhere to put my hands, later I found out that many people had also reached that same dilemma. I took a few more breaks, or “takes” as they would call it. Then I looked behind me, and saw the breathtaking scenery, including the tiny dots lying down on the base of the hill.
I realized my true purpose right then right there at that moment. I'm not supposed to climb a wall to prove that I can. I'm supposed to climb a wall to challenge my limits, and with every thrust, every hoist, every pull, I make myself that much more limitless. So I took a risk, and grabbed that wall, not because I knew it was there, but because I didn't know it was there. I believed that it was there, and that was when my imagination became a reality. I took that wall and leaped up, arm by arm, leg by leg. I didn't stop for life's problems, I didn't stop for my doubts, I didn't stop for pressure. I climbed and climbed, scaling the wall, disposing of every last ounce of strength and when I ran out, I simply made more.
“Almost- “
I took a deep breath.
“There!”
I grabbed a hold of the last rock, and beyond the shadow of doubt, I irrevocably touched the top of that mountain.
I yodeled out a loud “WOOOOHooooo” while looking at the astonishing view.
The crowd cheered as I came back down to Earth.
My eyes are open now, and I realize that there is no such thing as “limits.” You can set them to whatever you want. It just depends if you believe you can do it.
- August 2016, Shanghai
注：本文的英文由我十三岁的儿子Alan Deutsch 创作。中文翻译由我本人原创。