佚名/Anonymous
The past years fled when I overheard the little child's voice. Her parents had taken her to see the holiday lights in Washington, D.C. It was a clear, crisp December evening. The child spotted a lighted star on top of a chimney. "Oh, look!" she said. "Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might have the wish I wish tonight." There was nothing comic in her wish, and nothing was lessened by her mistaking an artificial star near at hand for a blazing orb light years away. The moment was sincere, innocent, and wrapped in wonder.
It is not by accident, I think, that a star is a symbol of light, guidance, and hope. It has inspired men and women of every age, every faith, every nation, and every era. To the ancient Egyptians, stars were the souls of the happy dead. To a modern scientist, stars are a demonstration of the great principles of a rational universe. To all, stars are a source of wonder.
Star light, star bright...There is a beauty in a star, in that point of light which seems to wink at us, as if sharing a secret joke. It reminds us that there is hope for man, so long as we do not take ourselves too seriously. It reminds us of perspective and the importance of balance. A confrontation with a colleague, a disappointment in our investments, the frustrations of daily living seem very small compared with the immensity of the universe and those laughing stars, inviting us to share in a cosmic good humor. The beauty of a star is the beauty of a laughing child, so long as we can look with child-like eyes.
First star I see tonight...There is another wonder. Each night, we can see the stars for the first time. We can, if we are so minded, recapture the rapture. We can look upon the first star we see and think of our individual faiths and our relationship with the infinite. We can feel that expansion of the soul which comes when we realize, again, that we are not limited to time and space, that our body is not all there is to man, that we are far, far more than some chemical accident. There are no accidents in a universe of order.
I wish I may, I wish I might have the wish I wish tonight... Wisely are we warned, "Be careful what you wish for, you may get it." Most of us have had the experience of wanting something to happen and, subsequently, being very glad that it did not. We will become what we think about and concentrate upon. Wishes have power because they are reflections of our focus, and that power can be used for good. To intend well is important.
So, at this season, I wish for you have the child-like wonder and joy which can see a star, love its beauty, utter a wish, and make that wish come true.
無意中，我聽見一個小孩子的話，這已經過去好多年了。那是在華盛頓，她的父母帶她去看假日燈火。那個十二月的夜晚明朗而又清澈，孩子看到煙囪頂端一顆明亮的星星，說道：“噢，看！星星亮，亮星星，我看到的今晚的第一顆星，我希望我可以，我祈禱我能實現今晚的願望。”她的許願中毫無可笑之處，就連她將人造燈誤認為是數光年之外的閃耀明星，也絲毫沒有減弱她的真誠。這是一個虔誠、純真、包圍著奇跡的光環的時刻。
我想，這並非偶然——星星是光芒、向導和希望的象征。它使每一個年齡段、每一種信仰、每一個國家、每一個時代的人備受鼓舞。在古埃及人看來，星星是幸福逝者的靈魂；而在現代科學家看來，星星是一個理性宇宙偉大定律的實證；對所有人來說，星星是奇跡的源泉。
星星亮，亮星星……星星蘊藏著一種美，那種光芒好像在向我們眨眼，似乎是與我們分享一個秘密笑話。它提醒我們，人總會有希望，隻要我們不對自己過於嚴肅。它提醒我們遠觀和平衡的重要性。同事間的矛盾，投資上的失望，日常生活中的挫折，比起浩瀚的宇宙和那些笑意盈盈的繁星，是多麽的渺小。它們邀請我們分享宇宙中的快樂。隻要我們用孩童般的眼光去看，星星之美就如同一個笑口常開的孩童之美。
我看見今晚的第一顆星……這是另一個奇跡。每個晚上，我們都能看見第一顆星。如果真有心的話，我們一定能找到快樂。我們仰望第一顆星，思索個人的信仰和我們與無限的關係。我們能感受到靈魂的擴張，在我們再一次意識到自己不再受限於時空，我們的身體並非是人類，也遠遠超越了某種化學的偶然的時候。在規律的宇宙中不存在偶然。
我希望我可以，祈禱我會實現今夜的願望，我們得到了明智的警告，“要謹慎地許願，因為你可能會實現它。”我們大多數人都經曆過這樣的事：我們希望某事發生，結果卻又為它沒有發生感到高興。我們會成為自己所想的和所關注的樣子。願望具有一種力量，因為它是我們注意力的反應，這種力量能生效。做好打算是非常重要的。
所以，在這個季節，我祈願你擁有孩童般的驚奇和快樂，這樣你就能看到星星。熱愛它的美好，許下一個心願，使這個願望變成現實。
Ideal is the beacon. Without ideal, there is no secure direction; without direction, there is no life.
—Leo Tolstoy
理想是指路明燈。沒有理想，就沒有堅定的方向；沒有方向，就沒有生活。
——列夫·托爾斯泰
artificial[?ɑ:ti?fi??l]adj.人造的；虛偽的；武斷的
This orange drink contains no artificial flavourings.
這種橙汁飲品不含人工調味料。
innocent[?in?snt]adj.無罪的；不懂事的；無知的；無辜的
It was an innocent deception, meant as a joke.
那是個無傷大雅的騙術，開個玩笑而已。
demonstration[?dem?ns?trei??n]n.示範；實證
This demonstration was a symptom of discontent among the students.
這次示威表明學生中有不滿情緒。
immensity[i?m?nsiti]n.無限的空間；巨大之物
Let me but soar in that sky, in its lonely immensity.
讓我在這片天空中高飛，翱翔在靜寂的無限空間裏。
同事間的矛盾，投資上的失望，日常生活中的挫折，比起浩瀚的宇宙和那些笑意盈盈的繁星，是多麽的渺小。
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如果真有心的話，我們一定能找到快樂。
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所以，在這個季節，我祈願你擁有孩童般的驚奇和快樂，這樣你就能看到星星。
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It is not by accident, I think, that a star is a symbol of light, guidance, and hope.
by accident：偶然
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Be careful what you wish for, you may get it.
wish for：希望得到；想要
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