雙語美文：生命中最好的東西都是免費的

I saw the most beautiful thing ever one morning.

某個早晨，我看到了世間最美的東西

It was early with a slight frost on the ground,

時候尚早，地上還有薄薄的冰霜

and I was walking on dewy grass down to the horse paddocks

我踩在結着露珠的草地上，向養馬的圍場走去

- my mind on the days chores.

心裏想着這一天要乾的活兒

Suddenly a blazing laser flash erupted straight from the ground about 15 feet in front of me,

忽然，在距離我大約15英尺的地方，一道鐳射閃光突然破土而出

and shot up into the sky.

直衝天際

It was so brilliant, clear and clean, it literally topped me in my tracks.

那光芒如此耀目，澄澈而晶瑩，我站在路中間，目瞪口呆

I thought the only thing that could make such a dazzling flash must be a diamond

我想，那東西能發出如此耀目的光芒，只可能是一顆鑽石了

- maybe someone had lost some kind of jewelry.

也許這是某人丟失的珠寶

Or some kind of weird reverse lightning strike

抑或是某種奇異的反向雷電

- so bright.

如此耀眼！

I waited to see if it repeated but it didn't.

我等待着，看它會不會再閃一次，結果並沒有

I walked slowly towards it.

我慢慢走向它

There was nothing to see.

卻什麼也沒有看到

I stared down at the grass,

我低頭看向草叢深處

searching for a glint of gold or some kind of metal.

尋找金子或者其他金屬折射的亮光

Nothing.

還是一無所獲

So I dropped down really close and there it was!

於是我俯身竭力靠近地面，終於找到了

A tiny - no bigger than a dime - trapdoor spider's web,

原來是一張活板門蜘蛛的蛛網，小小的，不比一枚硬幣大多少

delicately hanging between blades of grass,

正好接在兩片玻璃中間

glistening with miniature drops of dew,

透過小小的露珠折射着光芒

flashing and twinkling in a myriad of colors.

閃爍出千百種不同的色彩，灼灼逼人

The rising sun had caught the exact angle of the dewdrops,

升起的太陽從剛剛好的 角度射向露珠

and that laser light had exploded up into the sky.

於是就有一道鐳射光破土而出，直指天空

It was incredible and stunning,

這景象令人震驚，令人折服

such a powerful flash from something so small and fragile,

透過如此渺小，如此脆弱的東西，卻可以折射出如此強大的光芒

and I would have crushed it beneath my feet.

我差一點就將它踩碎

It was as though the unseen world was giving me a heads-up.

宇宙中我並未知曉的神祕世界已經對我發出了提醒

Hello! Look what's around you.

嘿，看看你的周圍！

I've never forgotten that moment.

我從未忘記過那一刻

So I say to everyone-

我還要對每個人說

take some time to notice the miracle of nature that most of us never even see.

大自然中有許多奇蹟，我們中大多數人從未目睹，花點時間去留意它們吧！

So much beauty all around us if we would only take the time.

只要我們肯付出一點時間，會發現周遭有如此多的美景！

Look at the brilliant colors and intricate patterns of tiny flowers that cover playing fields

看看在孩子們玩耍的空氣上開得爛漫的小花兒吧，它們的色彩如此明豔，結構如此精美

- we walk all over them without a second glance.

我們從它們身旁走過時，常常不會看第二眼

Watch a bee harvesting pollen .

看看收集花蜜的蜜蜂吧

So busy with a purpose.

爲了心中的使命辛勤忙碌

Tiny ants going about their day.

小小的螞蟻四處奔忙，它們也有自己的生活

Birds singing and fluffing their wings, being bossy.

鳥兒歌唱，拍打着翅膀，似乎是在耀武揚威

Busy iridescent beetles and glossy lizards.

看看忙碌的甲殼蟲色彩多麼斑駁，蜥蜴的色彩多麼光亮

The subtle shading and colors of practically any flower on earth are breathtaking and all natural

大地上，即使是不起眼的樹影，還有每一朵花的色彩，都美的如此奪人心魄，不着雕飾

- if we would only notice.

只要我們稍加留意，就會發現

It doesn't have to be a garden.

這樣的美景不一定只出現在花園裏

It can even be a weed flowering in the pavement crack.

人行道的裂縫中，一株開出花兒的野草，也有自己的美麗

So I say -

所以我想告訴你們

take the time

花些時間去留意吧

and each day discover from nature one secret beautiful thing that you can keep in your heart.

每天你都能從大自然找到一樣不被發現的美麗事物，把它留存在你的心裏

And get your children to do the same.

讓你的孩子們也這樣去做吧

Take a picture.

拍一張照片記錄下來吧

it's what life really consists of.

正是這樣的美麗匯聚成我們的生活

And it's free.

它們是完全免費的哦！