Never Give Up 永不放棄

One day I decided to quit...
有一天我決定要放棄...
I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality...
放棄我的工作，我的人際關係，我的心靈...
I wanted to quit my life.
我要放棄我的生命。
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
我到林子裡和老天爺做最後的交談。
"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
"老天爺啊"我說"能給我一個不放棄的好理由嗎?"

His answer surprised me...
他的回答讓我訝異..
"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"看看你的周圍"他說"你看到羊齒和竹子沒有?"
"Yes", I replied.
"有"我答道。

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds,
"當我種下羊齒和竹子的種子，
I took very good care of them.
我細心的照顧他們。
I gave them light. I gave them water.
我給它們陽光，我給它們水。

The fern quickly grew from the earth.
羊齒很快地從地裡長出來。
Its brilliant green covered the floor.
它的艷綠覆蓋了地面。

Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed.
可是竹子的種子卻毫無動靜。
But I did not quit on the bamboo.
但是我沒有放棄竹子。

In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.
第二年羊齒長得更快更濃密。

And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed.
然而竹子卻依然無動靜。
But I did not quit on the bamboo." He said.
他說:但我仍然沒有放棄竹子。

"In the third year, there was still nothing from the bamboo seed.
第三年，竹子的種子依舊無進展。

But I would not quit. In the fourth year, again,
在第四年同樣的我依然沒有放棄，
there was nothing from the bamboo seed.
竹子的種子仍是無動靜。
"I would not quit." He said.
"我沒有放棄"他說。
"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth.
"然而在第五年的時候，地面冒出了一個嫩芽。

Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...
比起羊齒那是又小又不起眼....
But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.
可是6個月過後竹子上長超過了100呎。

It had spent the five years growing roots.
它花了五年時間扎根。
Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.
那些根使得竹子強壯並賴以存活。

I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."
我不想讓我的任何一個創作，子民面對無法應付的挑戰。"
He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have
他對我說"你知道嗎，我的孩子，那些你所歷經的
been struggling, you have actually been growing roots?"
掙扎，實際上已經讓你扎下了根?"

"I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you."
"我既不會放棄竹子。我也永遠不會放棄你。"

"Don't compare yourself to others." He said.
"不要和別人比較。"老天爺說。

"The bamboo had a different purpose t han the fern.
"竹子和羊齒各有不同的作用。

Yet, they both make the forest beautiful."
然而它們都使森林美麗"。

"Your time will come", God said to me. "You will rise high!"
"你會有這一天的"，老天爺對我說。"你會長的很高!"

"How high should I rise?" I asked.
"高到什麼程度呢?"我問道。

"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
"竹子會長多高呢?"他反問我。
"As high as it can?" I questioned.
"能多高就有多高嗎?"我疑惑的問。
"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."
"是的。"他說"盡你所能提昇你自己讓我與有榮焉。"

I left the forest and bring back this story.
我帶著這個故事離開了林子。

Never regret a day in your life.
永遠不要為生命中的任何一天後悔。

Good days give you happiness;
好日子給你快樂;

Bad days give you experiences;
壞日子給你經驗;

Both are essential to life.
兩者都是生命中必經之途。

Keep going....
繼續往前走....
Happiness keeps You Sweet,
快樂使你甘甜，

Trials keep You Strong,
試練使你剛強，

Sorrows keep You Human,
憂傷讓你保有人性，

Failures keep You Humble,
失敗讓你保有謙卑，

Success keeps You Glowing!
成功讓你保有熱心!