记住如果某件事让你很痛苦，你是有能力改变它的——不管它是工作还是感情还是其他任何事。要拥有改变的勇气。你不知道自己在这个世界上还剩多少时间，所以不要浪费它在痛苦中度过。
这段话出自澳大利亚女孩Holly Butcher之口。像大多数20多岁的年轻人一样，Holly以为美好的人生正在向自己招手。在她展望的未来中，她会和心爱的人一起慢慢变老，会哄睡在自己膝上的孙子、孙女睡觉，岁月会在自己的脸上留下令人骄傲的印记。
直到她被诊断出患有尤文肉瘤(Ewing’s sarcoma)，这是一种罕见的恶行骨肿瘤，患者多为年轻人。这位曾经充满活力、强大的女孩很快就变得虚弱不已，生命正在迅速逝去，自己却无能为力，她开始思考人生的意义，思考人生中哪些事情很重要，哪些事情根本不值得一提。Holly决定，把自己的感悟写成一封信。写完信后的第二天，她在家人的陪伴下离开了这个世界，年仅27岁。
Holly Butcher
Holly让家人在自己去世之后把这封信发表在自己的Facebook账号上，这封信发布不久就获得了很高的点击量，打动了无数人，让大家开始重新审视生命的意义，思考应该如何过好这一生。
每一天都是一份礼物，而不是被赋予的权利。
It’s a strange thing to realise and accept your mortality at 26 years young. It’s just one of those things you ignore. The days tick by and you just expect they will keep on coming; until the unexpected happens. I always imagine myself growing old, wrinkled and grey—most likely caused by the beautiful family (lots of kiddies) I planned on building with the love of my life. I want that so bad it hurts.
在26岁这么年轻就意识到并接受自己的死亡是一件奇怪的事。这就是你忽视的那些事情之一。时间一分一秒地过去，你期待它会接着到来；直到意外发生了。我总会想象自己变老，满脸皱纹、满头银发，而这一切最有可能是由我打算与人生挚爱所组建的那个美好家庭(有好多孩子)带来的。我很想拥有这一切，想得难过不已。
That’s the thing about life; it is fragile, precious and unpredictable and each day is a gift, not a given right.
这就是生命的特点；它脆弱、宝贵而又无法预料，每一天都是一份礼物，而不是被赋予的权利。
I’m 27 now. I don’t want to go. I love my life. I’m happy … I owed that to my loved ones. But the control is out of my hands.
我现在27岁了。我不想离开这个世界。我爱我的生命。我很幸福……我把这归功于我爱的人。但现在掌控权已不在我的手中。
I haven’t started this “note before I die” so that death is feared—I like the fact that we are mostly ignorant to its inevitability … Except when I want to talk about it and it is treated like a “taboo” topic that will never happen to all of us … That’s been a bit tough. I just want people to stop worrying so much about the small, meaningless stresses in life and try to remember that we all have the same fate after it all, so do what you can to make your time feel worthy and great, minus the bullshit.
我没有以“临终遗愿”为开头来写这封信，这样大家就会对死亡感到恐惧——我们大多对死亡的必然性一无所知，我喜欢这样……除了当我想要谈论死亡时，它被当做一个“禁忌”话题来对待，不会降临在我们所有人的身上……这样想有点残酷。我只是希望大家不再对生活中那些琐碎、无意义的压力感到特别担忧，试着记住我们最终都有同样的命运。所以做你能做的事，让你的人生活得有价值，活得精彩，抛开那些乱七八糟的事情。
I have dropped lots of my thoughts below as I have had a lot of time to ponder life these last few months. Of course it’s the middle of the night when these random things pop in my head most!
在过去的几个月，我有大把的时间思考人生，我把自己的许多思考都写在了下面。当然了，这些偶然的想法大多是在半夜突然出现在我脑中的！
你还能呼吸，想想你有多么幸运。
Those times you arewhinging (嘟嘟囔囔地抱怨) about ridiculous things (something I have noticed so much these past few months), just think about someone who is really facing a problem. Be grateful for your minor issue and get over it. It’s ok to acknowledge that something is annoying but try not to carry on about it and negatively affect other people’s days.
当你嘟嘟囔囔地抱怨那些荒唐可笑的事情(在过去的几个月中，我注意到不少这种事情)时，想想那些真正遇到问题的人吧。对你的小问题心怀感恩，想开点。可以承认某件事让人恼火，但试着不去抱怨它，不去消极地影响其他人的生活。
Once you do that, get out there and take a freaking big breath of that fresh Aussie air deep in your lungs, look at how blue the sky is and how green the trees are; it is so beautiful. Think how lucky you are to be able to do just that—breathe.
一旦你这样做了，走出门去，把澳大利亚的空气吸一大口到自己的肺里，看看天空是多么蓝，树木是多么绿；一切是如此美丽。你还能呼吸，想想你有多么幸运。
You might have got caught in bad traffic today, or had a bad sleep because your beautiful babies kept you awake, or your hairdresser cut your hair too short. Your new fake nails might have got a chip, or your belly is wobbling.
你今天可能被拥堵的交通困住了，或是因为你那漂亮的宝宝让你一直醒着而没有睡好觉，又或者你的发型师把你的头发剪得太短了。你新做的假指甲可能有的地方脱落了，或者你的肚子摇来晃去。
Let all that shit go. I swear you will not be thinking of those things when it is your turn to go. It is all SO insignificant when you look at life as a whole. I’m watching my body waste away right before my eyes with nothing I can do about it and all I wish for now is that I could have just one more birthday or Christmas with my family, or just one more day with my partner and dog. Just one more.
让所有这一切都见鬼去吧。我发誓当你即将离开这个世界时，你不会想那些事情。当你把人生视为一个整体时，这一切都是那样微不足道。我正看着自己的身体在我眼前衰退，而我却无能为力，现在我所希望的就是能和家人一起再过一个生日或圣诞节，或者和我的伴侣、狗狗再待一天。就再待一天。
I hear people complaining about how terrible work is or about how hard it is to exercise—Be grateful you are physically able to. Work and exercise may seem like such trivial things … until your body doesn’t allow you to do either of them.
我听人们抱怨工作有多么糟糕，或者运动有多难——你的身体还能运动，对此心怀感恩吧。工作和运动看起来可能是非常琐碎的事情……直到你的身体不允许你做任何一件事。
I tried to live a healthy life, in fact, that was probably my major passion. Appreciate your good health and functioning body—even if it isn’t your ideal size. Look after it and embrace how amazing it is. Move it and nourish it with fresh food. Don’t obsess over it.
我试着去过健康的生活，实际上，这大概是我主要的爱好。欣赏你拥有的健康和正常运转的身体——即便它并不是你理想的身材。好好照顾它，欣然接受了不起的它。让它动起来，用新鲜的食物滋养它。不要对它过于担心。
Remember there are more aspects to good health than the physical body … work just as hard on finding your mental, emotional and spiritual happiness too. That way you might realise just how insignificant and unimportant having this stupidly portrayed perfect social media body really is … While on this topic, delete any account that pops up on your news feeds that gives you any sense of feeling shit about yourself. Friend or not … Be ruthless for your own well-being.
记住除了身体以外，健康还有更多的方面……同样努力地寻找精神、情感和心灵的快乐吧。这样做你可能会意识到傻傻地塑造一个完美的社交媒体躯干是多么无关紧要、微不足道……聊到这个话题，请删去突然出现在你的动态消息中、让你对自己有任何糟糕看法的账号。不管它是敌是友……为了你自己的幸福，要果断一点。
Be grateful for each day you don’t have pain and even the days where you are unwell with a sore back or a sprained ankle, accept it is shit but be thankful it isn’t life threatening and will go away.
对没有痛苦的每一天都心怀感恩，甚至对你背痛、扭伤脚脖子的时候也心怀感恩，接受它们是一种不幸，但对它们并不会危及生命并终会消失而心怀感恩。
你为他人做事时会比为自己做事获得更多的快乐，这是真的。
Whinge less, people! … And help each other more.
少抱怨一点吧，大家！……多帮助彼此吧。
Give, give, give. It is true that you gain more happiness doing things for others than doing them for yourself. I wish I did this more. Since I have been sick, I have met the most incredibly giving and kind people and been the receiver of the most thoughtful and loving words and support from my family, friends and strangers; More than I could ever give in return. I will never forget this and will be forever grateful to all of these people.
给予，给予，给予。你为他人做事时会比为自己做事获得更多的快乐，这是真的。我真希望自己以前做得更多。自从我生病以来，我遇到了最懂得给予、最善良的人，也一直从家人、朋友和陌生人那里获得了最善解人意、最有爱的话语和支持，多得我永远都无以回报。我永远都不会忘记这一切，我将永远对所有这些人心怀感恩。
It is a weird thing having money to spend at the end … when you’re dying. It’s not a time you go out and buy material things that you usually would, like a new dress. It makes you think how silly it is that we think it is worth spending so much money on new clothes and “things” in our lives.
在你临终时还有钱要花出去，这是一件奇怪的事……这不是你出门去买平常会买的那些有形东西(比如一条新裙子)的时候。我们觉得把这么多钱花在买新衣服和生活中的那些“东西”上是值得的，而在生命的尽头，你会觉得这样想有多傻。
Buy your friend something kind instead of another dress, beauty product or jewellery for that next wedding. 1. No one cares if you wear the same thing twice. 2. It feels good. Take them out for a meal, or better yet, cook them a meal.Shout (请人喝酒) their coffee. Give or buy them a plant, a massage or a candle and tell them you love them when you give it to them.
下一次参加婚礼时，给你的朋友买一些体贴的东西，而不是另一条裙子、另一个美容产品或另一件珠宝首饰。1. 没有人在意你是否把同一件衣服穿了两次。2. 带朋友出去吃顿饭，或者给他们做一顿饭就更好了。请他们喝杯咖啡。送他们或给他们买一株植物，给他们做次按摩或送他们一支蜡烛，并告诉他们你爱他们。
Value other people’s time. Don’t keep them waiting because you are shit at being on time. Get ready earlier if you are one of those people and appreciate that your friends want to share their time with you, not sit by themselves, waiting on a mate. You will gain respect too.
重视他人的时间。不要因为你很难守时就让他们一直等待。如果你是这种人，提早做好准备，意识到你的朋友想要与你共度时光，而不是自己坐着，等待同伴。这样做你也会受到尊重。
This year, our family agreed to do no presents and despite the tree looking rather sad and empty (I nearly cracked Christmas Eve!), it was so nice because people didn’t have the pressure of shopping and the effort went into writing a nice card for each other. Plus imagine my family trying to buy a present knowing they would probably end up with it themselves … strange! It might seem lame but those cards mean more to me than any impulse purchase could. Mind you, it was also easier to do in our house because we had no little kiddies there. Anyway, moral of the story—presents are not needed for a meaningful Christmas. Moving on.
今年，我们一家人同意不互送礼物，虽然圣诞树看起来特别无趣、空落落的(平安夜我差点就不行了！)，但也很美好，因为大家没有购物的压力了，而是努力去为彼此写一张温馨的卡片。再加上一想到我的家人努力给我买一个礼物，心里却知道他们自己很可能最终是礼物的拥有者……好奇怪！这看起来似乎没有说服力，但对我而言那些卡片比任何一个冲动买来的礼物都更有意义。请注意，在我们家不互送礼物更容易操作还因为我们家没有小孩儿。不管怎样，我想分享的启示是，一个有意义的圣诞节并不需要礼物。接着谈别的方面。
记住如果某件事让你很痛苦，你是有能力改变它的。
Use your money on experiences … Or at least don’t miss out on experiences because you spent all your money on material shit.
把你的钱花在体验上……或者至少不要因为你把所有钱都花在了物质享受上而错过了体验。
Put in the effort to do that day trip to the beach you keep putting off. Dig your feet in the water and dig your toes in the sand. Wet your face with salt water.
努力去进行你一直推迟的海滩一日游吧。把双脚伸进海水中，把脚趾插入沙子里。用海水打湿你的脸。
Get amongst nature.
走进大自然。
Try just enjoying and being in moments rather than capturing them through the screen of your phone. Life isn’t meant to be lived through a screen nor is it about getting the perfect photo ... enjoy the bloody moment, people!
试着去享受当下、沉浸于当下，而不是通过手机屏幕捕捉当下。生命不应该在屏幕之中度过，也无关乎拍下最完美的照片……享受当下吧，大家！
Get up early sometimes and listen to the birds while you watch the beautiful colours the sun makes as it rises.
偶尔早早起床，听听鸟儿的鸣叫，看着太阳升起时呈现的美丽色彩。
Listen to music. Really listen. Music is therapy. Old is best.
听音乐，真的听进去。音乐有治愈性。最好听老歌。
Cuddle your dog.
拥抱你的狗狗。
Talk to your friends. Put down your phone. Are they doing okay?
放下手机，跟你的朋友们聊天，他们还好吗？
Travel if it’s your desire, don’t if it’s not.
如果你想旅行，那就去吧；如果旅行并不是你所期望的，那就不去。
Work to live, don’t live to work.
为生活而工作，不要为工作而生活。
Seriously, do what makes your heart feels happy.
说实在的，做能让你的心感到快乐的事情吧。
Eat the cake. Zero guilt.
吃蛋糕，别内疚。
Say no to things you really don’t want to do.
拒绝你的确不想做的事情。
Don’t feel pressured to do what other people might think is a fulfilling life … you might want a mediocre life and that is so okay.
别人可能认为这样做人生就有成就感，不要勉强自己去效仿……你可能想要平庸的人生，这完全没问题。
Tell your loved ones you love them every time you get the chance and love them with everything you have.
只要一有机会，告诉你爱的人你爱他们，并用你拥有的一切去爱他们。
Also, remember if something is making you miserable, you do have the power to change it—in work or love or whatever it may be. Have the guts to change. You don’t know how much time you’ve got on this earth so don’t waste it being miserable.
此外，记住如果某件事让你很痛苦，你是有能力改变它的——不管它是工作还是感情还是其他任何事。拥有改变的勇气。你不知道自己在这个世界上还剩多少时间，所以不要浪费它在痛苦中度过。
Oh and one last thing, if you can, do a good deed for humanity (and myself) and start regularly donating blood. It will make you feel good with the added bonus of saving lives. I feel like it is something that is so overlooked considering every donation can save 3 lives! That is a massive impact each person can have and the process really is so simple.
哦还有最后一件事，如果你可以，为人类(和我自己)做一点善举，开始定期献血吧。有了拯救生命这一额外的好处，这会让你感觉很不错。考虑到每次献血可以拯救三条生命，我觉得献血这件事之前被大大忽略了！这是每个人能起到的巨大作用，而这个过程真的很简单。
Blood donation (more bags than I could keep up with counting) helped keep me alive for an extra year—a year I will be forever grateful that I got to spend here on earth with my family, friends and dog. A year I had some of the greatest times of my life.
献血(我输了多少袋血我已经数不过来了)帮我多活了一年，让我在这世上和家人、朋友和狗狗一起度过，我将永远对这一年心怀感恩。这一年我经历了人生中最为重要的一些时刻。
…’till we meet again.
……直到我们再次见面。
Hol
霍利
我们可能时常抱怨自己的人生不如意，但当我们读完Holly这封动人的信，我们或许可以换一个角度看待人生，不再被生活中的纷扰和烦恼遮住双眼，少些抱怨，更多地去关注人生中的诸多美好。
人生只有一次，让我们在有限的生命中更加善待自己，更好地爱他人，把每一天都活出精彩。
本文转自：新东方英语