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A little stream flowed down from a high mountain far, far away through many villages and forests until it reached a desert. The stream then thought, "I've been through countless obstacles. I should have no problem crossing this desert!" But when she decided to start her journey, she found herself gradually disappearing into the mud and sand. After numerous tries, she found it was all in vain and was very upset. "Maybe it's my destiny! I'm not destined to reach the vast ocean in the legend," she murmured dejectedly to herself.
有一条小河流从遥远的高山上流下来，经过了许多的村庄与森林，最后它来到一处沙漠。它想：「我已经越过了重重障碍，这次应该也可以越过这个沙漠吧！」当它决定越过沙漠时，却发现自己的河水渐渐消失在泥沙中，它试了一次又一次，总是徒劳无功，最后它灰心了。「也许这就是我的命运吧！我注定永远也到不了传说中那个浩瀚大海。」它颓丧地自言自语。
At this time, a deep voice came, saying, "If a breeze can cross the desert, so can a river."
此时，四周响起了一阵低沉的声音：「如果微风可以跨越沙漠，那么河流也可以。」
It was the voice of the desert. Unconvinced, the little stream replied, "That's because a breeze can fly, but I cannot."
原来这是沙漠发出的声音。小河流很不服气地回答说：「那是因为微风可以飞过沙漠，然而，我根本飞不起来啊！」
"That's because you stick to what you are. If you're willing to give it up and let yourself evaporate into the breeze, it can take you across, and you can reach your destination," said the desert in its deep voice.
因为你坚持自己原来的样子，所以你永远无法跨越这个沙漠。只要你愿意放弃现在的样子，让自己蒸发到微风中，微风就能带着你飞越过去，这样你才能到达目的地。」沙漠用它低沉的声音说道。
The little stream had never heard of such a thing. "Give up what I am now and disappear into the breeze? No! No!" She could not accept this idea. After all, she had never experienced anything like it before. Wouldn't it be self-destruction to give up what she was now?
小河流从来不知道有这样的事情，「放弃我现在的样子，然后消失在微风中？不！不！」小河流无法接受这种概念，毕竟它从未有过这样的经验，叫它放弃现在的样子，不等于是自我毁灭了吗？
"How do I know if this is true?" asked the little stream.
我怎么知道这是真的？」小河流这么问。
"The breeze can carry the vapor across the desert and release it as rain at an appropriate site. The rain will form a river again to continue its course," answered the desert very patiently.
微风可以把水气包含在它之中，然后飘过沙漠，到了适当的地点，再把这些水气释放出来，于是就变成了雨水。然后这些雨水又会汇聚形成河流，继续向前进。」沙漠很有耐心地回答。
"Will I still be what I am now?" asked the little stream.
那我还是原来的河流吗？」小河流问。
"Yes, and no. Whether you're a river or an invisible vapor, your inner nature never changes. You stick to the fact that you're a river because you don't know your inner nature," answered the desert.
可以说是，也可以说不是。不管你是一条河流或是看不见的水蒸气，你内在的本质从来没有改变。你会坚持自己是一条河流，那是因为你从来不知道自己内在的本质。」沙漠回答。
Deep down, the stream vaguely remembered that before she became a river, it was perhaps also the breeze that had carried her halfway up a high mountain, where she turned into rain and fell onto the ground and became what she was now. Finally, the little stream gathered her courage and rushed into the open arms of the breeze, which carried her to the next stage of her life.
此时小河流的心中，隐隐约约地想起了自己在变成河流之前，似乎也是由微风带着自己，飞到内陆某座高山的半山腰，然後变成雨水降落地面后，才变成今日的河流。于是小河流终于鼓起勇气，投入微风张开的双臂，消失在微风之中，它让微风带着自己，奔向生命中某一段旅程的归宿。
The course of our lives is like the experience of the little stream. If you want to surpass the obstacles in your life to head for the destination of Truth, Virtue, and beauty, you should also have the wisdom and courage to renounce your ego (attachment to yourself).
我们的生命历程也像小河流一样，若想要跨越生命中的障碍，朝真善美的目标迈进，也必须具有「放下自我（执着）」的智慧与勇气。
Perhaps you can try asking yourself these questions: What is my inner nature? What is it that I cling to? and What is it that I want?
也许你可以试着问自己：我的本质是什么？我紧抓不放的是什么？我要的究竟是什么？
来源：作文地带整理
