如果我是男孩(If I Were a Boy Again )

ifiwereaboyagain,iwouldpracticeperseverancemoreoften,andnevergiveupathingbecauseitwasorinconvenient.ifwewantlight,wemustconquerdarkness.perseverancecansometimesequalgeniusinitsresults.“thereareonlytwocreatures,”saysaproverb,“whocansurmountthepyramids—theeagleandthesnail.”ifiwereaboyagain,iwouldschoolmyselfintoahabitofattention;iwouldletnothingcomebetweenmeandthesubjectinhand.iwouldrememberthatagoodskaternevertriestoskateintwodirectionsatonce.

thehabitofattentionbecomespartofourlife,ifwebeginearlyenough.ioftenheargrownuppeoplesay,“icouldnotfixmyattentiononthesermonorbook,althoughiwishedtodoso”,andthereasonis,thehabitwasnotformedinyouth.

ifiweretolivemylifeoveragain,iwouldpaymoreattentiontothecultivationofthememory.iwouldstrengthenthatfacultybyeverypossiblemeans,andoneverypossibleoccasion.ittakesalittlehardworkatfirsttorememberthingsaccurately;butmemorysoonhelpsitself,andgivesverylittletrouble.itonlyneedsearlycultivationtobecomeapower.

ifiwereaboyagain,iwouldcultivatecourage.“nothingissomildandgentleascourage,nothingsocruelandpitilessascowardice,”saysawiseauthor.wetoooftenborrowtrouble,andanticipatethatmayneverappear.”thefearofillexceedstheillwefear.”dangerswillariseinanycareer,butpresenceofmindwilloftenconquertheworstofthem.bepreparedforanyfate,andthereisnoharmtobefeared.

ifiwereaboyagain,iwouldlookonthecheerfulside.lifeisverymuchlikeamirror:ifyousmileuponit,ismilesbackuponyou;butifyoufrownandlookdoubtfulonit,youwillgetasimilarlookinreturn.

innersunshinewarmsnotonlytheheartoftheowner,butofallthatcomeincontactwithit.“whoshutsloveout,inturnshallbeshutoutfromlove.”

importanceoflearningveryearlyinlifetogainthatpointwhereayoungboycanstanderect,anddecline.

ifiwereaboyagain,iwouldschoolmyselftosaynomoreoften.imightwritepagesonthedoinganunworthyactbecauseitisunworthy.

ifiwereaboyagain,iwoulddemandofmyselfmorecourtesytowardsmycompanionsandfriends,andindeedtowardsstrangersaswell.thesmallestcourtesiesalongtheroughroadsoflifearelikethelittlebirdsthatsingtousallwinterlong,andmakethatseasonoficeandsnowmoreendurable.

finally,insteadoftryinghardtobehappy,asifthatwerethesolepurposeoflife,iwould,ifiwereaboyagain,iwouldstilltryhardertomakeothershappy.