这位塞尔维亚裔澳大利亚籍的基督教布道家天生没有四肢,但他勇于面对身体残障,创造了生命的奇迹。他经常以自己的经历为题材到世界各地演讲,鼓励人们面对生命的各种挑战。如果你遇到困难,或者觉得失去了希望,想想这些坚强勇敢的人吧,能够活在世上,其实就是一种恩惠。
If you’re a parent, you know the 1)anticipation, and perhaps even the fears you felt before your first child was born. With technology as it is today, so much can be discovered before hand. Fears can be laid to rest or plans can be made to 2)accommodate 3)complications. But it hasn’t always been that way.
如果你已经为人父母,你便了解在第一个孩子出生之前的那种期待——甚至是带点恐惧的心情。今天的科技发展让人们能够提前发现很多问题,因此父母可以放下忧虑,或者做好准备以应对并发症。然而,事情总有例外。
This is a true story about a young man named Nick Vujicic. According to the world’s standards, Nick was born with a 4)severe physical disability. But in his mind, he is not disabled at all. In fact, Nick says that to be disabled you would have to be unable to do the things you want or need to do. As challenging as it has been for him over the years, he has managed to conquer nearly every aspect of his life. Nick also says there are many people with a disability “in their mind,” and that’s what’s preventing them from achieving great things in this life. Nick is courageous and arguably the most inspirational person alive. Nick has a story to tell for anyone who will listen. Are you ready to hear it? 
这是关于一个年轻男子的真实故事,他的名字叫尼克·武伊契奇。以世俗标准来看,尼克出生时患有严重的身体残疾;不过在他看来,自己是完好无缺的。事实上,尼克说过,若你无法去做想做或需要去做的事情,那样才叫残疾。多年来他的残疾一直给他带来很大的挑战,不过现在他几乎在生活的所有领域都有所成就。尼克也说过,其实很多人患有“心理残疾”,使他们不能在生命中成就伟绩。尼克很勇敢,可说是当今世界上最鼓舞人心的一个榜样。尼克想为有心人讲一个故事,你准备好了吗?
A little over 27 years ago, in Melbourne, Australia, a young 5)pastor named Boris and his wife Dushka Vujicic were expecting their first child. 6)By all accounts, the 7)pregnancy was normal and the baby seemed to be healthy. There are no words to describe how they felt on December 4th, 1982, when their son came into the world – without any arms or legs. They were given no warning signs nor did they have time to prepare themselves for what seemed to be a hopeless situation. Even the doctors were in shock, unable to answer how or why this could have happened. 大约27年以前,在澳大利亚的墨尔本市,一个名叫鲍里斯·武伊契奇的年轻牧师和他的妻子杜什卡正在等待第一个孩子的降生。一切资料都显示怀孕很正常,胎儿似乎也很健康。然而,1982年12月4日,在这个孩子呱呱坠地的那一刻,他们的感受却无法言喻——孩子没有手,也没有脚。这对父母事前没有收到任何提醒,也没有时间让自己准备好应对这个看似绝望的情况。甚至连医生们也深感愕然,无法解释这样的事为什么会发生、到底是如何发生的。
Nick’s parents were 8)devastated and confused. They even wondered whether or not he would survive. But tests proved that Nick was a healthy baby. He just didn’t happen to have any 9)limbs.
尼克的父母悲伤而茫然,甚至怀疑这个孩子能否活下来。但测试结果证明尼克是一个健康的婴儿,只不过恰好没有四肢。
Five years had passed. It was time for Nick to start school. You might wonder how a person without arms or legs could get around. Well, Nick had help from his specially fitted 10)motorized chair that he could control with his 11)partial foot. (He calls it his “chicken drumstick.”) He enjoyed school and wanted to fit in and be like the other kids, but how does one do that when you are so different? Even though Nick looked different on the outside, he felt the same as any other kid on the inside. He just wanted to be loved and to know that everything was going to be okay, but everything was not okay, most of the time.
五年过去了,尼克该上学了。你也许会想一个没有手脚的人如何能够应付这件事。这要归功于一张特制电动椅,他可以用残缺不全的腿(他称之为“鸡腿”)操作这把椅子。他很喜欢上学,很想像其他孩子一样融入学校的环境。但是当一个人与别人的区别如此之大时,他又如何能做到这一点呢?虽然尼克外表看起来和别人很不一样,但他的内心和其他孩子没有区别。他只想被爱,想知道一切都会很顺利。可惜事与愿违,大多数情况下,事情并不是那么顺利。
People, even children, can be cruel and unkind. And Nick had to 12)endure all kinds of struggles and mistreatments, from being 13)gawked at to being 14)bullied. Nick tried to keep a 15)positive 16)outlook, and he tried to make friends, but at times the pressure was just too much. He would often stay home from school just to avoid the pain and suffering for a while. He even went through 17)bouts of anger and depression in which he thought about ending his own life. Fortunately, Nick’s family members were an endless source of comfort and encouragement during this very dark time in his life.
人——甚至孩子,有时候可以相当残酷无情。尼克必须忍受各种挣扎和虐待——从被别人盯着看到被欺负。尼克努力保持积极乐观的态度,努力去交朋友,然而有时压力实在太大。他常常不去上学,待在家里,暂时躲避痛苦和折磨。他还经历过愤怒和抑郁的时刻,甚至想过结束自己的生命。幸运的是,在生命中这段无比黯淡难熬的日子里,尼克的家人是他获得无尽安慰和勇气的源泉。
After begging God to grow arms and legs, Nick began to realize that his story was inspirational to many, and that he was thankful to be alive. He wanted to show the world that if he could face and overcome challenges without any arms or legs, then there was a good chance others could overcome whatever they were facing as well.
尼克乞求上帝让他长出手脚,随后他开始意识到自己的故事可以激励千千万万人,并为自己的生命心存感恩。他想让世界看到,如果没手没脚的他可以面对并且克服各种挑战,那么其他人也同样可以克服他们所面临的任何难题。
It’s amazing when you think about how many things we “normal” people 18)take for granted and complain about whenever we get a chance. Over the years, Nick has learned how to take care of himself and basically live on his own. He can shave, comb his hair, brush his teeth, get dressed; he can swim, play soccer, and he can even type 43 words per minute with his little “chicken drumstick.”
我们“正常人”总是把很多事情视为理所当然,一有机会就心生抱怨,只要你想一想这一点,便会觉得很奇妙。多年来,尼克学会了照顾自己,自力更生。他能剃须、梳头、刷牙、穿衣;他还会游泳、踢足球,甚至能用他的“鸡腿”以每分钟43个字的速度打字。
By the age of 19, Nick had not only earned a double degree in accounting and financial planning, he had also started his 19)motivational speaking 20)career. By the age of 23, Nick was 21)nominated for the Young Australian of the Year Award, which is a large honor in Australia.
19岁时,尼克不仅获得了会计和财务规划的双学位,还开始了他的励志演讲事业。23岁时,他获得了“年度澳大利亚杰出青年奖”提名——这在澳大利亚是无上的光荣。
Since his first speaking engagement, Nick has traveled the world telling his story and motivating millions of people – from corporate 22)executives to elementary school children. Now, Nick is also a successful stockmarket and 23)real estate 24)investor, and he is the 25)CEO of his own company.
从第一次演讲开始,尼克便到世界各地讲述自己的故事,激励了从公司主管到小学生等成千上万人。现在,尼克是一位成功的股市和房地产投资商,同时还担任自己公司的首席执行官。
Nick has also produced two motivational DVDs. One is called Life’s Greater Purpose and the other is No Arms, No Legs, No Worries. I have seen both. They are nothing short of amazing and inspirational. Nick has an endearing smile, boyish charm, quick 26)wit and 27)quirky sense of humor. In no way do you leave feeling like, “Wow, I feel sorry for that guy.” No, it’s actually the other way around. You wonder if you are not the one disabled, at least mentally anyway. He has probably done more in his 27 years of life than most people twice his age. It is quite evident that Nick has a passion for life, for love and for people. He calls himself the “hugging machine.” You might wonder how someone without arms can hug. Well, you’ll just have to see him in action.
尼克还发行了两张励志DVD,一张叫做《生命更远大的目标》,另一张叫做《没手,没脚,没烦恼》。这两张DVD我都看过了,非常神奇,令人惊叹不已。尼克拥有亲切的笑容,散发着孩子般的魅力,思维敏捷,幽默别具一格。你绝不会觉得:“哇,我真为这个人感到可惜。”绝不会如此,事实恰恰相反。你会想,虽然你的身体并没有残疾,但也许心灵上有所残缺。他在27年的生命里所做的事情或许比大部分年龄是他两倍的人所做的还要多。显而易见,尼克对生命、对爱、对人都满怀激情。他称自己为“拥抱机器”。你可能会奇怪一个没有手臂的人怎么去拥抱别人。只要见过他本人,你就会明白了。
Nick is the kind of person you can’t help but love, no matter what he looks like on the outside, because he has such a big heart. Through his speaking career and with the distribution of his DVDs, Nick has “touched” millions of people’s lives. I guarantee you, most who have seen him, heard his message and taken it to heart, have been changed forever. I know I have. And yet he will more than inspire you, he will challenge you to face whatever it is that is holding you back from realizing your dreams, and he will encourage you to discover your greater purpose in this life.
无论外表如何,尼克都是那种令人心生喜爱的人,因为他有一颗宽广的心。尼克通过环球演讲和发行DVD,“触动”了成千上万人的生活。我向你保证,见过他、听到他的信息并且牢记在心的大多数人从此改变了。我就是其中一个。然而,他不仅激励你,还会敦促你去面对阻碍你追寻梦想的一切困难,鼓励你去发现此生中更远大的目标。
