做好自己

       ①在非洲和南亚一带，生活着一种叫狞猫的动物，它们身手十分矫健又极善跳跃，能跳起好几英尺高捕捉刚起飞的小鸟。特别是有个地方的狞猫，为了能捕获更多的鸟类，还常把自己装扮成麝的样子。因为那儿有种鸟主要靠吃麝身上的虱子为生，跟麝长得有几分相似的狞猫，便模仿麝的样子低头吃草，还将麝的粪便涂在自己的身上，等鸟寻着麝的气味来吃虱子时，狞猫便突然跃起将鸟捕住。

       ②可是，狞猫这样聪明的举止，却为自己招来了杀身之祸。因为当地有些居民经常捕杀麝，以取得麝身上的麝香去卖钱，结果他们常把草丛中的狞猫误认为是麝而进行射杀。许多狞猫就这样由于模仿麝太逼真，而断送了性命。

       ③其实，不管是动物还是人，保持本色、做好自己才是最重要的，否则失去的只会更多。这样的事例，自古有之。像古代效颦的东施和邯郸学步的少年，他们不愿做真实的自己，结果不仅没有变得更漂亮，反而贻笑天下。

       ④做好自己，就不要在世俗之中迷失自我。生活中，有许多人本来有着自身的优点，然而他们为了迎合他人，不仅没有放大自己的优点反而没有了自己。特别是追求时尚的生活，还需要金钱为基础，有时甚至还需付出其他的代价。不是有人因为美容，结果反而毁容了吗？保持朴素的生活，留住那份属于自己的真实，这样的人往往更加令人欣赏和敬佩。老是羡慕别人的光彩、追随别人的风光，就会活得很累、很不成功。就像作家，耐不住寂寞，就没有精品佳作的问世；就像教授，抵不住浮躁，就没有研究成果的出笼；           ，         ，         。快乐和成功，往往源自于做好自己。

       ⑤做好自己，就不要在欲望面前毁灭自我。在我们的生活中，常常会存在各种各样的诱惑，而一个人在欲望面前最容易失去自己。可以说，许多欲望就如同是潜伏在我们身体内的病毒，不及时把它们剔除，我们就容易被物欲美色缠上，被功名利禄击倒，就会身陷其中无法自拔。有不少人，因为在物欲横流中守不住清贫、经不起诱惑，以致不顾道德舆论的约束，不顾法规法纪的禁止，不惜铤而走险，结果毁灭了自己。所以，古人说：“贪者如火，不遏则自焚；欲者如水，不遏则自溺。”远离欲望，怀着平常心、知足心去看待眼前的一切，我们才能保持本色，坚守自我，从而拥有莫大的幸福和成就感。

       ⑥小草有小草的柔媚，花朵有花朵的芳香，大树有大树的挺拔。做好自己，我们才能打造靓丽的人生花园。

    A friend of mine named Paul received an expensive car from his brother as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office, a street urchin(顽童) was walking around a shining car. “Is this your car, Paul?” he asked.
    Paul answered,“Yes, my brother gave it to me for Christmas.”The boy was surprised.“You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn't cost you anything. Boy, I wish…”He hesitated(犹豫).
    Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like that. But what the boy said surprised Paul greatly.
   “I wish,”the boy went on,“that I could be a brother like that.”Paul looked at the boy in surprise, then he said again,“Would you like to take a ride in my car?”
   “Oh, yes, I'd love that.”
    After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes shining, said，“Paul, would you mind driving in front of my house?”
    Paul smiled a little. He thought he knew what the boy wanted. He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big car. But Paul was wrong again,“Will you stop where those two steps are?”the boy asked.
    He ran up to the steps. Then in a short while Paul heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little diabled brother. He sat him down on the step and pointed to the car.
   “There she is. Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn’t cost him a cent. And some day I’m going to give you one just like it...then you can see for yourself all nice things in the Christmas window that I’ve been trying to tell you about.”
    Paul got out and lifted the boy to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began an unforgettable holiday ride.