找誰倚靠—我們都是有故事的人(慢速) 來自內(nèi)心的禮物

Gifts from the heart

According to legend①, a young man while roaming② the desert came across a spring of delicious crystal-clear water. The water was so sweet. He filled his leather canteen③ so that he could bring some back to a tribal④ elder who had been his teacher. After a four-day journey he presented the water to the old man who took a deep drink, smiled warmly and thanked his student lavishly for the sweet water. The young man returned to his village with a happy heart.
Later, the teacher let another student taste the water. He spat⑤ it out, saying it was awful. It apparently had become stale⑥ because of the old leather container. The student challenged his teacher, “Master, the water was foul. Why did you pretend to like it?”
The teacher replied, “You only tasted the water. I tasted the gift. The water was simply the container for an act of loving-kindness and nothing could be sweeter.”
I think we understand this lesson best when we receive innocent gifts of love from young children. Whether it’s a ceramic⑦ tray⑧ or a macaroni⑨ bracelet, the natural and proper response is appreciation and expressed thankfulness because we love the idea within the gift.
Gratitude doesn’t always come naturally. Unfortunately, most children and many adults value only the thing given rather than the feeling embodied⑩ in it. We should remind ourselves and teach our children about the beauty and purity of feelings and expressions of gratitude. After all, gifts from the heart are really gifts of the heart.

① legend n. 傳說，傳奇故事
② roam v. 漫步，漫游
③ canteen n. 水壺，食堂
④ tribal a.（通常作定語）部落的
⑤ spit v. 吐出
⑥ stale a. 不新鮮的，陳腐的
⑦ ceramic a. 陶瓷的 n. 陶瓷器（常復(fù)數(shù)形式）
⑧ tray n. 盤，碟
⑨ macaroni n. 通心粉
⑩ embody v. 體現(xiàn)，使具體化