人的天性大致是差不多的，但是在习惯方面却各有不同，习惯是慢慢养成的，在幼小的时候最容易养成，一旦养成之后，要想改变过来却还不很容易。
例如说：清晨早起是一个好习惯，这也要从小时候养成，很多人从小就贪睡懒觉，一遇假日便要睡到日上三竿还高卧不起，平时也是不肯早起，往往蓬首垢面的就往学校跑，结果还是迟到，这样的人长大了之后也常是不知振作，多半不能有什么成就。祖逖闻鸡起舞，那才是志士奋励的榜样。
我们中国人最重礼，因为礼是行为的轨范。礼要从家庭里做起。姑举一例：为子弟者“出必告，反必面”，这一点点对长辈的起码的礼，我们是否已经每日做到了呢?我看见有些个孩子们早晨起来对父母视若无睹，晚上回到家来如入无人之境，遇到长辈常常横眉冷目，不屑搭讪。这样的跋扈乖戾之气如果不早早的纠正过来，将来长大到社会服务，必将处处引起摩擦不受欢迎。我们不仅对长辈要恭敬有礼，对任何人都应维持相当的礼貌。
大声讲话，扰及他人的宁静，是一种不好的习惯。我们试自检讨一番，在别人读书工作的时候是否有过喧哗的行为?我们要随时随地为别人着想，维持公共的秩序，顾虑他人的利益，不可放纵自己，在公共场所人多的地方，要知道依次排队，不可争先恐后的去乱挤。 时间即是生命。我们的生命是一分一秒的在消耗着，我们平常不大觉得，细想起来实在值得警惕。我们每天有许多的零碎时间于不知不觉中浪费掉了。我们若能养成一种利用闲暇的习惯，一遇空闲，无论其为多么短暂，都利用之做一点有益身心之事，则积少成多终必有成。常听人讲过“消遣”二字，最是要不得，好像是时间太多无法打发的样子，其实人生短促极了，哪里会有多余的时间待人“消遣”?陆放翁有句云：“待饭未来还读书。”我知道有人就经常利用这“待饭未来”的时间读了不少的大书。古人所谓“三上之功”，枕上、马上、厕上，虽不足为训，其用意是在劝人不要浪费光阴。
吃苦耐劳是我们这个民族的标帜。古圣先贤总是教训我们要能过得俭朴的生活，所谓“一箪食，一瓢饮”，就是形容生活状态之极端的刻苦，所谓“嚼得菜根”，就是表示一个有志的人之能耐得清寒。恶衣恶食，不足为耻，丰衣足食，不足为荣，这在个人之修养上是应有的认识，罗马帝国盛时的一位皇帝，Marcus Aurelius，他从小就摒绝一切享受，从来不参观那当时风靡全国的赛车比武之类的娱乐，终其身成为一位严肃的苦修派的哲学家，而且也建立了不朽的事功。这是很值得钦佩的，我们中国是一个穷的国家，所以我们更应该体念艰难，弃绝一切奢侈，尤其是从外国来的奢侈。宜从小就养成俭朴的习惯，更要知道物力维艰，竹头木屑，皆宜爱惜。
以上数端不过是偶然拈来，好的习惯千头万绪，“勿以善小而不为”。习惯养成之后，便毫无勉强，临事心平气和，顺理成章。充满良好习惯的生活，才是合于“自然”的生活。
Cultivating Good
Habits
Men are about the same in
human nature, but differ in habit. Habit is formed little by
little, and most easily in one's childhood. Once it is formed, it
is difficult to break.
For example,
the good habit of early
rising also starts from one's early life. Many people, however,
have been in the habit of sleeping late ever since they were kids.
They won't get up till late morning on holidays and even oversleep
on work days. Children are often late for school though they make a
rush even without washing up. Such children, when they grow up,
will often lack drive and most probably get nowhere. The story of
Zu Ti rising at cockcrow to practise swordplay should be a good
example for all men of resolve to learn
from.
We Chinese set great store by propriety because
it is the accepted rules of social behavior. Propriety begins from
the family. For example, children should keep their parents
informed of their whereabouts. That is the ABC of good manners on
the part of children. Yet some children just ignore their parents
when get up in the morning or come back from school. They often
pull a long face and refuse to converse when they meet their
elders. If they continue to be so cocky and willful without
correcting themselves as soon as possible, they will never get
along well with other people some day as members of society. We
should be polite not only to our elders, but also to all
people.
It is a bad habit to talk loudly to the
disturbance of others. Ask yourself if you ever made a lot of noise
while others were at their studies or at work. We should be
considerate of others at all times and places, caring for public
order and interests and abstaining from self-indulgence. In crowded
public places, you should line up and never push through to get
ahead of others.
Time is life. Our life is ticking away unnoticed
minute by minute and second by second. It is certainly alarming
when we come to think of it. Every day we are unconsciously wasting
many odd moments. We should acquire the habit of utilizing leisure
time, and snatch every odd moment to do whatever is beneficial to
our body and mind. That will enable us to achieve good results
little by little. People often talk most improperly about“seeking
relaxation”as if they had more than enough time for them to while
away. Life is, in fact, extremely short. How can you find so much
surplus time for you to fool away? Lu Fangweng says in one of his
poems,“Spend even the pre-meal odd moment in reading.”As far as I
know, many people did snatch the odd moment before a meal to do a
lot of reading. Our ancients recommended“three on's ”, that is,
doing reading even while you are on a pillow, on a horse or on a
nightstool. All that, though impracticable, serves the purpose of
advising people not to waste time.
Ours is a nation known for industry and
self-denial. Frugality has always been the teaching of our ancient
sages and wise men. A man of strong will should be able to endure
spartan living conditions. It should not be regarded as a disgrace
to live a simple life. Nor should it be regarded as a glory to live
a luxurious life. That should be the correct understanding one
needs for self-cultivation. Marcus Aurelius, emperor of the Roman
Empire in its heyday, refused to enjoy all comforts of life from
childhood and always kept away from amusements like the chariot
race then in vogue and other fighting-skill competitions. He
remained a life-long staunch Stoic philosopher and meanwhile
distinguished himself by numerous exploits. Ours is a poor country,
so it is even more necessary for us to see the tough conditions
facing us and renounce all luxuries, especially those coming from
abroad. We should build up the habit of leading a thrifty life. We
should bear in mind that all material resources are hard to come by
and should be treasured, even including their odds and
ends.
The above points have been picked by me at
random. Good habits are too numerous to be dealt with one by one,
but none, however, are too small to keep. Habit, once formed, will
become your natural and spontaneous behaviour. A life full of good
habits will be a life conforming with the law of nature.
There is
a wisdom in this, beyond the rules of physic: a man's own
observation, what he finds good of, and what he finds hurt of, is
the best physic to preserve health.
But it is a safer conclusion to say; this
agreeth not well with me, therefore I will not continue it; than
this; I fmd no offence of this, therefore I may use it. For
strength of nature in youth passeth over many excesses, which are
owing a man till his age. Discern of the coming on of years, and
think not, to do the same things still; for age will not be
defied.
Beware
of sudden change in any great point of diet, and if necessity
enforce it, fit the rest to it. For it is a secret, both in nature,
and state; that it is safer to change many things, than one.
Examine thy customs, of diet, sleep, exercise, apparel, and the
like; and try in anything thou shall judge hurtful, to discontinue
it by little and little; but so, as if thou doest fmd any
inconvenience by the change, thou come back to it again: for it is
hard to distinguish, that which is generally held good, and
wholesome, from that, which is good particularly, and fit for thine
own body.
To
be free minded, and cheerfully disposed, at hours of meat, and of
sleep, and of exercise, is one of the best precepts of long
lasting. As for the passions and studies of the mind; avoid envy;
anxious fears; anger fretting inwards; subtle and knotty
inquisitions; joys, and exhilarations in excess; sadness not
communicated.
Entertain
hopes; mirth rather than joy; variety of delights, rather than
surfeit of them; wonder, and admiration, and therefore novelties;
studies that fill the mind with splendid and illustrious objects,
as histories, fables, and contemplations of nature. If you fly
physic in health altogether, it will be too strange for your body,
when you shall need it If you make it too familiar, it will work no
extraordinary effect, when sickness cometh. I commend rather some
diet, for certain seasons, than frequent use of physic, except it
be grown into a custom.
For
those diets alter the body more, and trouble it less. Despise no
new accident in your body, but ask opinion of it In sickness,
respect health principally; and in health,
action.
For
those that put their bodies to endure in health, may in most
sickness, which are not very sharp, be cured only with diet, and
tendering.
Celsus
could never have spoken it as a physician, had he not been a wise
man withal, when he giveth it, for one of the great precepts of
health and lasting, that a man do vary, and interchange contraries;
but with an inclination to the more benign extreme: use fasting,
and full eating, but rather full eating; watching and sleep, but
rather sleep;sitting, and exercise, but rather exercise; and the
like.
So
shall nature be cherished, and yet taught masteries. Physicians are
some of them so pleasing, and conformable to the humour of the
patient, as they press not the true cure of the disease; and some
other are so regular, in proceeding according to art, for the
disease, as they respect not sufficiently the condition of the
patient Take one of a middle temper, or if it may not be found in
one man, combine two of either sort: and forget not to call, as
well the best acquainted with your body, as the best reputed of for
his faculty.
当你呱呱落地、啼哭不已时，周围的人却笑逐颜开；要认真的生活，只有这样，当你走到生命的尽头时，你才会含笑而眠，而周围的人却痛哭不已。
When you were born, you were crying and
everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you
die, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is
crying.
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(2023-12-01 08:08:53)