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Gifts from the heart
來自內心的禮物
According to legend, a young man while roaming the desert came across a spring of delicious crystal-clear water.
有這樣一個傳說：一個年輕人在沙漠里漫游時偶然發現了一眼清泉。
The water was so sweet.
泉水清冽甘甜，
He filled his leather canteen so that he could bring some back to a tribal elder who had been his teacher.
于是年輕人用隨身的革制水壺盛了一壺，想要帶回去送給部落里一位曾做過他老師的老人。
After a four-day journey he presented the water to the old man who took a deepdrink,smiled warmly and thanked his student lavishly for the sweet water.
四天跋涉后，他終于將水送給了老人。老人滿滿飲了一口，露出了使人如沐春風的笑容，他對泉水的甘冽贊不絕口，也毫不吝惜對學生的感謝之詞。
The young man returned to his village with a happy heart.
于是年輕人滿心歡喜地回村去了。
Later, the teacher let another student taste the water.
后來，老師請另外一位學生嘗了嘗泉水。
He spat it out, saying it was awful.
學生一喝便吐了出來，說難喝極了。
It apparently had become stale because of the old leather container.
顯然，水因為裝在老舊的革制水壺里而不新鮮了。
The student challenged his teacher: “Master, the water was foul. Why did you pretend to like it?”
于是學生找到老師，質疑地問道：“老師，水明明難以下咽，你為什么還假裝很喜歡？”
The teacher replied, “You only tasted the water.
老師說：“你嘗到的僅僅是泉水，
I tasted the gift.
而我品到的則是饋贈。
The water was simply the container for an act of loving-kindness and nothing could be sweeter.”
泉水不過是滿盛著善舉的容器罷了，沒有什么比善舉更能沁人心脾了。”
I think we understand this lesson best when we receive innocent gifts of love from young children.
我想在我們收到孩子們充滿愛心的、純潔的禮物時可以很好地理解這個道理。
Whether it’s a ceramic tray or a macaroni bracelet,the natural and proper response is appreciation and expressed thankfulness because we love the idea within the gift.
不管那禮物是用陶瓷制的盤子還是用通心粉做的手鐲，最自然和最合適的回應都是欣賞和表達謝意，因為我們喜歡這禮物所包含的心意。
Gratitude doesn’t always come naturally.
感恩之心并不是與生俱來的。
Unfortunately, most children and many adults value only the thing given rather than the feeling embodied in it.
不幸的是，多數孩子和許多成人僅僅在乎所得的價值而不是禮物所承載的深情。
We should remind ourselves and teach our children about the beauty and purity of feelings and expressions of gratitude.
我們應該時刻提醒自己，也要教育我們的子女，感激之情有多么美麗與純潔，以及如何表達感恩的心情。
After all, gifts from the heart are really gifts of the heart.
不管怎樣，發自內心的饋贈才是盛滿了真心的禮物。
