本文作者Regina Brett，是美國俄亥俄州克里夫蘭報紙 THE PLAIN DEALER 的專欄作家。
她說：「為了慶祝自己漸漸老去，我曾寫了《人生?我上的45節?》。
這是我平生最受歡迎的一篇專欄。
這個星期我的里程表將翻轉至50，故在此更新」。
She said， “ To celebrate growing older， I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolls over to 50 this week， so here's an update” 。
按：VCW將原文50節課裁為33節。
人生不是公平的，但還算是好的。
- Life isn't fair， but it's still good.
如果所懷疑，你只管邁出了一小步。
- When in doubt， just take the next small step.
人生苦短， 短到來不及浪費時間去恨任何人。
- Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
你?不必要每次吵架都要贏 。不妨同意你們之間存有不同的意見。
- You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
和你的過去和解，它就不會搗亂你的現在了。
- Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
不要拿自己的人生和別人比較。你根本不知道別人的生活是怎樣過。
- Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
一眨眼的功夫什麼都會變化，不過別擔心，上帝從來不眨眼。
- Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
深吸一口氣 ，會平靜你的心。
- Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
把無用的、醜陋的、 令人不高興的東西通通扔掉 。
- Get rid of anything that isn't useful， beautiful or joyful.
凡殺不了你的肯定會使你變得更堅強 。
- Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
再次得到童年的快樂永遠不嫌晚，但是第二次得到只能靠自己，不能靠別人。
- It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
點上蠟燭，用最好的被單，穿上最好的睡衣，不要等到特殊的場合才用。今天就是好日子。
- Burn the candles， use the nice sheets， wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
做好充分的准備，然後就順其自然 。
- Overprepare， then go with the flow.
現在就擺脫傳? ， 不要等到老了才穿紫色的衣服。
- Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
遇到倒霉的事可以問自己這樣一句話：五年以後 ， 這還重要嗎？”
- Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years， will this matter?"
原諒每一個人每一件事。
- Forgive everyone everything.
別人怎麼想， 與你無關。
- What other people think of you is none of your business.
時間能癒合幾乎任何傷口，但要給時間以時間。
- Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
相信奇跡會出現。
- Believe in miracles
上帝愛你因為他是上帝，不是因為你做了什麼，或者沒做什麼。
- God loves you because of who God is， not because of anything you did or didn't do.
不要總是回顧人生。現在就去表現，並盡量發揮。
- Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
老朽不堪總比英年早逝好。
- Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.
每一天都出門，奇跡在四處等著呢 。
- Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
如果我們把問題都堆在一起，看完了別人的，我們必會把自己的撿回來。
- If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's， we'd grab ours back.
忌妒是浪費時間。你已經擁有你所需要的一 切 。
- Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
最好的尚在後頭。
- The best is yet to come.
不管你感覺如何，起床、盛裝、好好表現 。
- No matter how you feel， get up， dress up and show up.
學會讓步。
- Yield.
閱讀詩篇。它涵蓋了每種情感。
- Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.
人生苦短，又何必長期悲憫。要不過?充實的生活，要不奄奄一息。
- Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living， or get busy dying.
當涉及到追求你所熱愛的人生，不要接受否定的答覆
- When it comes to going after what you love in life， don't take no for an answer.
如果你不要求， 你就得不?。
- If you don't ask， you don't get.
人生並沒有被繫上蝴蝶結，但它仍然是一份禮物。
- Life isn't tied with a bow， but it's still a gift.