美文欣賞:患難見人心，逆境見真情

My community and state are still recovering from the catastrophe that struck recently. A wall of storms with hurricane force winds struck late on a Friday evening knocking down trees, blocking roads, damaging homes, and destroying power lines.
最近的一次災難給我們的州、我們的社區帶來了很大的影響。暴風雨夾雜着颶風在週五的晚上登陸，樹木被颳倒，道路被封鎖，家園被摧毀，電路被中斷。

Hundreds of thousands of people suddenly found themselves in the dark without water, electricity, air conditioning, telephones, internet, and television. They found themselves cut off from the modern world enduring sweltering 90 degree plus heat with no help and no idea when it would be over.
數以萬計的人生活在黑暗缺水的環境中，因爲電路的中斷，無法使用空調、電話，也不能上網、看電視。受災羣衆發現自己徹底和外界斷了聯繫，忍受着華氏90度（32攝氏度）以上的高溫，束手無策，而且不知道生活何時能恢復正常。

The most amazing thing happened, however, as the reality of the crisis sank in: it brought out the best in us. While there were a few acts of selfishness and stealing they were overwhelmed by the wave of love and compassion that came from the hearts of so many.
但是不可思議的事情發生了，儘管危機降臨，但是它讓我們激發了我們最好的本質。儘管也偶爾有自私和偷盜的行爲，我們絕大多數人都沐浴在愛和熱情之中。

People shared their food, ice, and gasoline. People who still had power opened their homes to those who had none. People rushed out to clear roads and homes of fallen trees. Selfless power crews worked around the clock to repair the damage and restore electricity.
我們互相之間分享食物、冰塊、汽油。家裏還有電的人會向那些家裏斷電的人敞開家門。人們自發的跑到街上清理道路和家中倒下的樹木。無私的電力維修工爭分奪秒修理電路，恢復供電。

People gathered on front porches to talk, share hugs and offer words of hope and faith that God would see them through it all. Strangers came together as one family to help each other in this time of great need.
人們在前門廊交談鼓勁、相互擁抱，說着神明如果看到他們的遭遇會給他們帶來希望和信仰。

It was such a joy seeing all these people acting like true Children of God under the most trying of circumstances.
面對如此困境，這些人就像上帝之子散播的善良，不禁讓人心生欣慰。

Life's disasters strike all of us from time to time. No one is spared.
生活中的災難總會時不時給我們打擊。無人能倖免。

We all get hurt. We all get challenged.
我們都會受傷，我們都會遇到挑戰。

We all get squeezed by difficulties during our days here.
我們都會被生活的磨難壓榨。

How we respond to them, though, is up to us.
不過，我們怎麼樣應對則它取決於我們自己。

We can let them bring out the worst is us or we can let them bring out the best in us. We can react to them like demons of selfishness or like angels of love.
他們可以讓我們展現最醜陋的一面，也可以讓我們展現最善良的一面，我們可以變成魔鬼般的自私也可以變成天使般的仁愛。

May you always bring the best from your heart and soul to whatever life may throw at you then. May you live all of your days here with so much love that Heaven sings and God smiles.
願不管生活如何待你，你都能還以發自內心的善良。願你此生浸潤在愛中，就像天堂的笙歌和上帝的微笑。