英语美文：Two extremes in life

It has been so bitterly cold here in Pennsylvania.

　　I can’t remember a winter being as cold as this, but I’m sure there were colder days.

　　Even though the daylight hours are growing longer minute by minute, it’s easy to find an excuse not to go out unless you absolutely must, but then again I often have to push myself to accomplish things.

　　People I speak to have been in all kinds of nasty moods. They say they’re “under the weather,” not feeling good about this time of year.

　　As I stood outside with my two dogs yesterday, it was so cold that my nose and face felt crisp and my cars were stinging.

　　Of course, that doesn’t matter to Ricky and Lucy. They have a routine they must go through to find just the fight spot no matter how cold or hot it is.

　　Two extremes in life 生活中的两极

　　So I wait.

　　But this time it was different. As cold as it was, I suddenly was invigorated thinking about how wonderful this extreme cold really was.

　　Then the sun broke through the clouds and memories of summer’s scorching¹ hot days flashed through my mind. I could remember standing² in the heat of the afternoon, sweat pouring down my brow and the hot, burning sun against my face. I reminded myself then and there that in the cold of the winter I would wish I had this heat.

　　I was right.

　　Two extremes in my life that most of the time I find uncomfortable, I normally dread³ them and gripe about it all the way through.

　　But today I was grateful for them. Without the extremes in my life, I would never appreciate the days when things were just right. Without the extremes life would be boring.

　　It’s being pushed to one of the extremes that makes us appreciate the middle more. Health challenges reminds us that we need to pay more attention to how we live. Financial extremes reminds us that when things are in excess it’s time to tuck away for when the times are lean.

　　So bring on the cold so I appreciate the heat more.

　　Make me sweat on a hot summer’s day so I wish I had a handful of snow to rub my face in.

　　I’ve come to the conclusion that all too often I find a reason not to be happy with where I am at that moment.

　　Whether it’s hot or cold, good health or bad, in the money or out of it, I always wanted it to be different.

　　But no more. I want to start finding a reason to be happy right where I am. Even if it’s simply the fact that I’m alive.

　　I’m tired of being “Under the Weather!”

1 scorching   

adj. 灼热的

参考例句：

• a scorching, pitiless sun 灼热的骄阳
• a scorching critique of the government's economic policy 对政府经济政策的严厉批评

2 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

3 dread   

vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧

参考例句：

• We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
• Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。