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According to legend , a young man while roaming the desert came across a spring of delicious crystal-clear water. The water was so sweet, he filled his leather canteen so he could bring some back to a tribal elder who had been his teacher.
After a four-day journey he presented the water to the old man who took a deep drink, smiled warmly and thanked his student lavishly for the sweet water. The young man returned to his village with a happy heart.
Later, the teacher let another student taste the water. He spat it out, saying it was awful . It apparently had become stale because of the old leather container.
The student challenged his teacher: "Master, the water was foul. Why did you pretend to like it?"
The teacher replied, "You only tasted the water. I tasted the gift. The water was simply the container for an act of loving-kindness and nothing could be sweeter."
I think we understand this lesson best when we receive innocent gifts of love from young children. 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.
Gratitude doesn’t always come naturally. Unfortunately, most children and many adults value only the thing given rather than the feeling embodied in it. We should remind ourselves and teach our children about the beauty and purity of feelings and expressions of gratitude. After all, gifts from the heart are really gifts of the heart.
据传说，一位年轻的男子在漫游沙漠途中发现一泉如水晶般清澈而可口的水。水的味道非常甜美，于是他灌满了他的皮水壶，这样就可以带一些回去，送给曾经是他老师的部落长老。
经过四天的旅程，他把水呈献给老人。老人深饮一口，和蔼地笑了笑，并深切感激学生赠予他甜美的水。年轻人怀着愉快的心情回到了村庄。
后来，老师让他的另一个学生品尝水。学生吐了出来，说水太难喝了。很显然，水已经因为陈旧的皮革容器而变得不再新鲜。
学生质疑他的老师：“师父，水是臭的，你为什么要假装喜欢它？”
老师回答说，“你只品尝了水的味道，我却是在品尝礼物的味道。水仅仅是装载善与爱之行为的容器，而没有什么东西比善与爱更甜美了。”
我认为当我们从天真的孩子们那里收到爱的礼物时，最能透彻地明白这个道理。无论它是一个陶瓷托盘或通心粉手镯，我们自然而恰当的反应是欣赏，并表示感激，因为我们喜欢礼物所包含的心意。
感恩并不总是自然而来的。不幸的是，大多数儿童和成人只看重被赠予的东西本身，而
不是它体现的情谊。我们应该提醒自己，并教导我们的孩子，感情和对感激之情的表达是美丽而纯洁的。毕竟，发自内心给予的礼物才是真正的礼物。
according to按照，根据，取决于
例句 According to Mick, it’s a great movie. 听迈克说，这是一部很好的电影。
legend ['ledʒənd] n.传说，传奇故事；传奇人物
例句 The little girl is very interested in the old legend of immortal creatures. 小女孩对有关永生的精灵的古老传奇非常感兴趣。
roam [rəum] v.随便走，漫步，漫游
例句 He settled down after years of roaming. 漂泊数年后，他定居了下来。
crystal-clear ['kristl'kliə] adj.透明似水晶的，易懂的
例句 I want to make my meaning crystal-clear. 我想要清楚地表达我的意思。
leather ['leðə] n.皮革，皮革制品
例句 His black leather couch looks expensive. 他的黑色皮沙发看上去很昂贵。
canteen [kæn'ti:n] n.食堂；小卖部；餐具箱；水壶
例句 He always bring a canteen with him on a hike. 他作徒步旅行时总是带着水壶。
tribal [traibəl] adj.部落的
例句 Tribal dancers were wearing grotesque masks. 部落中跳舞的人戴着古怪的面具。
lavishly ['læviʃli] ad.大方地；慷慨地
例句 His house is lavishly adorned. 他的家装饰得非常华丽。
awful ['ɔ:ful] a.极坏的，不舒服的，非常的，极大的
例句 It was awful to see him in such pain. 看到他这样痛苦真叫人难过。
stale [steil] a.不新鲜的；陈腐的，过时的
例句 They had nothing to eat but stale bread. 除了陈面包外，他们没有别的东西可吃。
pretend [pri'tend] v.假装，装作
例句 The young actor pretended to be Hamlet. 那个年轻演员扮演哈姆雷特。
ceramic [si'ræmik] a.陶瓷的 n. [ pl.]陶瓷器
例句 I like the ceramic bowl you gave me. 我喜欢你给我的陶瓷碗。
tray [trei] n.盘，托盘，碟
例句 Did you see the tray I left on the table 。你看见我落在桌上的托盘了吗？
macaroni [,mækə'rəuni] n.通心粉
例句 Her favorite dish is macaroni cheese. 她最爱的菜是意式起司通心粉。
bracelet ['breislit] n.手镯，臂镯
例句 Her bracelet was set with emeralds. 她的手镯上镶着绿宝石。
embody [im'bɔdi] vt.使具体化，体现；包括，包含，收入
例句 She embodies her principles in her behavior. 她把自己的原则体现在行动中。
purity ['pjuəriti] n.纯净，纯洁，纯正
例句 Chinese people regard lotus as an emblem of purity. 中国人把莲花看作是纯洁的象征。
He spat it out, saying it was awful.
此处的saying是分词形式的伴随状语。
伴随状语是指状语的动作伴随主句发生，特点是其所表达的动作或状态是伴随着句子谓语动词的动作而发生或存在的。用法是，在主句后面用分词形式表示伴随。
例句
He sat in the armchair, reading a book.
他坐在扶手椅里读书。
All night long he lay awake, thinking of the problem.
他整夜躺在床上睡不着，思考着那个问题。
The dog entered the room, following his master.
这条狗跟着主人进了屋。
能够做伴随状语的还有：
1.用with复合结构
The little girls were playing with snow with their cheeks frozen red.
小女孩们在玩雪，脸都冻红了。
2.用独立主格结构
The little boy goes to school, his pet accompanying him every day.
这小孩每天去上学，他的宠物陪伴着他。
3.用介词短语
The girl came back home in tears.
这女孩眼泪汪汪地回到家。
1. You only tasted the water. I tasted the gift.
你只品尝了水的味道，我却是在品尝礼物的味道。
2. The water was simply the container for an act of loving-kindness and nothing could be sweeter.
水仅仅是装载善与爱之行为的容器，而没有什么东西比善与爱更甜美了。
3. 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.
无论它是一个陶瓷托盘或通心粉手镯，我们自然而恰当的反应是欣赏，并表示感激，因为我们喜欢礼物所包含的心意。
4. Gratitude doesn’t always come naturally.
感恩并不总是自然而来的。
5. We should remind ourselves and teach our children about the beauty and purity of feelings and expressions of gratitude. After all, gifts from the heart are really gifts of the heart.
我们应该提醒自己，并教导我们的孩子，感情和对感激之情的表达是美丽而纯洁的。毕竟，发自内心给与的礼物才是真正的礼物。
Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.
——Oprah Winfrey
感激你所拥有的东西，你将会获得更多。如果你执着于自己没有的东西，那么你永远不会知足。
—— 奥普拉·温弗里
Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.
——Montaigne, Essays
物质上的贫穷容易弥补，而精神上的贫乏则无法补救。
——蒙田《随笔集》