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The view of the high Sierra Lake， nestled in the snow and rock slightly below the timber line， was beautiful from my vantage point some five hundred feet above its shimmering surface. I was anxious to rejoin my companions and try the fishing before the afternoon shadow—edging out from the surrounding array of peaks—entirely covered the lake. Just a short distance beyond the intervening shale， the trail zigzagged down to the valley. I disliked the thought of returning by the long， tedious trail I had ascended， and decided to chance the shale—even though part of it lay above a sheer drop-off of several hundred feet.
I started working my way over the loose rock with considerable caution and had covered about half the distance when I became aware of a slight but persistent yielding of the shale under my feet. Desperately， I looked for something that would offer support and lurched forward to grasp a light outcropping of solid rock just as the surface shale underfoot—loosened from its foundation by the warm noonday sun—cascaded downward and disappeared over the cliff. Several seconds passed before I heard it rattle into the lake.
Finally， after due consideration of the folly of shortcuts， I managed to move from handhold to handhold and， at last， pulled myself to the trail by the aid of a dwarf juniper root. I have forgotten how many trout I caught that afternoon， but I have not forgotten the value of handhold.
Handholds are also needed during the course of everyday life. They provide
security when the things we depend upon seem to be slipping out from under us. What are the spiritual handholds I have found to be most valuable？
First， the teachings of the humble carpenters of Nazareth—for their insistence on the supreme worth of the individual， for their stressing of the significance of sympathetic understanding， and for their unsurpassed evidence of dauntless faith.
Second， the conviction that， while every person should delight in making a courageous and self-reliant effort to live up to his capabilities， there are well-springs of power outside himself that can be tapped—if he will avail himself of them.
Third， the nature of this world and of the people in it is determined more by our individual vision， understanding and conduct than by any material environmental factors， and that—in other words—nothing will produce the good world but the good man.
These are the principal spiritual handholds I have found to possess enduring value. They offer both an exciting challenge and a calm assurance. They are the things I believe. 坐落在高山上的谢拉湖，依偎在积雪与岩石的怀抱中，岩层往上是一片森林。从高出湖面约500英尺的观景点看下去，湖面微波荡漾，美不胜收。我着急与同伴再次会合，准备在午后周围群山的阴影尚未笼罩全湖之前，一起钓鱼。离错层的页岩不远，便是一条通往山谷的蜿蜒小路。我不想再走上山时所走的那条漫长而乏味的小道，便决定试着走上页岩——虽然这其中一段路的下面是几百英尺的垂直峭壁。
我小心翼翼地走在松动的页岩上。大约走到一半时，我发现脚下的页岩正一点点地不断下滑。我急忙寻找可以抓住的东西。我向前一扑，抓住了一块露出地表的坚硬岩石。就在这时，脚下被午后阳光照热的页岩表层开始松动，从山上滑了下去，消失在峭壁上。几秒钟后，我听到它落进湖中的声音。
最后，适当考虑了一下抄近路这个愚蠢的行为后，我想办法从一个支撑点挪到另一个支撑点，最终借助一棵矮松的根将自己拉到小路上。那天下午钓了多少条鳟鱼，我已经不记得了，但我绝对忘不了支撑点的重要性。
在日常生活中，支撑点也是非常重要的。当我们的依靠即将从脚下溜走时，支撑点会带给我们安全的保障。我发现的最有价值的精神支撑点是什么呢？
首先，是卑微的拿撒勒木匠们的教诲——他们主张个人价值至上，强调同情与理解的重要性，并为坚定的信仰提供了卓越的证明。
其次，尽管我们每个人都应该乐于勇敢、独立地发挥自己的能力，但也要相信，只要我们愿意，我们也能从外界获得力量之源。
再次，世界和人类的本质更多的是取决于我们个人的视野、理解和行为，而不是物质环境因素——也就是说——唯有出色的人才能创造出美好的世界。
这些便是我所发现的最重要的精神支撑点，它们具有永恒的价值。它们给予的不仅是刺激的挑战，还有令人安心的承诺。它们是我的信仰。
Word Study
shale /?e?l/ n. 页岩
ascend /?'send/ v. 上升;升高;登高
lurch /l??t?/ v. 突然前倾（或向一侧倾斜）
dauntless /'d??ntl?s/ adj. 無所畏惧的;吓不倒的;勇敢的
avail /?'ve?l/ v. 有帮助;有益;有用
assurance /?'???r?ns/ n. 保证;担保;自信
I started working my way over the loose rock with considerable caution and had covered about half the distance when I became aware of a slight but persistent yielding of the shale under my feet. Desperately， I looked for something that would offer support and lurched forward to grasp a light outcropping of solid rock just as the surface shale underfoot—loosened from its foundation by the warm noonday sun—cascaded downward and disappeared over the cliff. Several seconds passed before I heard it rattle into the lake.
Finally， after due consideration of the folly of shortcuts， I managed to move from handhold to handhold and， at last， pulled myself to the trail by the aid of a dwarf juniper root. I have forgotten how many trout I caught that afternoon， but I have not forgotten the value of handhold.
Handholds are also needed during the course of everyday life. They provide
security when the things we depend upon seem to be slipping out from under us. What are the spiritual handholds I have found to be most valuable？
First， the teachings of the humble carpenters of Nazareth—for their insistence on the supreme worth of the individual， for their stressing of the significance of sympathetic understanding， and for their unsurpassed evidence of dauntless faith.
Second， the conviction that， while every person should delight in making a courageous and self-reliant effort to live up to his capabilities， there are well-springs of power outside himself that can be tapped—if he will avail himself of them.
Third， the nature of this world and of the people in it is determined more by our individual vision， understanding and conduct than by any material environmental factors， and that—in other words—nothing will produce the good world but the good man.
These are the principal spiritual handholds I have found to possess enduring value. They offer both an exciting challenge and a calm assurance. They are the things I believe. 坐落在高山上的谢拉湖，依偎在积雪与岩石的怀抱中，岩层往上是一片森林。从高出湖面约500英尺的观景点看下去，湖面微波荡漾，美不胜收。我着急与同伴再次会合，准备在午后周围群山的阴影尚未笼罩全湖之前，一起钓鱼。离错层的页岩不远，便是一条通往山谷的蜿蜒小路。我不想再走上山时所走的那条漫长而乏味的小道，便决定试着走上页岩——虽然这其中一段路的下面是几百英尺的垂直峭壁。
我小心翼翼地走在松动的页岩上。大约走到一半时，我发现脚下的页岩正一点点地不断下滑。我急忙寻找可以抓住的东西。我向前一扑，抓住了一块露出地表的坚硬岩石。就在这时，脚下被午后阳光照热的页岩表层开始松动，从山上滑了下去，消失在峭壁上。几秒钟后，我听到它落进湖中的声音。
最后，适当考虑了一下抄近路这个愚蠢的行为后，我想办法从一个支撑点挪到另一个支撑点，最终借助一棵矮松的根将自己拉到小路上。那天下午钓了多少条鳟鱼，我已经不记得了，但我绝对忘不了支撑点的重要性。
在日常生活中，支撑点也是非常重要的。当我们的依靠即将从脚下溜走时，支撑点会带给我们安全的保障。我发现的最有价值的精神支撑点是什么呢？
首先，是卑微的拿撒勒木匠们的教诲——他们主张个人价值至上，强调同情与理解的重要性，并为坚定的信仰提供了卓越的证明。
其次，尽管我们每个人都应该乐于勇敢、独立地发挥自己的能力，但也要相信，只要我们愿意，我们也能从外界获得力量之源。
再次，世界和人类的本质更多的是取决于我们个人的视野、理解和行为，而不是物质环境因素——也就是说——唯有出色的人才能创造出美好的世界。
这些便是我所发现的最重要的精神支撑点，它们具有永恒的价值。它们给予的不仅是刺激的挑战，还有令人安心的承诺。它们是我的信仰。
Word Study
shale /?e?l/ n. 页岩
ascend /?'send/ v. 上升;升高;登高
lurch /l??t?/ v. 突然前倾（或向一侧倾斜）
dauntless /'d??ntl?s/ adj. 無所畏惧的;吓不倒的;勇敢的
avail /?'ve?l/ v. 有帮助;有益;有用
assurance /?'???r?ns/ n. 保证;担保;自信