有时,我们会因为屡次失败而绝望地放弃尝试。很多时候我们都对自己说,这是最后一次了。可当这“最后一次”没有成功时,自己总会心有不甘。其实,次数并不重要,重要的是,永远也不要忘记给自己最后一次机会。
　　
　　The assignment was to get a “pretty photograph” of a flood ravaged[毁坏] river in the middle of winter. After two weeks of hard backpacking down the river in the Texas Hill Country, I had found nothing pretty to photograph.
　　Everywhere I looked was bare and desolate[荒凉的].
　　On the last morning of my trip, I arose before dawn to give the assignment one last go, but felt that my efforts were to be futile[无意义的]. When dawn broke I sat on my camera case and just gave up. While sitting there the clouds broke. The most beautiful sunrise appeared before me. I had found my photograph!
　　I had given up all hope, but by giving myself one last chance I found victory in my efforts.
　　“Defeat is only present when we let it be there.”
　　Always give yourself “one last chance.”
　　
　　一份工作要求我在深冬时节拍摄一张洪泛河流的“美丽照片”。然而当我背着行囊在德克萨斯州的丘陵地区沿河而下,艰难跋涉两个星期之后,我没有找到任何值得一拍的美景。所见之处皆是光秃秃的一片,甚是荒凉。
　　行程的最后一天,天没亮我就起床了,想为完成任务作最后一次努力,心里却觉得自己的努力全是白搭。破晓时,我坐在相机包上正准备放弃。可当我坐在那里时,云层飘散而开,平生所见最美丽的日出呈现在我眼前。我拍到了理想的照片!
　　我本已放弃了所有希望,但我给了自己最后一次机会,于是在努力过后,我终于品尝到胜利的果实。
　　“只有当我们放任失败时,我们才会失败。”
　　永远要给自己“最后一次机会”。