“Once upon a time， there was a king who had a daughter as beautiful as a blooming rose. To all the suitors who came to the king's palace to ask for the hand of the princess, the old king assigned three tasks to be accomplished, each next to impossible. One day, into the king's palace came a handsome young prince..." Well, you know the rest. The three tasks may be different in different versions, but the main plot is always the same, with the prince claiming the princess's hand triumphantly.
And the ending is always the same, finishing with the line "And they live happily every after."
Why aren't we tired of something so fanciful, so unrealistic, and, I would say, so unimaginative? How can a story like that endure generations of repetition`? Because, I think, it is a typical success story. It is highly philosophical and symbolic. By implication, we see a 4-step definition of success: 1 ) a goal to be set. as represented by the beautiful princess; 2 ) challenges to be met, as represented by the three tasks; 3 ) the process of surmounting difficulties, as represented by the ordeals the youth goes through; and 4 ) the reward of success, as represented by the happy marriage.
The story not only caters to everyone's inward yearning for success, but also emphasizes the inseparability of the process and the result. The reward of success will be much amplified if the path leading towards it is treacherous, and vice versa. If a person inherits his father's millions and leads an easy life, he is not a successful person even in material terms, because there are no difficulties involved in his achieving affluence. The term "success", to be sure. will not sit still for easy definition. But as I understand it, the true meaning of success entails a combination of both the process and the satisfactory result of an endeavor. To clarify my view, let me give another analogy.
If we changed the rules of football, greatly enlarged the goal and sent away David Seaman or any other goal keeper, so that another David, namely David Beckham, could score easily, then scoring would not give him the thrill of accomplishment and the joy that it brings. If we further changed the rules by not allowing Arsenal's defenders to defend, so that Beckham needed only to lift a finger, actually a toe, to score, then there would be no game at all, because the meaning of winning would have disappeared. In accepting the challenge, in surmounting the difficulties and in enduring the hardship, success acquires its value. The sense of attainment varies in proportion to the degree of difficulties on overcomes.
The concept of success is not constant but relative because the nature of difficulty is also relative. Something you do effortlessly might pose a great difficulty for a handicapped person. In acquiring the ability to do the same as you can, he or she achieve success. That's why we greatly admire Stephen Hawking, because, though confined to a wheel chair, he has contributed greatly to the field of science.
I myself, a rather shy person by nature who easily suffer from stage fright, had to pluck up great courage to take part in a speech contest like this. I could have stayed away and had an easy time of it by not entering the university level contest.But I chose to accept the challenge and to face the difficulties. Now here I am. If I come out first, it will be a great success for me. If I come out last-I hope this will not be the case-but if I come out last, I will not call my attempt a failure, but will also celebrate it as a true success, because part of my goal is my own character training-to do more assertive, to be brave in face of difficulties. For me, it is a meaningful step forward, small as it is, in the long journey toward the final success in my life, because I have truly gained by participating.
Let us return to our handsome young prince and the 4-step definition of success. You my have noticed that the usual worldly criteria of wealth, position and fame were not mentioned as part of the story, but rather, it emphasized the process of overcoming difficulties. The ancient wisdom had already defined the meaning of success, and this is my definition, too.
Thank you.
In summer of 20xx, public officials in our province of Saskatchewan issued a decree: that allaffected people leave their homes and in mass exodus, travel to places of refuge where theycould be safe and accounted for.
They were escaping blazing forest fires of epic proportions.
It was the largest evacuation in Saskatchewan history.
Thousands of people were on the move, all of them in uncertain circumstances, not knowinghow quickly they would return home.
For a few young women, these circumstances had an added dimension of uncertainty. Theywere in the late stages of pregnancy.
These young women were living as displaced persons far from home, without the supplies theyhad gathered for their new baby.
Thankfully, for all concerned, healthy babies were delivered in hospitals close by with medicalstaff to give assistance.
We are privileged to live in a province where people come together. That can be difficult whenstress levels are high.
And so I salute the evacuees, and the firefighters, and the troops, and the Red Cross, and thelocal officials, the mayors and chiefs.
Those who shared money, food and supplies, those who prayed for an ending to this situation.All rose to the occasion.
Two thousand years ago, a public official named Caesar Augustus issued a decree that all peopleneeded to be accounted for. It affected the entire Roman world. Everyone needed to beregistered.
Many people were on the move, with primitive travel arrangements, not knowing how long thiswould take.
I'm sure for some young women, this circumstance had an added dimension of uncertainty.Like being in the late stages of pregnancy.
For one of these young women, the time came to have her baby, her first. Not in a local hospitalalong the way, not even in a clean, comfortable Holiday Inn, but in a stable, with precious fewamenities.
Her only assistant, a most likely very, very nervous husband, with perhaps some curiousanimals looking on.
She didn't have much for supplies either. All she had were a few strips of cloth to wrap him in.And all she could lay him in was not a cradle made by her carpenter husband, but just asimple, dirty manger.
Crude surroundings for a King. His first visitors – an adoring group in from the fields smellingstrongly of sheep. They were alerted by a type of atmospheric media unlike any we couldimagine.
All rose to the occasion.
This Christmas, we celebrate the arrival of that very special baby boy. The "Divinest Heart thatever walked the earth was born on that day" as it has been said.
His name is Jesus, the essence of hope and peace and the ultimate example of self-sacrificefor love.
So from me and my wife Tami, and our family, and on behalf of my colleagues in theGovernment of Saskatchewan: "May you have the gladness of Christmas which is hope; thespirit of Christmas which is peace; and the heart of Christmas which is love."
And may you spread joy to others who need it most. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
My dear friends,
Do you know what is the most precious and everlasting thing in the world ?Money?You may lose everything you have if you don't use money carefull enough.Youth?In one's long life youth is like a flash in the pan and no one in the world has the secret to keep his youth forever.Beautiful look?Many people pray that they can get hold of beauty,but it disappears far more quickly than they can imagine.And when they are in real trouble beauty itself feels helpless.A good job?As you grow older and your brain and hands can't work as fast as before.It will become other people's wealth.
Then what is the most precious and everlasting thing in the world?
When you are far away from your family and feel especially lonely,Who will you think of?When you stand on the crossoad in your life and don't know which way to choose,who will you think of?When you encounter greater difficulties than ever and need other's encouragement,who will you think of?When you decide to make the greatest decision in your favorite course,who shed cheerful tears when see you get achievements?Whose wholehearted blessing will be always with you no matter how far you will go?
Yes,it's mother who you will always think of and it's mother's love that willbe always be with you.
I once heard a moving story about a mother.Two childrens were drawn into the flood and the situations was very dangerous.Their mother jumped into the water without hesitation.But the mother couldn't swim at all.Jumping into the water means she might lose her life.But at that time she had no time to think about herself.She just wanted to try all means to save her children.Maybe her courage touched the God.The miracle happened.She finally succeeded in saving her both children.And she,of course,felt extremely exhausted.
My friends,mother's love is the greatest love.Mother's love is the safest love.No matter you are happy or depressed ,rich or poor ,mother's love will always stay with you.