做自己最好

by Myra Sanderman

翻譯：德孟

做自己最好

by Myra Sanderman

翻譯：德孟

Track 9

與其搖搖晃晃地站在巨人的肩膀上，不如挺直自己的腰桿站在堅實的大地上。

The classroom was packed with those of us who wanted to work on the school newspaper. I hadn't written much before. Still， working on the paper sounded like fun.

We had to turn in a1）sample of our writing. I had written a piece about the joys of summer.

I showed the article to my father， a2）brilliant lawyer and poet. He rewrote the whole piece—not with me，for I never said a thing to stop him—but for me. No surprise—his3）version was wonderful. It was so much better than my original piece， that against my better judgment， I turned in his version instead of mine.

“Welcome to the4）Dundee School News，” my teacher said to me. “Based on that5）terrifc article you wrote about summer， I'm making you Second Page Editor.”

My lunch nearly leaped out of my stomach. Now I was expected to write a personal opinion6）column every week for the second page. I was no more7）equipped to write at that level than I was to be a rock star. I couldn't8）confess the truth to the teacher，and I couldn't ask my father to write a weekly column for me.

That semester working on the paper was nothing but painful. My teacher was clearly disappointed.

“Can't you write something more like that first piece you wrote？” he said.

I couldn't， because at that age， I was no match for a writer of my father's ability. Week after week，I struggled with my writing. My columns never measured up to the one that got me the job.

Eventually， to my total9）humiliation， I was replaced as the Second Page Editor. I railed against my father for taking over the10）assignment， instead of simply trying to help. But in my heart I knew the fault was mine for allowing him to do it. I wasn't sure I'd ever write again.

I did go on to become an11）advertising copywriter in a national12）agency， and eventually found my true creative love—writing for children. Looking back， I realize that the pain and humiliation of that school experience had a positive side. It taught me to trust myself and not try to be anyone else.

Every day， I struggle to use my own words， fnd my own style， be my own best self. And you know what？ It feels great.

詞組小分析

be packed with 被……擠滿

against one's better judgment 明知不可取地，違心地leap out 躍出

be no match for 不是……的對手，比不上

struggle with 與……作斗爭，努力地對付

measure up to 符合，達到，夠得上

rail against 責備，抱怨

1） sample ［?sα?mpl］ n. 范例，樣本，代表

2） brilliant ［?brIlI?nt］ adj. 才華橫溢的

3） version ［?vз???n］ n. 版本，改寫本

4） Dundee ［d?n?di?］ n.（英國蘇格蘭東部港市）鄧迪

5） terrifc ［t??rIfIk］ adj. 極好的，了不起的

6） column ［?k?l?m］ n.（報紙、雜志的）專欄

7） equip ［I?kwIp］ v.（智力、體力上）使有準備，使有資格

8） confess ［k?n?fes］ v. 坦白，供認

9） humiliation ［hju??mIlI?eI??n］ n. 羞辱，丟臉

10） assignment ［??saInm?nt］ n. 任務

11） advertising copywriter 廣告文案撰稿人

12） agency ［?eId??nsI］ n. 代理公司，經銷處

參考譯文

教室里擠滿了我們這些想到校報任職的同學。我之前并沒有多少寫作經驗。不過，在報社工作聽起來還是很有趣的。我們要上交一篇自己的代表習作。我寫的是一篇關于夏季樂趣的文章。

我爸是個出色的律師兼詩人，我把這篇文章給他看了。他將整篇文章重寫了，并不是和我一同寫的，而是為我寫的—因為我完全沒有出言阻攔他。不出所料，他寫的版本棒極了，比我的原作好太多了，以致于我明知不可以這樣，也還是將我爸的文章當作我自己的交了上去。

“歡迎加入《鄧迪校報》，”老師對我說。“基于你寫的那篇關于夏天的優秀文章，我任命你為第二版面編輯。”

中午吃的飯幾乎從我的胃里騰躍而出。這下好了，我必須每周給第二版面寫一篇展示個人觀點的專欄文章。我寫不出那種水平的文章，正如我當不了搖滾明星一樣。我不能跟老師坦白真相，也不能讓我爸每周給我寫一篇專欄文章。

為校報工作的那個學期只覺得痛苦不堪。老師顯然很失望。

“你就不能再寫出像你的處女作那樣的文章來嗎？”他說道。

我做不到，因為在那個年紀，作為一名寫手我根本就不是我爸的對手。一周又一周，我艱難地為校報寫文章。我再沒寫出過一篇專欄文章能夠比得上那篇為我贏得這份工作的文章。

最終，別人取代了我第二版面編輯的位置，這對我來說是奇恥大辱。我責怪我爸接過了那項寫作任務，而不是僅僅試著幫我一把。但我心中明白，這是我自己的錯，是我任由他這么做的。我不確定自己是否還會繼續寫作。

后來我還是堅持下去了，成為了一家全國廣告代理公司的文案撰稿人，并最終發掘出了自己真正的創作愛好—為兒童寫作。回顧往事，我意識到在學校的那段痛苦而羞恥的經歷也有其積極影響。那件事教會了我要相信自己，不要試圖去裝成別人的樣子。

每天我都在努力用自己的語言寫作，摸索我自己的寫作風格，做最好的自己。你知道嗎？這樣做感覺好極了。

No One's Words but My Own