Day1

日常生活

A

TheUnitedStatesseemstohavebecomeextremelyenthusiasticaboutcompetition.ThefamousScrippsNationalSpellingBee—anannualspellingcontest—nowallowskidswholostinregionalcompetitionsbutwhoseparentsagreetopayanentryfeealongwiththeirownfoodandaccommodationtocompete.Andwhilesomekidsareworkingforwhattheycalla“spellingcareer”,othersareapproachingchesscompetitions,dancecompetitions,cookingorotherpassions(爱好)thatpreviousgenerationsdevelopedsomewhatlaterinlife.

I’mdisturbedbythephenomenon,whichseemstobegettingworseandmoreintense(激烈的).

Myteacheralwayswarnedusthatcompetitionisadestructivequality;thatthegoalisnevertobeatanyoneelse.Ithinkhe’llbecheeredbyauthorPeggyNoonan’sideathatalotofusarerunningourownracestryingtorisetotheoccasionandbeatsomepastandlimitedconceptionofourselvesbydoingsomethinggreat.

Iheartilyagree.Insteadofpayingattentiontotheaccomplishmentsorpossessionsofothers,weneedtofocusonourownpotential,ourowngrowthandtakepleasureinourownparticularsetofcircumstances.Thebattleforlifeisnotagainstanyoneelsebutagainstthedarknessinsidethattriestobringusdown.Iwishyouonlywell.Yourgooddoesn’treducemine.Yourbadgivesmenopleasure.

Ms.Noonanalsosuggeststhat“you’rerunningyourownracealongsideothersrunningtheirs,andinthesamedirection.You’redoingsomethinggreattogether.”Ifwestopworryingaboutwhatourneighborisearningordriving,thesizeofhishouse,thesuccessofhismarriage,theaccomplishmentsofhischildren,wecansitbackandenjoyourownlives.Andifweallfocusonwhatweeachcanachieve,regardlessofanyoneelse,wehaveachanceofworkingasone,ofactuallybeingunited.

Competitiondividesus.There’rewinnersandlosers.Butthat’saverylimitedpictureofreality.Itmayapplytospellingbeesandsoccermatch