在一个有风的春日，我看到一群年轻人正在迎风放风筝玩乐，各种颜色、各种形状和大小的风筝就好像美丽的鸟儿在空中飞舞。当强风把风筝吹起，牵引线就能够控制它们。风筝迎风飘向更高的地方，而不是随风而去。它们摇摆着、拉扯着，但牵引线以及笨重的尾巴使它们处于控制之中，并且迎风而上。它们挣扎着、抖动着想要挣脱线的束缚，仿佛在说：“放开我！放开我！我想要自由！”即使与牵引线奋争着，它们依然在美丽地飞翔。终于，一只风筝成功挣脱了。“终于自由了，”它好像在说，“终于可以随风自由飞翔了！”然而，脱离束缚的自由使它完全处于无情微风的摆布下。它毫无风度地震颤着向地面坠落，落在一堆乱草之中，线缠绕在一颗死灌木上。“终于自由”使它自由到无力地躺在尘土中，无助地任风沿着地面将其吹走，碰到第一个障碍物便毫无生命地滞留在那里了。有时我们真像这风筝啊！上苍赋予我们困境和约束，赋予我们成长和增强实力所要遵从的规则。约束是逆风的必要匹配物。我们中有些人是如此强硬地抵制规则，以至我们从来无法飞到本来能够达到的高度。我们只遵从部分戒律，因此永远不会飞得足够高，使尾巴远离地面。让我们每个人都飞到高处吧，并且认识到这一点：有些可能会令我们生气的约束，实际上是帮助我们攀升和实现愿望的牵引力。
You Should Always Be Ready
Les Brown and his twin brother were adopted by Mamie Brown，a kitchen worker and maid，shortly after their birth in a povertystricken Miami neighborhood.Because of his hyperactivity and nonstop jabber，Les was placed in special education classes for the learning disabled in grade school and throughout high school.Upon graduation，he became a city sanitation worker in Miami Beach.But he had a dream of being a disc jockey.At night he would take a transistor radio to bed where he listened to the local jivetalking deejays.He created an imaginary radio station in his tiny room with its torn vinyl flooring.A hairbrush served as his microphone as he practiced his patter，introducing records to his ghost listeners.His mother and brother could hear him through the thin walls and would shout at him to quit flapping his jaws and go to sleep.But Les didnt listen to them.He was wrapped up in his own world，living a dream.One day Les boldly went to the local radio station during his lunch break from mowing grass for the city.He got into the station managers office and told him he wanted to be a disc jockey.The manager eyed this disheveled young man in overalls and a straw hat and inquired，“Do you have any background in broadcasting？”Les replied，“No sir，I dont.”“Well，son，Im afraid we dont have a job for you then.”Les thanked him politely and left.The station manager assumed that he had seen the last of this young man.But he underestimated the depth of Les Browns commitment to his goal.You see，Les had a higher purpose than simply wanting to be a disc jockey.He wanted to buy a nicer house for his adoptive mother，whom he loved deeply.The disc jockey job was merely a step toward his goal.Mamie Brown had taught Les to pursue his dreams，so he felt sure that he would get a job at that radio station in spite of what the station manager had said.And so Les returned to the station every day for a week，asking if there were any job openings.Finally the station manager gave in and took him on as an errand boy —at no pay.At first，he fetched coffee or picked up lunches and dinner for the deejays who could not leave the studio.Eventually his enthusiasm for their work won him the confidence of the disc jockeys who would send him in their Cadillacs to pick up visiting celebrities such as the Temptations and Diana Ross and the Supremes.Little did any of them know that young Les did not have a drivers license.Les did whatever was asked of him at the station —and more.While hanging out with the deejays，he taught himself their hand movements on the control panel.He stayed in the control rooms and soaked up whatever he could until they asked him to leave.Then，back in his bedroom at night，he practiced and prepared himself for the opportunity that he knew would present itself.One Saturday afternoon while Les was at the station，a deejay named Rock was drinking while on the air.Les was the only other person in the building，and he realized that Rock was drinking himself toward trouble.Les stayed close.He walked back and forth in front of the window in Rocks booth.As he prowled，he said to himself.“Drink，Rock，drink！”Les was hungry，and he was ready.He would have run down the street for more booze if Rock had asked.When the phone rang，Les pounced on it.It was the station manager，as he knew it would be.“Les，this is Mr.Klein.”“Yes，”said Les，“I know.”“Les，I dont think Rock can finish his program.”“Yes，sir，I know.”“Would you call one of the other deejays to come in and take over？”“Yes，sir.I sure will.”But when Les hung up the telephone，he said to himself，“Now，he must think Im crazy.”Les did dial the telephone，but it wasnt to call in another deejay.He called his mother first，and then his girlfriend.“You all go out on the front porch and turn up the radio because Im about to come on the air！”he said.He waited about 15minutes before he called the general manager.“Mr.Klein，I cant find nobody.”Les said.Mr.Klein then asked，“Young man，do you know how to work the controls in the studio？”“Yes sir.”replied Les.Les darted into the booth，gently moved Rock aside and sat down at the turntable.He was ready.And he was hungry.He flipped on the microphone switch and said，“Look out！This is me LB，triple P —Les Brown，Your Platter Playing Poppa.There were none before me and there will be none after me.Therefore，that makes me the one and only.Young and single and love to mingle.Certified，bona fide，indubitably qualified to bring you satisfaction，a whole lot of action.Look out，baby，Im your looove man.”Because of his preparation，Les was ready.He vowed the audience and his general manager.From that fateful beginning，Les went on to a successful career in broadcasting，politics，public speaking and television.
