前些天，偶然读到了喜剧明星卓别林的英文诗歌《当我开始真正爱自己》（As I Began to Love Myself），深受触动。这么多年在西方生活以后，终于懂得了一个有意义的人生，要从爱自己，尊重自己开始的道理。
我相信65年前，卓别林的这首诗歌就像一束明亮的光，照亮了无数人的心灵，赋予了无尽的力量和勇气。如今，这股光芒仍然在我的生活中闪耀，不断提醒着我：一个有意义的人生必须从爱自己、尊重自己开始。当我们学会真正爱自己时，我们便能够摆脱外界的期待和偏见，接受自己的独特之处，坚信自己的价值。我们不再活在别人的影子下，而是能够自信地面对生活的挑战，追求内心真正的渴望。只有先爱自己，一切才会水到渠成！
现在我把这首诗的中英文原原本本的放在这里，供大家阅读，希望大家也能从中收获自己人生的指南针~
As I Began to Love Myself
当我真正开始爱自己
As I began to love myself I found that anguish and emotional suffering are only warning signs that I was living against my own truth. Today, I know, this is “AUTHENTICITY”.
当我真正开始爱自己，我才认识到，所有的痛苦和情感的折磨，都只是提醒我：活着，不要违背自己的本心。今天我明白了，这叫做“真实”。
As I began to love myself I understood how much it can offend somebody if I try to force my desires on this person, even though I knew the time was not right and the person was not ready for it, and even though this person was me. Today I call it “RESPECT”.
当我真正开始爱自己，我才懂得，把自己的愿望强加于人，是多么的无礼，就算我知道，时机并不成熟，那人也还没有做好准备，就算那个人就是我自己。今天我明白了，这叫做“尊重”。
As I began to love myself I stopped craving for a different life, and I could see that everything that surrounded me was inviting me to grow. Today I call it “MATURITY”.
当我开始真正爱自己，我不再渴求不同的人生，我知道任何发生在我身边的事情，都是对我成长的邀请。如今，我称之为“成熟”
As I began to love myself I understood that at any circumstance, I am in the right place at the right time, and everything happens at the exactly right moment. So I could be calm. Today I call it “SELF-CONFIDENCE”.
当我开始真正爱自己，我才明白，我其实一直都在正确的时间，正确的地方，发生的一切都恰如其分。由此我得以平静。今天我明白了，这叫做“自信”。
As I began to love myself I quit stealing my own time, and I stopped designing huge projects for the future. Today, I only do what brings me joy and happiness, things I love to do and that make my heart cheer, and I do them in my own way and in my own rhythm. Today I call it “SIMPLICITY”.
当我真正开始爱自己，我不再牺牲自己的自由时间，不再去勾画什么宏伟的明天。今天我只做有趣和快乐的事，做自己热爱，让心欢喜的事，用我的方式、我的韵律。今天我明白了，这叫做“单纯”。
As I began to love myself I freed myself of anything that is no good for my health – food, people, things, situations, and everything that drew me down and away from myself. At first I called this attitude a healthy egoism. Today I know it is “LOVE OF ONESELF”.
当我开始真正爱自己，我开始远离一切不健康的东西。不论是饮食和人物，还是事情和环境，我远离一切让我远离本真的东西。从前我把这叫做“追求健康的自私自利”，但今天我明白了，这是“自爱”。
As I began to love myself I quit trying to always be right, and ever since I was wrong less of the time. Today I discovered that is “MODESTY”.
当我开始真正爱自己，我不再总想着要永远正确，不犯错误。我今天明白了，这叫做“谦逊”。
As I began to love myself I refused to go on living in the past and worrying about the future. Now, I only live for the moment, where everything is happening. Today I live each day, day by day, and I call it “FULFILLMENT”.
当我开始真正爱自己，我不再继续沉溺于过去，也不再为明天而忧虑，现在我只活在一切正在发生的当下，今天，我活在此时此地，如此日复一日。这就叫“完美”。
As I began to love myself I recognized that my mind can disturb me and it can make me sick. But as I connected it to my heart, my mind became a valuable ally. Today I call this connection “WISDOM OF THE HEART”.
当我开始真正爱自己，我明白，我的思虑让我变得贫乏和病态，但当我唤起了心灵的力量，理智就变成了一个重要的伙伴，这种组合我称之为，“心的智慧”。
We no longer need to fear arguments, confrontations or any kind of problems with ourselves or others. Even stars collide, and out of their crashing new worlds are born. Today I know “THAT IS LIFE”!”
我们无须再害怕自己和他人的分歧，矛盾和问题，因为即使星星有时也会碰在一起，形成新的世界，今天我明白，这就是“生命”。
― Charlie Chaplin
愿我们少一点对世界愤懑与凉薄，多一点努力和毅力，认真的去爱自己，去获得心灵深处的宁静。
作者*雅思8.5达人@Lili 老师
-阅读听力9写作8.5口语8
超过10年的教学经验，曾多次创下帮学生40课时内达到雅思8分和7.5分的高分记录，擅长帮学生搭建高分句型结构、满分素材，强雅思写作批改，直击失分点，英国名校圣安德鲁斯大学(英国卫报排名第二; 威廉王子母校) 英语教育MBA 双硕士科班出身，有着深厚的英语语言教学以及写作功底，TESOL 资格证书 TESl Canada 资格认证；
分享雅思以及英语的技巧，希望读者都能「用英语认识世界，也让世界认识你」！