没什么比改变自己更有效

在伦敦闻名世界的威斯敏斯特大教堂地下室的墓碑林中，有一块名扬世界的墓碑。在这块墓碑上，刻着这样的一段话：

When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits，I dreamed of changing theworld.

As I grew older and wiser， I discovered the world would not change， so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country. But it， too， seemed immovable.

As I grewinto my twilight years， in one last desperate attempt， I settled for changing only my family， those closest to me， but alas， they would have none of it.

And now， as Ilie on my death bed， I suddenly realize：

If I had only changed myself first， then by example I would have changed my family.From their in spiration and encouragement， I would then have been able to better my country，and who knows， I may have even changed the world.

译文：

当我年轻的时候，我的想象力从没有受到过限制，我梦想改变这个世界。

当我成熟以后，我发现我不能改变这个世界，我将目光缩短了些，决定只改变我的国家。

当我进入暮年后，我发现我不能改变我的国家，我的最后愿望仅仅是改变一下我的家庭。但是，这也不可能。

当我躺在床上，行将就木时，我突然意识到：如果一开始我仅仅去改变我自己，然后作为一个榜样，我可能改变我的家庭；在家人的帮助和鼓励下，我可能为国家做一些事情。然后谁知道呢？我甚至可能改变这个世界。