Then the coach yelled，“Ready. Set. Go！”I jetted out of there like an airplane，faster than anyone for the first 20 feet. I didn‘t know much about pacing then，but it was okay because I was determined to finish first. As we came around the first of four laps，there were students all over the track. By the end of second lap，many of the students had already quit. They had given up and were on the ground gasping for air. As I started the third lap，only a few of my classmates were left on the track，and I begun limping. By the time I hit the fourth lap，I was alone. Then it hit me. I realized that nobody had given up. Instead，everyone had already finished. As I ran that last lap，I cried. I realized that every boy and girl in my class had beaten me，and 12 minutes，42 seconds after starting，I crossed the finish line. I fell to the ground and shed oceans. I was so embarrassed.
Suddenly my coach ran up to me and pick me up，yelling，“you did it Manuel！ Manuel，you finished，son. You finished！”He looked me straight in the eyes，waving a piece of paper in his hand. It was my goal for the day，which I had forgotten. I had given it to him before class. He read it aloud to everyone. It simply said，“I Manuel，Diotte，will finish the mile run tomorrow，come what way. No pain or frustration will stop me. For I am more capable of finishing，and with God as my strength，I will finish.”Signed Manuel Diotte- with the little smiling face inside the D，as I always sign my name. My heart lifted and my tears went away， and I had a smile on my face as if I had eaten a banana. My classmates applauded and gave me my first standing ovation. It was then I realized winning isn’t always finishing first. Sometimes winning is just finishing.
总是取得第一名并不代表胜利，有时只要坚持到最后就是胜利。
参考翻译（王伟明）
生命，上帝赐予我们的多么珍贵的礼物。能生活在这样一个精彩、活力无限、充满无限可能的世界里是多么好的一种祝福啊！然而相反的事情却出现了，这件礼物感觉起来更像是一种诅咒。“为什么？为什么是我？”我们问道。然而我们永远得不到答案，不是吗？在七岁时染上霍奇金病，并且被预言只能活六个月时，他却战胜了这个数字。如果把这归因于幸运、希望、信念抑或是勇气，那么会有数以千计的幸存者。像我们这样的胜利者知道“为什么不是我们”的原因。我们可以处理好它。我不会死于癌症，我会和癌症一起生活。上帝不会制造垃圾，不管在我们的道路上会出现什么，我没有必要害怕任何事情。
当我读高二的时候，我们班上组织比赛赛跑。我永远会记着那一天，因为腿上的手术引起了浮肿，也给我留下了伤疤。在接下来的整整两年时间里，我都没有穿短裤，我害怕被嘲笑。因此，两年里我都活在恐惧之中。然而比赛那天我真的没有介意，我全身心都作好了准备，身穿短裤。我一到起点就听到了别人嘀嘀咕咕的声音，“真胖”、“真丑”，我赶紧拉拉短裤遮住。
然后我就听到了教练喊道“预备，跑！”我立即像飞机一样冲了出去，在刚开始的20英尺我遥遥领先于任何人。那时我并不知道自己跑在最前面，但是一切正常，因为我决定了跑完第一圈。当我们在第一圈转弯时，学生们都在跑道上跑。在第二圈快结束的时候，很多学生都已经退出了。他们已经放弃了，在地上大口大口地喘气。当我开始跑第三圈的时候，只有几个同学留在了跑道上，然后我开始艰难地跑。当我跑到第四圈时，我就开始孤军奋战了。然后我突然醒悟了，意识到没有人放弃。相反的是每个人都已经完成了比赛。当我跑到第四圈时，我哭了。我意识到我们班上每个男孩和女孩都打击了我。经过12分42秒，我冲过了终点线。我一下扑倒在地上，哭得稀里哗啦，我是那么尴尬。
突然我的教练跑到我面前把我扶了起来，激动地说道：“你做到了。曼纽尔！你做到了。亲爱的孩子，你完成了！”他直直地盯着我的眼睛，手里挥着一张纸。我差点都忘记了，这是我今天的目标。上课之前我已经把那张纸给他了。他大声地读给每个人听。上面简单地写着：“我，曼纽尔·迪奥特，会完成明天的比赛。没有痛苦和挫折可以阻止我。因为我的能力绝对能远远完成这项任务，上帝赐给我的力量使我更可以完成。”然后签名是曼纽尔·迪奥特--在字 母 D 里有个小笑脸，这是我通常签名的方式。我的心情好了很多， 眼泪流了下来。我的脸上露出了笑容，就像吃过一个香蕉一样。班 上的同学们都鼓起了掌，第一次给我长时间起立鼓掌。我这才真正 意识到，原来胜利并不总是取得第一名。有时只要坚持到最后就是 胜利。
Redefine Yourself 重新定义你自己
How do you define yourself？ As a mother，daughter，wife，friend， husband，son，teacher，student，lawyer，accountant，or any one of a myriad different titles？ Or do you define yourself by others‘perception of you？ Do any of these come close to your own knowledge，your personal experience of who you really are？
In your quiet moments，in times of inexplicable joy，have you had the overwhelming and yet clear and lucid feeling of total invincibility- a feeling that nothing can hold you down，that you can accomplish anything and everything if you put your mind to it？ Well，that feeling is not a random one.
What is it that gets in the way of your exquisite power？
Consider for a moment an iron bar that has magnetic power inherently in it. It will attract or repel things based on it’s own intrinsic magnetism. Over time，if this bar begins to rust，its power will begin to diminish. The oxidative damage from the environment that the magnethas not been able to resist will render it ineffective，eventually. This in no way means the iron bar is not capable of its latent，original power. All it needs to do is shed its rust. Or，consider if you will，a light bulb that is lit，but covered with soot. As long as the soot remains，it will be unable to fulfill the very purpose it was meant to serve to radiate light.
According to ancient Vedic texts，this is in effect what happens to the human experience. The infinite power that is naturally present in each and every one of us by virtue of our own consciousness can be rendered ineffective if not tended to properly. The stress of our lifestyle，the pollution of our environment，and the collective stress of our world keeps us from functioning at our full potential.
But there are remedies：incorporate modalities in your lifestyle that effectively combat stress and help keep you centered. Some of these options are：
Be aware of what you eat，and what you use- both on yourself，and in your environment. Choose natural，organic products.
Live a life of kindness，compassion，and charity- it keeps you connected to your center，your source，that infinite reservoir within you that is your powerhouse.
Don‘t judge people or situations- approach each moment with the knowledge that it contains within it the potential of any number of possibilities.
To connect with your real nature that is unbounded and invincible， practice yoga and meditation.
Once you are in touch with your true nature，then nothing is beyond your means- you are truly empowered. And that is an accurate definition of you！
一旦触摸到自己的真实本性，你将会超越一切，拥有真正的力量，因为你正确无误地定义了自己。
参考译文（单窈敏）
你是如何定义自己的呢？母亲、女儿、妻子、朋友、丈夫、儿子、教师、学生、律师、会计师，还是其他什么称谓呢？你是根据别人的看法来定义自己的吗？这些定义是否与你真正的才华、个人经历相一致呢？
当你静心独处、情绪处于难以言喻的喜悦时，是否有种不可阻挡，并且清晰明确的优越感？就是那种什么都不能够阻挡你，只要倾心投入，便战无不胜、攻无不克的感觉。当然，这种感觉并不是随随便便产生的。
是什么妨碍了你获得这种优越感呢？一根有磁性的铁棒，它固有的磁性可以对别的物体产生吸引或排斥现象。但如果时间久了，铁棒生锈，它的磁性就开始逐渐消失。外界环境氧化作用的影响是不可避免的，直到磁力完全消失。这并不是说铁棒本身不具有潜在的磁性，只是需要除掉铁锈而已。或者说一个发着光的灯泡，但上面覆了层煤灰，只要煤灰不除，灯泡的光芒就无法照射出去。
根据古代梵文记载，人类历史中也出现过类似现象。根据自身的意识观念，每个人身上都蕴涵着无限的能量，但引导方式不正确，这种能量就不能发挥得淋漓尽致。生活方式、环境污染和各方面的压力都妨碍了我们潜能的发挥。
但是也有挽救措施：生活方式上兼容并蓄，使之有效对抗压力、确定生活重心。措施包括：
熟悉你的吃穿用度及你周围的环境。选择自然和有机的产品。带着善意、关怀和仁爱之心生活--这有利于维持你生活重心和生活源泉的联系。这种联系所产生的无尽的能量就是你心中不屈的源泉。
不要以貌取人，不要对外界因素妄加评论--带着一切皆有可能的信念度过生活的每一分钟。
