障礙越是巨大，逾越它也就越自豪?！锇?/p>
在今天的全國青少年奧林匹克運動會上，他面臨的競爭異常激烈，就像此刻他坐著的阿斯特羅草皮一樣灼熱。橫桿現(xiàn)在的位置是17英尺，比他個人最好成績還要高出3英寸。邁克爾·斯通面臨著他撐桿跳高生涯中最有挑戰(zhàn)的一天。此時此刻，飛翔不僅僅是邁克爾·斯通的現(xiàn)實的夢想，還是他的探索與追求。
從邁克爾開始記事起，他一直夢想著能夠飛翔。邁克爾的成長過程中，他的媽媽給他講了許多關(guān)于飛翔的故事?？伤陌职植?#183;斯通卻相反，他不是一個愛做夢的人，他信仰的是努力與汗水。他的座右銘是：“如果你想得到什么，那么就為之努力吧！”
從14歲起，邁克爾就是這么做的。他開始了一項全面而系統(tǒng)的舉重訓(xùn)練。他每隔一天練一次舉重，間隔的那一天練跑步。這個訓(xùn)練計劃由邁克爾的爸爸兼教練來仔細監(jiān)督。
今天邁克爾在賽場上的每一跳，似乎都是對他所付出的艱辛與努力的回報。邁克爾·斯通跳過17英尺后是感到驚訝、激動還是驕傲自大，你一點也看不出來。他一落到氣墊上，觀眾們立即站了起來，可邁克爾卻又立刻開始為他的下一跳做準備了。他似乎沒有意識到，他剛剛那一跳比他的個人最好成績高了3英寸，并且他現(xiàn)在成了這場全國青少年奧林匹克運動會撐桿跳比賽僅剩的兩名競爭者之一。
接下來邁克爾跳過了17英尺2英寸，又跳過了17英尺4英寸，但他仍舊面無表情。他明白現(xiàn)在需要的是不懈的準備與堅毅的決心。他仰面躺著，聽到觀眾席上發(fā)出一陣嘆息聲，就知道另一位選手的最后一跳失敗了。他知道，該他進行最后一跳了?，F(xiàn)在橫桿的高度比他的個人最好成績高出了9英寸。這離全國紀錄只差1英寸了，他暗暗想著。
這一刻的緊張氣氛讓他心里充滿了焦慮。然后很突然地，或許是從他靈魂的最深處吧，他想到了媽媽。媽媽以前常常告訴他，當(dāng)你感到緊張、焦慮甚至是恐懼的時候，深呼吸。于是，他深呼吸，然后輕輕地把撐桿放在腳邊。他開始伸伸胳膊，挺挺上身。剛才的那陣微風(fēng)現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)過去了。他小心地撿起自己的撐桿。他感覺到心臟在怦怦地猛跳。他敢肯定觀眾的心跳也和他一樣劇烈。整個賽場靜得嚇人。然后，他聽到了遠處幾只知更鳥的鳴叫，他知道，他飛翔的時候到來了。
邁克爾·斯通飛了起來，就像在他童年的夢境中那樣。只不過這一次，他知道自己可不是在做夢。周圍的空氣從未像現(xiàn)在這么純凈，這么新鮮。邁克爾就像是一只威武的雄鷹，在天空中翱翔著。
也許是看臺上觀眾爆發(fā)出的歡呼聲，也許是他落地時“砰”的一聲，讓邁克爾重新回到了現(xiàn)實。他仰面躺在那兒，依然灼熱的陽光舒服地照在他的臉上。此刻，他唯一能夠想象到的是媽媽臉上的笑容。他知道，爸爸可能也在微笑，甚至可能開懷大笑——伯特激動時總是這樣。但邁克爾不知道的是，他的爸爸此刻正緊緊抱著媽媽，放聲大哭，哭得那樣動情，是邁克爾以前從未見過的。
很快，邁克爾就被人群團團圍住，人們和他擁抱，祝賀他有生以來取得的最大成就。他那天又跳的那一次，跳過了17英尺6.5英寸的高度：這既是全國青少年奧運會紀錄，也是國際青少年奧運會紀錄。
想想事后各方媒體對他的爭相報道，商家可能會請他代言產(chǎn)品以及人們?nèi)绯彼縼戆愕闹孕淖ＹR，邁克爾的生活將從此不同。但這并不僅僅是因為他在全國青少年奧運會上拿了冠軍且創(chuàng)造了一項新的世界紀錄，也不僅僅是因為他把自己的個人最好成績提高了9.5英寸。
這僅僅只是因為，邁克爾·斯通是一個盲人。
The Astroturf he was sitting on was as hot as the competition he faced today at the National Junior Olympics. The pole was set at 17 feet. That was three inches higher than his personal best. Michael Stone faced the most challenging day of his pole-vaulting career. Today and now, it is not only Michael Stone’s reality and dream——it’s his quest.
As long as Michel could remember, he had always dreamed of flying. Michael’s mother read him numerous stories about flying when he was growing up. His dad, Bert Stone, on the other hand, was not a dreamer. He believed in hard work and sweat. His motto: If you want something, work for it！
From the age of 14, Michael did just that. He began a very careful and regimented weight-lifting program. He worked out every other day with weights, with some kind of running work on alternate days. The program was carefully monitored by Michael’s coach, trainer and father.
All of Michael’s vaults today seemed to be the reward for his hard work. If Michael Stone was surprised, thrilled or arrogant about clearing the bar at 17 feet, you couldn’t tell. As soon as he landed on the inflated landing mat and with the crowd on their feet, Michael immediately began preparing for his next attempt. He seemed oblivious of the fact he had just surpassed his personal best by three inches and that he was one of the final two competitors in the pole-vaulting event at the National Junior Olympics.
When Michael cleared the bar at 17 feet, 2 inches and 17 feet, 4 inches, again he showed no emotion. Constant preparation and determination were his vision. As he lay on his back and heard the crowd moan, he knew the other vaulter had missed his final jump. He knew it was time for his final jump. The bar was set at nine inches higher than his personal best. That’s only one inch off the national record, he thought.
The intensity of the moment filled his mind with anxiety. Then out of nowhere, and from the deepest depths of his soul, he envisioned his mother. His mother always used to tell him that when you felt tense, anxious, or even scared, take deep breaths. So he did and gently laid his pole at his feet. He began to stretch out his arms and upper body. The light breeze that was once there was now gone. He carefully picked up his pole. He felt his heart pounding. He was sure the crowd did, too. The silence was deafening. When he heard the singing of some distant robins, he knew it was his time to fly.
Michael Stone was now flying, just like in his childhood dreams. Only this time he knew he wasn’t dreaming. The air around him seemed the purest and freshest he had ever sensed. Michael was soaring with the majesty of an eagle.
It was either the eruption of the people in the stands or the thump of his landing that brought Michael back to earth. On his back with that wonderful hot sun on his face, he could only envision the smile on his mother's face. He knew his dad was probably smiling too, even laughing. Bert would always do that when he got excited. What he didn't know was that Dad was hugging Mom and crying, harder than Michael had ever seen before.
Michael was immediately swarmed with people hugging and congratulating him on the greatest achievement thus far in his life. He later went on that day to clear 17 feet and 6 1/2 inches: National and international Junior Olympics record.
With all the media attention, endorsement possibilities and swarming herds of heartfelt congratulations, Michael’s life would never be the same. It wasn’t just because he won the National Junior Olympics and set a new world record. It wasn’t because he had just increased his personal best by 9 1/2 inches.
It was simply because Michael Stone is BLIND.（摘自2010年4月《新東方英語·中學(xué)生》）
