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父亲的智言又一次带我走出了困境。通往广场的路永远不止一条。
■ 心灵小语
通往广场的路不止一条。人生也是如此。如果一条道路无法到达你想去的地方，那就试试其他的路。
More Than One Way to the Square
Elsa Schiaparelli
We were standing at the top of a church tower。 My father had brought me to this spot in a small Italian town not far from our home in Rome。 I wondered why。
“Look down； Elsa。” Father said。 I gathered all my courage and looked down。 I saw the square in the center of the village。 And I saw the crisscross of twisting； turning streets leading to the square。
“See； my dear；” Father said gently。 “There is more than one way to the square。 Life is like that。 If you can’t get to the place where you want to go by one road； try another。”
Now I understood why I was there。 Earlier that day I had begged my mother to do something about the awful lunches that were served at school。 But she refused because she could not believe the lunches were as bad as I said。
When I turned to Father for help； he would not interfere。 Instead； he brought me to this high tower to give me a lesson—the value of an open； searching mind。 By the time we reached home； I had a plan。
At school the next day； I secretly poured my luncheon soup into a bottle and brought it home。 Then I talked the cook into serving it to Mother at dinner。 The plan worked perfectly。 She swallowed one spoonful and sputtered。 “The cook must have gone mad！” Quickly I told what I had done； and Mother stated firmly that she would take up the matter of lunches at school the next day！
In the years that followed I often remembered the lesson Father taught me。 I knew where I wanted to go in life。 I wanted to be a fashion designer。 And on the way to my first small success I found the road blocked。 What could I do？ Accept the roadblock and fail。 Or use imagination and wits to find another road to my goal。
I had e to Paris； the center of the world of fashion； with my sketches。 But none of the famous fashion designers seemed interested in buying them。 Then one day I met a friend who was wearing a very beautiful sweater。 It was plain in color； but it had a lovely and unusual stitch。
通往广场的路不止一条（3）
“Did you knit that sweater？” I asked her。
“No；” she answered。 “It was done by a woman here in Paris。”
“What an interesting stitch！”I continued。
My friend had an explanation。“The woman—her name is Mrs。 Vidian—told me she learned the stitch in Armenia； her native country。”
Suddenly I pictured a daring design knitted into such a sweater。 Then an even more daring idea came to me。 Why not open my own house of fashion？ Why not design； make and sell clothes—from the house of Schiaparelli！I would do it； and I would begin with a sweater。
I drew a bold black and white butterfly pattern and took it to Mrs。 Vidian。 She knitted it into a sweater。 The result； I thought； was wonderful。 Then came the test。 I wore the sweater to a luncheon which people in the fashion business would attend。 To my great pleasure； the sweater was noticed。 In fact； the representative of a large New York store wanted 40 sweaters to be ready in two weeks。 I accepted the order and walked out on a cloud of happiness。
My cloud disappeared suddenly； however； when I stood in front of Mrs。 Vidian。 “But it took me almost a week to knit that one sweater；” she said。 “Forty sweaters in two weeks？ It is not possible！”
I was crushed—to be so close to success and then to be blocked！Sadly I walked away。 All at once I stopped short。 There must be another way。 This stitch did take special skill。 But surely there must be other Armenian women in Paris who knew how to do it。
I went back to Mrs。 Vidian and explained my plan。 She really didn’t think it would work； but she agreed to help。
We were like detectives； Mrs。 Vidian and I。 We put ourselves on the trail of any Armenians who lived in Paris。 One friend led us to another。 At last we tracked down 20 women； each of whom could knit the special stitch。 Two weeks later the sweaters were finished。 And the first shipment from the new house of Schiaparelli was on its way to the United States！
From that day a steady stream of clothes and perfumes flowed from the house of Schiaparelli。 I found the world of fashion gay and exciting； full of challenge and adventure。 I shall never forget one showing which was really a challenge。 Once again Father’s advice helped me。 I was busy getting ready to show my winter fashions。 Then—just 13 days before the presentation—the sewing girls were called out on strike。 I found myself left with one tailor and the woman who was in charge of the sewing room！ I was as gloomy as my models and salesgirls。 “We’ll never make it；” one of them cried。
Here； I thought； is the test of all tests for Father’s advice。 Where is the way out this time？ I wondered and worried。 I was certain we would have to call off the presentation—or else show the clothes unfinished。 Then it dawned on me。 Why not show the clothes unfinished？
We worked at fever pitch。 And； exactly 13 days later； right on time； the Schiaparelli showing took place。
What a showing it was！ Some coats had no sleeves； others had only one。 Many of our clothes were still in an early stage。 They were only patterns made of heavy cotton cloth。 But on these we pinned sketches and pieces of material。 In this way we were able to show what colors and textures the clothes would have when they were finished。
All in all； the showing was different。 It was so different that it was a great success。 Our unusual showing caught the attention of the public； and orders for the clothes poured in。
Father’s wise words had guided me once again。 There is more than one way to the square—always。
重新把握命运
玛格丽特？米德
过去，孩子们通常会玩这样的游戏——突然指着一个人说：“你是干什么的？”有些人会回答：“我是一个人。”或回答是哪国人，或是哪个宗教的信徒。当新一代的孩子这样问我时，我答道：“我是一个人类学家。”人类学是对人类所有生活方式的研究，需要一个人将全部的精力与时间都投入其中。所以，在谈论信仰时，我无法将自己作为一个人的信仰与作为一个人类学家的信仰区分开来。
我相信，把人类看作整个世界的一部分，对了解人类是十分必要的。除了经历漫长岁月，由最初简单的生命形式发展成为的复杂生物结构，决定人性本质的因素还有人类社会的众多伟大发明。人类创造并一直使用着它们，而反过来它们也将诸如建筑师、思想家、政治家、艺术家、观察家、预言家等身份赋予了人类。我坚信，这样的特性存在于每一项伟大的发明之中，比如语言、家庭、工具的使用、政府、科学、艺术和哲学，将每个人性格中的潜能巧妙地结合起来。无论任何种族、任何文明的后裔，任何一个人类群体都能学习并将它发扬光大。所以，一个新几内亚岛最原始部落的新生婴儿完全有能力从哈佛大学毕业，写出一首十四行诗或发明一种新型的雷达，就像出生在比肯山的孩子那样。但我也相信，在新几内亚岛、波士顿、列宁格勒或是西藏长大的孩子，必定具备不同于他人的、属于自己地区的文化特性。这些文化特性对他们有着深远的影响，因此要想真正了解如何重新把握人类的命运，必须首先理解这些差异。
我相信，人性本无善恶之分，每个人生来都是先天潜能的不同组合，而决定人性善恶的是他们所接受的教育——是教育他们去信任、爱、试验和创造，还是教育他们去恐惧、仇恨和顺从——他们的人格也由此决定。我认为，人类的潜能甚至还不曾开始发挥，我相信只要以谦恭的态度坚持不懈地研究人类行为，让越来越多的人发现自身更多的潜能，我们就能自觉地学会创造文明。
我相信，人的生命之所以有意义，正是由于其个人树立的目标与他所处的文明、时代和国家之间有着密切的联系。也许有时，我们的任务会是为一片荒地修起围墙，为一条河架桥，或养育后代让年轻的群体延续下去。如今，为了安宁而自由的未来生活，这就意味着我们必须承担起责任，去创造一个全新的世界。
■ 心灵小语
我相信，人性本无善恶之分，每个人生来都是先天潜能的不同组合，而决定人性善恶的是他们所接受的教育——是教育他们去信任、爱、试验和创造，还是教育他们去恐惧、仇恨和顺从——他们的人格也由此决定。每一个人生来就注定要承担一些责任，要为了美好的生活努力，这就是人生。
A New Control of Destiny
Margaret Mead
Children used to play a game of pointing at someone suddenly； saying： “What are you？” Some people answered by saying： “I am a human being；” or by nationality； or by religion。 When this question was put to me by a new generation of children； I answered： “An anthropologist1。” Anthropology is the study of whole ways of life； to which one must be pletely mitted； all the time。 So that when I speak of what I believe； as a person； I cannot separate this from what I believe as an anthropologist。
I believe that to understand human beings it is necessary to think of them as part of the whole living world。 Our essential humanity depends not only on the plex biological structure which has been developed through the ages from very simple beginnings； but also upon the great social inventions which have been made by human beings； perpetuated2 by human beings； and in turn give human beings their stature as builders； thinkers； statesmen； artists； seers and prophets。 I believe that each of these great inventions—language； the family； the use of tools； government； science； art and philosophy—has the quality of so bining the potentialities of every human temperament； that each can be learned and perpetuated by any group of human beings； regardless of race； and regardless of the typ