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something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue--百年婚礼习俗
The wedding tradition of “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” has been around for hundreds of years. Many brides have been asked on their respective wedding days if they have gathered something old, new, borrowed and blue to carry with them as they walk down the aisle. The tradition of carrying or wearing one of each item is said to bring luck and fortune to the newly married couple. Have you ever stopped to think what the saying really means﹖ What is its origin and what does each item represent﹖
The original saying dates back to the Victoria times and states, “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a silver sixpence in your shoe.”
Something old...
A bride may wear or carry something old to represent her continued ties to her family and her old life. Many brides wear a piece of family jewelry as their old item. Some brides wear the wedding dress worn by their mother or grandmother. In many cases, something old may also be something borrowed.
Something new...
Wearing something new is supposed to represent success and hope in the bride’s new life and in her marriage. If the bride purchased her wedding dress new, it may represent her new item, but any item that is new may be used. Something “new” is usually the easiest category1 to fill.
Something borrowed...
The borrowed item should be something borrowed from a friend that is happily married. It is suggested that their happiness will rub off on you and bring lasting happiness to your marriage. Some brides borrow an item of clothing, a piece of jewelry, a handkerchief or perhaps a beaded purse.
Something blue...
Wearing something blue dates back to biblical times when a blue wedding dress was worn to represent purity, fidelity and love. Over time this has changed from wearing a blue dress to wearing just a blue band around the bottom of the bride’s wedding dress to modern times ?where it is commonplace for the bride to wear a blue garter.
Silver sixpence...
Placing a silver sixpence in the bride’s left shoe is said to be a symbol of wealth. This not only refers to financial wealth, but also a wealth of happiness and joy throughout her married life. Since most brides probably don’t even know what a sixpence is, this part of the tradition is not used very often in modern times. However, if a bride would like to include it in her wedding, she can purchase a silver sixpence from many companies that sell bridal supplies such as garters and invitations.
Other brides aren’t bound by tradition but still may choose to carry out the custom at someone else’s request. If they don’t want to carry numerous items, they may simply carry two handkerchiefs in a small beaded bag--hey may choose to buy a new, white handkerchief and borrow a blue one from a family member. That would provide them with something new--the white handkerchief, as well as something that is old, borrowed and blue--the blue handkerchief. The handkerchief just may come in handy during the wedding for drying their joyful tears.?
英语晨读365 115 Equipment 装备
Equipment
Figure it out for yourself, my lad. You have got all that the great have had: two arms, two legs, two hands, two eyes, and a brain to use if you'd be wise. With this equipment they all began, so start for the top and say" I can".
Look them over the wise and the great. They take their food from a common plate. With similar knives and forks they use; with similar laces they tie their shoes. The world considers them brave and smart, but you know--- you have got all they had when they made their start.
You can triumph and come to skill; you can be great if you only will. You are well equipped for the fight you choose you have arms and legs and brains to use. And people who have risen, great deeds to do started their lives with no more than you.
You are the handicap you must face. You are the one who must choose your place. You must say where you want to go, and how much you will study the truth to know. God has equipped you for life, but he lets you decide what you want to be.
The courage must come from the soul within; you must furnish the will to win. So figure it out for yourself, my lad; you were born with all the great have had; with your equipment they all began. Get hold of yourself and say" I can".
你会发现，自己已经具备了所有伟人所拥有的：两条胳膊，两条腿，两只手，两只眼睛以及为你带来智慧的大脑。这些伟大的人在奋斗之处也只拥有这些。因此，开始为了梦想奋斗吧，告诉你自己：“我行！”。
看看那些伟大睿智的人，他们吃饭用寻常的盘子和刀叉；甚至用类似的方法系鞋带－－世人皆认为他们兼具勇敢与智慧。但你要知道，此刻你已拥有他们拼搏向前的一切。
如果你愿意，你同样可以取胜，同样可以伟大。在奋斗的路途上你已拥有最精良的装备，不断向前成就伟业的人在奋斗之初并不比你多多少。
你必须面对的是你自己，仅有你自己可以决定自己的处境。说出自己想要达到目标,讲出自己掌握的真相。上帝已为你提供了装备，但方向只能由你自己来决定。
勇气来自内心深处，下定决心取得胜利。所以，自己想想吧，伟人的资本与生俱来。把握好自己，告诉自己：“我行！”。
英语晨读365 114 Dreams 梦想
Dreams
When we were young, we had dreams and expectations. We imagine things; we keep thinking about what we want to be, what we want to do, what makes us proud and happy and what will we become.
We grew up, and things seemed like having their own way. We accept our success or failures and we move on. The rapid change, the need to do the urgent things, the works, the pressures and the failures, all kill part of our visions.
Things have changed, but they cannot really take away the dreams. We still have to dream on, to visualize our desires, our wants, our vision of our future, even when we are considered too old for such things.
Cornell Sanders started his business when he was sixty, and started the whole successful KFC business. The main thing is not the age whether being too old, or too young, but it is the desire to dream on, and the courage to realize it.
The ability to dream on is one of the fine qualities of human race that other species do not possess. So dream on, and put a deadline: make it a giant dream, a tiny one, an old everlasting one, a new-found one, a hobby-related one, a change of life one, a religious one, a stupid one, a stroke of genius one, or just whatever... just continue to dream on... Then, Just Go and Do It!
英语晨读365 118 We Were Dear to Each Other 相亲相爱
Stray birds of summer come to my window to sing and fly away.
And yellow leaves of autumn,which have no songs,flutter and fall there with a sign.
O Troupe of little vagrants of the world,leave your footprints in my words.
The world puts off its mask of vastness to its lover.
It becomes small as one song,as one kiss of the eternal.
It is the tears of the earth that keep her smiles in bloom.
The mighty desert is burning for the love of a blade of grass who shakes her head and laughs and flies away.
If you shed tears when you miss the sun,you also miss the stars.
The sands in your way beg for your song and your movement,dancing water,Will you carry the burden of their lameless?
Her wishful face haunts my dreams like the rain at night.
Once we dreamt that we were strangers.
We wake up to find that we were dear to each other.
夏天的飞鸟,飞到我的窗前唱歌,又飞去了。
秋天的黄叶,它们没有什么可唱,只叹息了一声,飞落在那里。
世界上的一小队小小的漂泊者呀,请留下你们的脚印在我的文字里。
世界对着它的爱人,把它浩瀚的面具揭了下来。
它变小了,小如一首歌,小如一回永恒的吻。
是大地的泪点,使她的微笑保持着青春不谢。
无垠的沙漠热烈地追求一叶绿草的爱,她摇摇头笑着飞开了。
如果你因失去了太阳而流泪,那么你也将将失去群星了。
跳着舞的流水呀,在你途中的泥沙,要求你的歌声,你的欢跳.你肯挟痂足的泥沙而俱下么?
她的热切的脸,如夜雨似的,搅扰着我的梦魂。
有一次,我们梦见大家都是不认识的。
我们醒了,却知道我们是相亲相爱的。
英语晨读365 123 Prometheus 普罗米修斯
Prometheus
Prometheus was a Titan ．In the war between Zeus the giants he had stood on the side of the new Olympian gods．Out of the clay he made the first man，to whom Athena gave soul and holy breath．Prometheus spent a lot of time and energy in creating the gift of fire．The fire raised man above all animals ．Later，there held a joint meeting of gods and men．The meeting was to decide what part of burnt animals should be given to gods and what to men．Prometheus cut up an ox and divided it into two parts：under the skin he placed the fresh，and under the fat he put the bones，for he knew the selfish Zeus loved fat． Zeus saw through the trick and felt displeased at the Prometheus' favor towards men．So in a masterful way he took away the gift of fire from mankind．However，Prometheus managed to steal fire from heaven and secretly brought it down to men．Flying into an anger at this unjustified act of rebellion，Zeus let the other gods chain Prometheus to a rock on Mountain Caucasus，where a hungry eagle ever tore at his liver which ever grew again．His period of pain was to be thirty-thousand years．Prometheus faced his bitter fate firmly and never lost courage before Zeus．At last Heracles made Prometheus and Zeus restore to friend ship，when Heracles came over in search of the golden apple and killed the eagle and set the friend of mankind free．
普罗米修斯
普罗米修斯是泰坦巨人之一。在宙斯与巨人的战争中，他站在新的奥林波斯山神一边。他用粘土造出了第一个男人。雅典娜赋予了这个男人灵魂和神圣的生命。普罗米修斯还花费了很多时间和精力创造了火，并将之赠予人类。火使人成为万物之灵。在这之后，举行了第一次神与人的联席会议。这个会议将决定烧烤过的`动物的哪一部分该分给神，哪一部分该给人类。普罗米修斯切开一头牛，把它分成两部分：他把肉放在皮下，将骨头放在肥肉下。因为他知道自私的宙斯爱吃肥肉。宙斯看穿了他的把戏。普罗米修斯偏袒人类，这使宙斯感到不快。因此，他专横地把火从人类手中夺走。然而，普罗米修斯设法窃走了天火，偷偷地把它带给人类。宙斯对他这种肆无忌惮的违抗行为大发雷霆。他令其他的山神把普罗米修斯用锁链缚在高加索山脉的一块岩石上。一只饥饿的老鹰天天来啄食他的肝脏，而他的肝脏又总是重新长出来。他的痛苦要持续三万年。而他坚定地面对苦难，从来不在宙斯面前丧失勇气。最后，海格立斯使普罗米修斯与宙斯恢复了他们的友谊，找到了金苹果，杀死了老鹰，因而解救了人类的老朋友。
英语晨读365 136 Friendship 友谊
Friendship
If you're ever in a jam
Here i am
If you're ever in a mess
S.O.S
If you ever land in jail
I am your bail
If you're ever up a tree
pnone to me
If you're ever down a well
Ring my bell
If you ever lost your teeth and you're out to dine
Borrow mine
If they ever black your eyes
put me wise
If they ever cook your goose
Turn me loose
If they ever put a bullet through your brain
I'll complain
It's friendship,friendship
Just a perfect blend-ship
When other friendships have been forgot
Ours will still be it
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