If the past has taught us anything, it is that every cause brings effect -- every actionhas a consequence. This thought, in my opinion, is the moral foundation of the universe; it applies equally in this world and the next. We Chinese have a saying: "If a man plants melons, he will reap melons; if he sows beans, he will reap beans." And this is true of every man's life: good begets good, and evil leads to evil. True enough, the sun shines on the saint and sinner alike, and too often it seems that the wicked wax and prosper. But we can say with certitude that, with the individual as with the nation, the flourishing of the wicked is an illusion, for, unceasingly, life keeps books on us all. In the end, we are all the sum total of our actions. Character cannot be counterfeited, nor can it be put on and cast off as if it were a garment to meet the whim of the moment. Like the markings on wood which are ingrained in the very heart of the tree, character requires time and nurture for growth and development. Thus also, day by day, we write our own destiny, for inexorably we become what we do. This, I believe, is the supreme logic and the law of life.
如果过去的日子曾经教过我们一些什么的话，那便是有因必有果──每一个行为都有一种结果。依我之见，这种观念是宇宙的道德基础；它也同样适用于今生和来世。 我们中国人有句谚语说：“种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆。”这也适用于每个人的生活：善有善报，恶有恶报。 的确，圣人与罪人皆会受到阳光的披泽，而且常常似乎是恶者大行其道。但是我们可以确信地说，不管是对个人或是对国家而言，恶人猖獗只是一种幻象，因为生命无时无刻不将我们的所作所为一笔一笔记录下来。 最终，我们就是我们行为的总和。品德是无法伪造的，也无法像衣服一样随兴地穿上或脱下来丢在一旁。就像木头纹路源自树木的中心，品德的成长与发育也需要时间和滋养。 也因此，我们日复一日地写下自身的命运，因为我们的所为毫不留情地决定我们的命运。我相信这就是人生的最高逻辑和法则。
"Thank you for your application. We would like to congratulate you," the letter read. Those words can make your heart skip a beat and bring tears to your eyes. The feeling of following your dreams is inexplicable and proof that all your hard work was worth it. It is a signpost in life, a trail marker. It is a day you will never forget, the day you opened that envelope and your future was revealed. But what about all those days in-between - the ones that make and break you, the days that are nothing special. Would you have received that acceptance letter had you not attended the college fair at your school? What if you had forgotten to send an essay with your application, would you have been rejected? In life, one step creates the next. Each day is of equal importance, no matter how good or bad. There is no moment in life that does not matter. Regardless of how insignificant, each choice, each day, each idea, is the birth of the next. Something simple can completely reshape your life. It's just like the Butterfly Effect and you never know what is at the end. To go back in time and change one moment in the many that create your life could change everything that follows. If I've learned anything, it is that everything matters. You can struggle through life in an attempt to create the perfect path, but the truth is you will always wonder if it could have been better. Everything is important and nothing need be changed - to climb up the hill may be difficult, but you'll reach the top no matter which path you choose.
“感谢你的申请。我们要恭喜你，”信上写道。那些话能使你的心为之一颤，让你热泪盈眶。追随梦想的感受是难以言喻的，并且证明你所有的努力都是值得的。那是人生中的一个标记，人生路上的里程碑。那是你永远不会忘记的日子，那天你打开那个信封，你的未来就随之展现。但是在你获得录取信之前的所有日子呢？那些使你成功也使你崩溃的日子，那些平平淡淡的日子。要是你那时没有参加学校的学院展，你还会收到录取信吗？如果当时在寄申请书的时候，你忘记附上一篇个人陈述，你会被拒绝吗？人生中，步步相随。无论好与坏，每一天都一样的重要。人生中没有一个时刻是无关紧要的。不管如何不值一提，每个选择、每一天、每个想法，都会引出下一步。简单的事情可以完全重塑你的人生。那就像是“蝴蝶效应”，你永远不知道最后的结果是什么。若回顾从前并改变创造你人生的众多时刻中的一个，随后的一切也会被改变。要是说我悟出什么道理，那就是任何事情都是重要的。你可以奋斗一生，试图创造完美的人生之路，但事实是你总是怀疑是否原本有更好的路可以走。每件事情都是重要的，任何事情都无需改变——攀山的过程可能是艰辛的，但无论你选择哪条道路，你终会到达顶峰。