真正的高度

障碍越是巨大，逾越它也就越自豪。——莫里哀

在今天的全国青少年奥林匹克运动会上，他面临的竞争异常激烈，就像此刻他坐着的阿斯特罗草皮一样灼热。横杆现在的位置是17英尺，比他个人最好成绩还要高出3英寸。迈克尔·斯通面临着他撑杆跳高生涯中最有挑战的一天。此时此刻，飞翔不仅仅是迈克尔·斯通的现实的梦想，还是他的探索与追求。

从迈克尔开始记事起，他一直梦想着能够飞翔。迈克尔的成长过程中，他的妈妈给他讲了许多关于飞翔的故事。可他的爸爸伯特·斯通却相反，他不是一个爱做梦的人，他信仰的是努力与汗水。他的座右铭是：“如果你想得到什么，那么就为之努力吧！”

从14岁起，迈克尔就是这么做的。他开始了一项全面而系统的举重训练。他每隔一天练一次举重，间隔的那一天练跑步。这个训练计划由迈克尔的爸爸兼教练来仔细监督。

今天迈克尔在赛场上的每一跳，似乎都是对他所付出的艰辛与努力的回报。迈克尔·斯通跳过17英尺后是感到惊讶、激动还是骄傲自大，你一点也看不出来。他一落到气垫上，观众们立即站了起来，可迈克尔却又立刻开始为他的下一跳做准备了。他似乎没有意识到，他刚刚那一跳比他的个人最好成绩高了3英寸，并且他现在成了这场全国青少年奥林匹克运动会撑杆跳比赛仅剩的两名竞争者之一。

接下来迈克尔跳过了17英尺2英寸，又跳过了17英尺4英寸，但他仍旧面无表情。他明白现在需要的是不懈的准备与坚毅的决心。他仰面躺着，听到观众席上发出一阵叹息声，就知道另一位选手的最后一跳失败了。他知道，该他进行最后一跳了。现在横杆的高度比他的个人最好成绩高出了9英寸。这离全国纪录只差1英寸了，他暗暗想着。

这一刻的紧张气氛让他心里充满了焦虑。然后很突然地，或许是从他灵魂的最深处吧，他想到了妈妈。妈妈以前常常告诉他，当你感到紧张、焦虑甚至是恐惧的时候，深呼吸。于是，他深呼吸，然后轻轻地把撑杆放在脚边。他开始伸伸胳膊，挺挺上身。刚才的那阵微风现在已经过去了。他小心地捡起自己的撑杆。他感觉到心脏在怦怦地猛跳。他敢肯定观众的心跳也和他一样剧烈。整个赛场静得吓人。然后，他听到了远处几只知更鸟的鸣叫，他知道，他飞翔的时候到来了。

迈克尔·斯通飞了起来，就像在他童年的梦境中那样。只不过这一次，他知道自己可不是在做梦。周围的空气从未像现在这么纯净，这么新鲜。迈克尔就像是一只威武的雄鹰，在天空中翱翔着。

也许是看台上观众爆发出的欢呼声，也许是他落地时“砰”的一声，让迈克尔重新回到了现实。他仰面躺在那儿，依然灼热的阳光舒服地照在他的脸上。此刻，他唯一能够想象到的是妈妈脸上的笑容。他知道，爸爸可能也在微笑，甚至可能开怀大笑——伯特激动时总是这样。但迈克尔不知道的是，他的爸爸此刻正紧紧抱着妈妈，放声大哭，哭得那样动情，是迈克尔以前从未见过的。

很快，迈克尔就被人群团团围住，人们和他拥抱，祝贺他有生以来取得的最大成就。他那天又跳的那一次，跳过了17英尺6.5英寸的高度：这既是全国青少年奥运会纪录，也是国际青少年奥运会纪录。

想想事后各方媒体对他的争相报道，商家可能会请他代言产品以及人们如潮水涌来般的衷心祝贺，迈克尔的生活将从此不同。但这并不仅仅是因为他在全国青少年奥运会上拿了冠军且创造了一项新的世界纪录，也不仅仅是因为他把自己的个人最好成绩提高了9.5英寸。

这仅仅只是因为，迈克尔·斯通是一个盲人。

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《新东方英语·中学生》）