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你被困在一幢失火大厦的窗前。你身下的浓烟里传来一个男人的呼喊:“跳!”你会跳吗?你会离开已知的危险、投身未知吗?
答案取决于两个因素。其一是你对那个对你呼喊的人了解有多深。他可靠吗?他是会让你摔落在地还是能不负所望接住你呢?
人与人之间各种各样的关系也会遇到这类问题:我们有多了解这个自己愿意信任的人?他们可靠吗?他们明天还在吗?时移世易后,他们还会支持你吗?你能指望他们支持你吗?
就好像一名女子在伦敦的牛津街上从一个小贩那里买了两块手表,当女子问小贩能不能提供质量保证时,小贩说:“夫人,这是当然了。我能给您提供5年、10年,甚至终生保证。”紧接着加了一句:“我惟一不能保证的是下周一上午我是否还在这儿。”
所以说,信任的第一部分就是“相信”,你相信那个人值得你信任吗?
然后就是同样重要的第二个因素了,那就是“行动”。你会跳吗?如果你最终不愿跳,那么你相不相信自己信任一个人也就无关紧要了。你会跳入某段情感、商业投资或未知的未来吗?你会允许别人托起你吗?你会为了证明自己信任他们而往下跳吗?
你可能会选择跳下去。留在烈火中的大厦里也不失为一种选择,可不是长期抉择。而虽然跳下滚滚浓烟中很危险,但你落地时可能会很安全很平稳。同时,你还可能发现有些人值得信赖——你可以信赖他们会守在旁边,留神看着或让你落在准备好的垫子上。然后,你可能就会知道这一跳,值!
You are trapped at the window of a building that is on fire. You hear a man’s voice through the smoke below you shouting,“Jump!”Will you jump?Will you leave the known, as dangerous as it is, and plunge into the unknown?
The answer will likely depend on two factors. The first has to do with how much you know about the person who is shouting to you. Is he reliable?Will he let you fall to the ground or can he be depended upon to support your weight?
So it is with all of our relationships. What do we know about the people we would like to trust? Are they reliable? Will they be there tomorrow?Will they stand by you when circumstances change?Can you depend on them to support you?
It’s like a woman who once purchased two watches from a street salesman on London’s Oxford street. When she asked if the street vendor could furnish her guarantees, he said, “Certainly, madam. I can give you five-year, ten-year or even lifetime guarantees.”Then he added,“The only thing I can’t guarantee is that I will be here this time next Monday morning.”
So the first part of trust is BELIEF. Do you believe the other person to be worthy of your trust?
Then there is a second factor that is equally important, and that is ACTION. Will you jump?It matters little how much you believe you trust someone if you are unwilling finally to jump. Will you take the leap into the relationship, business venture or unknown future?Will you allow others to hold you up? Will you demonstrate your trust for them by jumping?
You may be deciding to make a jump. Staying in the burning building is always an option, but not one you’ll want to make for long. And though it feels risky to leap into the smoke, you may discover there a safe and secure landing. You may also discover that there are those who can be trusted——those who can be relied upon to stand by, to keep an eye out for you or to cushion your fall. And you may discover that it was worth the jump.
(摘自2010年7-8月《英语广场美文》)