As I began to love myself I found that anguish and emotional suffering
are only warning signs that I was living against my own truth.
Today, I know, this is “AUTHENTICITY”.
As I began to love myself I understood how much it can offend somebody
As I try to force my desires on this person, even though I knew the time
was not right and the person was not ready for it, and even though this
person was me. Today I call it “RESPECT”.
As I began to love myself I stopped craving for a different life,
and I could see that everything that surrounded me was inviting me to grow.
Today I call it “MATURITY”.
As I began to love myself I understood that at any circumstance,
I am in the right place at the right time, and everything happens
at the exactly right moment. So I could be calm.
Today I call it “SELF-CONFIDENCE”.
As I began to love myself I quit steeling my own time,
and I stopped designing huge projects for the future.
Today, I only do what brings me joy and happiness, things I love to do
and that make my heart cheer, and I do them in my own way and in
my own rhythm. Today I call it “SIMPLICITY”.
As I began to love myself I freed myself of anything that is no good for
my health – food, people, things, situations, and everything that drew
me down and away from myself. At first I called this attitude
a healthy egoism. Today I know it is “LOVE OF ONESELF”.
As I began to love myself I quit trying to always be right, and ever since
I was wrong less of the time. Today I discovered that is “MODESTY”.
As I began to love myself I refused to go on living in the past and worry
about the future. Now, I only live for the moment, where EVERYTHING
is happening. Today I live each day, day by day, and I call it “FULFILLMENT”.
As I began to love myself I recognized that my mind can disturb me
and it can make me sick. But As I connected it to my heart, my
mind became a valuable ally. Today I call this
connection “WISDOM OF THE HEART”.
We no longer need to fear arguments, confrontations or any kind of problems
with ourselves or others. Even stars collide, and out of their crashing
new worlds are born.Today I know THAT IS “LIFE”!
这首诗写于卓别林70岁生日当天。
卓别林幼年丧父,曾在游艺场和巡回剧团卖艺、打杂。1913年,他随剧团去美国演出,被一位美国导演看中,从此开始了他的电影生涯。
一年后,头戴圆顶礼帽、手持竹手杖、足登大皮靴、走路像鸭子的流浪汉夏尔洛的形象首次出现在影片《阵雨之间》中，成为了卓别林喜剧片的标志。
从1919年开始,卓别林独立制片,此后一生共拍摄80余部喜剧片。这些作品表达了对下层劳动者的同情，对资本主义社会的讽刺，对法西斯首领希特勒的鞭笞……
在“人生七十古来稀”的年纪，他在这首诗中说明了爱自己最好的方式并不在外在，不在于给自己优越的物质享受，而是去打磨内在的品质——尊重、成熟、自信、单纯、真实……
仅仅读这首诗，你便会明白为什么他的作品和形象能够穿越时空——一个内在真正有力量的人，方能演绎出，那么多深刻而幽默的作品。
