I believe in the importance of pace. I grew up in a frenetic household， both parents working jobs that demanded their attention 24/7. I was little and fast and rushed around， and I still have that person inside me， always at risk of moving too quickly， missing the connection， making mistakes.

The forest behind our house offered a peaceful respite. My passion for the vertical world took me from tall trees in my backyard to climbing steep cliffs and crags. As a teen， I was moving easily over the landscapes of the American West and was drawn to higher summits. When I was 19， I learned something called the “rest step” from an old mountain climber named Paul Petzoldt. He advised me to rest in the middle of each step completely， but briefly. The rest step， which I still practice today， allows me to walk or climb with little effort. I can move very quickly yet still find a pause in every step.

The awareness of pace—that I owe to my teacher—has served me whether I am seeking the world’s highest summits， sharing my love for the mountains with others or kneeling to look my son， Gus， in the eye when he has a question.

It serves me as I drive， adjusting my speed to gain a bit of calm and reach my destination only minutes behind the “record time” a faster lane might provide. It serves me at home where we maintain a tradition of gathering each night at the dinner table to eat and talk to each other.

In times of crisis， pace comes to my aid. Another of Petzoldt’s lessons was when faced with an emergency， sit down， collect yourself， make a plan. When needs seem most urgent—even life-threatening—the practice of slowing down offers calm and clarity.

In 1987， I was in Pakistan to climb Gasherbrum II， one of the world’s highest peaks. We were a small group and it was a very big mountain. Our expedition faced more than its share of difficulty： A long storm wiped out most of our food rations and an avalanche devastated our camp， obliterating our tents. One of our party developed altitude sickness； blood poisoning threatened another. In the face of each disaster， we carefully developed a new plan. Snow caves replaced lost tents. Soups replaced full meals. Eventually we climbed slowly to the top， then made our way safely down.

Concentrating on how I move through the world is important. It’s why I reach mountain summits and life goals with energy to spare.

There is magic in any faith. Every once in a while， rushing about， my belief in pace rises up， slows me down and grants me a view of a sunset， a smile from a stranger or a conversation with a child. I owe these moments to what I learned from an old mountain climber and have practiced ever since.

我十分相信速度的重要性。我從小就是在風風火火的環境中長大的，父母整整一周每天24小時無休止地忙碌。我從小就莽撞，直到現在還是沒有多大改變，做起事來經常是草草了事，注重片面，錯誤不斷。

我家屋后的林子是一個靜靜歇息的好地方。我熱衷于挑戰垂直高度，從開始爬后院的大樹，到后來攀爬懸崖峭壁。十幾歲的時候，美國西部的地形對我來說已沒有什么難度，攀爬起來非常輕松。后來，我便轉向了更高的頂峰。19歲時，我從一位名叫保羅？佩索特的攀山老前輩那里學習了一種叫“歇步”的攀山方法。他告訴我，在步伐之間要有完全而短暫的停歇。時至今日，我還在練習“歇步”。正是這種步伐，讓我走路或爬山省了不少力氣。雖然我每走一步都有所停頓，但動作仍然敏捷迅速。

多虧這位前輩的幫助，他對速度的理解讓我受益匪淺。不管是在尋求征服世界巔峰的過程中，還是和別人分享我對高山的熱愛之情，或是我蹲下來注視兒子格斯的雙眼，聆聽他的困擾時，我對速度的理解都發揮了巨大的作用。

對速度的理解會在我開車時幫助我，讓我調整好速度，沉著駕駛，最終到達目的地的時間比開快車的“最佳時間”僅僅慢了幾分鐘而已。對速度的理解讓我們家保留了一個傳統——每天晚上，全家人都要聚在飯桌前吃飯聊天。

危急時刻，對速度的理解總會助我脫離險境。佩索特教我的另一個經驗是，遇到突發情況，先坐下來，保持鎮定，然后制定解決問題的方案。當面臨最緊急的情況時，甚至在生死攸關的時刻，“緩一步”的做法能讓你心態平靜，頭腦清晰。

1987年，我到巴基斯坦去攀登世界最高峰之一的迦舒布魯木峰。我們是一支規模很小的登山隊，面前卻是一座龐然巨峰。我們的整個探險歷程波折重重：持續不斷的風暴卷走了我們大部分的食物，雪崩毀壞了我們的營地，埋沒了帳篷；隊伍中的一員出現了高原反應，而敗血癥又威脅著另一個隊員的生命；在面對接踵而來的災難危機時，我們仔細地斟酌新的應對計劃。我們用冰雪窯洞替代了帳篷，簡單的湯羹代替了全餐。最終，我們慢慢地登上了頂峰，然后又安全返回。

為什么我能攀上世界高峰，實現自己的人生目標，并且不至于殫精竭慮？集中注意力，看我是怎樣發揮行動力才是最重要的。

每一種信念都有它的魔力。每當自己顯得急躁時，那份對速度的信念就會浮現在腦中，讓我調慢節奏，賜予我享受日落斜陽美景的機會，體會萍水相逢的笑容，感悟童言無忌的稚趣。能夠享受所有美好的時刻，完全歸功于那位登山前輩給我的忠告。當然，我對“慢”的練習也是不可或缺的。

記憶填空

1. When I was 19， I learned something called the“rest step”from an old mountain named Paul Petzoldt. He_______me to rest in the middle of each step completely， but briefly. The rest step， which I still practice today， allows me to walk or with little effort. I can move very quickly yet still find a pause in every_______.

2. Every_______ in a while， rushing about， my belief in_______ rises up， slows me_______and grants me a view of a sunset， a smile from a stranger or a conversation with a child.

佳句翻譯

1. 危急時刻，對速度的理解總會助我脫離險境。

2. 當面臨最緊急的情況時，甚至在生死攸關的時刻，“緩一步”的做法能讓你心態平靜，頭腦清晰。

3. 每一種信念都有它的魔力。

短語應用

1. A long storm wiped out most of our food rations and an avalanche devastated our camp， obliterating our tents.

wipe out：徹底摧毀；消滅；擦凈；擦掉

2. Concentrating on how I move through the world is important.

move through：穿過

用快樂激發出更多的快樂

Happiness Is a Stimulus

佚名 / Anonymous

Many have sought a variety of sources for their feeling of happiness. Some have put their heart and efforts into their work. Too many turned to drugs and alcohol. Untold numbers have looked for it in the possession of expensive cars， exotic vacation hoes， and other popular “toys”. Most of their efforts have a root in one common fact that people are looking for a lasting source of happiness.

Unfortunately， I believe that happiness evades many because they misunderstand the process and journey of finding it.

Today， some people think that an expensive car is stimulus. Happiness is a response. A great paying job is stimulus. Happiness is a response. A loving relationship is stimulus. Happiness is a response. This belief leaves us thinking and feeling： “I’ll be happy when ...”