Isn t it amazing how one person, sharing one idea, at the right time and place can change the course of your life s history? This is certainly what happened in my life. When I was 14, I was hitchhiking from Houston, Texas, through El Paso on my way to California. I was following my dream, journeying with the sun. I was a high school dropout with learning disabilities and was set on surfing the biggest waves in the world, first in California and then in Hawaii, where I would later live.

Upon reaching downtown El Paso, I met an old man, a bum, on the street corner. He saw me walking, stopped me and questioned me as I passed by. He asked me if I was running away from home, I suppose because I looked so young. I told him, "Not exactly, sir," since my father had given me a ride to the freeway in Houston and given me his blessings while saying, "It is important to follow your dream and what is in your heart. Son. "

The bum then asked me if he could buy me a cup of coffee. I told him, "No, sir, but a soda would be great." We walked to a corner malt4 shop and sat down on a couple of swiveling stools while we enjoyed our drinks.

After conversing for a few minutes, the friendly bum told me to follow him. He told me that he had something grand to show me and share with me. We walked a couple of blocks until we came upon the downtown El Paso Public Library.

We walked up its front steps and stopped at a small information stand. Here the bum spoke to a smiling old lady, and asked her if she would be kind enough to watch my things for a moment while he and I entered the library. I left my belongings with this grandmotherly figure and entered into this magnificent hall of learning.

The bum first led me to a table and asked me to sit down and wait for a moment while he looked for something special amongst the shelves. A few moments later, he returned with a couple of old books under his arms and set them on the table. He then sat down beside me and spoke. He started with a few statements that were very special and that changed my life. He said, "There are two things that I want to teach you, young man, and they are these:

"Number one is to never judge a book by its cover, for a cover can fool you. "He followed with, "I ll bet you think I m a bum, don t you, young man?"

I said, "Well, uh, yes, I guess so, sir. "

"Well, young man, I ve got a little surprise for you. I am one of the wealthiest men in the world. I have probably everything any man could ever want. I originally come from the Northeast and have all the things that money can buy. But a year ago, my wife passed away, bless her soul, and since then I have been deeply reflecting upon life. I realized there were certain things I had not yet experienced in life,one of which was what it would be like to live like a bum on the streets. I made a commitment11 to myself to do exactly that for one year. For the past year.1 have been going from city to city doing just that. So, you see, don t ever judge a book by its cover, for a cover can fool you.

"Number two is to learn how to read, my boy. For there is only one thing that people can t take away from you, and that is your wisdom. " At that moment, he reached forward, grabbed my right hand in his and put them upon the books he d pulled from the shelves. They were the writings of Plato13 and Aristotle-immortal classics from ancient times.

The bum then led me back past the smiling old woman near the entrance, down the steps and back on the streets near where we first met. His parting request was for me to never forget what he taught me.

I haven t.

如ru果guo一yi個ge人ren，在zai適shi當dang的de時shi候hou和he地di方fang因yin為wei一yi句ju話hua而er改gai變bian了le他ta的de人ren生sheng曆li程cheng，你ni會hui感gan到dao驚jing異yi和he不bu可ke思si議yi嗎ma
？然ran而er這zhe的de確que是shi千qian真zhen萬wan確que的de，它ta就jiu發fa生sheng在zai我wo14歲那年。那時，我正在從得克薩斯州的休斯敦，經由愛坡索市前往加利福尼亞州去的旅途中。日出即行，日落即息；chichidizhuixunzhewodemengxiang。wobenlaizaidugaozhong

，yexuwotianshengjiubushidushudecailiao，yinciwobudebuzhongtuchuoxue。suijiwojuexinyaodaoshijieshangzuidadehailangshangquchonglang

，xianzhunbeidaojialifuniyazhou，zaidaoxiaweiyi，ranhouwozhunbeijiuzainalizhuxialai。
在zai剛gang進jin入ru愛ai坡po索suo市shi區qu的de時shi候hou，我wo看kan到dao有you一yi個ge老lao頭tou，一yi個ge流liu浪lang者zhe，坐zuo在zai街jie道dao的de拐guai角jiao處chu。他ta看kan見jian了le走zou路lu的de我wo，當dang我wo就jiu要yao從cong他ta的de旁pang邊bian走zou過guo去qu時shi，他ta攔lan住zhu了le我wo

，並bing開kai口kou向xiang我wo發fa問wen。他ta問wen我wo是shi不bu是shi偷tou著zhe從cong家jia裏li跑pao出chu來lai的de，我wo想xiang他ta這zhe麼me問wen我wo一yi定ding是shi看kan我wo太tai年nian輕qing，覺jiao得de我wo太tai嫩nen的de緣yuan故gu。"不完全是，先生
，"因為是我爸爸開車把我送到休斯敦的高速公路上的，他還一邊為我祝福，一邊說："兒子，追尋你的夢想和心中的憧憬非常重要。"
然後那個流浪者問我他能請我喝咖啡嗎？我回答說："不，先生
，一杯汽水就可以了。"
於是
，我們走進街道拐角處的一家酒吧，坐在一雙轉椅上
，喝著飲料。
在(zai)閑(xian)聊(liao)了(le)幾(ji)分(fen)鍾(zhong)後(hou)，這(zhe)個(ge)和(he)藹(ai)可(ke)親(qin)的(de)老(lao)流(liu)浪(lang)漢(han)要(yao)我(wo)跟(gen)他(ta)走(zou)。他(ta)告(gao)訴(su)我(wo)說(shuo)他(ta)有(you)一(yi)樣(yang)大(da)東(dong)西(xi)給(gei)我(wo)看(kan)，要(yao)與(yu)我(wo)分(fen)享(xiang)。我(wo)們(men)走(zou)過(guo)了(le)幾(ji)個(ge)街(jie)區(qu)
，來(lai)到(dao)了(le)愛(ai)坡(po)索(suo)市(shi)的(de)公(gong)立(li)圖(tu)書(shu)館(guan)。
我(wo)們(men)沿(yan)著(zhe)它(ta)前(qian)麵(mian)的(de)台(tai)階(jie)向(xiang)上(shang)走(zou)
，在(zai)一(yi)處(chu)小(xiao)小(xiao)的(de)谘(zi)詢(xun)台(tai)前(qian)停(ting)了(le)下(xia)來(lai)。老(lao)流(liu)浪(lang)漢(han)向(xiang)一(yi)位(wei)笑(xiao)容(rong)可(ke)掬(ju)的(de)老(lao)太(tai)太(tai)說(shuo)了(le)幾(ji)句(ju)話(hua)，並(bing)問(wen)她(ta)是(shi)否(fou)願(yuan)意(yi)在(zai)他(ta)和(he)我(wo)進(jin)圖(tu)書(shu)館(guan)時(shi)幫(bang)忙(mang)照(zhao)看(kan)一(yi)下(xia)我(wo)的(de)行(xing)李(li)。我(wo)把(ba)行(xing)李(li)放(fang)在(zai)那(na)位(wei)老(lao)奶(nai)奶(nai)般(ban)的(de)人(ren)那(na)裏(li)
，走(zou)進(jin)了(le)那(na)座(zuo)宏(hong)偉(wei)的(de)學(xue)習(xi)殿(dian)堂(tang)。
老(lao)流(liu)浪(lang)漢(han)先(xian)把(ba)我(wo)帶(dai)到(dao)一(yi)張(zhang)桌(zhuo)子(zi)前(qian)，讓(rang)我(wo)坐(zuo)下(xia)來(lai)稍(shao)等(deng)片(pian)刻(ke)
，而(er)他(ta)則(ze)到(dao)那(na)些(xie)林(lin)立(li)的(de)書(shu)架(jia)中(zhong)去(qu)尋(xun)找(zhao)那(na)個(ge)特(te)別(bie)重(zhong)要(yao)的(de)東(dong)西(xi)去(qu)了(le)。不(bu)一(yi)會(hui)兒(er)，他(ta)腋(ye)下(xia)夾(jia)著(zhe)幾(ji)本(ben)舊(jiu)書(shu)回(hui)來(lai)了(le)。他(ta)把(ba)書(shu)放(fang)到(dao)桌(zhuo)子(zi)上(shang)，然(ran)後(hou)他(ta)在(zai)我(wo)的(de)身(shen)邊(bian)坐(zuo)了(le)下(xia)來(lai)
，打(da)開(kai)了(le)話(hua)匣(xia)子(zi)，出(chu)口(kou)便(bian)不(bu)凡(fan)，其(qi)話(hua)語(yu)非(fei)常(chang)特(te)別(bie)
，改(gai)變(bian)了(le)我(wo)一(yi)生(sheng)的(de)命(ming)運(yun)。他(ta)說(shuo)："年輕人，我想教你兩件事
，就是：第一是切記不要從封麵來判斷一本書的好壞
，因為封麵有時也會蒙騙你。"他接著說道："我敢打賭，你一定認為我是個老流浪漢，是不是？年輕人。"
我說："嗯，是的，先生，我想是的。"
"嗯

，年輕人
，我要給你一個小驚喜：其(qi)實(shi)我(wo)是(shi)這(zhe)個(ge)世(shi)界(jie)上(shang)最(zui)富(fu)有(you)的(de)人(ren)之(zhi)一(yi)，人(ren)們(men)夢(meng)寐(mei)以(yi)求(qiu)的(de)任(ren)何(he)東(dong)西(xi)我(wo)幾(ji)乎(hu)都(dou)有(you)。我(wo)最(zui)初(chu)從(cong)美(mei)國(guo)東(dong)北(bei)部(bu)來(lai)，凡(fan)是(shi)金(jin)錢(qian)能(neng)買(mai)到(dao)的(de)東(dong)西(xi)，我(wo)全(quan)都(dou)有(you)。但(dan)是(shi)一(yi)年(nian)前(qian)，我(wo)妻(qi)子(zi)死(si)了(le)
，願(yuan)上(shang)帝(di)保(bao)祐(祐)她(ta)的(de)在(zai)天(tian)之(zhi)靈(ling)
，從(cong)那(na)以(yi)後(hou)

，我(wo)開(kai)始(shi)深(shen)深(shen)地(di)反(fan)思(si)人(ren)生(sheng)的(de)意(yi)義(yi)。我(wo)意(yi)識(shi)到(dao)，生(sheng)活(huo)中(zhong)有(you)些(xie)東(dong)西(xi)我(wo)還(hai)沒(mei)有(you)體(ti)驗(yan)過(guo)，其(qi)中(zhong)之(zhi)一(yi)就(jiu)是(shi)做(zuo)一(yi)個(ge)沿(yan)街(jie)乞(qi)討(tao)的(de)流(liu)浪(lang)漢(han)滋(zi)味(wei)如(ru)何(he)。於(yu)是(shi)我(wo)對(dui)自(zi)己(ji)發(fa)誓(shi)要(yao)像(xiang)流(liu)浪(lang)漢(han)一(yi)樣(yang)活(huo)一(yi)年(nian)。在(zai)過(guo)去(qu)的(de)一(yi)年(nian)裏(li)，我(wo)從(cong)一(yi)個(ge)城(cheng)市(shi)流(liu)浪(lang)到(dao)另(ling)一(yi)個(ge)城(cheng)市(shi)，就(jiu)像(xiang)流(liu)浪(lang)漢(han)一(yi)樣(yang)生(sheng)活(huo)。所(suo)以(yi)
，你(ni)看(kan)，切(qie)記(ji)不(bu)要(yao)從(cong)封(feng)麵(mian)來(lai)判(pan)斷(duan)一(yi)本(ben)書(shu)的(de)好(hao)壞(huai)


，因(yin)為(wei)封(feng)麵(mian)有(you)時(shi)也(ye)會(hui)蒙(meng)騙(pian)你(ni)。"
"第二
，我的孩子，是要學會如何讀書。因為這個世界上隻有一種東西是別人無法從你的身上拿走的，那，就是你的智慧！"說到這，他俯身向著我，抓住我的右手放在他從書架中找到的書上。那是柏拉圖和亞裏士多德的著作--尚古以降已經流傳了幾千年的不朽的經典。