Virtue
Many years after receiving my graduate degree, I returned to the State University of New York at Binghamton as a faculty member. One day in a crowded elevator, someone remarked on its inefficiency. I said the elevators had not changed in the 20 years since I began there as a student.
When the door finally opened, I felt a compassionate pat on my back, and turned to see an elderly nun smiling at me. "You'll get that degree, dear," she whispered. "Perseverance is a virtue."
美 德
獲取研究生學(xué)位多年以后,我回到位于賓翰頓的紐約州立大學(xué)當(dāng)教員。一天,電梯里很擁擠,有人抱怨電梯效率太低。我說(shuō)自我在那里當(dāng)學(xué)生起,20年來(lái)電梯一直沒(méi)有換過(guò)。
最后當(dāng)電梯門打開(kāi)時(shí),我感到有人在我的背上同情地拍了一下,回過(guò)頭來(lái)我看到一位年長(zhǎng)的修女正在朝我微笑。“你會(huì)拿到學(xué)位的,親愛(ài)的,”她低聲說(shuō)道:“堅(jiān)持不懈是一種美德。”