If I were a boy again， I would practice perseverance① more often， and never give up a thing because it was or inconvenient. If we want light， we must conquer darkness. Perseverance can sometimes equal genius in its results. “There are only two creatures，” says a proverb， “who can surmount② the pyramids③ —the eagle and the snail.
If I were a boy again， I would school myself into a habit of attention； I would let nothing come between me and the subject in hand. I would remember that a good skater never tries to skate in two directions at once. The habit of attention becomes part of our life， if we begin early enough. I often hear grown up people say I could not fix my attention on the sermon or book， although I wished to do so， and the reason is， the habit was not formed in youth. If I were to live my life over again， I would pay more attention to the cultivation④ of the memory. I would strengthen that faculty⑤ by every possible means， and on every possible occasion. It takes a little hard work at first to remember things accurately； but memory soon helps itself， and gives very little trouble. It only needs early cultivation to become a power.
If I were a boy again， I would cultivate courage. “Nothing is so mild and gentle as courage， nothing so cruel and pitiless as cowardice，” says a wise author. We too often borrow trouble， and anticipate that may never appear.“ The fear of ill exceeds the ill we fear.” Dangers will arise in any career， but presence of mind will often conquer⑥ the worst of them. Be prepared for any fate， and there is no harm to be feared.
If I were a boy again， I would look on the cheerful side. Life is very much like a mirror： if you smile upon it， it smiles back upon you； but if you frown and look doubtful on it， you will get a similar look in return. Inner sunshine warms not only the heart of the owner， but of all that come in contact with it. Who shuts love out， in turn shall be shut out from love.
If I were a boy again， I would school myself to say no more often. I might write pages on the importance of learning very early in life to gain that point where a young boy can stand erect， and decline doing an unworthy act because it is unworthy.
If I were a boy again， I would demand of myself more courtesy⑦ towards my companions and friends， and indeed towards strangers as well. The smallest courtesies along the rough roads of life are like the little birds that sing to us all winter long， and make that season of ice and snow more endurable⑧.
Finally， instead of trying hard to be happy， as if that were the sole⑨ purpose of life， I would， if I were a boy again， I would still try harder to make others happy.
① perseverancen. 坚持不懈，坚韧不拔
② surmountv. 克服，越过，登上
③ pyramidn. 金字塔
④ cultivationn. 耕种，栽培；教化，培养
⑤ facultyn. （身体、精神的）机能，官能；能力，技能
⑥ conquerv. 克服，战胜
⑦ courtesyn. 礼貌，殷勤，好意
⑧ endurableadj. 能持久的，耐用的
⑨ soleadj. 单独的，唯一的；专用的，独占的
假如我又回到了童年
假如我又回到了童年，我做事要更有毅力，决不因为事情艰难或者麻烦而撒手不干，我们要光明，就得征服黑暗。毅力在效果上有时能同天才相比。俗话说：“能登上金字塔的生物，只有两种——鹰和蜗牛。”
假如我又回到了童年，我就要养成专心致志的习惯；有事在手，就决不让任何东西让我分心。我要牢记：优秀的滑冰手从不试图同时滑向两个不同的方向。如果及早养成这种专心致志的习惯，它将成为我们生命的一部分。我常听成年人说：“虽然我希望能集中注意听牧师讲道或读书，但往往做不到。”而原因就是年轻时没有养成这种习惯。假如我现在能重新开始我的生命，我就要更注意记忆力的培养。我要采取一切可能的办法，并且在一切可能的场合，增强记忆力。要正确无误地记住一些东西，在开始阶段的确要做出一番小小的努力；但要不了多久，记忆力本身就会起作用，使记忆成为轻而易举的事，只需及早培养，记忆自会成为一种才能。
假如我又回到了童年，我就要培养勇气。一位明智的作家曾说过：“世上没有东西比勇气更温文尔雅，也没有东西比懦怯更残酷无情。我们常常过多地自寻烦恼，杞人忧天。”怕祸害比祸害本身更可怕。凡事都有危险，但镇定沉着往往能克服最严重的危险。对一切祸福做好准备，那么就没有什么灾难可以害怕的了。
假如我又回到了童年，我就要事事乐观。生活犹如一面镜子：你朝它笑，它也朝你笑；如果你双眉紧锁，向它投以怀疑的目光，它也将还以你同样的目光。内心的欢乐不仅温暖了欢乐者自己的心，也温暖了所有与之接触者的心。谁拒爱于门外，也必将被爱拒诸门外。
假如我又回到了童年，我就要养成经常说“不”字的习惯。一个少年要能挺得起腰，拒绝做不应该做的事，就因为这事不值得做。我可以写上好几页谈谈早年培养这一点的重要性。
假如我又回到了童年，我就要要求自己对伙伴和朋友更加礼貌，而且对陌生人也应如此。在坎坷的生活道路上，最细小的礼貌犹如在漫长的冬天为我们歌唱的小鸟，那歌声使冰天雪地的寒冬变得较易忍受。
最后，假如我又回到了童年，我不会力图为自己谋幸福，好像这就是人生唯一的目的；与之相反，我要更努力为他人谋幸福。
