The turning point of my life was my decision to give up a promising business career and study music. My parents, although sympathetic, and sharing my love of music, disapproved of it as a profession. This was understandable in view of the family background. My grandfather had taught music for nearly forty years. Though much beloved and respected in the community, he earned barely enough to provide for his large family. As a consequence of this example in the family, the very mention of music as a profession carried with it a picture of a risky existence with uncertain financial rewards. My parents insisted on college instead of a music school, and to college I went-quite happily, as I remember, for although I loved my violin and spent most of my spare time practicing, I had many other interests.

Before my graduation from college, the family met with severe financial reverses and I felt it my duty to leave college and take a job. Thus was I launched upon a business career—which I always think of as the wasted years. Now I do not for a moment mean to disparage (贬低) business. My whole point is that it was not for me. I went into it for money, and aside from the satisfaction of being able to help the family, money is all I got out of it. It was not enough. I felt that life was passing me by.

I continued to make money, and finally, bit by bit, accumulated enough to enable me to go abroad to study music. I resigned from my position and, feeling like a man released from jail, sailed for Europe. I stayed four years, worked harder than I had ever dreamed of working before and enjoyed every minute of it. “Enjoyed” is too mild a word. I walked on air. I really lived. I was a free man and I was doing what I loved to do and what I was meant to do.

If I had stayed in business, I might be a comparatively wealthy man today, but I do not believe I would have made a success of living. I would have given up all those inner satisfactions that money can never buy.

【小题1】. There are two pens which can write this book. One is writing growth, the other is writing caducity(衰老）. One is describing success, the other is presenting failure. In others words, one is drawing happiness and the other is showing sorrow as well.

Life is like a heavy truck, so happiness and sorrow are like the wheels. No cross,no crown. No pain, no joy. 【小题2】. One is that to live a day is to leave a day. The other is that to live a day is to enjoy a day. Just one word difference, it has reflected the complete reverse(相反的） state of psychology. Life is like the course which is investing（投资） all the time. 【小题3】

When you have it, you should use it well and make it develop great actions. Please remember, the active attitude creates wonderful life, or the negative attitude waste lifetime.

【小题4】. When she was about to knock at the door, she heard someone speaking in the room. A little girl said," Would you like some braised(炖熟的） pork today?" Another girl said, "No. I would like some toasted chicken." Following the words, the lady knocked at the door and went into the room. 【小题5】. To her surprise, there were only some pieces of thin and dry bread, two cold potatoes and a jar of water on the table. The lady asked them what was the matter . They said that they imagined that, so poor food was turned into many kinds of delicious food.

When the lady left the family, she had newly understanding of happiness.

It was New Year’s night. An aged man was standing at a window. He raised his mournful eyes towards the deep blue sky, where the stars were floating like white lilies on the surface of a clear calm lake. Then he cast them on the earth, where few more hopeless people than himself now moved towards their certain goal―the tomb. He had already passed sixty of the stages leading to it, and he had brought from his journey nothing but errors and regret. Now his health was poor, his mind vacant, his heart sorrowful, and his old age short of comforts.

The days of his youth appeared like dreams before him, and he recalled the serious moment when his father placed him at the entrance of the two roads―one leading to a peaceful, sunny place, covered with flowers, fruits and resounding with soft, sweet songs; the other leading to a deep, dark cave, which was endless, where poison flowed instead of water and where devils and poisonous snakes hissed and crawled.

He looked towards the sky and cried painfully, “O youth, return! O my father, place me once more at the entrance to life, and I’ll choose the better way ! “ But both his father and the days of his youth had passed away.

He saw the lights flowing away in the darkness. These were the days of his wasted life; he saw a star fall from the sky and disappeared, and this was the symbol of himself. His remorse, which was like a sharp arrow, struck deeply into his heart. Then he remembered his friends in his childhood, who entered life together with him. But they had made their way to success and were now honoured and happy on this New Year’s night.

The clock in the high church tower struck and the sound made him remember his parents’ early love for him. They had taught him and prayed to God for his good. But he chose the wrong way. With shame and grief he dared no longer look towards that heaven where his father lived. His darkened eyes were full of tears, and with a despairing effort, he burst out a cry: “Come back, my early days! Come back!”

And his youth did return, for all this was only a dream which he had on New Year’s night. He was still young though his faults were real; he had not yet entered the deep, dark cave, and he was still free to walk on the road which leads to the peaceful and sunny land.

Those who still linger on the entrance of life, hesitating to choose the bright road, remember that when years are passed and your feet stumble on the dark mountains, you will cry bitterly, but in vain: “O youth, return! Oh give me back my early days!”