For me, the start of a new academic year has always been more significant than the start of a new calendar year. It will probably change in the future but having been a schoolkid/student all my life, September brings a much bigger change for me than January does. That’s why I’ve decided to start the 5 Life Lessons category to put them all together.

对于我来说，新学年的开始远比日历当中新一年的开始来的重要得多。也许这一习惯在以后将会有所转变，但是对于我这么一个已经做学生这么久的我来说，九月要远远比一月给我带来的多。这也就是为什么，我决定要把生命中的五堂课放在一起讲的原因了。

As the end of summer approaches, I always begin to look forward to the next big step in my life. Last year, the ‘big step’ was moving away from home. This year, it will be moving away from my home country. I know I won’t be returning for a full year, so lately I’ve been reflecting on how much I’ve learned from growing up by the beach.

随着夏天的即将结束，我通常开始期待着我生命中下个大的进展。去年，所谓的“大进展”是从家里搬出去。今年，这将是离开我的国家。我知道，我将有整整一年不会回来。所以，最近，我开始回忆我在岸边长大而教会我的东西。

I mention the beach in a lot of my posts, and I like to use beach pictures for the illustrations because it has played such a massive role in my growing up. Just like any environment would affect anybody’s upbringing, here are some things I’ve learned from spending every spring and summer by the sea.

我在许多帖子里都提到了岸边，而且，我喜欢用一些岸边的图片做插图。因为它在我的成长中扮演了极为重要的角色。就好像任何一个其他的环境会影响其他人的成长一样，在这里，通过在海边度过春天，夏天，我学到了许多。

lessons from the sea
大海教我的那些事

1. Perspective changes. When I first moved here, I was just a kid. The beach was so magical back then, all I wanted to do was make sandcastles and splash about in the water. As I grew into a teen, it became ‘uncool’ to do such things, instead, it was more acceptable to sunbathe because our looks were all we cared about during those years. It was in those times when I felt most self-conscious wearing a bikini, and even though I was not totally comfortable, it was worse not to wear one when everyone else was. Eventually, we grew up, built some self confidence and sunbathing/bikini days became barbecues, bonfires and drinks on the beach with friends.

1. 情境是变化的：
当我刚搬到这里时，我还只是个孩子。这个岸边那会就是那么神奇，我所想做的就是做沙堡然后让它们被海浪打碎。当我进入青春期之后，堆沙堡就不是那么酷了，取而代之，日光浴则更可接受。因为在那个时候，我们所关心的知识我们的外表。在那些时候，我表现的更在意自己穿比基尼是什么样的，哪怕我并不觉得穿起来很舒服，却也比在有别人在场时不穿的好。最终，当我们长到以后，建立了一些自信以后，那些日光浴、比基尼的日子变成了在海边和朋友们吃烧烤，烧篝火，喝酒的日子。

I’ve learned that as we grow up, our outlook on even the same things change over time. Everything is in constant flux, nothing stays the same forever, especially ourselves.

我学到了伴随着我们的成长，我们的视野同时也在变化着。每件事都在持续的流动着，没有什么是永远不变静止不动的，由其是我们自己。

2. Nature is beauty. From the first time I saw it until now, and every time in between, I’ve never grown tired of looking at the great blue sea melt into the horizon in the distance. I’ve never grown tired of watching the sunset or sunrise change the colour of the sky, painting it all shades of pinks, purples and oranges. I’ve never not felt soothed by the feeling of sand between my toes or the sound of the waves washing into the shore. Part of the reason why I love mediation so much is because I have such a great place to do it.

2.自然是美丽的：
从我第一次看到大海到现在，这其中的每一天，我都没有厌倦过看湛蓝色的大海融化在天的劲头。我从来没有厌倦看日出日落，天色的变化，看着天空中各种形状的云彩，或是粉色，或是紫色，或是橙色。我总是在感受到脚尖的啥子，或者听到海浪声时感到真实。我热爱仲裁的部分原因是我有这么棒的一个地方去做这件事情。

I’ve learned that Mother Nature is so, so beautiful.
我学到了大自然母亲，是如此如此的美丽。

3. Pollution is a crime. On that note, there’s nothing worse than spoiling all that because of pollution. In my eyes, pollution is laziness. Normally, I am a very liberal person and I wouldn’t think twice about letting people do what they want (as long as they’re not hurting anyone) but I’ve realized I am quite intolerant of this kind of behaviour. If you can’t be bothered to throw away your rubbish in bins just a few meters away, then don’t ‘bother’ coming to the beach at all. Also, although there aren’t any visible factories in the area, on some days, the sea looks more green/grey than on other days because of junk being thrown into it downstream. And although I still think it looks beautiful, it is never the clear blue kind of sea you see in brochures.

3.污染是犯罪的：
在这一点上，再也没有因为污染的破坏更糟糕的事情了。在我眼里，污染时一种懒惰的象征。通常来说，我是一个非常自由主义的人，而且我从不犹豫人们应该做自己想做的事情（只要不是去伤害他人）但是我认识到，我实在是太不能容忍污染的行为了。如果你能多走几步把垃圾在垃圾桶里，这些垃圾就不会来到海滩上了。并且，尽管在这个区域没有一些看得见的工厂，天色还是在有的时候变得比往常更绿或者更灰。这是因为被排放在下游的垃圾的原因。尽管我依然觉得这一切很美，但是却再也不是最初的那种海了。

I’ve learned that if people weren’t so selfish, we would all be living in a much better world that would benefit everyone.
我学到了，如果人们不是这么自私，我们将生活在一个更好的环境中。每个人都将因此受益。

4. Fresh air is vital for health and growth. Another thing the beach has helped me do is get fit by running and cycling. When there is such a great and natural place to run everyday, I wonder why anyone would go to the gym (yes, people around here do!) to breathe in that recycled air-con air. I know not everybody lives by the beach, but I think that getting outside is very important when growing up. I was actually born in the city, but I still learned to ride a bike outdoors in the street. We spend too much of our days trapped in our houses/cars/offices/schools/work places that I think it would be good for everyone should try to go outdoors as much as they can. Also, I find the sea air quite healing, and perhaps that’s part of the reason why I almost never get sick (touch wood).

4.新鲜空气对健康和成长是关键的：
在海边生长的另一件好处是是我能够通过跑步和骑车锻炼了良好的体魄。当你有一个很棒的并且很自热的地方能让你每天都跑的时候，我想任何人都不会想去健身房了吧（不过我这里有些人还是去健身房），不会想在健身房里呼吸那些循环的空调产生的空气。我知道不是每个人都生活在海边，但是我认为对于成长中的人来说，呆在室外是很重要的一件事。我的确是在城市出生的，但是我在城市里也学会了在室外，在街道上骑自行车。我们花费了一天中太多的时间在房间里、汽车里、办公室里、学校里、工作的地方，而我认为人们应该尽可能多的呆在室外，这样才有好处。我还发现海边的空气十分的有治愈效果，也许这也是我在海边那么久都不怎么生病的原因吧。（呸呸呸，上帝保佑，别让我就生病了。）

5. The world carries on. Everyday, the sun never fails to rise and set. The tide never fails to come in and go out. The birds never fail to call every morning. There are some things that will never change (for a few million years at least) which shouldn’t be surprising except that I didn’t realize how much life will go on without me. Of course nothing would stop just for me, but I remember coming back to the the beach for the first time in a long while and thinking “It’s all still the same”. Although it was a little upsetting at first, I came to think of it as a reassuring thing that I can rely on at least some parts of my life to stay just like it was when I was a kid.

5.世界是不断前进的：
每一天，太阳从未停止过东升西落。大海从未停止过潮涨潮汐。鸟们从来没有在早晨不啼叫。有些东西永远不会改变（至少在几百万年之内）这也就不难令我感到惊讶在我没有意识到这样的生活在我不在人世之后还会有多久。当然，没有什么事情会因我而停留，但是我记得在我第一次很长一段时间后才回到海滩那时，我想着：这一切还是一样。尽管起初我有些沮丧，但我意识到，这能确保我所居住的地方是可以依靠的，就像我小时候那样。

I learned that the familiar sound, smell and feel of the beach means it will always be my home.
我学到了熟悉的声音、味道、海滩给我的感觉永远意味着我将永远在温馨的家里。