5月21日，约翰霍普金斯大学校长丹尼尔斯发表毕业演讲。借加缪的西西弗斯，教导我们疫情时期也不能放弃生活，必须奋发有为，用目标和意义充实内心。
助读词汇
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gleaned [gli:nd] 收集；（glean的过去式）
pause [pɔːz] 暂停；中止；停顿；延长符号；暂停键
horrific [hɒˈrɪfɪk] 令人毛骨悚然的；恐怖的；可怕的
substance [ˈsʌbst(ə)ns] 物质；材料；实质；东西；重要性；可行性；有意义；本质；根据；稳定
philosopher [fɪˈlɒsəfə] 哲学家
critical [ˈkrɪtɪk(ə)l] 持相反意见的；批评的；评论（性）的；有可能成为灾难的；危急的；临界的；关键性的；决定性的；附有详细深刻分析与评论的；病情严重的
captured [ˈkæptʃəd] 被俘的；捕获的
essence [ˈɛs(ə)ns] 本质；实质；要素；香精；香料
flourishing ['flɜ:ɪʃɪŋ] 繁荣的；盛行的；繁茂的
endurance [ɪnˈdjʊər(ə)ns] 忍耐；持久；耐久性；耐磨性
sisyphus ['sisifəs] 西西弗斯是希腊神话中的人物，与更加悲剧的俄狄浦斯王类似，西西弗斯是科林斯的建立者和国王。 他甚至一度绑架了死神，让世间没有了死亡。最后，西西弗斯触犯了众神，诸神为了惩罚西西弗斯，便要求他把一块巨石推上山顶，而由于那巨石太重了，每每未上山顶就又滚下山去，前功尽弃，于是他就不断重复、永无止境地做这件事——诸神认为再也没有比进行这种无效无望的劳动更为严厉的惩罚了。西西弗斯的生命就在这样一件无效又无望的劳作当中慢慢消耗殆尽。
mythological [ˌmɪθəˈlɒdʒɪkl] 神话的；神话学的；虚构的
condemned [kən'demd] 谴责；宣判；宣布…不能使用；判刑；（condemn的过去式）
eternity [ɪˈtəːnɪti] 无穷无尽的时间；永恒；永生；死；显得无止境的长时间
boulder [ˈbəʊldə] 巨砾；漂砾
uphill [ʌpˈhɪl] 上坡；上山
ultimate [ˈʌltɪmət] 最后的；最终的；终极的；根本的；基本的；最初的；极点的；绝顶的；首要的；极限的
futility [fju:'tɪlətɪ] 无用；无价值；无益；无益的事
camus [ˈkæmɪs] 加缪
interpretation [ɪntəːprɪˈteɪʃ(ə)n] 解释；说明；阐明；阐释；解释方式；演绎；呈现
fate [feɪt] 命中注定的事；命运的安排；天数；天命；命运三女神；命运；结局；结果
interminable [ɪnˈtəːmɪnəb(ə)l] 无休止的；没完没了的；冗长不堪的
endeavor [ɪn'devə] 努力；尽力
constraining [kənˈstreinɪŋ] 限制；（constrain的现在分词）
external [ɪkˈstəːn(ə)l] 外面的；外部的；外表的；表面的；外来的；外界的；对外的；外部世界的；客观的；外用的
upended [ʌ'pendɪd] 颠倒；（upend的过去式和过去分词）
relinquish [rɪˈlɪŋkwɪʃ] 放弃；自愿交出
imperative [ɪmˈpɛrətɪv] 至关重要的；紧要的；命令的；强制的；专横的；祈使语气的
lens [lɛnz] 透镜；镜片；镜头
prelude [ˈprɛljuːd] 前奏；序幕；先声；序诗；前奏曲；引子
chapter [ˈtʃaptə] 章；回；特定时期；宗教团体理事会；骑士团领导；分部；一系列；一连串；议会法案
magnified ['mægnɪfaɪd] 放大的
omnipresent [ɒmnɪˈprɛz(ə)nt] 无所不在的；普遍存在的；广布的
Yet, as I think back to the lessons of the past, gleaned particularly from the stories of my grandparents and their friends, it is clear that their lives were not put on pause during the dark war years. Their lives were defined by those years.
Despite truly horrific conditions, many in that generation managed not only to survive these years, but used this time to become who they were meant to be. The decisions they made and the actions they took gave enduring shape and substance to their lives.
The philosopher, Nobel laureate, and writer Albert Camus, who at great personal risk established himself as a critical voice of the Resistance in Nazi-occupied France, captured the essence of this form of flourishing and endurance in The Myth of Sisyphus, written in the early years of the Second World War.
As our Classics majors know, Sisyphus is the Greek mythological figure who was condemned for all eternity to push a boulder uphill each day, only to have it roll back at sunset. And each day, he would start all over again. It is often regarded as the ultimate story of futility.
Not for Camus. In his interpretation, Sisyphus is the master of his fate. He is a man whose interminable endeavor gives meaning to his life. As Camus writes, "the struggle towards the heights is enough to fill a man's heart."
What Camus teaches us is that however constraining external circumstances may be, however upended our plans, we cannot relinquish the imperative for life. We must do the work and take the actions that matter to us. Struggle towards the heights. And through that struggle fill our hearts with purpose and meaning.
Understood through this lens, this moment is not the prelude to the next chapter of our lives, it is the next chapter. It is a hard one. For so many, it may be the hardest they will ever live. And it is magnified by the omnipresent uncertainty as to how and when this will end.
But I know this: You are more than ready.
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