收到一位美國朋友轉來的短信。作者懷念他小時候的成長環境，從而帶出了一個意味深長的問題：什麽樣的環境，有利於造就性格中那些最重要的成分：冒險精神，解決問題的能力，承擔責任的勇氣。
特譯成中文，並收存於此。
寫給上個世紀30年代，40年代，50年代，60年代和70年代出生的人們。
在此祝賀你們僥幸活到了現在。
首先，我們的母親在懷著我們的時候，不懂得戒煙，不知道不能喝酒，我們就這麽誕生了。
她們不僅服用阿司匹林，還吃藍乳酪沙拉醬，甚至根本不做糖尿病測試。
而且，在遭受了這些創傷之後，我們的嬰兒床還塗上了色彩鮮豔的油漆，那是含鉛的！
那時沒有防護兒童的藥瓶蓋，沒有防護兒童的門或櫃櫥，我們騎自行車時，不知道要帶頭盔，更別提我們經常攔路搭車的風險了。
作為孩子，我們乘坐的汽車沒有安全帶，沒有氣囊保護裝置。在溫暖的日子了，我們在飛馳的卡車後鬥兜風，那可算特別犒賞呢。
我們從花園的管子裏喝水，可不是喝瓶裝水。四個朋友輪流喝同一瓶飲料，而沒人因此而死。
我們吃的蛋糕塔、麵包、奶油，以及喝的汽水裏麵統統含糖，但我們並沒有因此而肥胖，因為我們一天到晚在戶外玩耍。
我們一大早就跑出家門，瘋上一整天，一直玩到街燈亮了才回家。一整天誰也找不到我們，可是我們都挺好。
我們會花幾個鍾頭用廢品做出小滑車，從小丘頂上衝下來時，才發現忘了閘。好幾次栽到了樹棵子裏麵，隨後，我們找出了解決的辦法。
我們那時沒有遊樂中心，沒有任天堂，沒有x-boxes, 也更沒有遊戲機。沒有99個台的閉路電視，沒有錄像片，沒有立體音響，沒有手機，沒有個人電腦，沒有上網，沒有網絡聊天室……
……可我們有朋友，我們跑出去……
我們從樹上掉下來，割破了自己，跌斷了骨頭和牙齒，但那些事故從來沒引起過法律官司。
我們用棍棒和網球編創自己的遊戲，吃下去小蟲，雖然已被警告會有什麽後果，可我們並沒有弄瞎很多眼睛，那些小蟲也沒永遠長在我們身體裏。
我們跨上自行車，或走步到朋友家去，敲敲門、按按門鈴，或幹脆長驅直入，去說心裏的話。
我們的小團隊時常比賽，並不是每個人都能被選中，落選的人從中學會了克服失望，想想吧！
我們沒聽說過子女觸法要由父母保釋這種事，他們原本是站在法律一邊的。
在我們這一代人中，造就出了一批有史以來最優秀的敢於冒險的人，能夠解決實際問題的人，能夠發明創造的人。
過去的五十年，成為大發明、大創新的年代。我們擁有自由，擁有失敗和成功，也擁有責任，我們學會了如何把握所有這一切。
你也是那代人中的一員。
在律師們和政府為了我們好而徹底規範了我們的生活之前，你多半願意與那些有幸真正像孩子一樣長大的人們，一起分享這些感受。
TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED
the 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's !!
First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us.
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing and didn't get tested for diabetes.
Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.
As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.
We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a water bottle.
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle, and NO ONE actually died from this.
We ate cupcakes, bread and butter and drank soda pop with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.
No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms..........
. . WE HAD FRIENDS . . . we went outside
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.
We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate worms and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live in us forever.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!
Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment.
Imagine that!!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!
This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned
HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!
And YOU are one of them!
You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids,
before the lawyers and the government regulated our lives for our own good.
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