Many years after receiving my graduate degree, I returned to the State University of New York at Binghamton as a faculty member.
One day in a crowded elevator, someone remarked on its inefficiency. I said the elevators had not changed in the 20 years since I began there as a student.
When the door finally opened, I felt a compassionate pat on my back, and turned to see an elderly nun smiling at me. "You'll get that degree, dear," she whispered. "Perseverance is a virtue."
美 德
獲取研究生學位多年以后,我回到位于賓翰頓的紐約州立大學當教員。
一天,電梯里很擁擠,有人抱怨電梯效率太低。我說自我在那里當學生起,20年來電梯一直沒有換過。
最后當電梯門打開時,我感到有人在我的背上同情地拍了一下,回過頭來我看到一位年長的修女正在朝我微笑。“你會拿到學位的,親愛的,”她低聲說道:“堅持不懈是一種美德。”