生命之中本没有一成不变的风景，只要你的心永远向着阳光，那么每一个清晨就会向你展现出一个等待着由你来开启的美景。不管你正经历着怎样的风雨，请相信，这个世界总会带给你新的希望。
Beauty will be shared and taken to hear记住美妙的时刻美好的感觉
There were sensitivity and a beauty to her that have nothing to do with looks. She was one to be listened to， whose words were so easy to take to heart.
It is said that the true nature of being is veiled. The labor of words， the expression of art， the seemingly ceaseless buzz that is human thought all have in common the need to get at what really is so. The hope to draw close to and possess the truth of being can be a feverish one. In some cases it can even be fatal， if pleasure is one’s truth and its attainment more important than life itself. In other lives， though， the search for what is truthful gives life.
I used to find notes left in the collection basket， beautiful notes about my homilies and about the writer's thoughts on the daily scriptural readings. The person who penned the notes would add reflections to my thoughts and would always include some quotes from poets and mystics he or she had read and remembered and loved. The notes fascinated me. Here was someone immersed in a search for truth and beauty. Words had been treasured， words that were beautiful. And I felt as if the words somehow delighted in being discovered， for they were obviously very generous to the as yet anonymous writer of the notes. And now this person was in turn learning the secret of sharing them. Beauty so shines when given away. The only truth that exists is， in that sense， free.
It was a long time before I met the author of the notes.
One Sunday morning， I was told that someone was waiting for me in the office. The young person who answered the rectory door said that it was “the woman who said she left all the notes.” When I saw her I was shocked， since I immediately recognized her from church but had no idea that it was she who wrote the notes. She was sitting in a chair in the office with her hands folded in her lap. Her head was bowed and when she raised it to look at me， she could barely smile without pain. Her face was disfigured， and the skin so tight from surgical procedures that smiling or laughing was very difficult for her. She had suffered terribly from treatment to remove the growths that had so marred her face.
We chatted for a while that Sunday morning and agreed to meet for lunch later that week.
As it turned out we went to lunch several times， and she always wore a hat during the meal. I think that treatments of some sort had caused a lot of her hair to fall out. We shared things about our lives. I told her about my schooling and growing up. She told me that she had worked for years for an insurance company. She never mentioned family， and I did not ask.
We spoke of authors we both had read， and it was easy to tell that books are a great love of hers.
I have thought about her often over the years and how she struggled in a society that places an incredible premium on looks， class， wealth and all the other fineries of life. She suffered from a disfigurement that cannot be made to look attractive. I know that her condition hurt her deeply.
Would her life have been different had she been pretty？ Chances are it would have. And yet there were sensitivity and a beauty to her that had nothing to do with looks. She was one to be listened to， whose words were so easy to take to heart. Her words came from a wounded but loving heart， very much like all hearts， but she had more of a need to be aware of it， to live with it and learn from it. She possessed a fine-tuned sense of beauty. Her only fear in life was the loss of a friend.
How long does it take most of us to reach that level of human growth， if we ever get there？ We get so consumed and diminished， worrying about all the things that need improving， we can easily forget to cherish those things that last. Friendship， so rare and so good， just needs our care--maybe even the simple gesture of writing a little note now and then， or the dropping of some beautiful words in a basket， in the hope that such beauty will be shared and taken to heart.
The truth of her life was a desire to see beyond the surface for a glimpse of what it is that matters. She found beauty and grace and they befriended her， and showed her what is real.
她有着一种与外表无关的灵气和美丽。她的话语轻而易举地征服了人心，她正是我们要聆听的声音。
很多人都说人生的真谛是个未知的概念。言词的费力诠释、艺术的着力表现还有人类那似乎永无休止的纷繁思考，三者都苦苦追寻人生的真谛。希望走近以至完全把握存在的真意可以令人十分狂热。有时候，有些人以自己笃信的真理为志趣，追寻真理甚于保全生命，于是就有舍生取义之举。然而，也有另外的一种人生，他们在寻求真谛的过程中灌溉生命。
过去，我常常在教堂的心意篮里面发现一些优美的小短文，有些是关于我的布道，有些是作者日常读《圣经》的感想。写这些短文的人不仅对我的一些观点加以反思，同时还会引用一些他/她曾经读过的，令他（她）难忘又喜爱的诗人或者神秘主义者的话。我被这些短文迷住了。我看到了一个执着于追寻真与美的人。其珍而重之的字句，优美动人。我还感觉到好像那些字句也乐于让我们发现，它们是那么毫无保留地，慷慨地为这无名氏作者借用，而现在轮到这位无名氏来学习与人分享这些美文的奥秘。分享令美愈加闪耀生辉。在这个意义上说，其实世上唯一的真理是分毫不费的。
过了很久我才见到这些短文的作者。
一个星期天早上，我被告知有人正在办公室等我。帮我应门的年轻人说“是个女人，说留言是她放的。”看见她的时候我大吃一惊，因为我马上就认出她是我的教区信徒，只是我一直不知道那些短文是她写的。她坐在办公室的一张椅子上，两手相扣搁在大腿上，低垂着头。在抬头看我的时候，她微笑起来却十分费劲。那是一张破了相的脸，外科手术使她的脸皮绷得紧紧的，笑对她来说也是很困难的。为了去除脸上碍眼的肉瘤，她接受了手术治疗，这令她吃尽苦头。
那个星期天早上我们聊了一会儿，并决定那个星期再找个时间一起吃顿午饭
后来我们不止吃了一顿午饭，而是好几顿。每次一起吃饭的时候她都戴着帽子。我想可能是她接受的某种治疗使她掉了不少头发。我们分享了各自生活中的点点滴滴。我跟她讲我读书和成长的故事。她告诉我她在一家保险公司里已经工作多年了。她从来没有提过自己的家庭，我也没有问。
我们还谈到大家都读过的作家作品，不难发现她非常喜欢看书。
这些年我经常想起她，在这个以外表、地位和财富等虚名浮利挂帅的社会中她是怎样一路挺过来的呢？毁掉的容颜使她怎么也无法变得耀眼迷人。我知道这深深地刺痛着她。
如果她长得漂亮，她的生命轨迹会不会有所不同呢？有可能。不过她有种独特的灵气和美，与外表完全无关。她的话轻而易举地征服了人心，她正是我们要聆听的声音。她的隽语出于一颗受过伤却充满爱的心，就像所有人的心一样，只不过她比别人更注重对自己心灵的关注、用心去体会生活并从中学习。她拥有一种细腻的美感。她生命里唯一的恐惧就是失去朋友。
我们究竟要花多长时间才能达到如此高度的成熟？能否最终达到还是个未知数呢。我们老觉得身心疲惫，怀才不遇，只顾为眼前的不足忧心忡忡，却忘了珍视一些历久常新的东西。友谊珍贵而美好，只需我们用心呵护，有时候简简单单的表示就已经足够了，譬如偶尔写几句话给朋友，或者在篮子里投入一些优美动人的字条，以期大家都能分享，记住美妙的时刻、美好的感觉。
她生命的真谛就是要透过事物的表面一睹其真正的本质。她发现了美和上帝的慈爱，而美和慈爱也待她如友，把生命的真谛呈现给她。
Your Own Movie自己的电影
This is a record of your time. This is your movie. Live out your dream and fantasies. Whisper questions to the Sphinx at night. Sit for hours at sidewalk cafes and drink with your heroes. Make pilgrimages to Mougins and Abiquiu. Look up and down. Believe in the unknown for it is there. Live in many places. Live with flowers and music and book and painting and sculpture. Keep a read of your time， Learn to read well. Learn to listen and speak well. Know your country； know your history； know yourself. Take care of yourself physically and mentally. You owe it to yourself. Be good to those around you. And do all of these things with passion. Give all that you can. Remember， Life is short and Death is long.
这是你走过的路程，这是你自己的电影。别沉湎于自己的美梦和幻想；晚上向斯芬克斯低声发问，坐在路边的咖啡馆和你心目中的英雄小酌，去穆吉山和阿比丘山朝圣，上下求索。相信未知的事物，因为它们存在；广为游历，让生活充满鲜花，音乐，书籍，绘画和雕塑。安排好自己的时间，学会好好读书，学会倾听和好好说话。了解你的国家，了解你的世界，了解你的历史，了解你自己。照顾好自己的身体和思想，这是你的责任；友善地对待周围的人，并满怀激情做好这些事情。奉献自己的一切。记住，生命是短暂的，死亡是漫长的。
April Showers Bring May Flowers 四月的雨带来五月的花
From the golden-tipped fields of mid-west America to the ancient kingdoms of verdant Palestine， there is a happy truth to be shared with all who would take heed. In more recent times， this truth has been expressed as： April showers bring May flowers. This is a truth that promises light bursting from darkness， strength born from weakness and， if one dares to believe， life emerging from death.
Farmers all over the world know the importance and immutability of the seasons. They know that there is a season to plant and a season to harvest； everything must be done in its own time. Although the rain pours down with the utmost relentlessness， ceasing all outdoor activities， the man of the field lifts his face to the heavens and smiles. Despite the inconvenience， he knows that the rain provides the nourishment his crops need to grow and flourish. The torrential rains in the month of April， give rise to the glorious flowers in the month of May.
But this ancient truth applies to more than the crops of the fields； it is an invaluable message of hope to all who experience tragedy in life. A dashed relationship with one can open up the door to a brand new friendship with another. A lost job here can provide the opportunity for a better job there. A broken dream can become the foundation of a wonderful future. Everything has its place.
Remember this： overwhelming darkness may endure for a night， but it will never overcome the radiant light of the morning. When you are in a season of sorrow， hang in there， because a season of joy may be just around the corner…
从美国中西部金色的田野，到巴勒斯坦嫩绿色的古老疆土，那些留心观察的人共享着同一个快乐真理。近来这一真理被阐述为：四月的雨带来五月的花。这一真理预示光明会从黑暗中迸发；刚强生自软弱；如果你敢确信，生命会从死亡中萌发！
全世界的农民们都明白季节的重要性和永恒性。他们知道在哪个季节播种，哪个季节收获，每件事都必须应时而做！虽然暴雨无情地倾盆而下，迫使所有的户外劳作停止，但土地的主人会仰天微笑。尽管有诸多不便，但是他知道，雨会为他的庄稼带来繁茂生长所需的营养。四月里倾泻如注的雨，会带来五月里的繁花似锦。
但是这一古老真理并不只适用于田里的庄稼，它还是那些正经历着人生磨难的人的无限希冀：一段友谊的受挫会开启另一段崭新友谊的大门；此处失去的工作会提供彼处更好的工作机会；一个梦想的破灭会成为美好未来的基石。万物皆有道！
请谨记：势不可挡的黑暗或有一晚，但它永远无法阻挡清晨的万丈光芒！当你正处于悲伤之季，请坚持住，因为欢乐的季节也许马上就会到来……
Stars on a Snowy Night雨雪时候的星辰
The thermometer had dropped to 18 degrees below zero， but still chose to sleep in the porch as usual. In the evening， the most familiar sight to me would be stars in the sky. Though they were a mere sprinkle of twinkling dots， yet I had become so accustomed to them that their occasional absence would bring me loneliness and ennui.
It had been snowing all night， not a single star in sight. My roommate and I， each wrapped in a quilt， were seated far apart in a different corner of the porch， facing each other and chatting away.
She exclaimed pointing to something afar， “Look， Venus in rising！” I looked up and saw nothing but a lamp round the bend in a mountain path. I beamed and said pointing to a tiny lamplight on the opposite mountain， “It’s Jupiter over there！”
More and more lights came into sight as we kept pointing here and there. Lights from hurricane lamps flickering about in the pine forest created the scene of a star-studded sky. With the distinction between sky and forest obscured by snowflakes， the numerous lamp-lights now easily passed for as many stars.
Completely lost in a make-believe world， I seemed to see all the lamplights drifting from the ground. With the illusory stars hanging still overhead， I was spared the effort of tracing their positions when I woke up from my dreams in the dead of night.
Thus I found consolation even on a lonely snowy night！
寒暑表降到冰点下十八度的时候，我们也是在廊下睡觉。每夜最熟识的就是天上的星辰了。也不过是点点闪烁的光明，而相看惯了，偶然不见，也有些想望与无聊。
连夜雨雪，一点星光都看不见。荷和我拥衾对坐，在廊子的两角，遥遥谈话。
荷指着说：“你看维纳斯升起来了！”我抬头望时，却是山路转折处的路灯。我怡然一笑，也指着对山的一星灯火说：“那边是丘比特呢！”
愈指愈多。松林中射来零乱的风灯，都成了满天星宿。真的，雪花隙里，看不出来天空和森林的界限，将繁灯当作繁星，简直是抵得过。
一念至诚地将假作真，灯光似乎都从地上飘起。这幻成的星光，都不移动，不必半夜梦醒时，再去追寻它们的位置。
于是雨雪寂寞之夜，也有了安慰了！
The Scenery Outside the Window窗外的风景
From the window of my room， I could see a tall cotton-rose hibiscus. In spring， when green foliage was half hidden by mist， the tree looked very enchanting dotted with red blossom. This inspiring neighbor of mine often set my mind working. I gradually regarded it as my best friend.
Nevertheless， when I opened the window one morning， to my amazement， the tree was almost bare beyond recognition as a result of the storm ravages the night before. Struck by the plight， I was seized with sadness at the thought “the entire blossom is doomed to fall”. I could not help sighing with emotion： the course of life never runs smooth， for there are so many ups and downs， twists and turns. The vicissitudes of my life saw my beloved friends parting one after another. Isn’t it similar to the tree shedding its flowers in the wind？
This event faded from my memory as time went by. One day after I came home from the countryside， I found the room stuffy and casually opened the window. Something outside caught my eye and dazzled me. It was a plum tree all scarlet with blossom set off beautifully by the sunset. The surprise discovery overwhelmed me with pleasure. I wondered why I had no idea of some unyielding life sprouting over the fallen petals when I was grieving for the hibiscus.
When the last withered petal dropped， all the joyful admiration for the hibiscus sank into oblivion as if nothing was left， until the landscape was again ablaze with the red plum blossom to remind people of life’s alternation and continuance. Can’t it be said that life is actually a symphony， a harmonious composition of loss and gain.
Standing by the window lost in thought for a long time， I realized that no scenery in the world remains unchanged. As long as you keep your heart basking in the sun， every dawn will present a fine prospect for you to unfold and the world will always be about new hopes.
从我的房间的窗子向外望去，可以看到一株高大的芙蓉树。秋日里，芙蓉树在薄雾中若隐若现，红花点点，样子实在迷人。它总是赋予我灵感，让我思如泉涌。时间久了，我竟把这芙蓉视为知已了。
然而，一天清晨，当我推开窗子时，愕然发现前夜的一场风雨已将它摧残得落红满地。刹那间，我有一种“花开终有落”的悲凉感觉。这使我不由得发出一声慨叹：人生的旅途中，总是少不了种种羁绊，那些曲折的经历总会伴随着我们，曾经失去过的挚爱的朋友，生命的脆弱不正是像这随风而逝的花吗？
随着时间的流逝，我渐渐地把那天的感触淡忘了。一次出差回来，感到屋内的空气有些沉闷，于是我不经意地打开了窗，可就在那一瞬，我被眼前的景象惊呆了。窗外，一株李子树开花了，火红火红的花朵，满树都是。在夕阳的映衬下，分外美丽，这意外让我惊喜不已。没想到当初自己只顾悲伤，却没发现那凄凉的背后，竟存在着如此坚强的灵魂。
是啊，当芙蓉的最后一片花瓣凋落之时，人们以往对它的赞许都已成为过眼云烟。可如今，李子树却成长起来了，那火红的花儿正向人们昭示着生命的更迭与繁衍。谁能否认生命原本就是一场得失共存的交响乐呢？
我久久地伫立在窗前，深深感悟到，生命之中本没有一成不变的风景，只要你的心永远向着阳光，那么每一个清晨就会向你展现出一个等待着由你来开启的美景。不管你正经历着怎样的风雨，请相信，这个世界总会带给你新的希望。
You Had Better Slow Down放慢你的舞步聆听
Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round，
Or listened to the rain slapping on the ground？
Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight，
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night？
You had better slow down，
Don’t dance so fast.
Time is short，
The music won’t last.
Do you run through each day on the fly，
When you ask “How are you？” do you hear the reply？
When the day is done， do you lie in your bed，
With the next hundred chores running through your head？
You’d better slow down，
Don’t dance so fast.
Time is short，
The music won’t last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere，
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day，
It is like an unopened gift...
Thrown away...
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower，
Hear the music.
Before the song is over.
If you have known how to compose your life， you have done a great deal more than the person who knows how to compose a book. You have done more than the one who has taken cities and empires.
你曾否看过孩子们骑旋转木马，
或听过雨水拍打地面的声音呢？
你曾否追逐过飘忽不定的蝴蝶，
或看着夕阳消失于地平线呢？
放慢你的舞步，
不要匆匆忙忙。
人生苦短，
音乐不会永远奏下去。
你是否每天忙个不停，
当问候别人时，你真的在意他们的回答吗？
每晚就寝时，
你是否仍在脑海中念叨着无数的杂事呢？
放慢你的舞步，
不要匆匆忙忙。
人生苦短，
音乐不会永远奏下去。
当你匆忙赶到目的地时，
也就错过了旅途中一半的乐趣。
当你终日忧心忡忡并马不停蹄时，
就像一份礼物还没被拆开……
就已丢弃……
人生不是一场竞赛。
放慢你的脚步，
倾听沿途的音符，
在音乐还没结束以前。
如果你学会了如何谱写自己的人生，那么你一点也不比著书立说者甚至攻城略地者逊色。
What Makes Us Truly Happy？ 是什么让我们幸福？
In recent years， researchers have attempted to use a variety of statistics and surveys to answer a question that’s occupied countless generations of philosophers： What makes us truly happy？
While some evidence suggests that happiness may be linked， in part， to relative wealth—how we’re doing compared to those around us—overall the old adage that money doesn’t buy happiness seems to hold true.
“We are materially so much better off than we were 50 years ago， but we’re not one iota happier，” says Chris Peterson， a psychology professor at the University of Michigan.
That’s no surprise to happiness expert David Myers， who sees happiness as more closely correlated with people rather than things. “We humans have a deep need to belong—to connect with others in close， supportive， intimate， caring relationships，” he says. “People who have such close relationships are more likely to report themselves ‘very happy’.”
We’ve compiled a list of seven factors that influence rates of happiness and depression. Many of these factors vary from city to city and region to region. Here’s your chance to see how your city compares.
He Works Hard for His Happiness
Does working make you unhappy or happy？ The answer： It depends. Toiling away at a job you hate may eat away at your happiness over time. But overall， being unemployed is worse for your state of mind than being employed—at least， that is， if you're a guy.
The Pew Research Center found that the percentage of men who said they were “very happy” was significantly lower for unemployed men (16 percent) than for employed men (37 percent). Unemployment had little impact on women’s happiness.
The Pew researchers speculate that this is because more women than men are unemployed by choice, although the study didn’t attempt to tease apart that difference.
Chris Peterson, a happiness researcher at the University of Michigan, suspects there are other factors at play as well. “Other studies have found that if a man loses his job, it can have both short-term and long-term psychological effects, even if he finds another job with equal salary,” he says. “For women it’s not unemployment that leads to unhappiness, but divorce.”
In addition, Peterson stresses that money matters less than you’d think. “The engaged custodian is more likely to be happy than the independently wealthy, unengaged millionaire,” he says. “We didn’t evolve to be retired and sit on the couch.”
Time for Family，Friends，and Community
In the growing field of happiness research, one thing is overwhelmingly clear. People who are socially engaged are more likely to be happy—and less likely to be depressed—than those who aren’t.
In fact, Time Magazine poll found that the four most significant sources of happiness—children (77 percent), friendships (76 percent), contributing to the lives of others (75 percent), and spouse/partner (73 percent)—all involved spending meaningful time with other people.
The problem: “We’re so caught up with extraordinary work burdens, we don’t have time to enjoy the people we love or contribute to the lives of others,” says Post.
That time crunch is quite real, says John de Graff, president of the public policy organization Take Back Your Time. “Compared to 30 years ago, the average family now spends an extra 500 hours per year working outside the home.”
We’re also spending more time getting to work and back.
“Traffic is getting worse and we’re not investing in mass transit,” says de Graff. “Most of the data I’ve seen shows that we’ve doubled our average commute times in the past generation.”
Obviously, it depends on where you live—and where you work. Those most impacted: affluent families who chose even larger homes over living closer to work and younger families who are priced out of homes of any size closer to centers of employment.
How Happy Is Your City? Good Urban Design
What does urban design have to do with happiness? More than you might think.
“The data strongly suggests that real community and real friendships are important keys to happiness,” says Post. “Some cities make that possible in ways that others don’t.”
Post explains how urban design can facilitate social interaction—or work against it.
“Forty years ago, neighborhoods had sidewalks, front porches, and parks-geographical opportunities for people to be socially engaged,” he says. “In many communities today, we are lacking these things. We don’t know our neighbors anymore. We just get into our car pods and never see anyone. We no longer have the opportunity to stumble upon happiness by being good neighbors in our communities.”
Good urban design and effective mass transportation can also determine how much time we spend commuting to work, and how much time we spend behind the wheel of a car running errands—both of which ultimately impact the amount of time we have for joyfully engaging with friends, family, and community.
Giving for Your Own Good
This may come as a surprise to the “Me Generation,” but happiness doesn’t come from living in a big house, buying the latest techno-gadget, and getting stamps from exotic locales in your passport.
In fact, a 2005 poll by Time Magazine found that helping others was a major source of happiness for 75 percent of Americans.
“Volunteering is an opportunity to be socially engaged and contribute to the lives of others,” says Stephen Post, a professor at Case Western Reserve University who co-authored the book Why Good Things Happen to Good People with Jill Neimark. “It’s not material goods that make us happy—it’s having purpose and meaning in our lives.”
In fact, some recent research suggests that we’re actually hard-wired for helping. Even thinking about helping others is enough to stimulate the part of our brain associated with feel-good chemicals like oxytocin.
Helping others doesn’t just make us happier, there’s also evidence it makes us healthier too. “Recent research out of England shows that cities with higher rates of volunteerism had the lower rates of depression and heart disease,” says Post.
Don’t have a lot of free time? No worries. People who volunteer just two hours per week (100 hours per year) enjoy lower rates of depression and better physical health.
As Long As You Have Your Health
Perhaps it comes as no surprise to find that healthier people are happier than those who aren't as healthy. In fact, a 2006 report published by the Pew Research Center found that 48 percent of people who rated their health as “excellent” described themselves as “very happy”, while only 15 percent of those who rated their health as “poor” said the same.
After all, it’s harder to be happy when living with chronic pain or illness or when faced with a potentially life-threatening condition.
While health is strongly tied to happiness, lack of health is even more strongly correlated with lack of happiness. Of those who rated their health as “poor,” a whopping percent described them as “not too happy,” while only 6 percent of those in “excellent” health said the same.
According to the Pew Research Center, health—along with religion and marriage—were among the strongest predictors of happiness, even when adjusting for a variety of other variables.
Let the Sunshine In
The region of the country you live in can impact your risk of suffering from depression—at least from November through April.
That’s because those living in the northern part of the country are more at risk of suffering from seasonal affective disorder， a form of clinical depression brought on in the winter months by the shortening of the days and the later sunrise.
“In the United States， SAD is about five times more prevalent in the northern tier of states than in the far south，” says Dr. Michael Terman， Director of the Center for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms at the Columbia University Medical Center.
But SAD is just the tip of the iceberg， explains Terman. “Less severe ‘winter doldrums’ occur at least three times more frequently than winter depression. Even more people experience one or more symptoms of winter depression—such as overeating or oversleeping—even though their mood stays under control.”
Whatever the degree of impairment， symptoms tend to resolve in the spring. “Certainly there is no lack of happiness up north for the six months from May to October，” Terman says.
Happily Married
Is getting married one of the keys to a happy life？ A 2006 report from the Pew Research Center suggests so—43 percent of married women and men reported being “very happy，” while only 24 percent of unmarried men and women said the same.
Interestingly enough， the happy halo that shines over married couples isn’t the result of having kids—those with children were just as likely to be happy as those without.
Rather， there seems to be something about marriage itself that boosts both men's and women’s feelings of well—being in life.
“Recent research suggests that people become less depressed and less lonely after they get married，” says Linda Waite， a sociology professor at the University of Chicago and author of The Case for Marriage.
After all， it’s harder to be lonely when you’ve got a loved one to come home every night.
According to Waite， men benefit even more than women from having a life-long companion. “Women will talk to everyone，” says Waite， “But most men tend to rely on their wives as their main confidant.”
In addition， women-typically the social planners in a relationship—ensure that the men stay connected to family and friends， another source of happiness.
And what about all that nagging that wives are so famous for？ Turns out it pays off. Men who are married drink less， smoke less， eat better， get more sleep， and engage in less risky behavior than their unmarried peers. The end result： Married men are healthier， and since health is linked to happiness， they’re happier too.
近年来，研究人员试图利用各种统计和调查方法去回答一个困扰了无数代哲人的问题：是什么让我们真正感到快乐？
虽然一些证据表明，快乐也许在某种程度上与相应的财富有关，我们的所作所为与我们周边的事物相比较——总体来说，那句古老的格言“金钱买不来快乐”似乎是正确的。
“我们在物质上比50年前要好上许多倍，但是我们丝毫没有感到更快乐。”密歇根大学的心理学教授克里斯·彼得斯这样评价 。
这对于快乐专家大卫·梅尔斯来说一点儿也不奇怪，他认为快乐与人本身紧密相连，程度远胜于和事物之间的联系。“我们人类对于归属感有深层的需要——与他人接触时保持紧密的、相互支持的、亲密无间以及相互关怀的关系，”他说，“拥有如此紧密关系的人们更有可能称他们自己是‘非常快乐的’。”
我们汇编了7种对快乐或沮丧程度有影响的要素。许多要素因城市和地区的差异而有所不同。现在你有机会看看你所在的城市对应着多少幸福。
为了幸福，努力工作
工作能为你带来幸福还是不幸？答案是：视情况而定。埋头苦干一项你痛恨的工作可能会逐渐侵蚀你的快乐。但是总体来说，失业比不失业更影响一个人的精神状态——至少，换句话说，如果你是个男性的话。
佩尤研究中心发现失业男性说他们“非常快乐”的比率（16%）要远低于从业男性（37%）。然而，失业对于女性快乐指数的影响微乎其微。
佩尤的研究人员推测，那是因为比起男性，更多的女性选择赋闲在家，尽管该研究并不想对这种差别进行嘲讽。
密歇根大学的快乐问题研究专家克里斯·彼得斯猜想应该还有其他要素在起作用。“其他的研究发现，如果一名男性丢掉了他的工作，即使他找到了相同薪水的另一份工作，都可能给他带来短期和长期的心理影响，”他指出，“对女性来说，导致不快乐的因素并非失业，而是离婚。”
此外，彼得斯强调金钱对幸福的影响不像人们想象的那么大。他声称：“忙碌的管理者可能比独立富有的、无所事事的百万富翁更加快乐。我们进化不是为了自己闲下来或躺在沙发上享受。”
与家人的天伦之乐、与好友的相聚、交往
在不断增长的快乐研究领域里，有一件事情是绝对清楚的。忙碌于社会交往的人们比起那些没有社交的人们多些快乐，少些忧郁。
实际上，《时代》杂志民意调查发现了快乐的4个最重要来源——孩子（77%）、友谊（76%）、为他人奉献（75%）以及配偶或伴侣（73%），都涉及与他人共享美好时光这一点。
问题是：“我们的工作负担如此沉重，我们没有时间与所爱的人享受共度时光的乐趣，也没有时间为他人奉献。”波斯特说道。
公共政策组织“找回你的时光”的负责人约翰·德·格拉夫说时间短缺带来的危机是千真万确的，“与30年前相比较，平均每个家庭现在每年多花500个小时在工作上。”
我们也花了更多的时间往返于工作和回家的路上。
“交通变得越来越糟糕，而我们没有在大众交通上投资，”德·格拉夫说，“我所看到的大多数据显示我们平均每天花在往返上下班的时间比上一代翻了一番。”
显然，这取决于你住在何处，以及你在哪里工作。最受影响的人群：为了住大一些的房子而宁愿离工作地点远一些的富裕家庭，以及被办公中心附近高昂的房价挤到偏远处居住的年轻家庭。
你所在的城市有多幸福？良好的城市规划
城市规划与幸福有多大关系？ 远胜于你所能想到的。
“有数据强烈显示真正的社区和真正的友谊是幸福的关键，”波斯特说，“一些城市做到了，而有些城市并未做到。”
波斯特解释了城市规划能够促进社会交互影响——或者起反作用。
“40年前，街区附近有人行道、前廊和公园——为人们从事社交提供了地理条件，”他说，“而今在许多社区里，我们缺少这些设施。我们与邻居互不相识。我们只是钻进了车厢里看不见任何人。我们再也没有机会因为在社区中遇到了好邻居而偶遇快乐。”
良好的城市规划和高效的大众交通也能够决定我们花在工作往返途中的时间，以及我们办事时花在开车上的时间——两者都将最终影响我们与朋友、家庭和邻里之间共度的快乐时光有多长。
乐善好施
这也许对“80后（Me Generation）”的人来说是不可思议的，但是快乐并非来自于住大房子，购买最新的科技产品，以及在你的护照上盖上充满异国情调的章。
事实上，2005年《时代》杂志民意调查发现，对于75%的美国人来说，帮助别人是快乐的主要来源。
“志愿活动为社会交往和奉献他人提供了机会，”美国凯斯西保留地大学的教授、与吉尔·莱马克合著《好事为何青睐好人》的作者斯蒂芬·波斯特说，“物质财富并不能为我们带来快乐——生活有目的、有意义才使我们快乐。”
事实上，最近的一些研究表明，我们实际上有帮助别人的本能。即使只是想象着帮助别人就已经足以刺激我们大脑某些部位，那些部位会产生让人感觉良好的化学成分，比如说后叶催产素（脑下垂体后叶荷尔蒙的一种）。
帮助别人并非仅仅让我们更加快乐，有迹象显示，它还能让我们更加健康。“最近英格兰的一项研究显示，那些志愿者比率较高的城市抑郁症和心脏病的发病率较低。”波斯特说。
没有许多空余时间？别担心。参加志愿活动的人们每周只须花费2个小时的时间（每年100个小时），就可以免抑郁症的困扰，并且拥有更健康的身体。
只要拥有健康
当你发现健康的人们比那些失去健康的人们更加快乐时，你也许一点都不觉得奇怪。事实上，佩尤研究中心2006年发行的一份报告发现，说自己健康状况“很好”的人们中有48%的人描述自己“很快乐”，而在那些说自己健康状况“很差”的人们中这一比例只有15%。
毕竟，当人们长期受到病痛的折磨时，或者面临着潜在的危及生命的状态时，是很难快乐起来的。
虽然健康与快乐的联系紧密，但是缺少健康与失去快乐的联系或许更加紧密。对于那些说自己的健康状况“很差”的人们，称自己“不太快乐”的人的比例多达55%，而那些“非常”健康的人们中这一比例只有6%。
根据佩尤研究中心的调查，健康，连同宗教和婚姻——是快乐的最佳预言者，即便是有其他可变因素在起作用。
让阳光进来
你所居住的国家和地区可能会给你带来抑郁的痛苦——至少从头年的11月到来年的4月。
这是因为居住在北方的人们更可能受季节影响造成情绪紊乱，临床上表现为一种抑郁症，是由冬日里白天较短、日照较晚而带来的病症。
哥伦比亚大学医疗研究中心光照治疗和生物节律中心的主任，指出：“在美国，SAD（季节性情绪紊乱）在北部各州发生的比例是最南部各州的5倍。”
但是SAD只是冰山一角，特曼解释说。“稍逊严重的‘冬季消沉’比冬季抑郁发生的频率至少多3倍。然而更多的人经历了一次或多次的冬季抑郁症状——譬如吃得过多或睡得过多——尽管他们的情绪处于控制之中。”
无论受伤害的程度有多深，到了春季，各种症状就逐渐消失了。“当然对于北部的人们来说，5—10月的6个月里是不缺少快乐的。”特曼说道。
幸福的婚姻
结婚是快乐生活的关键之一吗？佩尤研究中心2006年的一份报告暗示了此点——43%的已婚人士表示他们“非常幸福”，而在未婚人士中这一比率仅为24%。
十分有趣的是，萦绕在已婚夫妇身上的幸福光环并非是拥有孩子带来的结果——有孩子的夫妇可能与没有孩子的夫妇一样幸福。
更确切地说，似乎是婚姻本身刺激了男性和女性生活幸福安康的感觉。
“最近的研究暗示，人们在结婚后变得不再忧郁，孤独感也逐渐减少，”芝加哥大学的社会学教授、《结婚问题》的作者琳达·怀特如是说。
毕竟，当你拥有一位每天晚上都回家的甜蜜爱人时，很难会感到孤独的。
根据怀特的研究，男性从一生的伴侣中受益的程度要远胜于女性。“女性会向所有的人倾诉，”怀特说，“但是大多数男性喜欢向妻子倾诉，把妻子当做主要的知己。”
另外，女性——典型的社交关系设计者——会保证男性与家庭和朋友之间密切相联，而这两者是快乐的另一源泉。
那么主妇们名声赫赫的唠叨意味着什么呢？总结一句是付出总有回报。已婚男士比起单身贵族喝酒、抽烟都减少了，吃得更好了，睡眠更充分了，做冒险的事也少了。最终的结果是：已婚男士更加健康，而健康与快乐息息相关，于是他们更加快乐了。
There Is a Spell in Autumn Early初秋有一段奇异的时节
There is a spell in autumn early，
One all too brief， of an enchantment rare：
The nights are radiant and pearly，
The days， pellucid， crystal-clear…
Where played the sickle and fell the corn， a mellow，
A warm and breathless stillness reigns supreme；
Spanning the brown and idle furrow，
A dainty thread of cobweb gleams.
The birds have flown， we hear no more their clamour，
But winter’s angry winds not soon will start to blow.
Upon the empty fields there pours the azure glow
Of skies that have not lost the warmth of summer…
初秋有一段奇异的时节，
它虽然短暂，却非常明丽——
整个白天好似水晶的凝结，
而夜晚的天空是透明的……
在矫健的镰刀游过的地方，
谷穗落了，现在是空旷无垠——
只有在悠闲的田垄的残埂上
还有蛛网的游丝耀人眼睛。
空气沉静了，不再听见鸟歌唱，
但离冬天的风暴还很遥远——
在休憩的土地上，流动着
一片温暖而纯净的蔚蓝……
A Boy and Morning Dew男孩和露珠
One morning a small boy squatted motionless on the grass in the garden for a long time.
His mother felt so odd that she walked close to see what had happened. The boy， in earnest， squatted in front of a blade of grass， on which a round dew in the sun gave a colorful light， exceedingly beautiful. The small boy extended his hands under the grass silently as he appreciated the dew.
Seeing his mother walking over to him， the boy said with a slight sadness， “Mother， the dew’s dying.”
The mother said to her son with a smile， “Even if you put your hands under the grass， you cannot stop the dew disappear from this world.”
The boy said， “Mother， I’m only thinking not to throw it in pain when it falls.”
一天早上，一个小男孩蹲在花园的草地上，久久不动。
母亲觉得蹊跷，便凑上前看个究竟。只见男孩非常认真地蹲在一茎草叶面前。草叶上，一颗圆圆的露珠，在太阳的照射下，正幻出七彩的光芒，格外美丽。小男孩一边欣赏着这滴露珠，一边把双手摊开，静候在草叶下。
看到妈妈走过来，男孩略带忧伤的说：“妈妈，露珠快要死了。”
母亲微笑着对儿子说：“你就是把双手放在草叶下面，还是阻止不了露珠在这个世界上消失的命运啊。”
男孩说：“妈妈，我只是想，它落下来时，别摔疼了它。”
Return to Paradise 重返爱的天堂
Lisa stood facing the Caribbean Sea， feeling the faint breeze against her face； her eyes were shut and she felt the white sand warm between her bare toes. The place was beautiful beyond belief， but it was still unable to ease the grief she felt as she remembered the last time she had been here.
She had married James right here on this spot three years ago to the day. Dressed in a simple white shift dress， miniature white roses attempting to tame her long dark curls， Lisa had been happier than she had ever thought possible. James was even less formal， yet utterly irresistible in creased summer trousers and a loose white cotton shirt. His dark hair was slightly ruffled and his eyes were full of adoration as he looked at his bride to be. The justice of the peace had read their vows as they held hands and laughed at the sheer joy of being young， in love and staying in a five star resort on the Caribbean island of the Dominican Republic. They had seen the years blissfully stretching ahead of them， together forever. They planned their children， two she said； he said four so they compromised on three (two girls and a boy of course)； where they would live， the travelling they would do together it was all certain， or so they had thought then.
But that seemed such a long time ago now. A lot can change in just a few years，a lot of heartache can change a person and drive a wedge through the strongest ties， break even the deepest love. Three years to the day and they had returned， though this time not for the beachside marriages the island was famous for， but for one of its equally popular quickie divorces. ？
Lisa let out a sigh that was filled with pain and regret. What could she do but move on， find a new life and new dreams？ The old one was beyond repair. How could this beautiful place， with its lush green coastline， eternity of azure blue sea and endless sands be a place for the agony she felt now？
The man stood watching under the palm tree. He couldn’t take his eyes off the dark-haired woman he saw standing at the water’s edge， apparently gazing out to sea as though she was waiting for something or someone. She was beautiful， with her slim figure dressed in a loose flowing cotton dress， her crazy hair and bright blue eyes not far off the colour of the sea itself. It wasn’t her looks that attracted him though； he came across many beautiful women through his work as a freelance photographer. It was her loneliness and intensity that lured him. Even at some distance he was aware that she was different from any other woman he could ever meet.
Lisa sensed the man approaching even before she turned around. She had been aware of him standing there staring at her and had felt strangely calm about being observed. She looked at him and felt the instant spark of connection she had only experienced once before. He walked slowly towards her and they held each other’s gaze. It felt like meeting a long lost friend not a stranger on a strange beach.
Later， sitting at one of the many bars on the resort， sipping the local cocktails they began to talk. First？pleasantries their hotels， the quality of the food and friendliness of the locals. Their conversation was strangely hesitant considering the naturalness and confidence of their earlier meeting. Onlookers， however， would have detected the subtle flirtation as they mirrored each other’s actions and looked directly into each other’s eyes. Only later， after the alcohol had had its loosening effect， did the conversation deepen. They talked of why they were here and finally， against her better judgment， Lisa opened up about her heartache of the past year and how events had led her back to the place where she had married the only man she believed she could ever love. She told him of things that had been locked deep inside her， that she had so far been able to tell no one. She told him how she had felt after she had lost her baby.
She was six months pregnant and the happiest she had ever been when the pains had started. She was staying with her mother as James was working out of town. He hadn’t made it back in time. The doctor had said it was just one of those things and that they could try again. But how could she when she couldn’t even look James in the eye？ She hated him then， for not being there， for not hurting as much as her； but most of all she hated him for looking so much like the tiny baby boy that she held for just three hours before they took him away. All through the following months she had withdrawn from her husband， family， and friends not wanting to recover from the pain she felt that would have been a betrayal of her son. At the funeral she had refused to stand next to her husband and the next day she had left him.
Looking up， Lisa could see her pain reflected in the man’s eyes. For the first time in months she didn’t feel alone， she felt the unbearable burden begin to lift from her only a bit， but it was a start. She began to believe that maybe she had a future after all and maybe it could be with this man， with his kind hazel eyes， wet with their shared tears.
They had come here to dissolve their marriage， but maybe there was hope. Lisa stood up and took James by the hand and led him away from the bar towards the beach where they had made their vows to each other three years ago. Tomorrow she would cancel the divorce； tonight they would work on renewing their promises.
莉萨伫立在加勒比海边，面向着大海，感受微风轻拂脸颊。她闭上双眼，裸露的脚趾间拥满了温暖的沙粒。这个地方美得简直令人难以置信，但回忆起上次在这里的情景，此般美景依然无法抚慰心中的伤痛。
三年前的今天，莉萨就是在这里和詹姆斯结婚的。她身着简洁的白色长礼裙，小小的白玫瑰服贴、点缀着她又黑又长的卷发，如此的幸福感是她从未有过的。詹姆斯的装扮更休闲，一条带摺的清凉夏裤和一件宽松的白色棉质衬衫，配上一头稍稍凌乱的黑发，然而他看上去依然是魅力非凡，当他凝视着自己的准新娘时，眼神里写满了爱意。他们手牵手，聆听太平绅士宣读他们的誓言。他们为年轻而欢呼，为爱情而雀跃，为身处多米尼加共和国加勒比岛屿的五星级胜地而陶醉。他们似乎看到未来的幸福之路在眼前展开，直至相携到老。他们商量着生孩子的事，她说要两个，他却想要四个，最终各退一步，决定生三个（当然是两女一男）。他们计划着安居的地方，计划着一起旅游。所有事情都显得顺理成章，或者大约他们当时便想到这些。
然而这一切似乎是许久以前的事了，短短几年时间就可能发生许多变故。太多的伤痛可以改变一个人，可以破坏最牢固的关系，甚至可以摧毁最刻骨的爱情。三年后的今天，他们又回到了这个岛上，但并非因为此地闻名的海滨婚礼，而是因为此地同样闻名的闪电离婚。
莉萨深深地叹了一口气，带出了心中的痛苦和悲伤。除了继续前行，寻找新生活和新梦想她还能做什么呢？毕竟旧的已经无法弥补。这里有繁茂的绿色海岸线、无边的蔚蓝大海和绵延的沙滩，可是现在如此美丽的地方怎么就成了她心中无法隐忍的痛？
一个男子站在棕榈树下，目不转睛地注视着这位黑发女子：她伫立在水边，凝望着大海，显然像是在等待什么或是某人。她很美，身段修长，一袭宽松的棉质裙与头发在风中起舞，那双明亮的蓝眼睛，美得简直可以与大海的颜色相媲美。然而吸引他的并非她的容貌，作为一名自由摄影师，因为工作上的关系，他见过的美女无数。吸引他的是她的落寞和深情。尽管隔着一些距离，但是他仍能感觉到她是不同于他所见过的任何其他女性的。
未曾转身，莉萨便察觉到了男人在靠近。她早已发觉他站在远处盯凝着她，奇怪的是，她并没有因为被注视而感到不自在。她看着他，瞬间闪过一丝心灵相通的火花，这样的碰撞以前只有过一次。他慢慢地向她走近，两人的目光相遇了。他们就像见到一个失去联络很久的朋友而不是在陌生的地方遇见一个陌生人。
过了一会儿，他们在附近林立的酒吧里找了一间坐了下来。啜饮着当地的鸡尾酒，开始交谈。最初是谈论一些有趣的事，聊他们住的酒店，食物的品质以及当地人的友好热情。然而再深入下去时，相比之前见面的自然和从容，他们的谈话便莫名地犹豫不前了。尽管如此，从他们端详对方的举止和直视对方眼睛的神态中，旁观者还是能洞悉到些许微妙的暧昧。直到酒精逐渐发挥了让人放松的效力，谈话才继续深入下去。他们谈论着来此地的原因，最后，虽然明知不太适宜，莉萨仍将她去年所经历的痛苦尽数道出，以及是什么事情让她又回到了这里在这儿，她嫁给了一个曾以为会深爱一生的男人。她将一直锁在心底、至今仍无法向他人启齿的话倾吐了出来，并向他倾诉失去宝宝后悲痛的心情。
那时她已怀孕六个月，还是世界上最幸福的人。直到事情发生的前一刻。当时她和母亲待在一起，詹姆斯在郊外工作，没能及时赶回来。医生说这是很平常的事情，他们还有机会。然而她无法做到，她连正视詹姆斯的眼睛都办不到。她恨他，恨他当时不在身边，恨他没有自己那么伤心，更恨他和仅仅在自己怀里躺了三个小时就被抱走的儿子如此相像。接下来的几个月，她远离了丈夫、家庭和朋友，不愿从伤痛中走出来她觉得那样做是对儿子的背叛。在葬礼上，她拒绝站在丈夫旁边。第二天，她便离开了他。
抬起头，莉萨读出自己的伤痛映满了男人的双眼。几个月来，她第一次不再感到孤独，她感到压得她喘不过气来的担子开始减轻，尽管只有一点点，但起码这是个开始。她开始相信自己还是有未来的，也许是和眼前这个男人、也许是和他这双温柔的淡褐色眼睛里面噙着他们共同的泪花。
他们来此本为结束他们的婚姻，但也许事情还有转机。她站起身，牵起詹姆斯的手，领着他走出酒吧，走向他们三年前互相许下诺言的沙滩。明天，她会取消离婚，今晚，他们将重续承诺。
Youth青春
Between the darkness of earth and heaven she was burning fiercely upon a disc of purple sea shot by the blood-red play of gleams； upon a disc of water glittering and sinister. A high， clear flame， an immense and lonely flame， ascended from the ocean， and from its summit the black smoke poured continuously at the sky. She burned furiously， mournful and imposing like a funeral pile kindled in the night， surround-ed by the sea， watched over by the stars.
A magnificent death had come like a grace， like a gift， like a reward to that old ship at the end of her laborious days. The surrender of her weary ghost to the keeping of stars and sea was stirring like the sight of a glorious triumph. The masts fell just before daybreak， and for a moment there was a burst and turmoil of sparks that seemed to fill with flying fire the night patient and watchful， the vast night lying silent upon the sea.
在黑暗的天地之间，船在熊熊燃烧，周围海面在血红的火光的照耀下呈紫色，闪闪发亮，杀气腾腾。一个高大、明亮、孤独的巨大火柱在海面上升起，火柱的顶端不停地朝空中喷着黑烟。船轰轰烈烈地燃烧着，极为悲壮，恰似在黑夜里点燃的火葬柴堆，由大海护卫，由星星照看。
这艘老破船度过了辛苦的一生，最终迎来了辉煌的死亡，如同蒙受天恩，如同领赏获奖。它将自己疲惫的灵魂交给了星星和大海，这一幕真像壮观的胜利庆典一样令人激动。桅杆在黎明将至时倒下，刹那间 火星四处乱迸，飞舞的火花似乎一下子洒满了耐心看护的夜空，洒满了海面上那浩淼静谧的夜空。
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