It has been my finding that actually the opposite is true. I believe that happiness is a stimulus and response is what life brings to those who are truly happy. When we are happy， we tend to have more success in our work. When we are happy， people want to be around us and enjoy loving relationships. When we are happy， we more naturally take better care of our bodies and enjoy good health. Happiness is not a response—rather， it is a stimulus.

Happiness is a conscious choice we make every day of our lives. For unknown reasons to me， many choose to be miserable， frustrated and angry most of the time. Happiness is not something that happens to us after we get something we want—we usually get things we want after we choose to be happy.

很多人都找到了令自己快樂的源泉——有些人全身心地投入工作；很多人吸毒和酗酒；還有數不清的人，從擁有名貴汽車、異國情調的度假小屋和其他一些流行“玩具”中尋找到了快樂。他們的努力大多基于一個共同的事實：人們在尋找永恒的快樂源泉。

但我認為，很多人與快樂無緣。因為他們錯誤地理解了尋找快樂的過程。

現在，有些人認為名貴汽車、高薪工作和愛情都是刺激物，而快樂就是刺激的結果。這種想法讓我們覺得：“當我擁有……時，我才會快樂。”

但我發現，事實恰好相反。我相信快樂也是一種刺激物，而它作為刺激的結果，是生活給那些真正快樂的人的饋贈。我們快樂時，就會在工作上取得更多的成功；我們快樂時，就會有融洽的人際關系，也會得到愛情垂青；我們快樂時，很自然地就會善待自己，關注自身健康。快樂并不是刺激的結果，而是一種刺激物。

快樂是我們每天在生活中作出的有意識的選擇。不知為何，我認為，許多人多數時候都選擇讓自己痛苦、沮喪和惱怒。快樂并不是得到自己想要的東西之后的感覺——我們往往是在選擇快樂之后，才會得到自己想要的東西。

記憶填空

1. Many have sought a variety of sources for their feeling of_______. Some have put their heart and efforts into their_______. Too many turned to drugs and alcohol. Untold_______have looked for it in the possession of expensive cars， exotic vacation hoes， and_______ popular“toys”.

2. Unfortunately， I _______ that happiness evades many_______they misunderstand the process and journey of finding it.

3. For unknown _______ to me， many_______to be miserable， frustrated and angry of the time.

佳句翻譯

1. 我們快樂時，就會在工作上取得更多的成功。

2. 我們快樂時，就會有融洽的人際關系，也會得到愛情垂青。

3. 快樂是我們每天在生活中作出的有意識的選擇。

短語應用

1. When we are happy， we tend to have more success in our work.

tend to：有……的傾向

2. When we are happy， we more naturally take better care of our bodies and enjoy good health.

take care of：照顧；注意；撫養；處理

讓輕松和快樂與你隨行

Go Easy and Enjoy Yourself in Harmony

佚名 / Anonymous

To go on a journey is often worrisome， but so long as one lives he proceeds on his life’s journey. Different people go along differently. Some take hasty steps in anxiety. Obsessed with reaching the next goal in time， they spare no time for sight-seeing along the way， nor do they have a clear view where their long roads end. Others travel leisurely like tourists. They would take time off now and then for a look at blooming flowers or fallen petals. They would stop to admire clouds gathering and dispersing. Even when they go against the wind or are caught in the rain， they never get annoyed， for worries slip off their minds as if from an open net.

Cramped is one’s workplace. Narrow is one’s residence and small is the social circle one moves about—such limitedness in space entails lack of variety which is the source of some people’s complaint. But a person is always able to find peace and comfort if he takes things as they are. Compared with the vastness of the universe it is only a tiny spot one occupies on earth. However， though larger than the ocean is the sky， even larger is the human mind， for in it imagination would come and go on the wing without limitations.

One may eventually win what he has set his mind to， only to find that he has lost quite a lot. Perhaps what he loses is even better than what he gains.

On one’s journey of life some people hurry on with a heavy heart in pursuit of fame and wealth while others go easy and enjoy themselves in harmony with nature.

人在旅途，難免有不安與困惑與你同行。不管怎樣，你都要繼續自己的人生之旅。人生之旅的走法因人而異。有的人步履匆忙，心急意切。他們只關注及時到達目的地，根本無暇觀賞路邊的風景。可路途漫漫，終點何在呢？有的人像游客，不緊不慢，時而停下來觀花開花落，看云卷云舒，時而逆風而行，冒雨而進。他們不會苦惱，因為煩躁與苦惱已從敞開的胸懷中溜走。

狹小的工作場所，擁擠的居住空間，局限的社交圈子——人們對這一成不變的單調越來越不滿。然而，如果一個人隨遇而安，總能找到安寧與舒適。浩渺的大千世界，一個人只能占據其中微小的一隅。然而，比海洋更寬廣的是天空，比天空更寬廣的是人的心靈，因為有一對想象的翅膀進駐于這小小的心靈，它可以盡情地飛翔。

當一個人最終得到他想要的東西時，卻發現自己已經失去了太多太多，或許他會得不償失。

人生旅途上，一些人帶著追名逐利的疲乏之心奮力前行；另一些人則自在逍遙地與自然和諧相處，享受人生。

記憶填空

1. Different people go along_______. Some take hasty_______in anxiety. Obsessed with reaching the next goal in _______ ， they spare no time for sight-seeing along the way， _______ do they have a clear view where their long roads end.

2. One may eventually win what he has set his_______to， only to find that he has lost quite a lot. Perhaps_______he loses is even better than what he _______ .

3. On one’s journey of life some people hurry on with a heavy heart in pursuit of fame and _______while others go_______and enjoy themselves in harmony nature.

佳句翻譯

1. 人在旅途，難免有不安與困惑伴你同行。

2. 有的人像游客，不緊不慢，時而停下來觀花開花落……

3. 浩渺的大千世界，一個人只能占據其中微小的一隅。

短語應用

1. Some take hasty steps in anxiety.

take steps：采取措施；采取步驟

2. On one’s journey of life some people hurry on with a heavy heart in pursuit of fame and wealth while others go easy and enjoy themselves in harmony with nature.

in harmony with：與……協調；與……一致

放輕松

Lighten up

佚名 / Anonymous

These days， it seems that almost all of us are too serious. My older daughter often says to me， “Daddy， you’ve got that serious look again.” Even those of us who are committed to nonseriousness are probably too serious. People are frustrated and uptight about virtually everything—being five minutes late， having someone else show up five minutes late， being stuck in traffic， witnessing someone look at us wrong or say the wrong thing， paying bills， waiting in line， overcooking a meal， making an honest mistake—you name it， we all lose perspective over it.