第2章下一站幸福(1)
尽管每个人对幸福的理解不同,但是幸福的含义是从来不变的。幸福不是发生在我们周围的事——而是我们如何去看待周围发生的事。秘诀就在于,我们以积极的心态面对逆境,变压力为动力。幸福并不是祈求我们所没有的,而是享受我们所拥有的。
通往幸福的旅途
OurPursuitofHappiness
佚名Anonymous
Wechaseafterit,whenitiswaitingallaboutus。
“Areyouhappy?”Iaskedmybrother,Ian,oneday。“Yes。No。Itdependsonwhatyoumean。”Hesaid。
&ellme,”Iasked,“wheimeyouthinkyou>
“April1967。”Hesaid。
Itservedmerightfaseriousquestiontosomeonewhohasjokedhiswaythroughlife。ButIan’sanswerremiwhehinkabouthappiness,weusuallythiraordinary,apinnacleht—andthosepirarertheet。
Forachild,happinesshasamagicalquality。Iremembermakisihay,playingdrobbersinthewoods,gettingaspeakingpartintheschoolplay。Ofcourse,kidsalsoexperiencelows,buttheirdelightatsuchpeaksofpleasureaswinniinganewbikeisunreserved。
Ieeheceptofhappinessges。Suddenlyit’salonsugsasext,love,popularityazitbefht。Istillfeeltheagonyofedtoapartythatalmosteveryoneelsewasgoingto。ButIalsorecalltheecstasyofbeingpluobscurityataodahaJohnTravoltalook-alike。
Inadulthoodthethingsthatbringprofoundjoy—birth,lealsresponsibilityandtheriskofloss。Lovemaynotlast,sexisn’talwaysgood,lovedonesdie。Foradults,happinessisplicated。
Mydiarydefineshappyas“lucky”or“fortuIthiionofhappihecapaent。”Themorewejoywhatwehave,thehappierweare。It’seasytooverlookthepleasurewegetfromlovingandbeihepahefreedomtolivewhereweplease,andeveh。
Iaddedupmylittlemomentsofpleasureyesterday。FirsttherewassheerblisswhenIshutthelastlundhadthehousetomyself。Theaedm,whichIlove。Whenthekidse,Ieheirhequietoftheday。
Later,peadedagain,andmyhusbandandIeherpleasure—intimaesjustthekhewantsmegmejoy。
Youneverknoiur。WhenIaskedfriendswhatmadethemhappy,somementionedseeminglyinsignifients。“Ihateshopping,”onefriendsaid,“butthere’saclerkwhoalwaysdreallycheersmeup。”Anotherfrieelephoimeitrings,Ikhinkingaboutme。”
&hrillfr。Ooppedtoletaschoolbusturnohedrivergrinnedahumbsupsigwoalliesinaworldofmadmotorists。Itmademesmile。
erieslikethese。Toofewisterthemashappiness。
Psychologiststellusthattobehappyweneedablendofenjoyableleisuretimeandsatisfyingwork。Idoubtthatmygreat-grandmother,whoraised14andtookinwashing,hadmuchofeither。Shedidhaveaworkofclosefriendsandfamily,ahiswaswhatfulfilledher。Ifsheywithwhatshehad,perhapsitwasbecauseshedidobeverydifferent。