生命不息，变化不止。渐渐地，我们认清自己，了解自己，明白我们肩上的重担。我们知道一时的感激或愤怒只能短时间内抚平或激化我们的情绪。对自己的整体认识才是决定我们心境的因素。而幸福正取决于我们自己的心境。
You Are the Only One Who Can Make You Happy你是唯一能让自己幸福的人
1。 “You are the only one who can make you happy。” We have all heard that so many times in our lives。 There are times it is a pretty tough pill to swallow。 In reality， the people that surround you have a huge impact on your current mood。 When your children are grumpy in the morning， you find a nice pile the dog left you over night， you hit the road and the traffic won't allow you your normal speed， then when you get to work and your co-worker called in sick…… these are all things that might contribute to your overall happiness of the day。
2。 However， moods and temporary emotions are not the same as happiness。 Happiness exists when you look at the overall picture of your life and you smile。 That is happiness。 You know those times when you can't wait for your children to go to bed， then later you check on the kids and you almost cry because they look exactly like angels…… YOUR ANGELS， sleeping so sweetly and soundly。 You can hardly remember a time of irritation with them。 That is happiness。
3。 As life progresses and changes， we realize who we are， and know what we are， and know what we are responsible for。 We know that immediate gratification or irritation only pacifies or deteriorates our emotional stimuli short term。 Our global view of how we see ourselves determines our state of mind。 Our state of mind determines our happiness。
4。 So， how do we take control of our emotions and find the path of Happiness？ This seems to be the million dollar question。 There are tons of books on or related to the subject。 You could read and practice until you are completely confused。 Or， we could spend the rest of our life introspectively evaluating what makes us happy。 Which might take more time and energy and actually frustrate us more？
5。 How about this？ What if we looked at ourselves and decided what we liked and didn’t like and set about making changes。 It doesn’t have to be major alterations。 Maybe you are tired of your house but can’t afford to move。 Try painting the living room or buying flowers to set on the kitchen table。 If you haven’t had a vacation for awhile and just can’t afford to take that cruise， go camping instead。
6。 Maybe the issues are more personal or internal。 Do you get mad too easily？ Learn yoga or meditation。 Are you having marital problems？ Visit a counselor。 Are the kids having discipline issues？ Determine the major issues， establish guidelines on how you are going to correct the problem and stick to it。
7。 You may be saying， “Sure， that sounds so easy but……”Of course it sounds easy。 Problems are always easier to talk about than to take the obvious actions to fix them。 But， for the most part， things are as difficult or as easy as we determine them to be。 Sometimes we just make things harder than necessary。
8。 If your unhappiness stems from a situation beyond your control then find other ways to compensate。 If， for example， money is so tight and no apparent windfall is coming your way any time soon， find inexpensive entertainment。 Backyard ballgames， picnics in the park， movie night with popcorn and snacks in your bedroom are a few alternatives to an expensive night out。 If the issues are more serious and you feel powerless， that is the time to seek professional help。
9。 Otherwise， look in the mirror and be glad。 If you don't like what you see， change it。 Make the solution that simple！
1。 “你是唯一能让自己幸福的人”。我们不止一次听到这句话，有时候我们认为它难以理解。现实生活中周围的人会给你的心情造成很大的影响。一大早孩子就耍脾气；狗狗昨晚把屋里搞得一团糟；上班的路上堵车；终于到了办公室，与你共事的同事却打电话请病假……这些事情都可能影响你这一天的幸福指数。
2。 然而，幸福不同于心情和稍纵即逝的情绪。幸福是回顾自己生活时的会心微笑，因为知道会有这样的时刻：孩子们不愿按时睡觉，可是过会儿再去查看时，他们已经天使一般睡的很甜，他们是你的天使。此刻，你已经完全忘记刚才的愤怒。这就是幸福。
3。 生命不息，变化不止。渐渐地，我们认清自己，了解自己，明白我们肩上的重担。我们知道一时的感激或愤怒只能短时间内抚平或激化我们的情绪。对自己的整体认识才是决定我们心境的因素。而幸福正取决于我们的心境。
4。 那么，如何控制情绪并找到通往幸福之路呢？这个问题极为重要。与此相关的书数不胜数。你读书，按照书中的指示练习，最终却越来越迷惑；在余下的日子里回味之前的生活，找出带给你幸福的元素，然而花费了更多的时间和精力，却愈感挫败。
5。 我们不防试着这样，首先审视自我，找出自己的喜好，并据此做出改变。大刀阔斧地变革并无必要。比如，你不喜欢现在的房子却无力支付一个新房子，不妨重新粉刷卧室，或在餐桌上放瓶鲜花。再比如你很久没有度假，对于腐败旅游又囊中羞涩，那么去野营吧。
6。 问题可能更私密或独特。易怒？学习瑜伽或静坐。婚姻不和谐？咨询顾问。孩子不听话？找出他们主要的问题，制定惩罚措施并严格执行。
7。 你可能会说：“说起来容易，但是……”。当然，任何事情都是说起来容易做起来难。但是在很大程度上，你认为事情有多难，它就有多难。有时候，你夸大了问题的难度。
8。 如果你的不幸源于你无法掌控的形势，寻找其他方法。如果手头非常紧，近期又不太可能有飞来横财的话，那就选择便宜一点的娱乐方式，比如在后院打球，在公园里野餐，躺在卧室里边看电影边吃爆米花和零食，偶尔晚上出去高消费一下。如果你的问题非常严重以至于感到浑身乏力、无计可施，赶紧去寻求帮助吧。
9。 要不然，看着镜子里的自己微笑吧。如果不喜欢自己看到的，试着改变。解决问题就是这么简单！
Happiness Is Devotion幸福就是投入
1。 Under the scorching sun， an old man sat by the bank staring at the buoy on the river。 From dawn to dusk he still got nothing in his hands。 However， the old man was happy at ease。 I felt so puzzled about it。
2。 The old man said with a smile，“I’m the fish and the fish is me， I’m fishing and I’m also being fished； like playing chess， the fish and I have such an equal stamina that I have a wonderful time。” At this point， an urchin threw a stone into the water。 A circle of ripples wafted over。 The old man said， “The wind rises。”
3。 Life is a chess game while happiness is devotion。
1。 烈日下，一老翁坐在岸边，两眼一动不动的盯着河面的浮标，从日出到日落，依然两手空空，老翁却怡然自得，乐在其中。我很是纳闷。
2。 老翁笑着说：“我即鱼，鱼即我，我在钓鱼，鱼也在钓我，就像下棋，我和鱼的耐力旗鼓相当，这才过瘾。”一顽童向水中扔一块石头，一阵波纹飘荡过来，老翁曰：“起风了。”
3。 人生就是一盘棋，而幸福就是投入。
Life Is a Cup of Coffee生活是杯咖啡
1。 Group of alumni， highly established in their careers， got together to visit their old university professor。 The conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and in life。 Offering his guests coffee， the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain， plastic， glass， crystal， some plain looking， some expensive， some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee。
2。 When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand， the professor said，“If you noticed， all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up， leaving behind the plain and cheap ones。 While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves， that is the source of your problems and stress。
3。 What all of you really wanted was coffee， not the cup， but you consciously went for the best cups and were eyeing each other’s cups。
4。 Now consider this： Life is the coffee and the jobs， money and position in society are the cups。 They are just tools to hold and contain Life， and do not change the quality of Life。 Sometimes， by concentrating only on the cup， we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided。 So， don’t let the cups drive you …… enjoy the coffee instead。”
1。 一群毕业生，各自的事业都已有所建树，相约一起去看望他们的大学教授。谈话一会儿就变成了各自对工作生活压力的抱怨。教授去厨房端来一大壶咖啡招待这些客人，拿出各式各样的咖啡杯——陶瓷的、塑料的、玻璃的、水晶的，有普通的、有价值不菲的、有做工精致的——让他们自己挑。
2。 当所有学生手中都拿了咖啡杯之后，教授发话了：“如果你们注意一下，就可以发现所有好看的贵的杯子都给挑走了，剩下的只是那些普通的和便宜的。当然，每个人都想给自己挑到那个最好的，这很正常，但这也正是你们的问题和压力根源之所在。
3。 其实你们真正想要的是咖啡，而不是杯子，但你们却又都下意识去挑选最好的杯子，并观察别人拿到的杯子。
4。 试想：如果生活是杯中的咖啡，工作、财富和社会地位就是那些杯子。它们只是维持生活的工具而已，并不改变生活质量。有时候，我们在过于关注杯子的同时却忘了去品味上帝赐予的咖啡。所以，不要成为杯子的奴隶……好好地享受品味杯中的咖啡。”
Happiness Is a Journey幸福是一段旅程
1。 For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin real life。
2。 But， there was always some obstacle in the way， something to be gotten through first， some unfinished business， time still to be served or a debt to be paid。 Then life would begin。
3。 At last it dawned on me that there is no way to happiness。 Happiness is the way。
4。 So treasure every moment that you have and treasure it more because you share it with someone special， someone special enough to spend your time with。
5。 Make the most of your time。 Don’t waste too much of your time studying， working， or stressing about something that seems important。
6。 Do what you want to do to be happy but also do what you can to make the people you care about happy。 Remember that time waits for no one。
7。 So stop waiting until you take your last test， until you finish school， until you go back to school， until you have the perfect body， the perfect car， or whatever other perfect thing you desire。
8。 Stop waiting until the weekend， when you can party or let loose， until summer， spring， fall or winter， until you find the right person and get married， until you die， until your born again， to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy。
9。 Happiness is a journey， not a destination。
10。 So love like you have never been hurt， work like you don’t need the money， and dance like no one’s watching。
1。 很长一段时间我总觉得生命慎始。
2。 但是得时无待，时不再来。生命无关途中际遇，兀自向前。
3。 到底明白，幸福不在终点，幸福就是此生此路。
4。 珍视每一寸光阴，珍视每一个共同度过的人。相信同伴就是一种珍贵。
5。 惜时如金，莫要浪费挥霍。
6。 时不我待，请怀着幸福感认真地为人处事。
7。 完成人生必经的学业、事业的历程，所有欲求，都在实践。
8。 明白幸福不在眼前，幸福就在脚下。何必等待“更好”的下一次，一切幸福都“正好”在此时。
9。 幸福不在彼岸，幸福就是一种度过。
10。 去爱吧，就像从没有受伤过。起舞吧，从心所愿。
Happiness Indicators in Various Stages of Life人生各年龄层幸福感指标
1。 The ups and downs of life may seem to have no predictable plan。 But scientists now know there are very definite patterns that almost all people share。 Even if you’ve passed some of your “prime”， you still have other prime years to experience in the future。 Certain important primes seem to peak later in life。
2。 When are you smartest？ From 18—25， according to I。Q.scores； but you’re wiser and more experienced with increasing age。
3。 You’re sharpest in your 20’s； around 30， memory begins to decline， particularly your ability to perform mathematical computations。 But your I。Q.for other tasks climbs。 Your vocabulary at age 45， for example is three times as great as when you graduated from college。 At 60， your brain possesses almost four times as much information as it did at age 21。 This trade-off between sharpness and wisdom has led psychologists to suggest that “maturity quotients” （M。Q.） be adopted for adults。
4。 When are you happiest？ You have the best physical sense of yourself from 15to 24； the best professional sense from 40 to 49。
5。 Before age 24， we believe that our happiest years are yet to come； over30， we believe that they’re behind us。A National Health Survey agrees： After age 30， we “become more realistic and do not view happiness as a goal in itself。 If we maintain our health， achieve professional and emotional goals， and then happiness， we feel， will follow”。
6。 When are you most creative？ Generally between 30and 39， but the peak varies with different professions。
7。 Mozart wrote a symphony and four sonatas by age eight， and Mendelssohn composed his best known work A Midsummer Night’s Dream， at 17， but most of the great music was written by men between 33and 39。 Though the peak in most fields comes early—most Nobel Prize winners did their top research in their late 20’s and 30’s—creative people continue to produce quality work throughout their lives。 For the “well-conditioned mind”， there is no upper limit。
1。 人生的起伏似乎没有可预知的模式，但是科学家现在发现有一些模式相当明确，绝大多数人都有不例外。即使你度过了一些最佳时期，你仍然会在将来经历另外几个最佳时期。某些最佳期时期似乎在生命的后半段才会到来。
2。 什么时候你最聪明？根据智商得分，你从15岁至25岁最聪明。然而，随着年龄增长，你更加具有智慧和经验。
3。 20多岁的时候你的思维最敏捷；30岁左右，记忆力开始衰退，尤其是你的数学计算能力。然而，你做其他事情的智商提高了。例如45岁时你的词汇量是你刚从大学毕业时的3倍。60岁时你大脑中储存的信息几乎是你21岁时的4倍。敏锐和智慧之间的协调，心理学家们就此提出了在成年人中采用“成熟商”这一概念。
4。 什么时候你的感觉最好？15岁至24岁之间你的身体感觉最好；40岁至49岁之间你对自己的职业感觉最佳。
5。 24岁之前，我们相信自己最快乐的日子尚未到来；过了30岁，我们就认为最快乐的时光已逝去。一项全国性的健康调查也提示了同样的结果：30岁过后，我们变得更加实际，不把幸福当成生命本身的一种目标。我们认为，只要我们保持健康，事业上、情感上称心如意，那么我们就觉得幸福便会随之而来。
6。 什么时候你最富创造力？一般在30岁至39岁之间。但是不同的职业，高峰期也不相同。
7。 莫扎特8岁时就创作了一部交响曲、4首奏鸣曲；门德尔松17岁时就完成了他的最著名的作品《仲夏夜之梦》，但是大部分伟大的音乐作品都是人们在33岁至39岁之间创作出来的。虽然大多数领域的最佳状态来得比较早——大多数诺贝尔奖获得者都是25岁以后、30多岁时完成他们最出色的研究的——但是创造型的人会在生命中不断地完成高质量的工作。对于“状态良好的大脑”，不存在极限。
Accomplishes a Happy Life造就一个美好的生活
1。 Some time ago now I came to realize that how we define particular words—success， happiness， love， etc—can have a major impact on the way in which we live our life。 One term that I hear thrown around often is “good life”， e。g。 “he lived a good life”。 But what is a good life exactly？ This term will mean different things to different people， and yet I believe there are some ingredients that all “good lives” share。 Here are some of these ingredients。
Being present in the moment
2。 Life is a succession of moments。 To live each one is to succeed。 —Corita Kent
3。 To live is the rarest thing in the world。 Most people exist， that is all。 —Oscar Wilde
Gratefulness
4。 Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands， because if we are not grateful， then no matter how much we have we will not be happy - because we will always want to have something else or something more。 — Brother David Steindl？Rast
Love
5。 Love doesn’t make the world go around； love is what makes the ride worthwhile。 —Franklin P。 Jones
6。 Life is the flower for which love is the honey。 —Victor Hugo
A life lived for others
7。 We make a living by what we get， but we make a life by what we give。 —Winston Churchill
Squeezing the most out of our time
8。 And in the end， it’s not the years in your life that count。 It’s the life in your years。 — Abraham Lincoln
9。 We get to think of life as an inexhaustible well。 Yet everything happens only a certain number of times， and a very small number， really。 How many more times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood， some afternoon that’s so deeply a part of your being that you can’t even conceive of your life without it？ Perhaps four or five times more。 Perhaps not even that。 How many more times will you watch the full moon rise？ Perhaps twenty。 And yet it all seems limitless。 —Paul Bowles
Living with purpose
10。 The purpose of life is a life of purpose。 —Robert Byrne
Acceptance that life will bring sadness
11。 There are as many nights as days， and the one is just as long as the other in the year’s course。 Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness， and the word “happy” would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by “sadness”。 —Carl Jung
Living without fear
12。 Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live。 —Dorothy Thompson
13。 Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do。 So throw off the bowlines。 Sail away from the safe harbor。 Catch the trade winds in your sails。 Explore。 Dream。 Discover。 —Mark Twain
Not taking life too seriously
14。 Do not take life too seriously。 You will never get out of it alive。 —Elbert Hubbard
1。 不久前，我认识到我们如何定义一些特定的词：成功，快乐，爱等，就会对我们生活的方式产生重要的影响。我经常听到的一个词就是美好的生活，比如他有一个美好的生活，但究竟什么才算是一个美好的生活？虽然不同的人对此有不同的理解，但我相信所有的“美好的生活”中均分享着一些要素，以下就是这些要素。
活在当下
2。 生命是时刻的连续，而活在每一刻就是成功。——柯利塔？肯特
3。 活着是世上最珍贵的，大多数人只是存在，仅此而已。——奥斯卡？王尔德
感恩
4。 感恩是我们握在手中的开启快乐生活的钥匙，因为如果我们不懂感恩，那么不管我们拥有多少，我们也不会开心－因为我们总会想要拥有其他东西或者想得到更多。－布拉德？大卫？斯泰德？赖斯特
爱
5。 爱没有使世界转动，但正是它，使周游世界变得有价值。——富兰克林？本杰明
6。 人生是花朵，爱情是花蜜。——雨果
一种为了他人而活着的生活
7。 我们靠获得的东西生存，但我们靠给予的东西生活。——温斯顿？丘吉尔
最大地挤压我们的时间
8。 生命，不在乎享受多少年，只在乎真正活过多少年。——亚伯拉罕？林肯
9。 我们可以把生命视为取之不尽，用之不竭的。然而，这一切仅发生在一定数量的时代，且仅占一个很小的数目，这是真的。有多少次你会记得你童年的某一个下午，而那个下午已经成为你生命里最深的一部分以至于你认为你甚至不能设想你的生活没有它？也许你会想起它4次到5次以上，也许甚至没有。有多少次你会观赏月亮的升起？也许是20次。然而，这一切似乎是无限的。——保罗？鲍尔斯
有目的地活着
10。 生活的目的就是过一种有目的的生活。——罗伯特？拜恩
接受生活也会带来悲伤
11。 有多少个夜晚，就有多少个白天，并且在一年当中，这两个的时间长度是一样的。即使是一个愉快的生活也要有阴暗的衡量，而“快乐”如果没有“悲伤”的对照，它也会失去了它的意义。——卡尔荣
无畏地活着
12。 我们唯有不再害怕我们才能开始生活。——托莫斯？托马森
13。 二十年后，当你回顾你所经历的事情时，你将为没有尝试的事情而感到后悔。所以从现在起，仍掉你的安全套结，从安全的港口启航，和信风一起航行，开始探险，去追求你的梦想吧！——马克？吐温
不要对生活太认真
14。 别对生活太认真，否则你将永远不能摆脱它活着。——艾伯特？哈伯德
If I Could Catch a Rainbow 如果我能留住彩虹
1。 If I could catch a rainbow，
2。 I would do it just for you，
3。 And share with its beauty，
4。 On the days you’re feeling blue。
5。 If I could build a mountain，
6。 You could call your very own，
7。 A place to find serenity，
8。 A place to be alone。
9。 If I could take your troubles，
10。 I would toss them into the sea，
11。 But all these things I’m finding，
12。 Are impossible for me。
13。 I cannot build a mountain，
14。 Or catch a rainbow fair，
15。 But let me be what I know best，
16。 A friend that’s always there。
1。 如果我能留住彩虹，
2。 我将只为你一个人挽留，
3。 在你感到忧伤的日子，
4。 与你分享它的美丽。
5。 如果我能建造大山，
6。 你尽可把它当成你自己的，
7。 体验宁静的空间，
8。 独处的地方。
9。 如果我能带走你的烦恼，
10。 我会把它们通通扔进大海，
11。 然而我发现所有这些事情，
12。 我都无能为力。
13。 我建不成一座大山，
14。 也留不住彩虹的美丽，
15。 就让我做你最好的朋友吧，
16。 永远与你相伴。
The wholeness of life 健全的人生
1。 Once a circle missed a wedge。 The circle wanted to be whole， so it went around looking for its missing piece。 But because it was incomplete and therefore could roll only very slowly， it admired the flowers along the way。 It chatted with worms。 It enjoyed the sunshine。 It found lots of different pieces， but none of them fit。 So it left them all by the side of the road and kept on searching。 Then one day the circle found a piece that fit perfectly。 It was so happy。 Now it could be whole， with nothing missing。 It incorporated the missing piece into itself and began to roll。 Now that it was a perfect circle， it could roll very fast， too fast to notice flowers or talk to the worms。 When it realized how different the world seemed when it rolled so quickly， it stopped， left its found piece by the side of the road and rolled slowly away。
2。 The lesson of the story， I suggested， was that in some strange sense we are more whole when we are missing something。 The man who has everything is in some ways a poor man。 He will never know what it feels like to yearn， to hope， to nourish his soul with the dream of something better。 He will never know the experience of having someone who loves him give him something he has always wanted or never had。
3。 There is a wholeness about the person who has come to terms with his limitations， who has been brave enough to let go of his unrealistic dreams and not feel like a failure for doing so。 There is a wholeness about the man or woman who has learned that he or she is strong enough to go through a tragedy and survive， she can lose someone and still feel like a complete person。
4。 Life is not a trap set for us by God so that he can condemn us for failing。 Life is not a spelling bee， where no matter how many words you’ve gotten right； you’re disqualified if you make one mistake。 Life is more like a baseball season， where even the best team loses one third of its games and even the worst team has its days of brilliance。 Our goal is to win more games than we lose。
5。 When we accept that imperfection is part of being human， and when we can continue rolling through life and appreciate it， we will have achieved a wholeness that others can only aspire to。 That， I believe， is what God asks of us—not “Be perfect”， not “Don’t even make a mistake”， but “Be whole。”
6。 If we are brave enough to love， strong enough to forgive， generous enough to rejoice in another’s happiness， and wise enough to know there is enough love to go around for us all， then we can achieve a fulfillment that no other living creature will ever know。
1。 从前，一只圆圈缺了一块楔子。它想保持完整，便四处寻找那块楔子。由于不完整，所以它只能慢慢地滚动。一路上，它对花儿露出羡慕之色。它与蠕虫谈天侃地。它还欣赏到了阳光之美。圆圈找到了许多不同的楔子，但没有一件与它相配。所以，它将它们统统弃置路旁，继续寻觅。终于有一天，它找到了一个完美的配件。圆圈是那样地高兴，现在它可以说是完美无缺了。它装好配件，并开始滚动起来。现在它已成了一个完美的圆圈，所以滚动得非常快，以至于难以观赏花儿，也无暇与蠕虫倾诉心声。当圆圈意识到因快奔急骋使它失去了原有的世界时，它不禁停了下来，将找到的配件弃置路旁，又开始慢慢地滚动。
2。 我觉得这个故事告诉我们，从某种奇妙的意义上讲，当我们失去了一些东西时反而更加完整。一个拥有一切的人其实在某些方面是个穷人。他永远也体会不到什么是渴望、期待及如何用美好梦想滋养自己的灵魂。他也永远不会有这样一种体验：一个爱他的人送给他某种他梦寐以求的或者从未拥有过的东西意味着什么。
3。 人生的完整性在于知道如何面对缺陷，如何勇敢地摒弃不现实的幻想而又不以此为缺憾。人生的完整性还在于学会勇敢面对人生悲剧而继续生存，能够在失去亲人后依然表现出完整的个人风范。
4。 人生不是上帝为谴责我们的缺陷而给我们布下的陷阱。人生也不是一场拼字游戏比赛，不管你拼出多少单词，一旦出现了一个错误，你便前功尽弃。人生更像是一个棒球赛季，即使最好的球队也会输掉1/3的比赛，而最差的球队也有春风得意的日子。我们的目标就是多赢球，少输球。
5。 当我们接受不完整性是人类本性的一部分，当我们不断地进行人生滚动并能欣赏其价值时，我们就会获得其他人仅能渴望的完整人生。我相信这就是上帝对我们的要求：不求“完美”，也不求“永不犯错误”，而是求得人生的“完整”。如果我们能够勇敢地去爱，坚强地去宽容，大度地去为别人的快乐而高兴，明智地理解身边充满爱，那么我们就能取得别的生物所不能取得的成就。
A Winter Walk冬日漫步
1。 The wind has gently murmured through the blinds， or puffed with feathery softness against the windows， and occasionally sighed like a summer zephyr lifting the leaves along， the livelong night。 The meadow mouse has slept in his snug gallery in the sod， the owl has sat in a hollow tree in the depth of the swamp， the rabbit， the squirrel， and the fox have all been housed。 The watch-dog has lain quiet on the hearth， and the cattle have stood silent in their stalls。 The earth itself has slept， as it were its first， not its last sleep， save when some street-sign or wood-house door has faintly creaked upon its hinge， cheering forlorn nature at her midnight work—the only sound awake twixt Venus and Mars，—advertising us of a remote inward warmth， a divine cheer and fellowship， where gods are met together， but where it is very bleak for men to stand。 But while the earth has slumbered， all the air has been alive with feathery flakes descending， as if some northern Ceres reigned， showering her silvery grain over all the fields。
2。 We sleep， and at length awake to the still reality of a winter morning。 The snow lies warm as cotton or down upon the window-sill； the broadened sash and frosted panes admit a dim and private light， which enhances the snug cheer within。 The stillness of the morning is impressive。 The floor creaks under our feet as we move toward the window to look abroad through some clear space over the fields。 We see the roofs stand under their snow burden。 From the eaves and fences hang stalactites of snow， and in the yard stand stalagmites covering some concealed core。 The trees and shrubs rear white arms to the sky on every side； and where were walls and fences， we see fantastic forms stretching in frolic gambols across the dusky landscape， as if Nature had strewn her fresh designs over the fields by night as models for man’s art。
3。 Silently we unlatch the door， letting the drift fall in， and step abroad to face the cutting air。 Already the stars have lost some of their sparkle， and a dull， leaden mist skirts the horizon。 A lurid brazen light in the east proclaims the approach of day， while the western landscape is dim and spectral still， and clothed in a sombre Tartarean light， like the shadowy realms。 They are infernal sounds only that you hear， —the crowing of cocks， the barking of dogs， the chopping of wood， the low whines， all seem to come from Pluto’s barnyard and beyond the Styx， —not for any melancholy they suggest， but their twilight bustle is too solemn and mysterious for earth。 The recent tracks of the fox or otter， in the yard， remind us that each hour of the night is crowded with events， and the primeval nature is still working and making tracks in the snow。 Opening the gate， we tread briskly along the lone country road， crunching the dry and crisped snow under our feet， or aroused by the sharp， clear creak of the wood-shed， just starting for the distant market， from the early farmer’s door， where it has lain the summer long， dreaming amid the chips and stubble； while far through the drifts and powdered windows we see the farmer’s early candle， like a paled star， emitting a lonely beam， as if some severe virtue were at its matins there。 And one by one the smokes begin to ascend from the chimneys amid the trees and snows。
4。 We hear the sound of wood-chopping at the farmers’ doors， far over the frozen earth， the baying of the house-dog， and the distant clarion of the cock， —though the thin and frosty air conveys only the finer particles of sound to our ears， with short and sweet vibrations， as the waves subside soonest on the purest and lightest liquids， in which gross substances sink to the bottom。 They come clear and bell-like， and from a greater distance in the horizon， as if there were fewer impediments than in summer to make them faint and ragged。 The ground is sonorous， like seasoned wood， and even the ordinary rural sounds are melodious， and the jingling of the ice on the trees is sweet and liquid。 There is the least possible moisture in the atmosphere， all being dried up or congealed， and it is of such extreme tenuity and elasticity that it becomes a source of delight。 The withdrawn and tense sky seems groined like the aisles of a cathedral， and the polished air sparkles as if there were crystals of ice floating in it。 As they who have resided in Greenland tell us that when it freezes “the sea smokes like burning turf-land， and a fog or mist arises， called frost-smoke，” which “cutting smoke frequently raises blisters on the face and hands， and is very pernicious to the health。” But this pure， stinging cold is an elixir to the lungs， and not so much a frozen mist as a crystallized midsummer haze， refined and purified by cold。
5。 The sun at length rises through the distant woods， as if with the faint clashing， swinging sound of cymbals， melting the air with his beams， and with such rapid steps the morning travels， that already his rays are gilding the distant western mountains。 Meanwhile we step hastily along through the powdery snow， warmed by an inward heat， enjoying an Indian summer still， in the increased glow of thought and feeling. Probably if our lives were more conformed to nature， we should not need to defend ourselves against her heats and colds， but find her our constant nurse and friend， as do plants and quadrupeds。
6。 The wonderful purity of nature at this season is a most pleasing fact。 Every decayed stump and moss-grown stone and rail， and the dead leaves of autumn， are concealed by a clean napkin of snow。 In the bare fields and tinkling woods， see what virtue survives。 In the coldest and bleakest places， the warmest charities still maintain a foothold。 A cold and searching wind drives away all contagion， and nothing can withstand it but what has a virtue in it， and accordingly， whatever we meet with in cold and bleak places， as the tops of mountains， we respect for a sort of sturdy innocence， a Puritan toughness。 All things beside seem to be called in for shelter， and what stays out must be part of the original frame of the universe， and of such valor as God himself。 It is invigorating to breathe the cleansed air。 Its greater fineness and purity are visible to the eye， and we would fain stay out long and late， that the gales may sigh through us， too， as through the leafless trees， and fit us for the winter， —as if we hoped so to borrow some pure and steadfast virtue， which will stead us in all seasons。
1。 风轻轻地低声吹着，吹过百叶窗，吹在窗上，轻软地好像羽毛一般；有时候数声叹息，几乎叫人想起夏季长夜漫漫和风吹动树叶的声音。田鼠已经舒舒服服地在地底下的楼房中睡着了，猫头鹰安坐在沼地深处一棵空心树里面，兔子、松鼠、狐狸都躲在家里安居不动。看家的狗在火炉旁边安静地躺着，牛羊在栏圈里一声不响地站着。大地也睡着了——这不是长眠，这似乎是它辛勤一年以来的第一次安然入睡。时虽半夜，大自然还是不断地忙着，只有街上商店招牌或是木屋的门轴上，偶然轻轻地发出叽咯的声音，给寂寥的大自然添一些慰藉。茫茫宇宙，在金星和火星之间，只有这些声音表示天地万物还没有全体入睡——我们想起了远处（就在心里头吧？）还有温暖，还有神圣的欢欣和友朋相聚之乐；可是这种境界是天神们互相往来时才能领略，凡人是不胜其荒凉的。天地现在是睡着了，可是空气中还是充满了生机，鹅毛片片，不断地落下，好像有一个北方的五谷女神，正在我们的田亩上撒下无数银色的谷种。
2。 我们也睡着了，一觉醒来，正是冬天的早晨。万籁无声，雪厚厚地堆着，窗槛上像是铺了温暖的棉花；窗格子显得更宽了，玻璃上结了冰纹，光线暗淡而静，更加强了屋内的舒适愉快的感觉。早晨的安静，似乎静在骨子里，我们走到窗口，挑了一处没有冰霜封住的地方，眺望田野的景色；可是我们单是走这几步路，脚下的地板已经在吱吱地响。窗外一幢幢的房子都是白雪盖顶；屋檐下、篱笆上都累累地挂满了雪条；院子里像石笋似地站了很多雪柱，雪里藏的是什么东西，我们却看不出来，大树小树四面八方的伸出白色的手臂，指向天空；本来是墙壁篱笆的地方，形状更是奇怪，在昏暗的大地上面，它们向左右延伸，如跳如跃，似乎大自然一夜之间，把田野风景重新设计过，好让人间的画师来临摹。
3。 我们悄悄地拔去了门闩，雪花飘飘，立刻落到屋子里来；走出屋外，寒风迎面扑来，利如刀割。星光已经不这么闪烁光亮，地平线上面笼罩着一层昏昏的铅状的薄雾。东方露出一种奇幻的古铜色的光彩，表示天快要亮了；可是四面的景物，还是模模糊糊，一片幽暗，鬼影幢幢，疑非人间。耳边的声音，也带一种鬼气——鸡啼狗吠，木柴的砍劈声，牛群的低鸣声——这一切都好像是阴阳河彼岸冥王的农场里所发出的声音；声音本身并没有特别凄凉之处，只是天色未明，这种种活动显得太庄严了，太神秘了，不像是人间所有的。院子里雪地上，狐狸和水獭所留下的足迹犹新，这使我们想起：即使在冬夜最静寂的时候，自然界生物没有一个钟头不在活动，它们还在雪上留下痕迹。把院子门打开，我们以轻快的脚步，跨上寂寞的乡村公路，雪干而脆，脚踏上去发出破碎的声音；早起的农夫，驾了雪橇，到远处的市场去赶早市；这辆雪橇一夏天都在农夫的门口闲放着，与木屑稻梗为伍，现在可有了用武之地，它的尖锐清晰刺耳的声音，对于早起赶路之人，也有提神醒脑的作用。农舍窗上虽然积雪很多，但是屋里的农夫已经早把蜡烛点起，烛光孤寂地照射出来，像一颗暗淡的星。树际和雪堆之间，炊烟也是一处一处地从烟囱里往上飞升。
4。 大地冰冻，远处鸡啼狗吠；从各处农舍门口，也不时地传来劈柴的声音。空气稀薄干寒，只有比较美妙的声音才能传入我们的耳朵，这种音听来都有一种简短的可是悦耳的颤动；凡是至清至轻的流体，波动总是稍发即止，因为里面粗粒硬块，早就沉到底下去了。声音从地平线的远处传来，都清悦明亮，犹如钟声，冬天的空气清明，不像夏天那样多杂质阻碍，因此声音听来也不像夏天那样毛糙模糊。脚下的土地，铿锵有声，犹如叩响坚硬的古木；一切乡村间平凡的声音，此刻听来都美妙悦耳；树上的冰条，互相撞击，其声琤琮，如流水，如妙乐。大气里面一点水分都没有，水蒸气不是干化，就是凝结成冰霜的了；空气十分稀薄而似有弹性，人呼吸其中，自觉心旷神怡。天似乎是绷紧了的，往后收缩，人从下向上望，很像处身大教堂中，顶上是一块连一块弧状的屋顶；空气中闪光点点，好像有冰晶浮游其间。据在格陵兰住过的人告诉我们说，那边结冰的时候，“海就冒烟，像大火燎原一般；而且有一种雾气上升，名叫烟雾；这种烟雾有害健康，伤人皮肤，能使人手脸等处，生疮肿胀。”我们这里的寒气，虽然寒冷入骨，然而质地清纯可提神，可清肺；我们不能把它认为是冻结的雾，只能认为是仲夏的雾气的结晶，经过寒冬的洗涤，越发变得清纯了。
5。 太阳最后总算从远处的林间上升，阳光照处，空中的冰霜都融化，隐隐之中似乎有铙钹伴奏，铙钹每响一次，阳光的威力逐渐增加；时间很快从黎明变成早晨，早晨也愈来愈老，很快地把西面远处的山头，镀上一层金色。我们匆匆地踏着粉状的干雪前进，因为思想感情更为激动，内心发出一种热力，天气也好像变得像十月小阳春似的温暖。假如我们能改造我们的生活，和大自然更能配合一致，我们也许就无需畏惧寒暑之侵，我们将同草木走兽一样，认为大自然是我们的保姆和良友，她是永远照顾着我们的。
6。 大自然在这个季节，特别显得纯洁，这是我们觉得最为高兴的。残干枯木，苔痕斑斑的石头和栏杆，秋天的落叶，到现在被大雪淹没，像上面盖了一块干净的手巾。寒风一吹，无孔不入，一切乌烟瘴气都一扫而空，凡是不能坚贞自守的，都无法抵御；因此凡是在寒冷荒僻的地方（例如在高山之顶），我们所能看得见的东西，都是值得我们尊敬的，因为它们有一种坚强的纯朴的性格——一种清教徒式的坚忍。别的东西都寻求隐蔽保护去了，凡是能卓然独立于寒风之中者，一定是天地灵气之所钟，是自然界骨气的表现，它们具有和天神一般的勇敢。空气经过洗涤，呼吸进去特别有劲。空气的清明纯洁，甚至用眼睛都能看得出来；我们宁可整天处在户外，不到天黑不回家，我们希望朔风吹过光秃秃的大树一般地吹彻我们的身体，使得我们更能适应寒冬的气候。我们希望藉此能从大自然借来一点纯洁坚定的力量，这种力量对于我们是一年四季都有用的。
继续阅读：第二部分：The Most Beautiful Human Language Is the Love爱是人类最美丽的语言