The Essence of Happiness幸福的真谛.docx

The Essence of Happiness幸福的真谛I live in the land of Disney, Hollywood and year round sun. You may think people in such a glamorous, fun filled place are happier than others. If so, you have some mistakes about the nature of happiness.我这在好莱坞迪斯尼乐园，那里全年阳光普照。你可能认为生活在那么富于魅力，充满乐趣的地方，一定比其他地方的人更幸福。如果这么想，你可能对幸福的真谛有些误解。Many intelligent people still equate happiness with fun. The truth is that fun and happiness have little or nothing in common. Fun is what we experience during an act. Happiness is what we experience after an act. It is deeper, more abiding emotion.很多聪明的人仍将幸福等同于乐趣。其实，乐趣和幸福的共同之处极少，或者说根本没有。乐趣是行为过程中的感受，而幸福是我们行为过后的感受，它是一种更为深刻、持久的感情。The way people cling to the belief that fun filled, pain free life equals happiness actually diminishes their chances of ever attaining real happiness. If fun and pleasure are equated with happiness, then pain must be equated with unhappiness. But in fact, the opposite is true: More times than not, things that lead to happiness involve some pain.人们坚信充满欢乐，远离痛苦的生活方式就等于幸福。实际上，这样反而减少了他们获得真正幸福的机会。如果欢乐和愉快等同幸福，那痛苦就等同不幸。其实恰恰相反，多数情况下，能带来幸福的事物往往包含诸多痛苦。As a result, many people avoid the very endeavors that are the source of tree happiness. They fear the pain inevitably brought by such things as marriage, raising children, professional achievement, religious commitment, civic or charitable work, and self-improvement.所以说，许多人所逃避的艰难困苦恰恰是真正幸福的源泉，这些人害怕那些必定会带来痛苦的事情，如结婚、抚养子女。提高专业技能、承担宗教义务、社会服务或慈善事业，提升自我等。Ask a bachelor why he resists marriage even though he finds dating to be less and less satisfying. If he’s honest, he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment. For commitment is in fact quite painful. The single life is filled with fun, adventure, excitement. Marriage has such movement, but they are not its most distinguishing features.尽管一个单身者对约会越来越不感兴趣，但当你问他为什么还不想结婚时，如果他很诚实，就会告诉你，他怕承担责任。因为承担责任确实是一件痛苦的事情。独身生活充满着乐趣、冒险和激情。婚姻虽也有如此体检，却大为逊色。Similarly, couples who choose not to have children are deciding in favor of painless fun over painful happine