佚名/Anonymous
We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another. Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are. After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with. We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage.
We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire. The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, when? Your life will always be filled with challenges. It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.
One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred D. Souza. He said, "For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin—real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life."
This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So, treasure every moment that yon have. And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time... and remember that time waits for no one.
So stop waiting until you finish school, until you go back to school, until you lose ten pounds, until you gain ten pounds, until you have kids, until your kids leave the house, until you start work, until you retire, until you get married, until you get divorced, until Friday night, until Sunday morning, until you get a new car or home, until your car or home is paid off, until spring, until summer, until fall, until winter, until you are off welfare, until the first or fifteenth, until your song comes on, until you've had a drink, until you've sobered up, until you die, until you are born again to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy.
Happiness is a journey, not a destination.
Work like you don't need money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's watching.
我們一直在說服自己，等我們結了婚，有了孩子，然後再生一個，生活會更好。隨後，我們立刻又會心生煩惱，嫌孩子太小，想著等到他們長大一些，我們就會更滿足。不久，我們又會灰心喪氣，不得不應付青春期的孩子，又想著等到孩子們過了這段時期，我們理所當然就會覺得幸福。
我們一直在告訴自己，當我們的配偶振作起來，當我們擁有一輛性能更優良的轎車，當我們能去度一個精彩的假期，當我們離休之後，我們的生活就會變得和諧美滿。實際上，感受幸福生活的最佳時機莫過於此時此刻。如果不是此時此刻，那又是何時呢？我們的生活充滿著挑戰。最好的解決辦法就是讓自己接受事實，無論如何都要心情愉悅。
我很喜歡艾爾弗雷德·D.蘇澤的一段話。他說：“長久以來，我感到生活——真正的生活即將拉開帷幕。然而，障礙總是不期而遇，先要去做某件事情，比如未完成的工作、有待安排的時間、需要償清的債務，隨後生活才會真正開始。最後，我終於明白，這些障礙本身就是我生活的一部分。”
這個觀點讓我認識到，根本不存在通往幸福的道路。幸福本身就是道路。所以，珍惜你擁有的每時每刻。珍惜你與某個特別的人分享的這一時刻。因為這個人很特別，值得你與之共享這一時光……謹記，時間不等人。
所以，不要再白白等待了，直到你結束學業，直到你返回學校，直到你的體重減輕了10磅，直到你的體重增加了10磅，直到你有了孩子，直到孩子們離家開始獨立生活，直到你開始工作，直到你離休，直到你結婚，直到你離婚，直到星期五的晚上，直到星期天的早晨，直到你買了新車或搬了新的住所，直到你購車或購房的貸款完全償清，直到冬去春來，直到夏過秋往，直到你不再享受福利，直到下個月的1號或這個月的15號，直到該你上台一展歌喉，直到你舉杯痛飲，直到你清醒過來，直到你辭世，直到你重降人間，才懂得原來此時此刻才是最應該快樂的。
幸福是一次旅程，不是終點。
盡情工作吧，就像你根本不需要錢；
放手去愛吧，就像你從未受過傷；
縱情舞蹈吧，就像無人觀看。
I can live for two months on a good compliment.
—Mark Twain
隻憑一句讚美的話，我就可以充實地活上兩個月。
——馬克·吐溫
convince[k?n?vins]v.說服；使……相信
We utterly failed to convince them.
我們根本說服不了他們。
frustrated[fr??streitid]adj.失敗的；落空的
Mary was frustrated by the lack of appreciation shown of her work.
瑪麗因工作得不到賞識而灰心喪氣。
perspective[p??spektiv]n.遠景；看法；透視
Artists didn't understand perspective in those days.
在那個年代，藝術家們不懂透視法。
welfare[?welf??]n.福利；社會保障
They will create the perfect welfare state.
他們會創造出完美的福利國家。
感受幸福生活的最佳時機莫過於此時此刻。
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這個觀點讓我認識到，根本不存在通往幸福的道路。幸福本身就是道路。
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幸福是一次旅程，不是終點。
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Your life will always be filled with challenges.
be filled with：充滿
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At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.
dawn on：開始理解；漸漸明白
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