23 Be Happy

Lloyd Morris

“The days that make us happy make us wise.”

—John Masefield

When I first read this line by England's Poet Laureate, it startled me. What did Masefield mean? Without thinking about it much, I had always assumed that the opposite was true. But his sober assurance was arresting . I could not forget it.

Finally, I seemed to grasp his meaning and realized that there was a profound observation. The wisdom that happiness makes possible lies in clear perception, not fogged by anxiety nor dimmed by despair and boredom, and without the blind spots caused by fear.

Active happiness not mere satisfaction or contentment—often comes suddenly, like an April shower or the unfolding of a bud. Then you discover what kind of wisdom has accompanied it. The grass is greener, bird songs are sweeter, the shortcomings of your friends are more understandable and more forgivable. Happiness is like a pair of eyeglasses correcting your spiritual vision.

Nor are the insights of happiness limited to what is near around you. Unhappy, with your thoughts turned in upon your emotional woes, your vision is cut short as though by a wall. Happy, the wall crumbles.

The long vista is there for the seeing. The ground at your feet, the world about you—people, thoughts, emotions, pressures—are now fitted into the larger scene. Everything assumes a fairer proportion. And here is the beginning of wisdom.

难词释义

assume [əˈsuːm] v. 假定；认为；呈现（外观、样子）；显露（特征）

assurance [əˈʃʊrəns] n. 保证；自信

arresting [əˈrestɪŋ] adj. 引人注意的；很有吸引力的

快乐

劳埃德·莫里斯

快乐的日子使人睿智。

——约翰·梅斯菲尔德

第一次读到英国桂冠诗人梅斯菲尔德的这句诗时，我感到大吃一惊。他要表达什么意思呢？之前没有思考太多，就总觉得这句话应该反过来说才正确。但是他文字间透露的冷静与自信俘获了我，让这句诗一直萦绕在我的脑海中。

终于，我似乎明白了他的意思，意识到这句诗中蕴含着深刻的观察力。快乐带来的睿智存在于敏锐的洞察力，不因焦虑而迷惘，不因绝望和枯燥而淡漠，不因害怕而造成盲点。

积极向上的快乐——不只是满意或知足——总是突如其来，就像四月的春雨或花蕾的绽放。之后，你就会发现某种智慧伴随着快乐而来。草更青了，鸟儿的歌声更甜美了，朋友的缺点也更能理解和包容了。快乐就像一副眼镜，它可以矫正你的精神视力。

感受快乐并不仅限于你身外的事物。当你不快乐时，你会陷入悲哀的情绪中，视野就被悲伤的情绪之墙阻隔。而你快乐时，这道墙就会崩塌。

你的眼界会变得更加宽广。脚下的土地、周围的世界——人、思想、情感和压力——都融进了更广阔的景象。每件事情似乎都更加恰如其分。而这，就是睿智的开始。