22-The Happy Door

    Happiness is like a pebble1 dropped into a pool to set in motion an ever-widening circle of ripples2. As Stevenson has said， "Being happy is a duty."

    There is no exact definition of the word happiness. Happy people are happy for all sorts of reasons. The key is not wealth of physical well-being， since we find beggars， invalids and so-called failures who are extremely happy.

    Being happy is a sort of unexpected dividend. But staying happy is an accomplishment， a triumph of soul and character. It is not selfish to strive for it. It is， indeed， a duty to ourselves and others.

    Being unhappy is like an infectious disease. It causes people to shrink away from the sufferer. He soon finds himself alone， miserable and embittered. There is， however， a cure so simple as to seem， at first glance， ridiculous： if you don‘t feel happy， pretend to be！

    It works. Before long you will find that instead of repelling3 people， you attract them. You discover how deeply rewarding it is to be the center of a wider and wider circles of good will.

    Then the make-believe becomes a reality. You possess the secret peace of mind， and can forget yourself in being of service to others.

    Being happy， once it is realized as a duty and established as a habit， opens doors into unimaginable gardens thronged with grateful friends.

    Notes：

    1. pebble n.鹅卵石

    2. ripple n.波纹

    3. repel v.使厌恶

    赏析：

    快乐是会传染的，不快乐也是会传染的。如果你快乐，周围的人也会快乐，如果你不快乐，周围的人也会不快乐。因此，为了自己的快乐，也为了他人的快乐，让我们都努力保持快乐愉悦的心情吧！

    译文对照：

    快乐之门

    快乐好似掷入池塘里的一枚鹅卵石，会激起不断扩散的一圈圈涟漪。斯蒂文生曾说过："快乐是一种责任。"

    "快乐"这个词并没有确切的定义。快乐的人可能会因为种种原因感到快乐。快乐的关键并不在于财富或健康，因为有些乞丐和所谓的失败者也非常快乐。

    快乐是一种意料之外的收获。而保持快乐则是一种成就，是灵魂与品性的胜利。追求快乐并非自私。相反，追求快乐是我们的一种责任。

    闷闷不乐就像一种病；染上这种疾病的人会让人们避之唯恐不及。这种人很快就会发现自己很孤单、很痛苦。然而，这种病症有一种很简单的治疗方法，乍看起来似乎荒谬可笑，那就是：如果你觉得不快乐，就假装快乐吧！

    这个方法很有效。不久，你就会发现自己不但不会令人反感，相反，你还能吸引他人。你会发现，成为广结善缘的中心人物是一件非常值得的事。

    于是，原本假装的快乐就变成了真正的快乐。你会拥有心境平和的秘诀，你还能与他人分享自己的秘诀。

    一旦快乐被视作一种责任并成为一种习惯的时候，它就会开启大门，引领我们进入好友云集的奇妙花园。