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2008/7/21 写给不快乐的人
人生即苦，活在这个世上，烦恼就会接踵而至，不快乐的人很多。于是，如何使自己快乐成了一个被广为谈及的话题。 有人将烦恼埋藏心底，独享宁静与孤独；也有人置身午夜喧嚣，掩盖空虚与寂寞。可是结果呢，有人成了哲学家，有人成了非理性的追随者，也有人庸庸碌碌，奔走在这个世间，或是深陷于这个扑朔迷离、灯红酒绿的世界。 怎样做个快乐达人，我不知道，因为我自己就有很多烦恼。但刚看了朋友发过来的一篇文章，若有所悟，所以把它翻译过来，放在这里，希望能给大家一些启示。
智慧老人
他是位92岁，身材不高但神采奕奕、穿着讲究的老人。今天，他将搬进养老院，因为他那70岁的老伴于不久前过世，因此，他不得不离开自己的家。 在养老院大厅等了几个小时后，我告诉他房间已经准备好了，他脸上露出了微笑。于是，拄着拐杖，蹒跚着走到了电梯前。我向他描述他那狭窄的房间，以及悬挂的床单即所谓的窗帘。 “我很喜欢。”他说到，脸上露出了天真的笑容，就像一个8岁的小孩刚得到了一只小狗一样。 “先生，可是你还没到房间呢！不过咱们马上就到了。”“这没关系，”他回答道，“快乐是我自己预先选择的。不管房间装潢如何---我都会欣然接受。”“我已经确定自己一定会喜欢这个房间。这也正是我每天早上醒来时必做一件事。” “这是我自己的选择。我可以整天躺在床上，细数自己身上的毛病，有多少器官不再好使。我也可以起身感谢上帝，我还有这么多的器官运行良好。 每一天都是神的恩赐。只要我能睁开双眼，我就能集中于新的一天，回忆从前积累的美好时光。 人的年龄就如同银行帐户。年龄大了就开始提取自己这一路存起来的东西。 因此，我要建议你尽可能地往自己的记忆帐户中存入更多的快乐。 谢谢你往我的记忆帐户中存入的快乐回忆，我会继续…… 记住下面几条简单的规则，它可以给你带来快乐： Free your heart from hate 不要有恨 Free your mind from worry. 不要忧虑 Live simple 简单生活 Give more 乐于奉献 Expect less 少些企盼
原文：
The wise old man
A man of 92 years, short, very well-presented, who takes great care in his appearance, is moving into an old people’s home today. His wife of 70 recently died and his obliged to leave his home.
After waiting several hours in the retirement home lobby, he gently smiled as he is told that his room is ready. As he slowly walks to the elevator, using his cane, I describe his small room to him, including the sheet hung at the window which serves as a curtain.
“I like it very much,” he says, with the enthusiasm of an 8 years old boy who has just been given a new puppy.
“Sir, you haven’t even seen the room yet, hang on a moment, we are almost there.” “That has nothing to do with it,” he replies. “Happiness is something I choose in advance. Whether or not I like the room does not depend on the furniture or the dector—rather it depends on how I decide to see it.” “It is already decided in my mind that I like my room. It is a decision I take every morning when I wake up.”
“I can choose. I can spend my day in bed enumerating all the difficulties that I have with the parts of my body that no longer work very well, or I can get up and give thanks to heaven for those parts that are still in working order.”
“Every day is a gift, and as long as I can open my eyes, I will focus on the new day, and all the happy memories that I have built up during my life.”
“Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw in later life what you have deposited along the way.”
“So, my advice to you is to deposit all the happiness you can in your bank account of memories.”
Thank you fro your part in filling my account with happy memories, which I am still continuing to fill…
Remembering these simple guidelines for happiness:
1. Free your heart from hate
2. Free your mind from worry.
3. Live simple
4. Give more
5. Expect less
2008/3/4 The Furthest Distance In the World 世界上最遥远的距离
The Furthest Distance in the World 世界上最遥远的距离
The furthest distance in the world is not between life and death, 世界上最遥远的距离，不是生与死，
But when I stand in front of you, Yet you don't know that I love you. 而是我就站在你的面前，你却不知道我爱你。
The furthest distance in the world is not when I stand in front of you, Yet you can't see my love, 世界上最遥远的距离，不是我站在你面前，你却不知道我爱你，
But when undoubtedly knowing the love from both, Yet cannot be together. 而是明明知道彼此相爱，却不能在一起。
The furthest distance in the world is not being apart while being in love 世界上最遥远的距离，不是明明知道彼此相爱，却不能在一起，
But when plainly can not resist the yearning, Yet pretending you have never been in my heart. 而是明明无法抵挡这股想念，却还得故意装作丝毫没有把你放在心里。
The furthest distance in the world is not when plainly can not resist the yearning, Yet pretending you have never been in my heart. 世界上最遥远的距离，不是明明无法抵挡这股想念， 却还得故意装作丝毫没有把你放在心里，
But using one's indifferent heart to dig an uncrossable river for the one who loves you! 而是用自己冷漠的心对爱你的人掘了一条无法跨越的沟渠。
2007/12/6 lexiquela chambre de commerce 商会
la maison de commerce 商号
le commerce en de détail 零售贸易
la vente au détail 零售
un(e) détaillant(e) 零售商
le commerce en (de) gros 批发贸易
la vente de gros 批发
l'acte de commerce 商业行为
l'approvisionnement 供应
l'offre et la demande 供求
la morte-saison 淡季
les chiffres d'affaires 营业额
acheter à crèdit 赊购
la vente au comptant 现金交易
la vente à tepérament 分期付款出售
la vente à terme 期货销售
la vente à l'essai 试销
le dumping 倾销
l'ecoulement 推销
la vente aux enchères 拍卖
la circulation des marchandises 商品流通
le pouvoir d'achat 购买力
la mévente 滞销
le permis de vente 营业执照
......
2007/11/24 如何过得今宵去？周紫芝《踏莎行》中最后两句：
“明朝且做莫思量，如何过得今宵去！” 好久没写空间，没时间，也不知写些什么。 最近思绪乱乱的，看清了很多事情，明白了许多道理，却反倒彷徨起来。 要学的东西越来越多，手里的时间却越来越少； 生活中不断出现新的矛盾，思想上亦更是如此。 交差、错位、矛盾…… 不知不觉，陷入一种恐慌中。 其实，何止恐慌，简直就是恐惧！ 得到的不知道珍惜，总想要得不到的。 看似可笑，但人们却通常如此。 为什么很多东西一到手就会贬值？ 人性，有的时候真的很可怕。 昨天看到一句话，翻译成汉语是：需求是有极限的，而贪欲却无止境。 这样一来，想“静以修身，俭以养德”，想反璞归真，其实很难。 这还不够，感情又跑来添乱。 人是有感情的，那是眼睛看不见而且善变的，难以应付的东西。 只好把一切看得淡些，毕竟“恬淡为上”。 如孔明所说“非淡泊无以明志，非宁静无以致远”。 淡泊了，人是不是就无情了？ 情，是可怕的东西。 无情了，是不是就可以解脱了？ 也许，真像晏殊的《木兰花 玉楼春》中的那句： “无情不似多情苦，一寸还成千万缕。天涯海角有穷时，只有相思无尽处。” …… 想做些自己喜欢的事，读些自己喜欢的书。 幻想自己喜欢的，尽管不切实际的，遥远的东西。 让，夜，沉睡在梦里。 让，梦，畅想在夜里。 那是，现实中的一块静谧之地。 一种境界。 夜深了，起身关窗。 才发现，雨，已经淅淅沥沥，下了好一阵子了。 可还是没有一点睡意。 我该，如何过得今宵去？ …… 2007/8/26 Peach-blossom Source
As one of the greatest ancient prose in Chinese history, Peach-blossom Source was written by Tao Yuanming (365-427) in East Jin Dynasty. He is the forerunner of Chinese pastoral poem. In his masterpiece Peach-Blossom Source, the author made up an imaginary pantisocracy (an ideal society) where there is no sovereign, exploitation, hypocrisy or corruption, and people in peace and harmony. Tao is always compared with Henry David Thoreau, because both of them worship the nature. However, they hold a different value of life. Tao is a hermit, an evader of the reality...
桃花源记 陶渊明
晋太元中，武陵人捕鱼为业。缘溪行，忘路之远近。忽逢桃花林，夹岸数百步，中无杂树，芳草鲜美，落英缤纷。渔人甚异之。复前行，欲穷其林。林尽水源，便得一山，山有小口，仿佛若有光。便舍船从口入。初极狭，才通人；复行数十步豁然开朗。土地平旷，屋舍俨然，有良田、美池、桑竹之属。阡陌交通，鸡犬相闻。其中往来种作，男女衣著，悉如外人；黄发垂髫，并怡然自乐。见渔人，乃大惊，问所从来，具答之。便要还家，设酒杀鸡作食。村中闻此人，咸来问讯。自云先世避秦时乱，率妻子邑人，来此绝境，不复出焉，遂与外人间隔。问今是何世，乃不知有汉，无论魏晋。此人一一为具言所闻，皆叹惋。馀人各复延至其家，皆出酒食。停数日，辞去。此中人所云：“不足为外人道也。” 既出，得其船，便扶向路，处处志之。及郡下，诣太守说如此。太守即遣人随其往，寻向所志，遂迷不复得路。 南阳刘子骥，高尚士也。闻之，欣然前往。未果，寻病终。后遂无问津者。
Modern text
晋朝太元年间，有个以捕鱼为生的武陵人。架舟沿山间小溪前行，一时忘了路的远近。忽然遇到一处桃花林，夹岸而生，数百步之内没有一棵杂树，林下长着鲜嫩的芳草，上面铺满了美丽的落花。渔人见了非常惊奇，又往前行，想穿过这片桃林。林的尽头是溪水的源头，那里有一座小山，山间有一个小口，小口内好像有亮光。于是他就弃船上岸，步入洞口。起初洞很狭窄，只能通过一人；又向前走了数十步，里面豁然开朗。只见那里土地平整广阔，房屋村舍排列整齐，有肥沃的良田、美丽的池水和桑树竹林之类。田间小道纵横交错，鸡鸣狗叫彼此相闻。其中人们来来往往忙于耕种，男男女女的服装好像完全是世外之人似的；老人和幼童都安适快乐。他们见了渔人，都十分惊讶，纷纷询问他从哪来，渔人都一一作了回答。他们便邀请渔人到家里作客，端上酒杀了鸡来款待。村中听说有这样一个人来，都来向他打听消息。他们自称先辈为了躲避秦时的战乱，带着妻儿和乡亲，一齐来到这个与世隔绝的地方，从此不再外出，于是就是外面的人隔绝往来。问现在是什么朝代，他们竟然不知道有汉朝，就更不用说魏和晋了。渔人就向他们一一讲述自己的所见所闻，他们听了都感到惊叹惋惜。其他的人又各自把他请到家中，都拿出酒饭招待他。渔人在那里待了几天，告辞而去。这里的人对他说：“不要把这里的情况对外人说啊！” 渔人出了洞，找到了他的船，于是就沿着来路返回，所经过的地方处处作了标记。回到郡所，就去对太守说了这一经历。太守立即派人跟他一起前去，寻找以前留下的记号，然而却迷失了方向，没有找到那条路。 南阳的刘子骥，是个脱俗的读书人。他听了这件事，就高兴地准备前往，还没有成行，不久就得病去世了。以后便没有人再去探寻桃花源了。
English version Peach-blossom Source Tao Yuanming
During the Taiyuan period ( 376-396 ) of Jin a man of Wuling, who made his living as a fisherman, ascended a stream, forgetful of the distance he traveled. Suddenly he came upon a grove of peach trees in blossom. They lined the banks for several hundred paces; among them were no other kinds of trees. The fragrant herbage was fresh and beautiful; fallen blossoms lay in profusion. The fisherman, in extreme wonder, again went forward, wishing to go to the end of the grove. The grove ended at the stream’s source, and there he found a hill. In the hill was a small opening from which a light seemed to come. So he left his boat and went in through the opening. At first it was very narrow, barely allowing a man to pass, but as he went on for some tens of paces, it came out into the open air, upon lands level and wide with houses of a stately appearance. There were fine fields and beautiful pools, clumps of mulberries and bamboos. The field dykes intersected; cocks crowd and dogs barked to each other. The clothes of the men and women who came and went, planted and worked among them were entirely like those of people outside. The while-haired and the children with their hair in tufts happily enjoyed themselves. When they saw the fisherman, they were greatly surprised and asked from what place he came. When he had answered all their questions, they invited him to come back to their home, where they set out wine, killed a chicken and made a meal. When the villagers heard of this man, they all came to pay their respects. They told him that their ancestors, fleeing from the troubles during the Qin period (221 BC-208 BC ), had brought their wives and children and neighbours to this inaccessible spot and had not gone out again, thus they became cut off from people outside. They asked what dynasty it was now: they did not know that there had been Han ( 206 BC- AD 220 ), nor of course Wei ( 220-265 ) or Jin. The fisherman told them all he knew, item by item, and at everything they sighed with grief. The others in turn also invited him to their homes, and all set out wine and food. He stayed for several days andd then took leave of them. The people of this place said to him: “You should not speak of this to those outside.” When he had gone out, he found his boat and followed the route by which he had come: everywhere he noted the way. When he reached the commandery, he called on the prefect and told him this story. The prefect immediately sent a man to go with him and seek out the places he had previously noted, but they went astray and could not find the way again. Liu Ziji of Nanyang, who was a scholar of lofty ideals, heard of it and joyfully planned to go. Soon after, before he had carried out his plan, he fell ill and died. Afterwards there was no one who “sought the ford”.
2007/8/16 蒹葭 The Reed我非常喜欢古典诗词，下面的这首《蒹葭》是出自《诗经》“秦风”。此诗重情轻性，虚无缥缈，美极了。光是一句“所谓伊人，在水一方”便流传千年。这首诗表现的不是具体的爱情故事，而是诗人的一种心灵追求，给人无限遐想。
The following is one of my favorite poetry “the Reed” which is taken from Shijing (a collection of odes/ Classique de la Poésie recueil de 305 pièces de vers, chansons d'amour ou hymnes religieux).
“The Reed” deserves to win its far-reaching significance only by one line:
“Where’s she need? Beyond the stream.”
/ “Au fil de l’eau, Elle m’envire. "
Though it is a love peotry, concrete love story is not the theme, but an expression of spiritual search.
I have attached the English and French version made by Prof. Xu Yuanchong in order to let more people who like Chinese culture know the beauty of Chinese version and how to deal with the rhythm in translating.
蒹 葭
秦风 溯游从之，
宛在水中沚。
The Reed
Green green the reed,
Frosted dews gleam.
Where's she I need?
Beyond the stream.
Upstream I go,
The way's so long.
Downstream I go,
She's thereamong.
While white the reed,
Dews not yet dried.
Where's she I need?
On other side.
Upstream I go,
Hard is the way.
Downstream I go,
She's far away.
Bright bright the reed,
With frost dews blend.
Where's she I need?
At river's end.
Upstream I go,
The way does wind.
Downstream I go,
She's far behind.
Joncs et Roseaux
Joncs et roseaux
Sont blanc de givre.
Au bord de l’eau
Elle m’envire.
Quand je la suis
Au fil de l’eau,
Elle me fuit
A mi-ruisseau.
Roseaux et joncs
Sont blancs de givre.
Va en amont!
Elle m’envire.
Quand je la suis,
La voie est dure.
Elle me fuit
Dans l’eou si pure.
Joncs et roseaux,
Sont blanc de givre.
Dans le ruisseau
Elle m’envire.
Quand j’y arrive
Par voie sinueuse,
Elle m’esquive.
O qu’elle est rieuse!
2007/7/19 古诗十九首古诗十九首
之二 青青河畔草，郁郁园中柳。 之三 青青陵上柏，磊磊涧中石。 之四 今日良宴会，欢乐难具陈。 之五 西北有高楼，上与浮云齐。 之六 涉江采芙蓉，兰泽多芳草。 之七 明月皎夜光，促织鸣东壁。 之八 冉冉狐生竹，结根泰山阿。 之九 庭中有奇树，绿叶发华滋。 之十 迢迢牵牛星，皎皎河汉女。 之十一 回车驾言迈，悠悠涉长道。 之十二 东城高且长，逶迤自相属。 之十三 驱车上东门，遥望郭北墓。 之十四 去者日以疏，生者日已亲。 之十五 生年不满百，常怀千岁忧。 之十六 凛凛岁云暮，蝼蛄夕鸣悲。 之十七 孟冬寒气至，北风何惨栗。 之十八 客从远方来，遗我一端绮。 之十九 明月何皎皎，照我罗床纬。
Think it over 好好想想Think it over……
好好想想…… Today we have higher buildings and wider highways, but shorter temperaments and narrower points of view; 今天我们拥有了更高层的楼宇以及更宽阔的公路，但是我们的性情却更为急躁，眼光也更加狭隘； We spend more, but enjoy less; 我们消耗的更多，享受到的却更少； We have bigger houses, but smaller smiles; 我们的住房更大了，但我们的家庭却更小了； We have more compromises, but less time; 我们妥协更多，时间更少； We have more knowledge, but less judgment; 我们拥有了更多的知识，可判断力却更差了； We have more medicines, but less health; 我们有了更多的药品，但健康状况却更不如意； We have multiplied out possessions, but reduced out values; 我们拥有的财富倍增，但其价值却减少了；
We talk much, we love only a little, and we hate too much; 我们说的多了，爱的却少了，我们的仇恨也更多了； We reached the Moon and came back, but we find it troublesome to cross our own street and meet our neighbors; 我们可以往返月球，但却难以迈出一步去亲近我们的左邻右舍； We have conquered the uter space, but not our inner space; 我们可以征服外太空，却征服不了我们的内心； We have highter income, but less morals; 我们的收入增加了，但我们的道德却少了； These are times with more liberty, but less joy; 我们的时代更加自由了，但我们拥有的快乐时光却越来越少； We have much more food, but less nutrition; 我们有了更多的食物，但所能得到的营养却越来越少了； These are the days in which it takes two salaries for each home, but divorces
Of Studies by Francis Bacon Of Studies
by Francis Bacon STUDIES serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability, is in the judgment, and disposition of business. For expert men can exe-cute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one; but the general counsels, and the plots and marshalling of affairs, come best, from those that are learned. To spend too much time in studies is sloth; to use them too much for ornament, is affectation; to make judgment wholly by their rules, is the humor of a scholar. They perfect nature, and are perfected by experience: for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need proyning, by study; and studies themselves, do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience. Crafty men contemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them; for they teach not their own use; but that is a wisdom without them, and above them, won by observation. Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider. Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention. Some books also may be read by deputy, and extracts made of them bothers; but that would be only in the less important arguments, and the meaner sort of books, else distilled books are like common distilled waters, flashy things. Reading make a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man. And therefore, if a man write little, he had need have a great memory; if he confer little, he had need have a present wit: and if he read little, he had need have much cunning, to seem to know, that he doth not. Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtitle; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores. Nay, there is no stand or impediment in the wit, but may be wrought out by fit studies; like as diseases of the body, may have appropriate exercises. Bowling is good for the stone and reins; shooting for the lungs and *; gentle walking for the stomach; riding for the head; and the like. So if a man's wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for in demonstrations, if his wit be called away never so little, he must begin again. If his wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study the Schoolmen; for they are cymini sectors. If he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study the lawyers' cases. So every defect of the mind, may have a special receipt. 读书足以怡情，足以博彩，足以长才。其怡情也，最见于独处幽居之时；其傅彩也，最见于高谈阔论之中；其长才也，最见于处世判事之际。练达之士虽能分别处理细事或一一判别枝节，然纵观统筹、全局策划，则舍好学深思者莫属。读书费时过多易惰，文采藻饰太盛则矫，全凭条文断事乃学究故态。读书补天然之不足，经验又补读书之不足，盖天生才干犹如自然花草，读书然后知如何修剪移接；而书中所示，如不以经验范之，则又大而无当。有一技之长者鄙读书，无知者羡读书，唯明智之士用读书，然书并不以用处告人，用书之智不在书中，而在书外，全凭观察得之。读书时不可存心诘难作者，不可尽信书上所言，亦不可只为寻章摘句，而应推敲细思。书有可浅尝者，有可吞食者，少数则须咀嚼消化。换言之，有只须读其部分者，有只须大体涉猎者，少数则须全读，读时须全神贯注，孜孜不倦。书亦可请人代读，取其所作摘要，但只限题材较次或价值不高者，否则书经提炼犹如水经蒸馏、淡而无味矣。 读书使人充实，讨论使人机智，笔记使人准确。因此不常作笔记者须记忆特强，不常讨论者须天生聪颖，不常读书者须欺世有术，始能无知而显有知。读史使人明智，读诗使人灵秀，数学使人周密，科学使人深刻，伦理学使人庄重，逻辑修辞之学使人善辩：凡有所学，皆成性格。人之才智但有滞碍，无不可读适当之书使之顺畅，一如身体百病，皆可借相宜之运动除之。滚球利睾肾，射箭利胸肺，慢步利肠胃，骑术利头脑，诸如此类。如智力不集中，可令读数学，盖演题须全神贯注，稍有分散即须重演；如不能辨异，可令读经院哲学，盖是辈皆吹毛求疵之人；如不善求同，不善以一物阐证另一物，可令读律师之案卷。如此头脑中凡有缺陷，皆有特药可医。 （王佐良先生译） 2007/7/18 How to Grow Old How to Grow Old
By Bertrand Russell
In spite of the title, this article will really be on how not to grow old, which, at my time of life, is a much more important subject. My first advice would be to choose your ancestors carefully. Although both my parents died young, I have done well in this respect as regards my other ancestors. My maternal grandfather, it is true, was cut off in the flower of his youth at the age of sixty-seven, but my other three grandparents all lived to be over eighty. Of remote ancestors I can only discover one who did not live to a great age, and he died of a disease which is now rare, namely, having his head cut off.
A great-grandmother of mine, who was a friend of Gibbon, lived to the age of ninety-two, and to her last day remained a terror to all her descendants. My maternal grandmother, after having nine children who survived, one who died in infancy, and many miscarriages, as soon as she became a widow devoted herself to women's higher education. She was one of the founders of Girton College, and worked hard at opening the medical profession to women. She used to relate how she met in Italy an elderly gentleman who was looking very sad. She inquired the cause of his melancholy and he said that he had just parted from his two grandchildren. "Good gracious," she exclaimed, "I have seventy-two grandchildren, and if I were sad each time I parted from one of them, I should have a dismal existence!" "Madre snaturale," he replied. But speaking as one of the seventy-two, I prefer her recipe. After the age of eighty she found she had some difficulty in getting to sleep, so she habitually spent the hours from midnight to 3 a.m. in reading popular science. I do not believe that she ever had time to notice that she was growing old. This, I think, is the proper recipe for remaining young. If you have wide and keen interests and activities in which you can still be effective, you will have no reason to think about the merely statistical fact of the number of years you have already lived, still less of the probable brevity of your future.
As regards health, I have nothing useful to say since I have little experience of illness. I eat and drink whatever I like, and sleep when I cannot keep awake. I never do anything whatever on the ground that it is good for health, though in actual fact the things I like doing are mostly wholesome.
Psychologically there are two dangers to be guarded against in old age. One of these is undue absorption in the past. It does not do to live in memories, in regrets for the good old days, or in sadness about friends who are dead. One's thoughts must be directed to the future, and to things about which there is something to be done. This is not always easy; one's own past is a gradually increasing weight. It is easy to think to oneself that one's emotions used to be more vivid than they are, and one's mind more keen. If this is true it should be forgotten, and if it is forgotten it will probably not be true.
The other thing to be avoided is clinging to youth in the hope of sucking vigor from its vitality. When your children are grown up they want to live their own lives, and if you continue to be as interested in them as you were when they were young, you are likely to become a burden to them, unless they are unusually callous. I do not mean that one should be without interest in them, but one's interest should be contemplative and, if possible, philanthropic, but not unduly emotional. Animals become indifferent to their young as soon as their young can look after themselves, but human beings, owing to the length of infancy, find this difficult.
I think that a successful old age is easier for those who have strong impersonal interests involving appropriate activities. It is in this sphere that long experience is really fruitful, and it is in this sphere that the wisdom born of experience can be exercised without being oppressive. It is no use telling grown-up children not to make mistakes, both because they will not believe you, and because mistakes are an essential part of education. But if you are one of those who are incapable of impersonal interests, you may find that your life will be empty unless you concern yourself with your children and grandchildren. In that case you must realize that while you can still render them material services, such as making them an allowance or knotting them jumpers, you must not expect that they will enjoy your company.
Some old people are oppressed by the fear of death. In the young there is a justification for this feeling. Young men who have reason to fear that they will be killed in a battle may justifiably feel bitter in the thought that they have been cheated of the best things that life has to offer. But in an old man who has known human joys and sorrows, and has achieved whatever work it was in him to do, the fear of death is somewhat abject and ignoble. The best way to overcome it----so at least it seems to me----is to make your interests gradually wider and more impersonal, until bit by bit the walls of the the ego recede, and your life becomes increasingly merged in the universal life. An individual human existence should be like a river----small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past rocks and over waterfalls. Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being. The man who, in old age, can see his life in this way, will not suffer form the fear of death, since the things he cares for will continue. And if, with the decay of vitality, weariness increases, the thought of rest will not be unwelcome. I should wish to die while still at work, knowing that others will carry on what I can no longer do, and content in the thought that what was possible has been done. 2006/10/2 感今天真是感触颇多呀！昨晚发生了一件让我咋舌的事，使我看到了这个社会的阴暗面。怎么会这样呢？难道这个社会真的这样了？难道真的老子的《道德经》真的只能作为在深夜为自己的灵魂找到一份寂静的著作吗？难道人与人之间真的不能相互信任，得处处提防吗？太可怕了我真的受不了。
我也总算理解唐婉的《钗头凤》了。
世情薄，人情恶。雨送黄昏花易落。晓风干。泪痕残。欲笺心事，独语斜阑。难、难、难！
人成各，今非昨。病魂常似秋千索。角声寒。夜阑珊。怕人寻问，咽泪装欢。瞒、瞒、瞒！
今晚也跟他交流了许多。同时看不惯世间不公之人。但对于此，又怎能奈何？
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