Inspiration from Life

 　　Taking the first step

　　How will you know you can succeed at something if you don't give it a try?

　　How will you know you can drag yourself out of the depths of your despair if you don't try?

　　How do you know you won't get that new job if you don't apply? How do you know...

　　Before becoming a success at anything, you must take that first step.

　　Giving and Receiving Love

　　Humans need love. It is in the giving and receiving of love that we choose life. Participating in this fundamental exchange lies in our ability to trust others

　　Happiness Now!

　　Happiness is to be found along the way, not at the end of the road, for then the journey is over and it is too late.

　　Today, this hour, this minute is the day, the hour, the minute for each of us to sense the fact that life is good, with all of its trials and troubles, and perhaps more interesting because of them.

　　Setting aside special moments

　　Over the years, I have noticed that it has become more and more difficult to set aside those special moments of the day when we can remove ourselves from the hectic¹, frenetic pace of everyday life.

　　Yet finding time to get away, to reflect, to concentrate, or to just let the mind wander freely is important for our overall health.

　　Studies have shown that reducing stress in daily life significantly reduces the risk of heart attacks or the need for heart surgery.

　　Reflecting on Anger

　　Another way of dealing² with anger is to reflect on its results.

　　We know very well that when we are angry, we do not see the truth clearly. As a result, we may commit many unwholesome actions.

　　Our future life is determined³ by our intentional⁴ actions today, just as our present life is heir to our previous intentional behavior. Intentional actions committed under the influence of anger cannot lead to a happy future.

　　A Fresh Start Now

　　The greatest power you possess for succeeding in life is your understanding that life gives you a fresh start any moment you choose to start fresh.

　　You've only to test the truth of this fact about the newness of life to discover the incredible freedom that waits for you just behind it.

　　Nothing that stood in your way even a heartbeat before stands there now in the same way. It's all new, even if you can't as yet see it that way.

　　Finding Spiritual Guidance

　　Look for spiritual guidance everywhere and at any time... Spiritual guidance is not restricted to one area, or one particular day, or one particular time of the day.

　　While you may be more open to receiving your guidance in the quiet hours of the early morning, or the late night, your spiritual guidance is always present. It is present in books that you 'happen' to come across, articles you are attracted to reading, things you hear that when looked at from that perspective apply to your situation.

　　Perhaps if we expected to receive spiritual guidance at each and every moment of our lives instead of simply in church on Sunday, or when we sit quietly in meditation⁵, we would receive many more messages throughout the day.

　　Emotions Have an Effect!

　　Every emotion that surges or trickles⁶ through you causes a physical reaction somewhere in the body. A minor⁷ upset may take a couple of days to register as a headache or backache; a more vehement⁸ explosion of anger or hatred⁹ directed at someone could result in a terrible case of ulcers¹⁰ or colitis, because that emotion is pounding your body.

　　But just as negative emotions have a negative effect on the body, so too do positive emotions have a positive effect.

　　We are all teachers and students

　　We are all teachers and students. You learn (hopefully) from the people in your life, and they have the opportunity to learn from you as well.

　　We are all 'in the same boat' and if we start learning from each other and sharing what we have learned with others, perhaps we can get to where we're going faster.

　　Sometimes we learn from people's mistakes, sometimes from their examples, but always we have the opportunity to look around us and see 'little mirrors' of ourselves.

1 hectic   

adj.肺病的；消耗热的；发热的；闹哄哄的

参考例句：

• I spent a very hectic Sunday.我度过了一个忙乱的星期天。
• The two days we spent there were enjoyable but hectic.我们在那里度过的两天愉快但闹哄哄的。

2 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

3 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

4 intentional   

adj.故意的，有意（识）的

参考例句：

• Let me assure you that it was not intentional.我向你保证那不是故意的。
• His insult was intentional.他的侮辱是有意的。

5 meditation   

n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录

参考例句：

• This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
• I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。

6 trickles   

n.细流( trickle的名词复数 )；稀稀疏疏缓慢来往的东西v.滴( trickle的第三人称单数 )；淌；使)慢慢走；缓慢移动

参考例句：

• Trickles of sweat rained down my head and neck. 我颈上头上的汗珠，更同盛雨似的，一颗一颗的钻出来了。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说
• Water trickles through an underground grotto. 水沿着地下岩洞流淌。 来自辞典例句

7 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

8 vehement   

adj.感情强烈的；热烈的；(人)有强烈感情的

参考例句：

• She made a vehement attack on the government's policies.她强烈谴责政府的政策。
• His proposal met with vehement opposition.他的倡导遭到了激烈的反对。

9 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

10 ulcers   

n.溃疡( ulcer的名词复数 )；腐烂物；道德败坏；腐败

参考例句：

• Detachment of the dead cells produces erosions and ulcers. 死亡细胞的脱落，产生糜烂和溃疡。 来自辞典例句
• 75% of postbulbar ulcers occur proximal to the duodenal papilla. 75％的球后溃疡发生在十二指肠乳头近侧。 来自辞典例句