英语名篇诵读 快乐是一种责任（在线收听）

Being Happy Is a Duty

快乐是一种责任

Happiness is like a pebble dropped into a pool to set in motion an ever-widening circle

of ripples . A wise man 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 or 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 repelling people, you attract them. You

discover how deeply rewarding it is to be the center of wider and wider circles of good will.

Then the make-believe becomes a reality. You possess the secret of 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.

快乐像一块掷入池塘的鹅卵石，能激起扩散开来的一圈圈涟漪。一位智者曾经说：快

乐是一种责任。

“快乐”这个词，没有准确的定义。快乐的人各有各的理由。使人快乐的关键因素不是

财富或身体健康，因为我们发现有非常快乐的叫花子、残疾人和所谓的失败者。

快乐是一种意想不到的收益。而保持快乐则是一种成就，也是心灵和品格的胜利。努

力得到快乐不是自私。其实，它是对自己、对别人的一种责任。

闷闷不乐像一种传染病，人人避之如蛇蝎。不快乐的人很快就会发现自己形单影只，

痛苦而心怀怨愤。不过倒有一剂药，乍看起来简单而荒唐可笑：如果感觉不愉快，假装快

乐！

此药很有疗效。不久你就会发现你非但不疏远他人，反而吸引人家。你会发现，能够

成为广结善缘的中心人物是多么值得做的事。

这样，假装快乐变成了真实的快乐。你获取了心灵平静的秘密，在为他人的服务中忘

却自己。

快乐之门一旦用责任和习惯的钥匙开启，我们就能进入美不胜收的花园，里面朋友云

集，心怀感激。