佳篇诵读 Be Still

云霞客

　　Be still. Just for a moment. Listen to the world around you. Feel your breath coming in and going out. Listen to your thoughts. See the details of your surroundings.

　　In this modern world, we rush around all day, doing things, talking, e-mailing, sending and reading messages. There is no time for stillness. And when we are forced to be still because we’re in line for something, waiting at a doctor’s office, or on a bus or train, we often need to find something to do. Some of us will play our mobile devices; others will have a notebook or a folder1 with things to do or read. Being still isn’t something we’re used to.

　　Those have costs: we lose that time for thought, for observing2 and listening. We lose peace. And worst of all: all the rushing around is often counterproductive3. In our society, action is the most important. However, sometimes too much action is worse than no action at all. You can run around crazily, but get nothing done. Or you can do many things — but nothing important.

　　It’s pretty simple actually: all you have to do is sit still for a while each day. Slow down. Be present. Find happiness at this moment instead of waiting for it.

　　Notes:

　　1. folder n. 文件夹

　　2. observe v. 观察

　　3. counterproductive adj. 产生相反效果；适得其反

　　理解与赏析：

　　我们整天奔波忙碌，不得半日清闲。看似很努力，可往往碌碌无为、一事无成。不必为此懊恼，从现在开始，我们要做的其实并不难：每天抽一点时间静下心来，好好思考经历过的事情，用心观察周围的世界。也许，你就会发现“过犹不及”的真谛。

　　参考译文：

　　片刻停留

　　片刻停留。停留片刻，倾听你周围的世界；感受你的呼吸吸进、呼出；聆听你的思想；注意你周围环境的细节。

　　在现代社会，我们整天奔波忙碌：做事、交谈、发电子邮件、收发讯息。没有时间停留。并且，我们被迫停下来也不过是为了要排队买东西、在候诊室里或者是在公共汽车或火车上等待，但我们仍要找些事来做。有些人会玩手机，有些人拿着笔记本或文件夹处理事情或阅读文章。我们还并不习惯片刻停留。

　　这些忙碌是有代价的：我们失去了用来思考、发现或聆听的时间；我们失去了宁静。最糟糕的是：一直在四处奔波经常会产生反作用。在这个社会，行动是最重要的。但是，有时太多的行动反而会适得其反。你疯狂地四处奔波，却一事无成；你可以做很多事，却没有一件事是要事。

　　实际上很简单：你所要做的只是每天停留片刻。放慢脚步，停在此刻。发现此刻的快乐，而非只是等待它的出现。