The days that make us happy make us wise.
——John Masefield
When I first read this line by England's Poet Laureate, it startled me. What did Masefield mean?Without thinking about it much, I had always assumed that the opposite was true.But his sober assurance was arresting.I could not forget it.
Finally, I seemed to grasp his meaning and realized that here was a profound observation.The wisdom that happiness makes possible lies in clear perception, not fogged by anxiety nor dimmed by despair and boredom, and without the blind spots caused by fear.
Active happiness-not mere satisfaction or contentment-often comes suddenly, like an April shower or the unfolding of a bud. Then you discover what kind of wisdom has accompanied it.The grass is greener；bird songs are sweeter；the shortcomings of your friends are more understandable and more forgivable.Happiness is like a pair of eyeglasses correcting your spiritual vision.
Nor are the insights of happiness limited to what is near around you. Unhappy, with your thoughts turned in upon your emotional woes, your vision is cut short as though by a wall.Happy, the wall crumbles.
The long vista is there for the seeing. The ground at your feet, the world about you-people, thoughts, emotions, pressures-are now fitted into the larger scene.Everything assumes a fairer proportion.And here is the beginning of wisdom.
-grasp [grɑːsp]v.领会；抓住；紧握
典型例句
I grasped the main point of the speech.
我领会了这篇演讲的要点。
最常用法
grasp at sth 尽力抓住某物
-profound [prəˈfaund]adj.深奥的；意义深远的
典型例句
The article has a profound message.这篇文章寓意深邃。
-boredom [ˈbɔːdəm]n.无聊；厌倦
典型例句
His eyes glazed over with boredom.
他的眼神因厌倦而变呆滞。
-accompany [əˈkʌmpənɪ]v.陪伴；伴随……发生
典型例句
Lightning usually accompanies thunder.
闪电通常伴有雷声。
最常用法
accompany sth with sth 伴随着，兼带着
-shortcoming [ˈʃɔːtkʌmiŋ]n.缺点；短处
典型例句
He has decided to overcome his shortcoming.
他已下定决心克服他自己的缺点。
联想记忆
merit n.优点；功绩；价值
-emotional [ɪˈməuʃənl]adj.情感的
典型例句
They offer each other emotional support.
他们相互提供情感上的支持。
联想记忆
emotion n.激情；情感；情绪：
-pressure [ˈpreʃə（r）]n.压强；压力
典型例句
The pressure of work was too great for him.
工作的压力使他承受不了。
最常用法
under the pressure of 在……的压力下
-proportion [prəˈpɔːʃn]n.部分；比例
典型例句
Her head is out of proportion to the size of her body.
她的头部与身体大小不成比例。
最常用法
out of proportion 不成比例的
联想记忆
percentage n.百分率；比例；部分
“快乐的日子使人睿智。”
——约翰·梅斯菲尔德
第一次读到英国桂冠诗人梅斯菲尔德的这行诗时，我感到十分震惊。他想表达什么意思？我以前从未对此仔细考虑，总是认定这行诗反过来才正确。但他冷静而又胸有成竹的表达引起了我的注意，令我无法忘怀。
终于，我似乎领会了他的意思，并意识到这行诗意义深远。快乐带来的睿智存在于敏锐的洞察力之间，不会因忧虑而含混迷惑，也不会因绝望和厌倦而黯然模糊，更不会因恐惧而造成盲点。
积极的快乐——并非单纯的满意或知足——通常不期而至，就像四月里突然下起的春雨，或是花蕾的突然绽放。然后，你就会发觉与快乐结伴而来的究竟是何种智慧。草地更为青翠，鸟吟更为甜美，朋友的缺点也变得更能让人理解，宽容。快乐就像是一副眼镜，可以矫正你的精神视力。
快乐的视野并不仅限于你周围的事物。当你不快乐时，你的思维陷入情感上的悲哀，你的眼界就像是被一道墙给阻隔了，而当你快乐时，这道墙就会砰然倒塌。
你的眼界变得更为宽广。你脚下的大地，你身边的世界，包括人、思想、情感和压力，现在都融入了更为广阔的景象之中，其间每件事物的比例都更加合理。而这就是睿智的起始。