"On my head pour only the sweet waters of serenity. Give me the gift of the Untroubled Mind."

Once, as a yongy man full of exuberant fancy, I undertollk to draw up a catalogue of the acknowledged "goods" of life. As other men sometimes tabulate lists of properties they own or would like to own, I set down my inventory of earthly desirables: health, love, beauty, talent, power,riches,and fame.

When my inventory was completed I proudly showed it to a wise elder who had been the mentor and spiritual model of my youth. Perhaps I was trying to impress him with my precocious wisdom. Anywany, I handed him the list.

"This", I told him confidently, "is the sum of mortal goods. Could a man possess them all,he would be as a god."



At the corners of my friend's old eyes, I saw wrinkles of amusement gathering in a patient net. "An excellent list,"he said, pondering it thoughtfully, "well digested in contented and set down in not-unresonable order.

But it appears, my young friend, that you have omitted the most important element of all. You have forgotten the one ingredient, lacking whith each possession becomes a hideous torment.""And what." I asked, peppering my voice with truculence, "is that missing ingredient?"

"What a pencil stub he crossed out my entire schedule. Then, haveing demolished my adolscent dream structure at a single stroke, he wrote down three syllables: peace of mind. “This is the gift that God reserves for His special Proteges." he said.

"Talent and beauty He gives to many. Wealth is commonplace, fame not rare. But peace of mind - that is His final guerdon of approval, the fondest insignia of His love, He bestows it charily. Most men are never blessed with it; others wait all their lives- yes, far into advanced age - for this gift to descend upon them."





“愿宁静之水降临于我，赋予我一片平静的心境。”

当我还是充满幻想的青年，我曾经试图把人世公认的“幸福”都集合起来。正如人们有时候会把他们拥有的或者想拥有的东西，都记录成册一样，我记录了人们普遍的欲望：健康、爱情、智慧、权力、财富和名誉。

我胸有成竹地把完成的记录拿给一位年长的智者，他是我年少时精神的导师与楷模。或许我太想向他展示我早熟的智慧了。我把单子给他，自豪得说，“这，就是幸福的总和。谁能拥有，谁就是上帝。”

在他衰老的眼角，笑意因宽容而拧成条条皱纹。“做得很好，”他沉思下说，“构思巧妙，布局合理。但是显然的是，孩子，你忘掉了最重要的一点。缺少了它，每一项拥有都会成为痛苦的折磨。”

我迫不及待地追问，“那缺少的一项，到底是什么？”

他用一截铅笔在我的纸上划了个大大的叉，一笔粉碎了我年轻的梦。写下了几个字：心如止水。“这是上帝为他的眷顾者留下的特殊的礼物”

“集美貌与智慧于一身的人不计其数、富裕之人随处可见、名望之人也不在少数。但是内心平静----是上帝对他的眷顾者的恩赐，是对他的偏爱者的最荣耀的奖赏，他从不慷慨给予。绝大多数人无缘此殊荣；另外的等待了一辈子----直到鬓发斑白，终于如愿以偿。