The 128 most classic philosophical essays in the world

Chapter 95 The Basket of Happiness

[Russia] Yu Voznesenskaya
Happiness is those moments of joy, the smile of a peaceful heart at someone or something.

There were times when I was in such agony that I could hardly extricate myself from it, so much so that I contemplated death.That was shortly after Andrew Sha went abroad.Before he left, we spent the night together for the first and last time.I know that he will never come back, and our mandarin duck dream will never be repeated again.I don't want that either, but I'm still depressed and listless.One day, I passed by a semi-basement vegetable shop, and saw an extremely beautiful woman coming up the steps—it was so beautiful, it was a reprint of Raphael's "Madonna"!Unknowingly, I slowed down and gazed at her face—because at first I could only see her face.But when she came out, I realized she was as short as a dwarf and hunchbacked.I drooped my eyelids and walked away quickly.I am ashamed...Valiuka, I said to myself, you have normal limbs, good health, and good looks, how can you be so depressed all day long?cheer up!The poor man just now is a truly unfortunate person...

I will never forget that hunchbacked woman who looked like the Virgin.Whenever I'm complaining or in pain, she's on my mind.

That's how I learned not to feel sorry for myself, but how to be happy I learned from an old lady.After that incident, I quickly fell into trouble again, but this time I knew how to overcome the emotion.So, I went for a walk in Summer Paradise.I brought along an embroidered tablecloth that was almost finished so I wouldn't have to sit there empty-handed.I put on a very simple, plain dress, and put my hair in a big braid at the back of my head. I wasn't going to a ball, I was just going to relax.

When I came to the park, I found an empty seat and sat down, and embroidered flowers with needles and threads.While embroidering, I told myself: "Cheer up! Calm down! You have no misfortunes." Thinking of this, I really calmed down a lot, so I was ready to go home.Just at this moment, an old lady sitting opposite got up and walked towards me.

"If you're not in a hurry," she said, "may I sit here and talk to you?"

"of course can!"

She sat down beside me, looked at me with a smile on her face and said, "You know, I've been watching you for a long time, and it's really a pleasure. It's really rare to see you now."

"What's rare?"

"You all! In the center of modern Leningrad, I suddenly saw a handsome girl with long braids, wearing a plain white linen skirt, sitting here embroidering! I can't imagine how beautiful it is! I will treasure it in my basket of happiness."

"What, the Basket of Happiness?"

"It's a secret, but I want to tell you. Do you want to be happy?"

"Of course, who doesn't want to be happy."

"Everyone wants to be happy, but not everyone knows how to be happy. I will teach you as your reward. My child, happiness is not success, luck, or even love. You are so young, you may think that love It is happiness. No. Happiness is those happy moments, when a peaceful heart smiles at someone or something. I sat in a chair and saw a beautiful girl opposite me embroidering with concentration, my heart I just smiled at you. I have recorded this moment, and I put it in my basket of happiness so that I can recall it over and over again. That way, whenever I am sad, I open the basket and put the Savor the treasures carefully, and there will be a moment in it that I have named 'The Girl in White Embroidered in Summer Paradise'. Thinking of it, the situation will immediately reappear, and I will see that in the dark green leaves Against the white sculpture, a girl is embroidering with concentration. I will think of the sun shining on your dress through the branches and leaves of the lime tree; your braid hanging from the back of the chair, almost dragging to the ground; Your sandals are a bit worn out, so you take them off, and your feet are bare; the toes are still turned in, because the ground is a bit cold. I may think of more, some details that I have not thought of at this time."

"How wonderful!" I exclaimed, "a basket full of happy moments! Have you been collecting happiness all your life?"

"Ever since a wise man taught me to do it. You know him, you must have read him. He is Alexandra Green. We are old friends, he told me that. In his This meaning can also be seen in many stories. Forget the ugly things in life, and keep the good things in the memory forever. But such a memory needs to be trained, so I invented this basket of happiness in my heart .”

I thanked the old woman and headed home.On the way, I began to recall the happy moments since my childhood.When I got home, I already had the first treasures in my basket of happiness.

Heart mark notes
We are often satisfied by the beauty of a painting, amazed by the elegance of an action, and moved by the warmth of a sentence. There are always so many beautiful memories that accompany us as we grow up.Keep these beautiful scenery and stories in memory forever, and then weave them into a beautiful flower basket, and we will be happy for a lifetime.In fact, everyone can make others happy, and everyone can make others happy, and that's because we are all looking for happiness.Happiness is around each of us, quietly holding our hands.Use smiles to make others happy, use beauty to polish memories, use life to collect happiness, and the basket of happiness will decorate our life.

(End of this chapter)