Tucked away in our subconsciousness¹ is an idyllic² vision. We see ourselves on a long trip that spans the continent. We are traveling by train. Out the windows, we drink in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing, of cattle grazing on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, of row upon row of corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hills, of city skylines and village halls.

在我们的潜意识之中隐藏着一派田园诗般的风景。我们仿佛处在一次横跨大陆的迢迢旅途之中。我们乘着火车，领略着窗外流动的景色：附近公路上驰骋的汽车、十字路口处挥手的孩童、远处山坡上吃草的牛群、不断从电厂排放出的烟雾、成片成片的玉米和小麦、平原和山谷、群山和绵延起伏的丘陵、天空衬托下城市的轮廓，以及乡间的庄园宅第。

But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour, we will pull into the station. Bands will be playing and flags waving. Once we get there, so many wonderful dreams will come true and the pieces of our lives will fit together like a completed jigsaw³ puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles⁴, damning the minutes for loitering — waiting,waiting, waiting for the station.

可是我们心中想得最多的却是最后的目的地。在某一天的某一时刻，我们的火车将会到站，迎接我们的将是演奏的乐队和飘舞的旗帜。一旦到了那儿，多少美妙的梦将成为现实，我们的生活也将变得完整，好像一幅拼好了的拼图。我们在车厢过道里烦躁不安地踱来踱去，咒骂火车的磨磨蹭蹭，等待着，等待着，等待着火车进站的时刻。

“When we reach the station, that will be it!” we cry. “When I’m 18.” “When I buy a new 450SL Mercedes Benz.” “When I put the last kid through college.” “When I have paid off the mortgage.” “When I get a promotion⁵.” “When I reach the age of retirement⁶, I shall live happily ever after!”

“当我们到站后，一切就好了！”我们呼喊着。“当我到18岁的时候。”“当我有了一辆新的450SL奔驰轿车的时候。”“当我供最小的孩子念完大学的时候。”“当我还清抵押贷款的时候。”“当我升官晋职的时候。”“当我到了退休的时候，从此就可以过上幸福的生活啦！”

Sooner or later, we must realize that there is no station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly out distances us.

可是我们迟早会认识到人生之旅并没有什么车站，也没有什么能够“一到就可永逸”的地方。人生的真正乐趣在于旅行的过程，而车站仅仅是个梦，它总是遥遥领先于我们。

“Relish⁷ the moment” is a good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm⁸ 118:24: “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” It isn’t the burdens of today that drive men mad. It is the regret over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today.

“品味现在”是一句很好的箴言，尤其是把它与《圣经·诗篇》中第118篇第24段的话相结合的时候，更是如此：“今日乃主所创造；生活在今日我们将欢欣、高兴。”让人发疯的不是今天的负担，而是对昨天的悔恨及对明天的恐惧。悔恨和恐惧是一对孪生窃贼，将今天从我们身边偷走。

So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more icecream, go barefoot more often, swim more rivers, watch more sunset, laugh more and cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. Then the station will come soon enough.

那么就停止在车厢过道里徘徊吧，别总惦记着你距离车站还有多远。何不换种活法，去攀爬更多的高山，多吃点冰激淋解解馋，经常光着脚闲游漫步，在更多的河流里畅游，多多欣赏夕阳西下，多点欢笑，少些泪花。生活要过在当下，车站会很快到达。