阴雨天的阳光 Sunshine on a Rainy Day
佚名/Anonymous
Have you ever had a day when everything seemed to go wrong, and nothing seemed to go right? Not too long ago I was having one of those days. I was discouraged, weary, and plain sad. My focus was on me, me, me. After all, no one else was experiencing the same trials as I was.
I expressed my downcast state to my mother, hoping for some pity. Instead, she said,“I heard Jamie was having a difficult day too. Why don't you make her some cookies and we will take them to her this afternoon?”I didn't really want to, but decided that I didn't want to go back to my other problems just yet. I made the cookies and arranged them on a little plate. Then I made a card with a sunflower on it and wrote a small note of empathy.
That afternoon we dropped by my friend's house. I went to the door and rang the bell. Soon, Jamie came to the door and looked at me in surprise for the unexpected visit. Before she could say anything I rushed,“I heard you were having a hard day and decided to bring you something. I hope your day goes better.”The look that came over Jamie's face was one that I could never put into words. It was as if a darkened sky was suddenly lit with the golden rays of the sun; it was as if in that small act, her day was brightened.
I got back into the car and for some amazing reason, I felt a lot better myself. That day I experienced the truth that James Barrie attempted to describe.“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves.”
你是否经历过这样的一天，在这一天里事事不顺？不久以前我就有过这么一天，我感到气馁、厌烦，非常悲伤，我满脑子想的都是自己，毕竟没有人经历过我的磨难。
我把我糟糕的心情告诉我的母亲，希望得到她的怜悯，母亲却说：“我听说杰米今天也不高兴，你为什么不做些饼干今天下午带给她呢？”我本来不想去做，但是我不愿再去想其他让我心烦的事情，所以我就去做饼干了，把做好的饼干摆在一个小盘里，还做了一个画着太阳的卡片，在上面写了一句安慰的话。
那天下午我们去我的朋友家拜访，我去按门铃，很快，杰米出来惊奇地看着我，她没有想到我会来看她。在她开口说话之前，我先说话了：“我听说你今天不高兴，就决定送你些东西，希望你高兴起来。”当时，我无法用语言描述杰米的表情，就好像阴暗的天空突然间被金色的阳光照亮，好像她阴郁的一天因我的拜访而变得充满阳光。
我回到车里惊奇地发现我的心情好多了，那一天我体会到一个真理，詹姆斯·巴里这样描述它：“给别人带去阳光的人，自己也会感到温暖。”
心灵小语
不要吝啬你的施舍，因为你带给他们的不仅仅是馈赠，更重要的是快乐。
词汇笔记
discourage [dis'k?rid?] v.使气馁；阻止
People do not discourage this kind of petty work.
人们对这种次要的工作不加以阻止。
arrange [?'reind?] v.排列；安排；整理
Could you arrange it for me?
你为我安排一下好吗？
amazing [?'meizi?] adj.令人惊异的
That was only part of his amazing deal.
那只是他令人吃惊的生意的一部分。
describe [di'skraib] v.描述；形容；描绘
Next, write down three adjectives that describe you.
接下来，写下三个形容你的形容词。
小试身手
我把我糟糕的心情告诉我的母亲，希望得到她的怜悯。
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杰米出来惊奇地看着我，她没有想到我会来看她。
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好像阴暗的天空突然间被金色的阳光照亮。
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短语家族
That afternoon we dropped by my friend's house.
drop by：顺道拜访；非正式访问；去一趟
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Jamie came to the door and looked at me in surprise for the unexpected visit.
look at：看待；看着；考虑
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