高中英语美文：感恩的心 Thanks for Everything

高中英语美文：感恩的心 Thanks for Everything

In our lives we rarely express our gratitude1 to the people we see the most, the people we live with. In fact, we don’t have to wait for anniversaries to thank the ones around us —the ones so easily overlooked. If I have learned anything about giving thanks, it is this: Give it now! While your feeling of appreciation is alive and sincere, act on it. Saying thanks is such an easy way to add to the world’s happiness. Saying thanks not only brightens someone else’s world, but it also brightens your own. If you’re feeling left out, unloved or unappreciated, try reaching out to others. It may be just the medicine you need.
Once a young man named Mark Brian was sent to a remote parish2 of Kwakiutl Indians in British Columbia. The Indians, he had been told, did not have a word for "thank you". But Brian soon found that these people had exceptional3 generosity. Instead of saying thanks, it is their custom to return every favor with a favor of their own, and every kindness with an equal or superior kindness. This is how they show their gratitude.
I wonder if we had no words in our vocabulary for "thank you", would we do a better job of communicating our gratitude? Would we be more responsive, more sensitive, and more caring?
Thankfulness sets in motion a chain re-action that transforms people all around us —including ourselves. For no one ever misunderstands the melody4 of a grateful heart.

在生活中,我们很少对最熟悉的人表达感激之情,尤其是我们的家人。实际上我们没必要等到某个纪念日才去感谢那些陪在我们身边的人——那些最容易被忽略的人。如果说我知道表达感激的秘诀,那么这个秘诀就在于:立即行动！当你觉得你对某人心存感激,那种感觉真切而强烈,就赶紧行动吧。说声"谢谢",可以给世界添上一抹幸福的色彩。表达感谢,不仅可以点亮别人的生活,更可以点亮自己的世界。如果你觉得不合群,无人关爱,无人欣赏,你可以试着去靠近他人,这或许是对你最有效的良药。
曾经有一位名叫Mark Brian的年轻人被送到了不列颠哥伦比亚省Kwakiutl印第安人居住的偏远教区。他被告知当地的印第安语中并没有"感谢"一词。但是Brian发现那里的人们却超乎寻常的慷慨。他们从不嘴上说感谢,但是,他们对滴水之恩都心存感激并以涌泉相还。他们用实际行动来表达感谢。
有时候我会想,如果把我们词汇表中的"感谢"一词抽走,我们能够更好地传达感激之情吗？我们会变得更加热情、更善解人意、更体贴吗？
感恩之心是一个连锁反应,它不仅能改变我们周围的人,也能改变我们自己,因为没有人会误解一颗充满了感恩的心。