Count the garden by the flowers, never by the leaves that fall. Count your life with smiles and not  the tears that roll.

从繁花处打量花园，别盯着落叶。用笑容来计算生命，而不是眼泪。

早上读到这样美丽的诗句，还是让人对生命充满了希望。

人生会有遗憾，如同这首歌，却不能阻挡她带给我们感动，每一次。

如果可以，对他说一声谢谢，我爱你！

“10 years ago we had Steve Jobs, Bob Hope and Johnny Cash – Now we have no Jobs, no Hope and no Cash!”

还好我们有音乐，电影，照片，有爱，还有关心我们和可以关心的人，让我们疲惫的心找到温暖的家园。听一听这首据说是Beatles最好听的歌, “In my life”, 来自Johnny Cash.

http://www.top100.cn/song/?song=jwadypbtgoadycbo8y

http://www.ebusinessreview.cn/articledetail-91784.html

最近，许多人都在向我抛出一个迫切的问题：“我们不想坐等那所谓神神秘秘、不情不愿的非恢复性复苏，那我们又该怎样才能挺过这场来势汹汹、永无尽头的危机呢？”

我有一个小小的建议。你能做的“最佳”投资并非黄金，而是你所爱的人、你拥有的梦想，以及有意义的生活。

也许，你们有些人会不屑地窃笑：“嘿，哥们儿，要不要给你这无可救药的天真理想主义搭配点薯条？”

但你大概愿意接受这样一种观点：也许人类组织的卓越系统，无论是政治、社会还是经济系统，都没有尽其所能缔造出一个有意义的繁荣盛世。而愤世嫉俗最终必然会导致平庸。

所以，请允许我解释一下。

如果大家都去投资黄金，黄金的价格就会飙升。如果大家都去投资股票，获得回报的往往是投资经理（无论他们有没有尽到本分）。但如果你一腔热情地投入到（真正）打动你的事业中去——比如说，你希望成为一名音乐家、艺术家或厨师——然后为了心中的理想，为了实现成为全球第一的崇高目标而不断付出，如果还有其他一些人也投入到自己的梦想当中，继而有更多的人跟随他们的足迹，那么最终，经济的齿轮也许会开始以新的节奏转动。你们为梦想而投入的各种方式——表演培训班、音乐课程、讲座、书籍、研讨班、旅行，等等——在累加之后，就会为那些从事有用工作的人提供激励，从而帮助你们以有意义的方式实现这些梦想。而且我们很可能会开始看轻那些对社会无用之物（如黄金）的微型泡沫，并稀释过于丰厚的管理层回报。

为你所爱的人付出更是如此：投入你的资源去激发他们的天赋，或与他们一起创造有意义的生活体验——而不只是为他们买些东西。过有意义的生活则进一步体现了上述理念：例如，如果你投入到社会企业中去，而不是去投资传统公司的股票，或在选择工作时，不仅仅依据当前的薪酬，而是看董事会对改变世界的重视，是否稍微多于这一瞬间它在为哪些对冲基金锦上添花，那么经济的齿轮将不仅仅找到新的节奏——你将重建经济引擎。

实际上，如果我们有足够多的人能进行这样更明智的投资，那么我们就有可能跨越富足——对更多、更大、更快、更便宜、更低劣之物的一种狂热、饥渴、永无休止的过度消费——奔向幸福：投入到永远强大、无限精妙的人类潜能当中，而非大规模制造的垃圾当中（无论是纸质票据还是设计师设计的尿布），从而过上有意义的生活。

我并不建议你为了充实自己的精神、智慧、关系和情感，就把自己弄得一贫如洗。不过我觉得，我们所建立并选择与之共存的经济，可能其所作所为恰恰与之相反。要实现真正的繁荣，也许取得某种平衡才是更重要的。因此，我们每个人现在都应该认识到，真正的繁荣不仅仅是去购物中心血拼，观看《泽西海滩》（Jersey Shore）节目，过着天堂般奢华的生活。我更愿意这样来描述：

投资黄金、股票和债券也许能带来足以供你享乐的财富——你可以用这些财富，到从此地一直排到冥王星的每家塞得满满的灰褐色郊区大卖场中那些快要被压塌的货架上，买来一堆批量生产的劣等货，这些迅速贬值的东西到下个月就会变得一文不值。而我会推荐给你一组原料，你可以用它们调制出自己的配方，获得能为你带来幸福的财富——构成这些财富的东西也许你无法买到，但你可以去争取：人们通常不会（可能也不愿）出售这些东西，但他们可以选择慷慨地赠送给你，放心地交给你保存。

我认为，播种我们无法买到的东西，而不仅仅是我们买得到的东西，恰恰是我们的经济必须完成的飞跃，而这也许早在数十年前就应该做到了（却未能做到）。这场永无休止的危机究竟意味着什么？泰勒·考恩（Tyler Cowen）和我都称之为“大停滞”（Great Stagnation）——那么，是什么停滞了呢？要我说，是人的潜能本身。于是，就引发了一场永无止境的超级危机：这场危机的根本原因，就是对人的潜能投资不足，对毫无价值的大众化东西投资过度；太多的塑料制品把本来就少得可怜的想象力、智慧、联系和目的统统赶走了。

因此，我的小小建议可能并不只是一句励志的话，还是一项挑战：我们必须尽快进行经济模式的变革。随着这场永无休止的全球经济危机不断恶化，有太多的资本向黄金、债券、蓝筹股等“更安全的”金融资产转移（即经济学家所称的“资本逃避”）。但在所有投资中，最安全的也许是对人、社会和情感的投资。正是它们为人类的生活赋予了质感、深度、共鸣和意义。

实现真正的繁荣，并不是靠囤积大量的投机性产品，然后在这座空中楼阁从内部倒塌之前，（如果你幸运的话）把它们转手卖给下一个人，而是看着你所爱的人成长、成功，轰轰烈烈地去实现你敢于培育和保护的梦想，最重要的是，让你的一生在你离去之后依然能对后人产生深远的影响。而这些东西不仅仅是股东“价值”，还有真正的、持久的人的价值。因此，我还要提出一个温和的建议：我们所谓的繁荣中缺少一种为经济提供动力的因素，它既不会在硅谷发明，在深圳制造，在麦迪逊大街（Madison Avenue）或华尔街（Wall Street）兜售，也不会因华盛顿一声令下就横空出世。我们可以在追求智慧、优雅、谦逊、勇气和伟大成就的过程中找到它。它就是为你所爱的人、你拥有的梦想以及有意义的生活而辛勤付出。

前几天从机场回来，半夜无事，想去买几张碟片。梅雨季节，小雨刚过，空气甜腻，我打开了车窗和天窗，慢悠悠的开车。路上不堵，我上了A8高速。多少年来，我们都已经习惯把沪杭高速说成A8，沪青平高速说成A9，外环线说成A20了，曾经有一天，他们突然都必成了沪昆高速G60，沪渝高速G50和G1501。我开了两年都没能缓过来。

 

上了沪闵高架，没开几公里因为过了半夜12点要封路维修而被赶了下来。在地上磨蹭到了延安路高架，心血来潮，说去亚洲第一弯看看，濒临外滩，打开了手机的拍照功能，沿着原来的路线，结果一头扎到一个隧道里了。回想了以前的新闻才想起来，亚洲第一弯已经没了。不知为何，想起我以前的小学也没了，不禁怅然，但想起我有一个朋友，小学，中学，高中，幼儿园，老家，爷爷奶奶家，外公外婆家都不在了，不禁释然。我一个朋友说，看来上海人不配有乡愁。可能中国人都不配有乡愁，为活的更好离开故乡，仿佛只有离开故乡才能活的更好，没成功永远漂泊，成功了在别处扎根，有雅致的故乡都没了，没雅致的不愿回故乡。那些在大城市出生的人可能幸运些，因为故乡不在千里外，但你在这个城市里成长的痕迹都没了，经常有朋友坐在车上说，诶诶诶，我以前小学在这，我扭头一看，XX豪庭。对于这些人，我只能安慰他们说，我听说过一个故事，有个外国人在上海上班，人家问他，你什么国家来的，那哥们忧伤的说，我的国家曾经叫南斯拉夫。相比起那哥们，至少这里还叫上海，并没有因为很多人下海了而改成了下海，这是我们的幸运。

 

从隧道里上来，好在外滩还在。开过外滩三号，我今年才第一次去过，因为做一个采访。再往前一些，上海都已经有了华尔道夫酒店了。看来只要你富有，上海就能愉悦你。我穿过了淮海路，来到卢湾区。可是卢湾区已经没有了。我虽然是一个乡下人，但是对卢湾区还是有着深厚的感情，基本上进城来谈事一大半时候都会约在卢湾区，现如今，这里是黄浦区了，想起自己快开到了黄浦区的新天地，一时有些不习惯。但话说党的一大遗址都在卢湾区，既然连党都不在乎，咱还有什么可留恋的，反正我们也习惯了，该改革的永远不改革，不该改革的一直在改革。开过黄浦区的淮海路，想取道华山路去徐家汇，结果开一半，自古华山一条路，如今还是在修路，绕道了以后直接去了古北。那里有一些开的晚的碟店。

 

古北在上海算高档的住宅区，很多老外生活在此，估计是因为古北离开机场很近，一旦时局不稳，他们能以最快的速度到机场。我在路边停下，突然有个喝醉的年轻人大喊，谁让你停在这里，开好车就能乱停啊，滚，滚。我看那家碟店已经关了，便自动滚开，往前开过了仙霞路，看见了三个喝了些酒的姑娘，她们互相搀扶，踉跄走着。我在前面几百米停下车来买碟，他们对着我的车大骂道，有钱人了不起啊，开好车了不起啊，你们没一个好东西。

 

我忍不住回头看了一眼自己开的车，一台几十万的常见黑色轿车，在这个满眼名车的大都市里，真有那么好么。可能因为我以前都是关窗开车，所以不曾听见外面说话。我不知他们为什么哀愁，反正我若在这个城市里艰难生存，我未必不需要发泄。还没走几步，一台白色的敞篷林宝坚尼从边上开过，驾驶座上一个二十多岁的女孩。我吓得忙转身看三姑娘，亏得其中一人在扶墙呕吐，还有两人在拍他后背，谁都没有看见。

 

到碟店前是一片绿化带，我看见一个小伙子背着两个大麻袋在捡矿泉水瓶，我走过时他正好转过身来，戴着太阳帽和口罩，帽檐压很低。明显他不想在白天出来，也不想让人看见。我想他们也许是那些无数给家里发短信说“我在上海，活的很好”中的一员。我移开视线，走进碟店，碟店里的伙计说，帅哥，《建党伟业》看过伐？

 

我说，我一直在看。

 

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

Andy when i read this, i thought of you and heck, me too
this is in some ways me – the attitude i have always had with the users and all the IT people i had the privilege of meeting day after day at UL
No matter the kinds of viruses and trojans, the 1st thing i always did with any person infected, i told them they were not at fault – i made them feel at ease and safe in my hands and that they would help me most if they stayed with their computer and helped me get the bugs out
every person i worked with became my friends both the users and the IT people and language barriers, i found ways around my limited capability by using translator programs or just by pictures of things we talked about – or even just finding another who wrote their dialect
and always no matter who they were, i always thanked them for their time and for their help
sure, it did not help me keep my job, but most of the dozens of friends i made, continue to ask how i am doing – even now after being unemployed from UL for over 14 months … and on lucky days, some of you from far away, have a meal with me which is good for friends, even the nuttiest of them – me
it is my meaning of life – to always greet everyone with love, not a chip on the shoulder, not hate, not that they are different color, or speak language i not know, and religion is each individuals right and why would it matter that they were born poor and that they are woman and that they may be fat … each human has the right to be who they choose to be and i am just one of the many and i try not to change others to be like me, Except to learn to be tolerant and to love openly and to smile even as the bullet stops my life for death is not the end … the end is having No friends
always be kind to all others, for each of us has hard battles we endure
———————————————————–

Ducks Quack  -  Eagles Soar
No one can make you serve customers well….that’s because great service is a choice.  Harvey Mackay, tells a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this point.  He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey  . He handed my friend a laminated card and said: ‘I’m Wally, your driver. While I’m loading your bags in the trunk I’d like you to read my mission statement.’ Taken aback, Harvey read the card. It said: Wally’s Mission Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment… This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean! As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, ‘Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.’ My friend said jokingly, ‘No, I’d prefer a soft drink.’ Wally smiled and said, ‘No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice…’ Almost stuttering, Harvey said, ‘I’ll take a Diet Coke.’ Handing him his drink, Wally said, ‘If you’d like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today.’ As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card, ‘These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you’d like to listen to the radio.’ And as if that weren’t enough, Wally told   Harvey  that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him. Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he’d be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey  preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts. ’Tell me, Wally,’ my amazed friend asked the driver, ‘have you always served customers like this?’ Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. ‘No, not always.. In fact, it’s only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day. He had just written a book called You’ll See It When You Believe It. Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you’ll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, ‘Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don’t be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.’ ’That hit me right between the eyes,’ said Wally. ‘Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.’ ’I take it that has paid off for you,’   Harvey  said. ’It sure has,’ Wally replied. ‘My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I’ll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don’t sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can’t pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.’ Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. I’ve probably told that story to more than fifty cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it. Whenever I go to their cities, I give them a call. The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn’t do any of what I was suggesting. Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles. How about us?  Smile, and the whole world smiles with you… The ball is in our hands!  A man reaps what he sows. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up… let us do good to all people. Ducks Quack, Eagles Soar.
Have a nice day, unless you already have other plans.

SORROW looks back, WORRY looks around, and FAITH looks UP.
–
Peace, Love & Laughter – Always, Peter