Joy in the Journey

If you have ever been discouraged because of failure, please read on.

For often, achieving what you set out to do is not the important thing. Let me explain.

Two brothers decided¹ to dig a deep hole behind their house. As they were working, a couple of older boys stopped by to watch.

"What are you doing?" asked one of the visitors.

"We plan to dig a hole all the way through the earth!" one of the brothers volunteered excitedly.

The older boys began to laugh, telling the younger ones that digging a hole all the way through the earth was impossible.

After a long silence, one of the diggers picked up a jar full of spiders, worms and a wide assortment² of insects. He removed the lid and showed the wonderful contents to the scoffing³ visitors.

Then he said quietly and confidently, "Even if we don't dig all the way through the earth, look what we found along the way!"

Their goal was far too ambitious⁴, but it did cause them to dig. And that is what a goal is for-to cause us to move in the direction we have chosen; in other words, to set us to digging!

But not every goal will be fully⁵ achieved. Not every job will end successfully. Not every relationship will endure⁶. Not every hope will come to pass. Not every love will last. Not every endeavor⁷ will be completed. Not every dream will be realized.

But when you fall short of your aim, perhaps you can say, "Yes, but look at what I found along the way! Look at the wonderful things which have come into my life because I tried to do something!"

It is in the digging that life is lived. And I believe it is joy in the journey, in the end, that truly matters.

　　中文：

　　如果你曾因失败沮丧过，请继续读下去。

　　完成你经常开始要做的事可不是大事，让我娓娓道来。

　　有兄弟俩人决定在他们房子后面挖一个深洞。就在他们不停挖洞时，几个年龄大点的男孩在附近停下来观看。

　　“你们在做什么？”其中一个问道。

　　“我们计划挖一个洞，一直穿过地球到达另一端！”兄弟俩中的一个兴奋地抢先说道。

　　这些大男孩开始大笑，告诉这两个兄弟挖洞穿过地球是不可能的。

　　长长的沉寂之后，其中一个挖掘者从洞里拿出一个装满蜘蛛、蠕虫和各种各样昆虫的罐子，他打开盖子把这些奇妙的东西展示给那些嘲讽者看。

　　然后他平静而又自信地说：“即使我们挖不到地球另一端，但看看我们途中发现的东西！”

　　他们的目标是太过于雄心勃勃了，但确实鼓励他们去做了。而这就是目标之所在——使我们朝着我们所选择的方向前进，换句话说，就是让我们去挖掘！

　　但不是每一个目标都会完全实现，也不是每一样工作都能够最终成功；不是每一种关系都能够持久，也不是每一丝希望都能够实现；不是每一次爱都能够天长地久，不是每一次努力都会硕果累累，也不是每一个梦想都能够实现。

　　但当你没有达到目标时，也许你可以说：“是的，但看看我们途中所发现的东西！看看这些因为我尽力去做而走进我生活的美妙东西！”

　　生命正是在挖掘的过程中才具有活力。而且我相信到最后真正要紧的还是过程中的乐趣。

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