On Losing Things
To lose anything is always most annoying, and in almost every case gives rise to a feeling both of intense irritation and of dire desolation, which more often than not culminates in a further loss —loss of temper.
There are but few persons who, at some time or other, have not experienced that horrible sensation of a thumping heartbeat, which jumps up in the throat when one all of a sudden realizes that one has lost something: a precious package, a purse or even a favorite pencil; whatever it is, one always inwardly reproaches oneself with great carelessness, and the depression which follows is profound.
Then there are the losses we sustain through lack of correct observation and judgment — for example, the train that we lose, because we have not allowed sufficient time to catch it.
Again, there are the losses which come to us through our contact with brains and powers superior to our own, such as the lost deal in business, the lost match at tennis, billiards, or football — all very disheartening.
It is sad enough to lose concrete objects, but it is far, far worse to be bereft of abstract joys. Concrete articles are very often returned to us in the most marvelous manner, while sometimes they are not really lost at all — we have not looked sufficiently for them — and frequently we come across lost property quite by accident long after we have given up the search. Abstract losses are generally far harder to recover — loss of affection, loss of energy, loss of nerve, loss of good spirits, loss of faith, both in ourselves and others, loss, for a time, of hope. Every man in his journey through life drops, mislays, or sustains, for a time, some of these losses, and the darkness which surrounds him while they are lost, and none but he who is without them can understand.
But let us end on a happier note. The sorrow of “losing things” is nothing to the wonderful joy of repossessing. And yes, there is one loss which in itself is a glorious gladness, and that is to lose your heart to the right man or woman.
丢失了东西总是令人极其烦恼，几乎每次都让人产生强烈的愤怒感和可怕的悲伤感，而更多的时候，又会最终导致更大的损失——大发脾气。
大多数人都有这样令人心跳的恐怖体会。当你突然意识到自己丢了东西时，会紧张得心都跳到了嗓子眼。你丢的可能是一个贵重的包裹，钱包，甚至是一支心爱的铅笔。然而不管丢的是什么，你总会在心里责怪自己粗心大意，接着便是深深的沮丧。
有时，一些损失是由于我们缺乏正确的观察和判断造成的，比如没赶上火车，是因为我们没有留出充足的时间。
另外，在与智力、能力都比我们高的人的接触中，也会产生一些损失。比如，生意经营上的失败，网球、台球或足球比赛中的失分，都是令人沮丧的。
失去物质的东西已很让人伤心了，不过这种痛苦远不及失去抽象欢乐的痛苦。物质的东西常会意外地失而复得。有时它们并没有真正丢失，只是我们没有彻底寻找而已。而当我们已经放弃寻找时，又会与它们意外相遇。抽象的损失通常是很难再找回的，如失去爱，失去活力，失去勇气，失去好精神，对人对己失去信念，暂时失去希望。在人生的旅途上，每个人都会偶尔丢失、放错或暂时损失些东西，而在他丢失时，黑暗也会笼罩着他。除了自己，没人可以体会那种感觉。
还是让我们以轻松的论调结束此文吧。丢东西的悲哀，相对于失而复得的喜悦，是无足轻重的。确实，有一种丢失是令人十分快乐的，那就是把你的心丢失在心爱的男人或女人那里。
1. Then there are the_________we sustain through lack of correct observation and judgment — for example, the_________that we lose, because we have not allowed sufficient_________to catch it.
2. It is sad _________to lose concrete objects, but it is far, far_________to be bereft of abstract joys. Concrete articles are_________often returned to us in the most marvelous manner, while sometimes they are not really _________at all — we have not looked sufficiently for them — and frequently we come across lost property quite by accident _________after we have given up the search.
1. 当你突然意识到自己丢了东西时，会紧张得心都跳到了嗓子眼。
2. 失去物质的东西已很让人伤心了，不过这种痛苦远不及失去抽象欢乐的痛苦。
3. 丢东西的悲哀，相对于失而复得的喜悦，是无足轻重的。
