电子学教授陈之藩当年自美国来香港中文大学履新，临行之前， 与夫人在家中整理行装。
They owned a beautiful tea set, but while packing up. they had one of the cups broken through carelessness.
陈教授夫妇有一套精美的茶具，收拾装箱 时，一不小心，打破了一只茶杯。
Ordinary people would have got very upset over it. as it was always troublesome to replace the broken cup to complete the set.
一般人的反应，一定是感到十分心疼，好端端的成套茶具，打 破一只杯，如何去配？
Professor Chen, however, reacted to it differently.
谁知陈教授的反应却不然，他莞尔一笑，坦然说道："真不错，又 多了一只碟子！" 凡事从好处想，这种能耐。
He said calmly with a smile, "Wow!
，在现实生活中，确能使人受益无穷。
Now we've got One saucer more!" The attitude of always looking on the bright side of things will definitely be of inestimable benefit to us in our real life.
陈之藩教授不但是位杰出的科学家，也是位了不起的散文家，他 的一些散文集，清新隽永，当年曾使我折服不已。
Professor Chen has distinguished himself both as a scientist and an essayist.
如今回想起来，令 我惊叹的，不仅仅是他那优美的文笔，而是字里行间流露出来的睿智 与巧思。
His prose writings. which have been published in several collections, are known for their fresh and expressive style.
人生不如意事常八九"，这是一句老话，老得几乎令人不想再重 复。
I was struck with admiration when I first read them, and I remember how I marvelled then at the keen insight and wisdom displayed between the lines as well as his bcautiful language.
，可是生命的旅程，行行复行行，在漫长的旅途上，的确会遇上 一重又一重的挫折。
Things seldom go one's way.
每当失意时，人总觉得别人为什么比自己幸运？
That'sa popular saying too old to warrant re-quoting.
别人生意兴隆、 仕途平坦、财源广进、名成利就；自己为什么如老牛破车，踽踽独 行在暮色四合的郊道上？
But, one will certainly meet with one setback after another on his life's long journey.
果真如此吗？
When frustrated, one is apt to wonder why the more fortunate can fare so well either in business or officialdom, making a pile or enjoying both fame and wealth, while he himself, like an old OX pulling a rickety cart, has to trudge all by a himself on a country road thick with dusk.
杯中只有一半水，有人喜孜孜说："好呀！
Is that true?
还有半 杯e"，有人愁眉苦脸："哎呀！
Now take for example a cup half filled with water.
只剩下半杯了"，分别就在这里。
Some, in the face of it, may exclaim with delight, "Great, the cup is half full!" Some may grumble gloomily, Too bad, the cup is half empty!" You see how the two kinds of people differ.