放慢生活的腳步英語美文

Bud and Flora amble,5 stopping at the occasional flower stall:

F:Our family had a fair-sized garden back home in the States, and I always found gardening to be a real stress-buster.6

B:Just the thought of turning over soil beds sends my stress levels up!

F: Digging is hard work for sure, but otherwise, garden chores can have a real calming influence.

B:Do all gardens have an equally relaxing effect?

F:Well, some garden designs are preferable. For example, soft, sweeping7 garden borders relax people more than hard edges.

B:I’d bet that a visually engaging array of flora with a mix of stimulating colors could really reduce stress.

F:You got it. Fragrant8 plants like lavender and basil can also have a calming effect. What’s more, their strong odors seem to invoke memories. And to have the kids there with you—seeing the garden through their eyes as they discover nature—that’s the real joy.

B:If I close my eyes, I can imagine being there right now... I can even smell the fragrances!

F: Don’t get too carried away; if you can smell a floral perfume it’s because we’re standing next to the roses!

They’re stopping to smell the roses.

他們放慢生活腳步，思索人生的真諦。

巴德和弗洛拉悠閒地散着步，信步在一間花鋪前停下來：

弗洛拉：我們家在美國時有個很大的花園，我一直都認為做園藝能緩解壓力。

巴德：一想到替花牀翻泥土，我的壓力指數就往上升!

弗洛拉：挖土確實很辛苦，不過幹園藝活能讓人放鬆。

巴德：所有的花園都有相同的'放鬆效果嗎?

弗洛拉：有些花園設計得比較好。例如，柔和而彎曲連綿的花園邊線比硬線條的更能讓人放鬆。

巴德：我敢打賭，一簇簇賞心悦目的花草再加上動人的繽紛色彩，絕對能消除壓力。

弗洛拉：你説得對。像薰衣草與羅勒這類芳香植物也有鎮靜效果，而且它們強烈的香味還能喚醒記憶。再説，讓孩子們和你在一起──讓他們從欣賞花園當中發現大自然──這是真正的快樂。

巴德：如果閉上眼睛，我能想像我現在就在那兒……我還能聞到香味呢!

弗洛拉：別想得太遠了，如果你能聞到花香，那是因為我們正站在玫瑰花旁邊!