Alan and Linda always dreamed of living "the good life." Both from poor working-class families, they married young and set out to fulfill their mutual goal of becoming wealthy. They both worked very hard for years, amassing a small fortune, so they could move from their two-bedroom home to a palatial seven-bedroom home in the most upscale neighborhood. They focused their energies on accumulating all the things they believed signified abundance: membership in the local exclusive country club, luxury cars, designer clothing, and high-class society friends. No matter how much they accumulated, however, it never seemed to be enough. They were unable to erase the deep fear of scarcity both had acquired in childhood. They needed to learn the lesson of abundance. Then the stock market crashed in 1987, and Alan and Linda lost a considerable amount of money. A bizarre but costly lawsuit depleted another huge portion of their savings. One thing led to another, and they found themselves in a financial disaster. Assets needed to be sold, and eventually they lost the country club membership, the cars, and the house. It took several years and much hard work for Alan and Linda to land on their feet, and though they now live a life far from extravagant, they have taken stock of their lives and feel quite blessed. Only now, as they assess what they have left -- a solid, loving marriage, their health, a dependable income, and good friends -- do they realize that true abundance comes not from amassing, but rather from appreciating.

艾伦和琳达都来自贫苦的工人家庭，都一直梦想着过上"好日子"。他们早早地成了家，然后就开始为他们共同的致富目标奋斗。他们拼命工作了好几年，终于积攒了一笔钱，从两居室搬到了一套坐落在最高档街区的富丽堂皇的七居室大房子。此后，他们费尽心思去积聚那些他们认为是代表富足的东西：当地惟一的一家乡村俱乐部的会员资格、豪华汽车、名牌服装，以及上流社会的朋友。但是，不论他们积聚了多少，似乎永远难以满足。他们俩谁都无法消除小时侯对贫穷的刻骨铭心的恐惧。其实，他们就需要学会知足常乐这一课。1987年，股市遭受重创，艾伦和琳达损失惨重。祸不单行，一场莫名其妙的昂贵的官司又耗尽了他们的一大笔积蓄，这一切使他们陷入了经济困境。他们不得不变卖家产，最后他们丢掉了乡村俱乐部的会员资格，失去了汽车和房子。艾伦和琳达努力奋斗了好几年才从困境中走出来。现在他们的生活毫不奢华，但是他们是自己生活的主宰，幸福而又知足。只有在这时，他们才掂量着那些尚未失去的东西，如稳固相爱的婚姻、健康的身体、可靠的收入、真正的朋友等等，他们终于认识到，真正的富足不是来自财富的积聚，而是来自对所拥有的一切的珍视。

Scarcity consciousness arises as a result of the "hole-in-the-soul syndrome." This is when we attempt to fill the gaps in our inner lives with things from the outside world. But like puzzle pieces, you can't fit something in where it does not naturally belong. No amount of external objects, affection, love, or attention can ever fill an inner void. We already have enough, so we should revel in our own interior abundance.

贫穷感可以归因于"精神空虚综合症"，即我们试图用身外之物来填补内心的空缺。但是，就像拼图游戏一样，你不能把本来不属于那个地方的东西硬塞进去。任何身外之物、情感、关爱和关注都无法填补内心的空虚。我们拥有的已经足够，因此我们应该满足于内心世界的丰富与充实。