Thus，he asked the 4th wife，“I loved you most，and owed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you.Now that I’m dying，will you follow me and keep me company？”“No way！”replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word.
The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant’s heart.The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife，“I have loved you so much for all my life.Now that I’m dying，will you follow me and keep me company？”“No！”replied the 3rd wife.“Life is so good over here！I’m going to remarry when you die！”The merchant’s heart sank and turned cold.
He then asked the 2nd wife，“I always turned to you for help and you’ve always helped me out.Now I need your help again.When I die，will you follow me and keep me company？”“I’m sorry，I can’t help you out this time！”replied the 2nd wife.“At the very most，I can only send you to your grave.”The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated.
Then a voice called out：“I’ll leave with you.I’ll follow you no matter where you go.”The merchant looked up and there was his first wife.She was so skinny，almost like she suffered from malnutrition.Greatly grieved，the merchant said，“I should have taken much better care of you while I could have！”
Actually，we all have 4wives in our lives.
The 4th wife is our body.No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good，it’ll leave us when we die.
Our 3rd wife is our possessions，status and wealth.When we die，they all go to others.
The 2nd wife is our family and friends.No matter how close they had been there for us when we’re alive，the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.
The 1st wife is in fact our soul，often neglected in our pursuit of material，wealth and sensual pleasure.
Guess what？It is actually the only thing that follows us wherever we go.Perhaps it’s a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather than to wait until we’re on our deathbed to lament.
生命中的四位爱人
从前，一位富有的商人娶了四个老婆。他最爱他的小老婆，给她华丽的衣裳和美味佳肴。他对她体贴入微，把最好的东西都给了她。
商人也很爱第三位老婆。他为她感到骄傲，并常把她作为在朋友面前炫耀的资本。但他同时也忧心忡忡，怕她与其他男人跑了。
当然，商人也爱二老婆，她既善解人意又耐心。事实上，她是商人的红颜知己。每每遇到困难，他就会找她，而她也总能帮助他走出困境，度过难关。
至于大老婆，她是一位忠诚的伴侣，替他照料生意、打理家务，忙里忙外，可谓劳苦功高。然而，尽管她爱得这么深，商人却偏不钟情于她，甚至没把她放在心上。
一日，商人得了重病，他自知将不久于人世。当他回顾自己奢华的一生，不禁心中怅然：“现在我虽然有四个老婆相伴，但死后却要孤零零一人。多寂寞啊！”
于是，他问小老婆：“我最疼你，给你买最漂亮的衣服，还对你呵护备至。现在我就要离开这个世界了，你愿意随我而去，与我相伴吗？”“绝不可能！”她丢下一句话，径自走开了。
小老婆的回答如一把尖刀插在商人心上。伤心的商人继而问第三个老婆：“我一直对你宠爱有加。如今，我将不久于人世，你愿意随我而去，与我相伴吗？”“不！”她拒绝道，“人间的生活多么美好啊！你死后我会改嫁他人！”商人的心倏地下沉，渐渐变冷。
他再转向二老婆，问道：“我过去常常求助于你，你也总能为我排忧解难。现在我想再请你帮一次忙。我死后，你愿意随我而去，与我相伴吗？”“很抱歉，这一次我帮不了你，”她说，“我最多只能让你入土为安。”这句话犹如晴天霹雳，商人彻底绝望了。
这时，旁边传来一个声音：“我愿意随你一同离去。无论你到哪里，我都会跟着你。”商人抬起头，看到了自己的大老婆。她是那么消瘦，一副营养不良的样子。商人悲痛万分，他说：“我过去就应该好好地珍惜你啊！”
其实，我们每个人的一生都有四位爱人相伴。
小老婆代表我们的躯体。无论我们花费多少的时间和精力想去装扮她，我们死后它终会弃我们而去。
第三位老婆代表财产、地位与金钱。一旦我们撒手西去，它终究会转向他人。
二老婆则代表了我们的家人与朋友。我们活着的时候，无论他们与我们多么亲近，他们最多也只能到墓前送我们最后一程。
至于大老婆，她则是我们的灵魂。当我们沉迷于追求物质、金钱或感官享受的时候，她常常会被遗忘在一旁。
结果呢？她才是惟一与我们永远相伴的。也许从现在开始，我们就应该悉心照顾好她，而不是等到临终之际才悔恨不已。
Home on the Way
People need homes：children assume their parents’place as home；boarders call school “home”on weekdays；married couples work together to build new homes；and travelers ...have no place to call “home”，at least for a few nights.
So how about people who have to travel for extended periods of time？Don’t they have the right to a home？Of course they do.
Some regular travelers take their own belongings：like bed sheets，pillowcases and family photos to make them feel like home no matter where they are；some stay for long periods in the same hotel and as a result become very familiar with service and attendants；others may simply put some flowers by the hotel window to make things more homely.Furthermore，driving a camping car during one’s travels and sleeping in the vehicle at night is just like home—only mobile！
And how about maintaining relationships while in transit？Some keep contact with their friends via internet；some send letters and postcards，or even photos；others may just call and say hi，just to let their friends know that they’re still alive and well.People find ways to keep in touch.Making friends on the way helps travelers feel more or less at home.Backpackers in youth hostels may become very good friends，even closer than siblings.
Nowadays，fewer people are working in their local towns，so how do they develop a sense of belonging？Whenever we step out of our local boundaries，there is always another ‘home’waiting to be found.Wherever we are，with just a little bit of effort and imagination，we can make the place we stay “home”.
旅人的家
人人都需要家：小孩子把父母的住所当作自己的家；寄宿生在平日把学校称为‘家’；结了婚的夫妻要共同营造自己的新家；至于旅者呢……至少有几晚他们要住在不能称为‘家’的地方！
那么那些不得不长期出门在外的人怎么办？难道他们无权拥有一个家吗？他们当然有！
有些经常出门的旅者会随身携带些属于自己的日用品，像床单、枕套或全家福相片等，无论走到哪里，这些东西都能带给他们家的感觉；有些人在长驻时会待在同一家旅馆里，使他们对店里的服务和人员都非常熟稔；再有的就可能只是在旅馆的窗边摆些花，使房间更像个家。此外，一路开着露营车旅行，晚上就住在车里，这就更像是真正的家了——只不过能移动而已！
那人们在旅程穿梭时，又是如何维系关系的呢？有些人通过互联网跟朋友联络；有些人寄信、明信片，甚至照片；还有些人可能只是打个电话问声好，目的仅是让朋友们知道他们还活着，而且活得不错。人们发现了各种各样的联络方式。在旅途中交朋友能帮旅者或多或少地找到一点家的感觉。青年旅店里的背包客也许会成为非常要好的朋友，甚至比手足还要亲！
如今，大多数人都是离乡在外工作，那么人们又如何能有归属感呢？一旦我们走出家门，就总有另一个‘家’在等着我们去寻找。不论身处何处，只要稍加努力和想像，我们就能把栖身之地营造成一个‘家’！
