美文与经典

Red: There's not a day goes by I don't feelregret. Not because I'm in here, or because you think I should. I look back onthe way I was then, a young, stupid kid who committed that terrible crime. Iwant to talk to him. I want to try and talk some sense to him; tell him the waythings are. But I can’t. That kid's long gone, and thisold man is all that's left. I got to live with that. Rehabilitated? It's just abullshit word. So, you go on and stamp your form, sonny, and stop wasting mytime. Because to tell you the truth, I don't give a shit.

我无时无刻不对自己的所作所为深感内疚,这不是因为我在这里(监狱)，也不是讨好你们(假释官)。回首曾经走过的弯路，我多么想对那个犯下重罪的愚蠢的年轻人说些什么，告诉他我现在的感受，告诉他还可以有其他的方式解决问题。可是，我做不到了。那个年轻人早已淹没在岁月的长河里，只留下一个老人孤独地面对过去。重新做人？骗人罢了!孩子，别再浪费我的时间了，盖你的章吧，说实话，我不在乎。

一切刚开始

We’re JustBeginning

“We are reading the first verse of thefirst chapter of a book whose pages are infinite...”

I do not know who wrote those words, but Ihave always liked them as a reminder that the future can be anything we want tomake it. We can take the mysterious, hazy future and carve out of it anythingthat we can imagine, just as a sculptor carves a statue from a shapeless stone.

We are all in the position of the farmer.If we plant a good seed, we reap a good harvest. If our seed is poor and fullof weeds, we reap a useless crop. If we plant nothing at all, we harvestnothing at all.

I want the future to be better than thepast. I don’t want it contaminated by the mistakes anderrors with which history is filled. We should all be concerned about thefuture because that is where we will spend the remainder of our lives.

The past is gone and static. Nothing we cando will change it. The future is before us and dynamic. Everything we do willaffect it. Each day brings with it new frontiers, in our homes and in ourbusiness, if we only recognize them. We are just at the beginning of theprogress in every field of human endeavor.

“我们正在读一本书的第一章第一行，这本书的页数是无限的……”

我不知道是谁写的，可我很喜欢这句话，它提醒我们未来是由自己创造的。我们可以把神秘、不可知的未来塑造成我们想象中的任何模样，犹如雕刻家将未成形的石头刻成雕像。

我们每个人都像是农夫。洒下良种将有丰收，播下劣种或生满野草便将毁去收成。没有耕耘则会一无所获。

我希望未来比过去更加美好，希望未来不会沾染历史的错误与过失。我们都应举目向前，因我们的余生要用未来书写。

往昔已逝，静如止水；我们无法再作改变。而前方的未来正生机勃勃；我们所做的每一件事都将会影响着它。只要我们认识到这些，无论是在家中还是在工作上，每天我们的面前都会展现出新的天地。在人类致力开拓的每一片领域上，我们正站在进步的起跑点。

The day is cold, and dark, and dreary.; 

It rains, and the wind is never weary. 

The vine still clings to the molderingwall, 

But at every gust the dead leavesfall, 

And the day is dark and dreary. 

My life is cold and dark and dreary. 

It rains and the wind is never weary. 

My thought still clings to the molderingpast, 

But the hopes of youth fall thick in theblast, 

And the days are dark and dreary. 

Be still, sad heart! And ceaserepining; 

Behind the clouds is the sun still shining. 

Thy fate is the common fate of all, 

Into each life some rain must fall, 

Some days must be dark and dreary. 

天冷、阴暗、沉闷； 

下着雨，风也刮个不停； 

藤还攀附着颓垣残壁， 

每来一阵狂风，枯叶附落纷纷，

天真是阴暗而沉闷。

我的生活寒冷、阴郁、沉闷；

下着雨，风也刮个不停；

我的思想还纠缠着消逝的往事，

大风里，我的青春希望相继熄灭，

天真是阴暗而沉闷。

安静吧，忧伤的心！别再悔恨；

乌云后面太阳依然辉煌灿烂；

你命运和大家的一样，

每个人一生都得逢上阴雨，

有些日子必然阴暗而沉闷

浪漫曲折路

Detour to Romance

Located in the checkroom in Union Stationas I am, I see everybody that comes up the stairs.

Harry came in a little over three years agoand waited at the head of the stairs for the passengers from the 9∶05 train.

I remember seeing Harry that first evening.He wasn’t much more than a thin, anxious kid then. Hewas all dressed up and I knew he was meeting his girl and that they would bemarried twenty minutes after she arrived.

Well, the passengers came up and I had toget busy. I didn’t look toward the stairs again untilnearly time for the 9∶18 and I was very surprised tosee that the young fellow was still there.

She didn’t come onthe 9∶18 either, nor on the 9∶40,and when the passengers from the 10∶02 had all arrivedand left, Harry was looking pretty desperate. Pretty soon he came close to mywindow so I called out and asked him what she looked like.

“She’s small anddark,” he said, “and nineteenyears old and very neat in the way she walks. She has a face,” he said, thinking a minute, “that has lotsof spirit. I mean she can get mad but she never stays mad for long, and hereyebrows come to a little point in the middle. She’sgot a brown fur, but maybe she isn’t wearing it.”

I couldn’t rememberseeing anybody like that.

He showed me the telegram he’d received: ARRIVE THURSDAY. MEET ME STATION. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE.?? MAY. It was from Omaha, Nebraska.

“Well,” I finallysaid, “why don’t you phone toyour home? She’s probably called there if she got inahead of you.”

He gave me a sick look. “I’ve only been in town two days. We weregoing to meet and then drive down South where I’ve gota job. She hasn’t any address for me.” He touched the telegram.

When I came on duty the next day he wasstill there and came over as soon as he saw me.

“Did she work anywhere?” I asked.

He nodded. “She wasa typist. I telegraphed her former boss. All they know is that she left her jobto get married.”

Harry met every train for the next three orfour days. Of course, the railroad lines made a routine checkup and the policelooked into the case. But nobody was any real help. I could see that they allfigured that May had simply played a trick on him. But I never believed that,somehow.

由于我工作的地方在联合车站的行李寄存处，我看得见每一个上楼的人。

哈里3年多以前来到这里，站在楼梯口等待9点05分到达的火车旅客。

我还记得那第一晚见到哈里时的情景。那时，他瘦瘦的，神情焦虑，就像个孩子似的。他穿戴整齐，我知道他是在等女朋友，而且在她到达20分钟之后他们就要结婚。

旅客们过来了，我得忙碌起来。等到9点18分的那趟车快到的时候我才再往楼梯方向看去，我吃惊地发现那个年轻人还在那里。

她也没乘9点18分的那趟车来，9点40分的车上也没她。等10点02分那趟车的旅客全都到达并离开后，哈里显得很失望。很快他走近我的窗口，我就招呼他，问她长得什么模样。

“她个子小，皮肤黑，”他说，“19岁。走路的样子很利落。她的脸，”他想了一会儿，说，“很有个性。我的意思是说她会生气，但从不会生气太久。她的眉心处有一个小点儿。她有一件褐色毛皮大衣，不过可能没穿着。”

我想不起来看见过有谁长得像那样。

他给我看他收到的电报：星期四到。车站接我。爱爱爱爱。——梅。电报寄自内布拉斯加州的奥马哈市。

“呃，”我最后说，“你干吗不往家里打个电话？如果她先你到达这里，她可能已给你家打过电话。”

他懊恼地看了我一眼。“我到城里才两天。我们打算见面之后开车去南方，我在那儿找到了一份工作。她——她也没给我任何地址。”他摸了摸电报。

第二天我去值班时他还在那儿。一看见我，他就走了过来。

“她在哪儿工作过吗？”我问。

他点了点头。“她本来是个打字员。我给她以前的老板拍了电报。他们只知道她不干了，结婚去了。”

哈里在后来的三四天接了每趟车。当然，铁路方面作了例行检查，警察也参与了这件事。但是实际上谁也没帮上忙。我看得出来，他们都觉得梅只不过是跟他开了个玩笑，但不知怎么我却根本不这么认为。

浪漫曲折路

Detour to Romance

One day, after about two weeks, Harry and Iwere talking and I told him about my theory. "If you'll just wait longenough," I said, "you'll see her coming up those stairs someday."He turned and looked at the stairs as though he had never seen them before.

The next day when I came to work Harry wasbehind the counter of Tony's magazine stand. He looked at me rather sheepishlyand said, "Well, I had to get a job somewhere, didn't I?"

So he began to work as a clerk for Tony. Wenever spoke of May anymore and neither of us ever mentioned my theory. But Inoticed that Harry always saw every person who came up the stairs.

Toward the end of the year Tony was killedin some argument over gambling, and Tony's widow left Harry in complete chargeof the magazine stand. And when she got married again sometime later, Harrybought the stand from her. He borrowed money and installed a soda7 fountain andpretty soon he had a very nice little business.

Then came yesterday. I heard a cry and alot of things falling. The cry was from Harry and the things falling were a lotof dolls and other things which he had upset while he was jumping over thecounter. He ran across and grabbed a girl not ten feet from my window. She wassmall and dark, and her eyebrows came to a little point in the middle.

For a while they just hung there to eachother laughing and crying and saying things without meaning. She'd say a fewwords like, "It was the bus station I meant" and he'd kiss herspeechless and tell her the many things he had done to find her. Whatapparently had happened three years before was that May had come by bus, not bytrain, and in her telegram, she meant "bus station," not"railroad station." She had waited at the bus station for days andhad spent all her money trying to find Harry. Finally, she got a job typing.

"What?" said Harry. "Haveyou been working in town? All the time?"

She nodded.

"Well, Heavens. Didn't you ever comedown here to the station?" He pointed across to his magazine stand."I've been there all the time. I own it. I've watched everybody that cameup the stairs."

She began to look a little pale. Prettysoon she looked over at the stairs and said in a weak voice, "I never cameup the stairs before. You see, I went out of town yesterday on a short businesstrip. Oh, Harry!" Then she threw her arms around his neck and really beganto cry.

After a minute she backed away and pointedvery stiffly toward the north end of the station. "Harry, for three years,for three solid years, I've been right over there working right in this verystation, typing, in the office of the stationmaster."

浪漫路曲曲折折

有一天，大约是过了两周之后，哈里和我聊天，我给他谈了我的想法。“假如你等的时间够长的话，”我说，“总有一天，你会看见她走上楼梯的。”他转过身看着楼梯，仿佛过去从来没见过似的。

第二天我去上班时，哈里已经站在托尼杂志摊的柜台后面了。他不大好意思地看着我说，“呃，我总得在哪儿找个工作，是不是？”

于是，他开始给托尼卖杂志。我们再也不谈梅，谁也不提我的看法。但是我注意到哈里总要看看每个上楼的人。

到年底时，托尼由于赌博发生争执而被别人杀了。托尼的妻子将杂志摊完全交给了哈里打理。过了些时候她再次结婚，哈里就从她那儿把杂志摊买了过来。他借了钱，装了个冷饮柜，不久小生意就做得不错了。

于是到了昨天，我听见了一声叫喊，还听见好多东西掉到地上。是哈里在叫。掉在地上的是一大堆玩具和其他的东西，都是他跳过柜台时弄翻的。他从这些东西上面跑过去抓住了一个女孩，她就在离我窗户不到10英尺的地方。她个子小小的，黑黑的，眉心处有一个小点。

好一会儿的时间他们就那么呆着，相对着，笑呀，哭呀，讲些没什么意义的话。她好像说“我指的是汽车站 ——”而他则把她吻得说不出话来，告诉她自己为找她所做的许多事情。显然，3年前，梅是乘汽车而不是火车来的。她电报里指的是“汽车站”而不是“火车站”。她在汽车站等了好几天，为找哈里花掉了所有的钱。最后，她找了一份打字的工作。

“什么？”哈里说，“你在城里工作？一直都在？”

她点了点头。

“哎呀，老天爷——你就从来没到这个车站来过？”他把手指向杂志摊。“我一直就在那儿。那个摊儿是我的。我看过每个上楼的人。”

她的脸色开始变得有些苍白。过了一会儿，她向楼梯看去，声音微弱地说：“我——我过去一直没上这个楼梯。你看，我昨天出城是去办点公事——噢，哈里！”然后，她伸手搂住他的脖子，真的哭了起来。

过了一会儿，她往后一站，用手直指车站的最北头。“哈里，3年来，整整3年，我就在那儿——就在这个车站工作，在站长办公室里，打字。”

Care your dream

My dream ended when I was born. Although Inever knew it then, I just held on to something that would never come to pass.Dreams really do exist. But in the morning when you wake up, they areremembered just as a dream. That is what happened to me.

I always have the dream to dance like abeautiful ballerina twirling around and around and hearing people applaud forme. When I was young, I would be twirling around and around in the fields ofwildflowers that grew in my backyard. For hours I would dance as if people werewatching me. I would dance so fast that I would forget where I was, until Iwould hear sounds that reminded me of where I really was. I thought that if Itwirled faster everything would disappear and I would wake up in a new place.Reality woke me up when I heard a voice saying, "I don't know why youbother trying to dance. Ballerinas are pretty, slender little girls. Besides,you don't have the talent to even be a ballerina." I remember how thosewords paralyzed every feeling in my body. I felt to the ground and wept forhours.

We lived in the country by a nearby lakeand I would sometimes go there to hide. My parents were never home anyway, andI did not like to be at home where I could hear the walls talking of pain. Whenthey were home, my mother just yelled and criticized because nothing was everperfect in her life. She dreamed of a different life but ended up living in acountry far away from the city where she believed her dreams would have cometrue.

I enjoyed hanging out by the water. I wouldsit there for hours and stare at my reflection. There I was, looked nothinglike a pretty ballerina dancer. Reflections don't lie. Once the waves wouldcome, my reflection was gone. Washed away just like my dream to dance. I satthere staring at the water, hoping that my reflection would reappear and bedifferent.

As I grew older, I began to realize thatthe reason my dream was even born in the first place, was because it was somethinginside of me. The dream I had was never nurtured and cared for, so it slowlydied. It's not that I wanted it to die, but I allowed it to die the day Istarted listening to the words, "You can't do it." When I finallywoke up from many years of dreaming, I realized that you can't settle fordancing in the wildflowers, you have to move on to the platform. I still go tothe lake sometimes and sit there. Looking at my reflection is different nowtoo. When I was young, I looked at how others saw me, now that I am older andwiser; I look at how God sees me．

你所记得的一切

All you remember

All you remember about your child being aninfant is the incredible awe you felt about the precious miracle you created.You remember having plenty of time to bestow all your wisdom and knowledge. Youthought your child would take all your advice and make fewer mistakes and bemuch smarter than you were. You wished for your child to hurry and grow up.

当你的孩子是个婴儿时，你所记得的，是你对自己创造出的堪称完美奇迹的作品，感到不可思议的敬畏。你记得你有大量的时间去传授你所有的智慧和知识。你认为你的孩子将会接受你所有的忠告而少犯错误，将会比孩提时代的你聪明许多。你多希望你的孩子快快长大。

All you remember about your child being twois never using the restroom alone or getting to watch a movie without talkinganimals. You recall afternoons talking on the phone while crouching in thebedroom closet and being convinced your child would be the first Ivy Leaguecollege student to graduate wearing pullovers at the ceremony. You rememberworrying about the bag of M＆M's melting in your pocketand ruining your good dress. You wished for your child to be more independent.

孩子两岁时，你所记得的，是从不能独自使用卫生间，从不看一部与动物无关的电影。你记得那些蜷缩在卧室、储衣间跟朋友通电话的下午，深信你的孩子将是第一个身着套头衫出席毕业典礼的常春藤名牌大学毕业生。你记得你担心那袋M＆M巧克力糖会在你的衣兜里融化，毁了你体面的衣服。你多希望你的孩子更独立些。

All you remember about your child beingfive is the first day of school and finally having the house to yourself. Youremember joining the PTA and being elected president when you left a meeting touse the restroom. You remember being asked "Is Santa real?" andsaying "yes" because he had to be for a little bit longer. Youremember shaking the sofa cushions for loose change, so the tooth fairy couldcome and take away your child's first lost tooth. You wished for your child tohave all permanent teeth.

孩子5岁时，你所记得的，是他上学第一天你终于独自拥有整个房子了。你记得参加家长—教师联系会，在你离开会议室去洗手间时，你当选为会长。你记得孩子问你“圣诞老人是真的吗？”你回答“是的”，因为他还需要你的肯定回答，尽管不久他就能自己判断了。你记得在沙发垫子下一通翻腾要找出些零钱，这样牙齿仙女就会来把你孩子掉的第一颗牙带走。你多希望孩子的牙都换成了恒牙。

All you remember about your child beingseven is the carpool schedule. You learned to apply makeup in two minutes andbrush your teeth in the rearview mirror because the only time you had toyourself was when you were stopped at red lights. You considered painting yourcar yellow and posting a "taxi" sign on the lawn next to the garagedoor. You remember people staring at you, the few times you were out of thecar, because you kept flexing your foot and making acceleration noises. Youwished for the day your child would learn how to drive.

孩子7岁时，你所记得的，是合伙用车的时间安排。你学会了在两分钟内化完妆，照着汽车后视镜刷牙，因为你能给你自己找出的时间就只有汽车停在红灯前的那小段。你想过把你的车子漆成黄色，并在车库门旁的草坪上立一个“出租车”的标志牌。你记得有几次你下车后，人们盯着你，因为你不断用脚踩油门加速，制造噪音。你多希望孩子有一天能学会开车。

All you remember about your child being tenis managing the school fundraisers. You sold wrapping paper for paint, T shirtsfor new furniture, and magazine subscriptions for shade trees in the schoolplayground. You remember storing a hundred cases of candy bars in the garage tosell so the school band could get new uniforms, and how they melted together onan unseasonably warm spring afternoon. You wished your child would grow out ofplaying an instrument.

孩子10岁时，你所记得的，是怎么组织学校的募捐者。你们为重新粉刷学校兜售包装纸，为购置新家具兜售体恤衫，为在学校操场上种植遮阳树劝人订阅各种杂志。你记得你在车库里存放了上百盒糖果等待出售，得到钱后学校的乐队就可以购置新制服，可是那些糖果竟在一个暖和得过头的春天的下午全都融化在一起了。你多希望孩子长大，不再演奏什么乐器了。

All you remember about your child beingtwelve is sitting in the stands during baseball practice and hoping yourchild's team would strike out fast because you had more important things to doat home. The coach didn't understand how busy you were. You wished the baseballseason would be over soon.

孩子12岁时，你所记得的，是孩子在体育场打棒球练习赛时，你坐在看台上希望你孩子所在的队很快三击不中出局，因为家里还有更重要的事等你去做。教练不明白你为什么那么忙。你多希望棒球赛季能尽快结束。

All you remember about your child beingfourteen is being asked not to stop the car in front of the school in themorning. You had to drive two blocks further and unlock the doors withoutcoming to a complete stop. You remember not getting to kiss your child goodbyeor talking to him in front of his friends. You wished your child would be moremature.

孩子14岁时，你所记得的，是他不让你早晨把汽车停在校门口。你不得不开过两个街区，车还没停稳就赶紧打开车门。你记得没能在他的朋友面前跟他吻别或说话。你多希望孩子能更成熟些。

All you remember about your child beingsixteen is loud music and undecipherable  lyrics screamed to a rhythmic beat. You wishedfor your child to grow up and leave home with the stereo.

孩子16岁时，你所记得的，是吵闹的音乐和以富有节奏的拍子尖声唱出的难以听懂的歌词。你多希望孩子快点长大成人，带着音响离开家吧。

All you remember about your child beingeighteen is the day they were born and having all the time in the world.

孩子18岁时，你所记得的，是他们出生的那一天，拥有世间所有的时光。

And, as you walk through your quiet house,you wonder where they went ?? and you wish your child hadn't grown up so fast.

当你在静静的房子里走来走去时，你纳闷他们去哪里了——你多希望孩子别这么快就长大了。

生活的忠告

Words To Live By

I'll give you some advice about life.

给你生活的忠告

Eat more roughage.

多吃些粗粮；

Do more than others expect you to do and doit plain.

给别人比他们期望的更多，并用心去做；

Remember what life tells you.

熟记生活告诉你的一切；

Don't take to heart everything you hear.Don't spend all that you have. Don't sleep as long as you want.

不要轻信你听到的每件事，不要花光你的所有，不要想睡多久就睡多久；

Whenever you say, "I love you",please say it honestly.

无论何时说“我爱你”，请真心实意；

Whenever you say, "I'm sorry",please look into the other person's eyes.

无论何时说“对不起”，请看对方的眼睛；

Fall in love at first sight.

相信一见钟情；

Don't neglect dreams.

请不要忽视梦想；

Love deeply and ardently, even if there ispain, but this is the way to make your life complete.

深情热烈地爱，也许会受伤，但这是使人生完整的唯一方法；

Find a way to settle, not to dispute.

用一种明确的方法解决争议，不要冒犯；

Never judge people by their appearance.

永远不要以貌取人；

Speak slowly but think quickly.

慢慢地说，但要迅速地想；

When someone asks you a question you don'twant to answer, smile and say, "Why do you want to know?"

当别人问你不想回答的问题时，笑着说：“你为什么想知道？”

Remember that the man who can shoulder themost risk will gain the deepest love and the supreme accomplishment.

记住：那些敢于承担最大风险的人才能得到最深的爱和最大的成就；

Call you mother on the phone. If you can't,you may think of her in your heart.

给妈妈打电话，如果不行，至少在心里想着她；

When someone sneezes say, "God blessyou”.

当别人打喷嚏时，说一声“上帝保佑”；

If you fail, don't forget to learn your lesson.

如果你失败了，千万别忘了汲取教训；

Remember the three "respects”. Respectyourself, respect others, stand on dignity and pay attention to your behavior.

记住三个“尊重”： 尊重你自己； 尊重别人； 保持尊严， 对自己的行为负责；

Don't let a little dispute break up a greatfriendship.

不要让小小的争端损毁了一场伟大的友谊；

Whenever you find your wrongdoing, be quickwith reparation!

无论何时你发现自己做错了，竭尽所能去弥补；动作要快！

Whenever you make a phone call smile whenyou pick up the phone, because someone feel it!

无论什么时候打电话，摘起话筒的时候请微笑，因为对方能感觉到！

Marry a person who likes talking; becausewhen you get old, you'll find that chatting to be a great advantage.

找一个你爱聊的人结婚；因为年纪大了后，你会发觉喜欢聊天是一个人最大的优点；

Find time for yourself.

找点时间，单独呆会儿；

Life will change what you are but not whoyou are.

欣然接受改变，但不要摒弃你的个人理念；

Remember that silence is golden.

记住：沉默是金；

Read more books and watch less television.

多看点书，少看点电视；

Live a noble and honest life. Reviving pasttimes in your old age will help you to enjoy your life again.

过一种高尚而诚实的生活。当你年老时回想起过去，你就能再一次享受人生。

Trust God, but don't forget to lock the door.

相信上帝，但是别忘了锁门；

The harmonizing atmosphere of a family is valuable.

家庭的融洽氛围是难能可贵的；

Try your best to let family harmony flow smoothly.

尽你的能力让家平顺和谐；

When you quarrel with a close friend, talkabout the main dish, don't quibble over the appetizers.

当你和你的亲近的少吵嘴时候，试着就事论事，不要扯出那些陈芝麻、烂谷子的事；

You cannot hold onto yesterday.

不要摆脱不了昨天；

Figure out the meaning of someone's words.

多注意言下之意；

Share your knowledge to continue a timelesstradition.

和别人分享你的知识，那才是永恒之道；

Treat our earth in a friendly way, don’tfool around with mother nature.

善待我们的地球，不要愚弄自然母亲；

Do the thing you should do.

做自己该做的事；

Don't trust a lover who kisses you withoutclosing their eyes.

不要相信接吻时从不闭眼的伴侣；

Go to a place you've never been to everyyear.

每年至少去一个你从没去过的地方。

If you earn much money, the best way tospend it is on charitable deeds while you are alive.

如果你赚了很多钱，在活着的时候多行善事，这是你能得到的最好回报；

Remember, not all the best harvest is luck.

记住有时候，不是最好的收获也是一种好运；

Understand rules completely and change themreasonably.

深刻理解所有的规则，合理地更新他们；

Remember, the best love is to love othersunconditionally rather than making demands on them.

记住，最好的爱存在于对别人的爱胜于对别人的索求这上；

Comment on the success you have attained bylooking in the past at the target you wanted to achieve most.

回头看看你发誓取得的目标，然后评价你到底有多成功；

In love and cooking, you must give 100%effort……but expect little appreciation.

无论是烹饪不是爱情，都用百分之百的负责态度对待，但是不要乞求太多的回报.

Most people need to hear those "threelittle words" I love you. Once in a while, they hear them just in time.

大多数人需要听到那“三个小字”——我爱你。有时他们就会在最需要的时候听到。

I met Connie the day she was admitted tothe hospice ward, where I worked as a volunteer. Her husband, Bill, stoodnervously nearby as she was transferred from the gurney to the hospital bed.Although Connie was in the final stages of her fight against cancer, she wasalert and cheerful. We got her settled in. I finished marking her name on all thehospital supplies she would be using, then asked if she needed anything.

我在康尼住进收容所病房的那天见到了她。我在那儿当义工。把她从轮床抬上病床时，她的丈夫比尔焦虑不安地站在旁边。虽然康尼处于和癌症搏斗的晚期，但她仍然神智清醒，精神愉快。我们把她安顿好。我在医院提供给她使用的所有用品上标上她的名字，然后问她是否需要什么。

"Oh, yes," she said, "wouldyou please show me how to use the TV? I enjoy the soaps so much and I don'twant to get behind on what's happening." Connie was a romantic. She lovedsoap operas, romance novels and movies with a good love story. As we becameacquainted, she confided how frustrating it was to be married 32 years to a manwho often called her "a silly woman."

“啊，是的，”她说，“请告诉我怎么用电视好吗？我非常喜欢肥皂剧，想随时跟上进展情况。”康尼是个浪漫的人。她酷爱肥皂剧、浪漫小说和讲述美好爱情故事的电影。随着我们越来越熟，她向我吐露说，跟一个经常叫她“傻女人”的男人生活了32年有多么沮丧。

"Oh, I know Bill loves me," shesaid, "but he has never been one to say he loves me or send cards tome." She sighed and looked out the window at the trees in the courtyard."I'd give anything if he'd say ‘I love you,' butit's just not in his nature."

“唉，我知道比尔爱我，”她说道，“可是他从来不说他爱我，也不给我寄贺卡。”她叹了口气，朝窗外庭院里的树望去。“如果他说声‘我爱你’，我愿意付出一切，可这根本不是他的性格。”

Bill visited Connie every day. In thebeginning, he sat next to the bed while she watched the soaps. Later, when shebegan sleeping more, he paced up and down the hallway outside her room. Soon,when she no longer watched television and had fewer waking moments, I beganspending more of my volunteer time with Bill.

比尔每天都来探望康尼。一开始，康尼看肥皂剧，他就坐在床旁。后来，她睡的时候多了，比尔就在屋外走廊里踱来踱去。不久，康尼不再看电视了，醒的时候也少了，我开始花更多的义工时间和比尔在一起。

He talked about having worked as acarpenter and how he liked to go fishing. He and Connie had no children, butthey'd been enjoying retirement by traveling, until Connie got sick. Bill couldnot express his feelings about the fact that his wife was dying.

他谈到他一直是个木工，他多么喜欢钓鱼。他和康尼没有孩子，但他们四处旅游，享受着退休生活，直到康尼得病。对他妻子病危这一事实，比尔无法表达他的感受。

One day, over coffee in the cafeteria, Igot him on the subject of women and how we need romance in our lives; how welove to get sentimental cards and love letters.

一天，在自助餐厅喝咖啡时，我设法和比尔谈起女人这个话题，谈到生活中我们多么需要浪漫，多想收到充满柔情蜜意的卡片和情书。

"Do you tell Connie you loveher?" I asked (knowing his answer), and he looked at me as if I was crazy.

“你跟康尼说你爱她吗？”我明知故问。他瞧着我，就好像我有神经病。

"I don't have to," he said."She knows I do!"

“我没有必要说，”他说道。“她知道我爱她！”

"I'm sure she knows," I said,reaching over and touching his hands rough, carpenter's hands that weregripping the cup as if it were the only thing he had to hang onto, “but sheneeds to hear it, Bill. She needs to hear what she has meant to you all theseyears. Please think about it."

“我肯定她知道，”我说。我伸出手，触摸着他那双木工粗糙的手。这双手紧握着杯子，似乎它是他需要依附的惟一东西——“可是她需要听到它，比尔。她需要听到所有这些年来她对你意味什么。请你考虑考虑。”

We walked back to Connie's room. Billdisappeared inside, and I left to visit another patient. Later, I saw Billsitting by the bed. He was holding Connie's hand as she slept. The date wasFebruary 12.

我们走回康尼的房间。比尔进了屋，我走开去看望另一个病人。后来，我看见比尔坐在床边。康尼入睡了，他握着她的一只手。那天是2月12日。

Two days later I walked down the hospiceward at noon. There stood Bill, leaning up against the wall in the hallway,staring at the floor. I already knew from the head nurse that Connie had diedat 11 A.M.

 两天后的中午时分，我顺着收容所病房过道向前走着。比尔站在那里，靠着墙，凝视着地面。护士长已经告诉我，康尼在上午11点故去了。

When Bill saw me, he allowed himself tocome into my arms for a long time. His face was wet with tears, and he wastrembling. Finally, he leaned back against the wall and took a deep breath.

比尔看见我后，让我拥抱了他许久。他满脸泪水，浑身颤抖。最后，他向后靠在墙上，深深地吸了一口气。

"I have to say something," hesaid. "I have to say how good I feel about telling her." He stoppedto blow his nose. "I thought a lot about what you said, and this morning Itold her how much I loved her... and loved being married to her. You should’veseen her smile!"

“我有话非说不可，”他说道。“我得说，对她说出来，感觉真是好极了。”他停下来擤鼻子。“你说的话我想了很多；今天早上我对她说我多么爱她……我多么珍惜和她结为夫妻。你真该看看她的笑容！”

I went into the room to say my own goodbyeto Connie. There, on the bedside table, was a large Valentine card from Bill.You know, the sentimental kind that says, "To my wonderful wife... I loveyou."

我走进康尼的房间，亲自去和她告别 。我看见，床头桌上放着一张比尔给她的大大的情人节贺卡——就是那种充满柔情蜜意的贺卡，上面写着：“给我出色的妻子……我爱你。”

爷爷的祝福

We tried so hard to make things better forour kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I’d know better.

I'd really like for them to know abouthand-me-down clothes and home-made ice cream and leftover meatloaf. I reallywould.

My cherished grandson, I hope you learnhumility by surviving failure and that you learn to be honest even when no oneis looking.

I hope you learn to make your bed and mowthe lawn and wash the car — and I hope nobody gives youa brand new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time youcan see a baby calf born, and you have a good friend to be with you if you evermust put your old dog to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting forsomething you believe in.

I hope you must share a bedroom with youryounger brother. And it is all right to draw a line down the middle of theroom, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he’s scared, I hope you’ll let him.

And when you want to see a Disney movie andyour kid brother wants to tag along, I hope you take him.

I hope you must walk uphill with yourfriends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

If you want a slingshot, I hope your fatherteaches you how to make one instead of buying one. I hope you learn to dig inthe dirt and read books, and when you learn to use computers, you also learnhow to add and subtract in your head.

I hope you get razzed by friends when youhave your first crush on a girl, and that when you talk back to your mother youlearn what Ivory soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain,burn your hand on the stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

I hope you get sick when someone blowssmoke in your face. I don’t care if you try beer once, but I hope you won’tlike it. And if a friend offers you a joint or any drugs, I hope you are smartenough to realize that person is not your friend.

I sure hope you make time to sit on a porchwith your grandpa or go fishing with your uncle.

I hope your mother punishes you when youthrow a baseball through a neighbor’s window, and that she hugs you and kissesyou when you give her a plaster of pared mold of your hand.

These things I wish for you — tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness.

爷爷的期望非常简单 幸福快乐就好

我们竭尽全力想让我们的儿女们过得更好，而结果却是适得其反。对我的孙辈们，我就明智得多了。

我真的希望他们能够了解什么是兄长传下来的旧衣服，家制的冰淇淋，以及吃剩的肉糕。我真的希望。

我的宝贝孙子，我希望你在经受失败的考验之后能学会谦卑，也希望你能学会诚实，即使在没有人注视你的时候。

我希望你能学会自己叠被子，自己刈草坪，自己洗车--我还希望在你满十六岁时没有人送给你一辆崭新的轿车。

假如你至少有一次机会看见小牛犊出生，假如你不得不为你的老狗送终，那时有一位好朋友在场为你作伴--那样该有多好啊！

我希望你能为自己的所信仰与人斗得眼青脸肿。

我希望你能和你弟弟共一间卧室--即使你在卧室中间划一条分界线也没关系。可是，当弟弟因为害怕而要爬进你的被窝时，我希望你会接纳他。

当你要出去看迪斯尼电影，你的小弟弟想做你的小尾巴时，我希望你能带上他。

我希望你能和朋友们一起爬山，而在你所生活的城市里做这项运动不会有什么危险。

如果你想要一把弹弓，我希望你父亲能教你怎样自己做一把，而不是为你买一把现成的。我还希望你能学会挖泥巴和读书；而当你学会使用电脑时，你也应该学会加减法的心算。

当你第一次恋上一个女孩时，我希望你会受到朋友们的嘲弄；而当你跟你母亲顶嘴时，希望她叫你尝一尝象牙肥皂的滋味。

但愿你能在爬山时弄破膝盖上的皮，或者在炉子上烧伤手，或者让舌头粘在结冰的旗杆上。

我希望吸烟者对着你的脸上喷吐烟雾时，你会感到恶心。如果你尝试喝一次啤酒，我不会在意；但是我希望你不会喜欢上它。如果有一位朋友请你吸一口含大麻的香烟，或者任何毒品，我希望你明智地意识到他不是你的朋友。

我当然希望你能抽时间来陪你爷爷在门廊上坐一坐，或者陪你叔叔钓钓鱼。

如果你把捧球扔进了邻居的窗户，我希望你母亲惩罚你。如果你能剪掉指甲，用石膏做一只自己的手的模型送给你妈，我希望她会给你拥抱和亲吻。

我希望你能经历：艰难的岁月，挫折和失望；希望你努力工作，幸福快乐。