爱可以战胜一切。爱没有寿命,没有极限,也不会死亡。绝不要放弃你爱的人。爱有着无与伦比的强大力量。
■爱的港湾
Where Love Lands
◎Diana Chapman
No one knows where love's wings will land.At times,it turns up in the most unusual spots.There was nothing more surprising than when it descended upon a rehabilitation[69]hospital in a Los Angeles suburb—a hospital where most of the patients can no longer move of their own accord.
When the staff heard the news,some of the nurses began to cry.The administrator was in shock,but from then on,Harry MacNarama would bless it as one of the greatest days in his entire life.
Now the trouble was,how were they going to make the wedding dress?He knew his staff would find a way,and when one of his nurses volunteered,Harry was relieved.He wanted this to be the finest day in the lives of two of his patients—Juana and Michael.
Michael strapped in his wheelchair and breathing through his ventilator[70],appeared at Harry's office door one morning.
"Harry,I want to get married,"Michael announced.
美丽语录
A person who truly loves you will never let you go,no matter how hard the situation is.
真心爱你的人永远不会放你走,不管遇到多大的困境。
爱的羽翼会在哪里停歇,没有人知道。偶尔,它会出现在最不寻常的地方。最令人难以置信的是,它出现在洛杉矶郊区的一家康复医院里——那儿的大多数病人都丧失了最基本的身体机能。
当医院的工作人员听到这个消息时,有几个护士哭了。院长震惊了,从那一刻开始,哈利把它当作人生中最伟大的日子,并为它祈祷。
现在的问题是,怎么给他们缝制结婚礼服呢?他知道他的员工会找到办法的。一个护士提出自愿效劳时,哈利放心了。他希望这将是两位病人——朱安娜和迈克一生中最美好的时光。
一天早上,迈克出现在哈利的办公室门口,他的身体用带子缚在轮椅上,还需要借助呼吸器呼吸。
“哈利,我想结婚。”迈克大声宣布。
“结婚?”哈利张大了嘴巴,他说这话是认真的吗?他接着问道:“跟谁呢?”
“跟朱安娜,我们相爱了。”迈克答道。
"Married?"Harry's mouth dropped open.How serious was this?"To whom?"Harry asked.
"To Juana,"Michael said."We're in love."
Love.Love had found its way through the hospital doors,over two bodies that refused to work for their owners and penetrated their hearts—despite the fact that the two patients were unable to feed or cloth themselves,required ventilators just to breath and could never walk again.Michael had spinal muscular atrophy;Juana had multiple sclerosis.
Just how serious this marriage idea was,became quite apparent when Michael pulled out the engagement ring and beamed as he hadn't done in years.In fact,the staff had never seen a kinder,sweeter Michael,who had been one of the angriest men Harry's employees had ever worked with.
The reason for Michael's anger was understandable.For twenty-five years,he had lived his life at a medical center where his mother had placed him at age nine and visited him several times a week until she died.He was always a raspy sort of guy,who cussed out his nurses routinely,but at least he felt he had family at the hospital.The patients were his friends.
There even had been a girl once who went about in a squeaky wheelchair who he was sure had eyed him.But she hadn't stayed long at the center.And after spending more than half his life there,now Michael wasn't going to get to stay either.
The center was closing,and Michael was shipped to live at the rehabilitation hospital,far from his friends and worse,far from Juana.
That's when Michael turned into a recluse.He wouldn't come out from his room.He left it dark.His friends drove more than two hours to see him.But Michael's spirits sagged so low,no one could reach him.
And then,one day,he was lying in bed when he heard a familiar creaking sound coming down the hall.It sounded like that same,ancient,squeaky wheelchair that girl,Juana,had used at the center where he used to live.
爱情。爱情穿越了医院的大门,降临在两个瘫痪的人身上,并住进他们的心里——虽然这两位病人衣食无法自理,需要借助呼吸器呼吸,再也无法行走。迈克得了骨髓肌肉萎缩症,朱安娜患了多发性硬化病。
结婚的念头究竟有多认真,当迈克拿出订婚戒指,露出多年不见的笑容时,态度就更加明显了。其实,此时的迈克是工作人员见过的最和善、最温柔的时刻。之前他一直是公认的脾气最暴躁的人。
迈克的暴躁是可以理解的。25年来,他一直生活在医疗中心。9岁时,他妈妈将他送到那儿后,每周来看几次,直到她去世。他经常大发雷霆,常把护士赶走。但是,他始终觉得医院是他的家,病人们都是他的朋友。
曾经有个女孩,坐在咯吱作响的轮椅上,迈克以为她注意到自己了,可是她并没有在那儿待多久。迈克在那儿度过了大半辈子后,现在也不想待下去了。
医疗中心要关门了,他被转到康复医院,远离了那些朋友。更糟糕的是,他远离了朱安娜。
迈克开始变得孤僻,喜欢待在黑暗的房间里,整天足不出户。他的朋友驱车2个多小时来看他,但迈克依旧情绪低落,没有人能走进他的心。
有一天,他躺在床上,走廊传来一阵熟悉的吱吱声。古老的轮椅咯吱作响,就像以前他住的那个医疗中心遇见的女孩——朱安娜所坐的轮椅发出的声音。
那个吱吱声在他的门口停住了,朱安娜盯着他,问他能否和她一起外出。他立即兴奋起来,再次见到她的那一刻,他的生命似乎重新被她带了回来。
The squeaking stopped at his door,and Juana peered in and asked him to come outdoors with her.He was intrigued and from the moment he met Juana again,it was as though she breathed life back into him.
He was staring at the clouds and blue skies again.He began to participate in the hospital's recreation programs.He spent hours talking with Juana.His room was sunny and light.And then he asked Juana,who'd been living in a wheelchair since age twenty-four,if she would marry him.
Juana had already had a tough life.She was pulled out of school before finishing the third grade,because she collapsed and fell a lot.Her mother,thinking she was lazy,slapped her around.She lived in terror that her mother wouldn't want her anymore,so on the occasions when she was well enough,she cleaned house"like a little maid".
Before the age of twenty-four,like Michael,she had a tracheotomy just to breathe and that was when she was officially diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.By the time she was thirty,she had moved into a hospital with round-the-clock care.
So when Michael asked her the big question,she didn't think she could handle the pain if he was teasing.
"He told me he loved me,and I was so scared,"she said."I thought he was playing a game with me.But he told me it was true.He told me he loved me."
On Valentine's Day,Juana wore a wedding dress made of white satin,dotted with pearl beads and cut loose enough to drape around a wheelchair and a ventilator.Juana was rolled to the front of the room,assisted by Harry,who proudly gave the bride away.Her face streamed with tears.
他再次仰望蓝天白云,参加医院的娱乐活动。他会花好几个小时和朱安娜聊天。他的房间充满了阳光和欢笑。于是,他向从24岁起就在轮椅上生活的朱安娜求婚,问她是否愿意和自己一起生活。
朱安娜也曾有过一段艰辛的日子。还没念完三年级,她就被赶出了学校,只因为她身体虚弱,很容易晕倒。妈妈以为她偷懒,老是打她。她生活在恐惧中,总是担心妈妈会抛弃自己。所以,身体好些时,她就“像个小女佣似的”打扫房间。
24岁之前,她和迈克一样经历过一次气管切开手术,只是为了让呼吸更顺畅。也就是在那个时候,她被确诊为患有多发性硬化症。30岁时,她被送进医院里接受全天24小时的护理。
所以,当迈克问她这个“重大”问题时,她想,如果他只是戏弄自己的话,对她来说那将是无法忍受的痛苦。
“他说爱我时,我非常害怕,”她说,“我以为他是跟我开玩笑。但是他告诉我,他是认真的,他爱我。”
情人节那天,朱安娜穿着一件白色的绸缎婚纱,上面缀着珍珠。婚纱很大,足以盖住轮椅和呼吸器。哈利自豪地把她推到房门前,她激动地泪流满面。
迈克穿着笔挺的白衬衣和黑夹克,动了手术的脖子上还打了一个精美的蝴蝶结,脸上洋溢着幸福的微笑。
护士和病人挤满了走廊和房间,甚至连医院的大厅都挤满了医护人员。房间的每个角落里都能听到哽咽声。有史以来,医院还没有两个生活在轮椅上的人结合的先例。
Michael wore a crisp white shirt,black jacket and a bow tie that fit neatly over his tracheotomy.He beamed with pleasure.
Nurses filled the doorways.Patients filled the room.An overflow of hospital employees spilled into the halls.Sobs echoed in every comer of the room.In the hospital's history,no two people—living their lives bound to wheelchairs—had ever married.
Janet Yamaguchi,the hospital's recreation leader,had planned everything.Employees had donated their own money to buy the red and white balloons,matching flowers,and an archway dotted with leaves.Janet had the hospital chef make a three-tiered,lemon-filled wedding cake.A marketing consultant hired a photographer.
Janet negotiated with family members.It was one of the most trying and satisfying times of her life to watch the couple get married.
She thought of everything.
The final touch—the kiss—could not be completed.Janet used a white satin[71]rope to tie the couple's wheelchairs to symbolize the romantic moment.
After the ceremony,the minister slipped out trying to hold back her tears."I've performed thousands of weddings,but this is the most wonderful one I've done so far,"the minister said."These people have passed the barriers and showed pure love."
That evening,Michael and Juana rolled into their own room for the first time together.Michael and Juana knew they had moved many people with their love,and they had been given the greatest gift of all.They had the gift of love.And it's never known where it will land.
医院的娱乐带头人珍妮特早已安排好了一切活动。医护人员用捐来的钱买了红色和白色的气球,树叶缠绕的拱门上插满了鲜花。珍妮特请医院的厨师做了一个三层高的柠檬味的婚礼蛋糕。一位市场营销顾问还请来了摄影师。
珍妮特和家人谈起这件事情。看着这对有情人终成眷属,这是她这辈子最下功夫、最满意的时刻。
她考虑到了所有事情。
最后的程序——接吻——无法完成。珍妮特用一根白色绸缎将两人的轮椅绑在一起,以象征这个浪漫时刻。
婚礼结束后,牧师强忍着泪水走了出去。“我主持过成千上万次的婚礼,但这次是最激动人心的。”牧师说,“这些人跨过了障碍,寻得了最纯洁的爱情。”
那天晚上,迈克和朱安娜一齐步入他们的新房。他们知道,他们真挚的爱情打动了许多人,他们也因此收获了最珍贵的礼物——爱情。爱情会在哪里停歇,你永远都不会知道。
■我的唯一 My One and Only
◎Keith Green
It was all started when I was in high school,I still remember my love one.I am not sure if it is puppy love or first love,but I know deep inside my heart that I still remember him.
At first we were bus mate,and schoolmate too.I was in 1st year high school and he was in second.We still don't know each other before,but later on when I was sitting in front of him in the bus,he used to talk and tease me,which makes me angry with him.I used to say that I hate him but later on...I only eat my words.One day when my best friend wanted to see what I wrote in my diary,I was reading it in the bus and without noticing the guy whom I hate was sitting back of me with his buddies.He was peeping and reading the things what I wrote in the diary.I looked sharply at him and put the book down,then my friend who was in front of me that she has read what I wrote there that love is BOG,BOG,BOG in my heart.He was hearing it and suddenly without my knowledge he stood and snatched the diary from me!Whew!What he did was to read the book so loudly where everything was written there about love!Goodness!I was so shocked that I was screaming just to get it back.I couldn't believe it,because he's the most intelligent student in my school and he's the representative[72]of our school too.Then after the bus dropped me to my house there I felt that I was so flushing hotly that my cheeks were so red!There,I realized that I have a crush on him!
美丽语录
Grasp the happiness around it,don't let it slip away.
把握身边的幸福吧,不要让它擦肩而过。
一切开始于我的高中时代,直到现在我还记得他。我无法确定那是孩子间不成熟的恋情,还是我的初恋。但我知道,在我的内心深处,我依然无法将他忘记。
起初,我们只是同校生,以及搭乘同一路公车的路友。我上高一,他上高二。之前,我们并不认识对方。但是后来,坐在公车上,我坐在他的前面,他经常会拿话题取笑我,这让我十分气恼。我曾经说过讨厌他,不过后来……我食言了。一天,我最好的朋友想要看看我的日记里都写些什么,于是我就在公车上读起了我在日记本里写的东西。当然,我不知道我厌恶的那个男孩和他的一群兄弟就坐在我的后面。他偷看我写的内容。我狠狠地瞪了他一眼,赶快把日记本放下。这时,坐在我前面的好友说,她读完我写的东西后觉得爱情在我心中就是“泥潭、沼泽、令人动弹不得”。那个男孩听到这句话,在我不知道的情况下,突然站起来把我的日记本抢走了!天呐!他正在大声朗读我写的内容,日记本上写的都是关于爱情的内容!天啊!我太震惊了,尖叫着把日记本抢了回来。我简直不敢相信,因为他就是全校最聪明的学生,并且还是学校的学生代表。汽车停下后,我连忙赶回家;我浑身发热,两颊也变得通红。就在那个时候,我意识到自己有点儿喜欢他!
Sports date came,and he was the champion for C group boys for running.Whew!Wow!I was really amazed when he runs,because he always come first in running and he runs like a wind.That day I felt more feelings for him.I used to write him always in my diary,but mostly he always went to another place because of interschool quiz[73].
I cried that time,because I was missing him so much,that I wish one day he'll like me too.Then one day I just heard that he likes me!My god,I nearly faint!Rumors spread that in the bus we always fights for simple things like teasing,because I use to call him nutcracker which makes him so mad at me,and I always teased him for his pimples and about his using facial cleanser which made my whole bus mates burst out laughing,and he was blushing,and then one fine day the rumors spread that we both are loving each other!Whenever we cross our paths we just look each other casually,but my hearts beats fast because he looks at me so intensely which makes my heart tremble.I used to be always so naughty that time.One day I decided to ask my friend to write a love letter in language of German I loved,since we both are from different nations.
My friend wrote it,and in the bus I asked him to read the letter for me.He read it and explained what was written,and I know the last word written there was just I love you,but he told me that the last word means"I love you"which makes me blushed!Oh even though I know that he wasn't the one who wrote it,but it seems like he is telling it from his heart!
运动会开始了,他获得了C组男子组短跑冠军。天啊!哇!他经常获得跑步冠军,他的跑步速度飞快,就像一阵风似的,这点真的让我很惊奇。那天,我对他又多了一些感觉。我还常常在日记中提到他。可他经常不在学校,因为他参加了许多校际竞赛。
有一次,我因为太想他而哭了起来。我多么希望有一天他也会喜欢上我。一天,我居然听别人说他喜欢我!我的天啊,我差点晕了过去!以前,大家总说我们因为一些鸡毛蒜皮的小事——比如讥讽而在公车上大声争吵。因为我常常叫他“坚果钳”,这让他很不高兴。我常常取笑他因为脸上的粉刺而用洗面奶,这使得全车的人听后都捧腹大笑,他的脸唰的一下就红了。突然有一天,居然传出了我们彼此喜欢对方的谣言!无论什么时候走过街头,我们也只是偶尔互望一下,但是我的心跳加速了,因为他正用一种强烈的目光看着我,这也让我的心开始颤抖。那时,我一直很调皮。有一天,我决定让我的朋友用我喜欢的德语写一封情书,因为,我们俩不是来自同一个国家。
我的朋友真的写了一封情书。于是,在公车上,我让他把这封情书念给我听。他读了,并向我解释了信的内容。我知道情书的最后一句话写的是“我爱你”。他念到那儿时,他就告诉我那几个字的意思是“我爱你”。这句话让我面红耳赤!虽然我知道这封情书不是他写的,但那仿佛就是他的心声!
But not all the love story has happy ending...
One day,I heard that he likes another girl which makes my heart break!In the bus,I used to make him jealous of me by saying that I have a boyfriend.I made it,and he was jealous!Then examination came.I was really broken-heart when I saw him waiting for a girl in the gate!I cried,because of his caring for dating girl.Five days before the exam came,he told me in the bus that he's going to his country!My god!I can't believe it he's leaving me!The last day in the school and in the bus,I took a picture of him in my own camera!And when he went down in the bus I told bye...And then I still can't believe that he's gone.
To tell you we both are in the same bus,same school,we both are born on the same year.That was HAMLET!By Shakespeare I was the dancer,and he's Hamlet.I can never forget my one,my only one.He dreamed about me so many times!He even include the poem A KISS IN THE RAIN in his dream and we both composed a poem for each other,I composed a poem for him ONLY YOU,and he composed a poem for me SHE'S MINE.I still can't forget the happy unforgettable moments once we shared!Oh,nostalgia[74]—
然而,不是所有的爱情故事都能有个美好的结局……
一天,我听说他喜欢上了另一个女孩,我的心碎了!在公车上,为了让他嫉妒,我撒谎说自己有个男朋友。我撒了谎,他真的嫉妒了!接下来,又该考试了。当我看见他在学校门口等一个女孩时,我的心彻底地碎了!我哭了,因为他那么在乎和他约会的女孩。考试开始的5天前,他在公车上告诉我,他很快就要回国了!天呐!我简直不敢相信他要离开我了!最后一天在学校和公车上遇见他时,我用自己的相机拍下了他的照片!当他下车时,我只说了声“再见”……我还是无法相信他要离开了。
告诉你们吧!我们上同一所学校,坐同一路公交,在同一年出生。他就是哈姆雷特!在莎士比亚的作品中,我是那位舞者,他就是哈姆雷特。我永远不会忘记我的唯一。他也曾多次梦见我!甚至那首诗《雨中一吻》也在他的梦中出现。我们为彼此写了一首诗:我给他写了一首诗,题为《唯一》;他为我写了一首诗,名为《她是我的》。我依旧无法忘记那些幸福的、难以忘怀的、我们一起度过的美好时光。噢!怀念美好的往昔——
■爱的约会 Appointment with Love
◎S.L Kishor
Six minutes to six,said the clock over the information booth in New York's Grand Central Station.The tall,young Army lieutenant[75]lifted his sunburned face and narrowed his eyes to note the exact time.His heart was pounding with a beat.In six minutes he would see the woman who had filled such a special place in his life for the past 13 months,the woman he had never seen,yet whose written words had sustained him unfailingly.
Lieutenant Blandford remembered one day in particular,during the worst of the fighting,when his plane had been caught in the midst of a pack of enemy planes.In one of his letters he had confessed to her that he often felt fear,and only a few days before this battle he had received her answer,"Of course you fear...all brave men do.Next time you doubt yourself,I want you to hear my voice reciting to you,‘yeah,though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death,I will fear no evil:for thou art with me.’..."He had remembered,and it had renewed his strength.
Now he was going to hear her real voice.Four minutes to six.
A girl passed close to him,and Lieutenant Blandford stared.She was wearing a flower,but it was not the little red rose they had agreed upon.Besides,this girl was only about 18,and Hollis Meynell had told him she was 30."What of it?"he had answered."I'm 32."He was 29.
美丽语录
With the most true to myself,to meet the most should be that person.
用最真实的自己,才能遇见最应该的那个人。
在纽约的地铁中心总站,问讯处上方的时钟显示着5点54分。年轻高大的陆军中尉抬起黝黑的脸庞,眯起眼睛注意着那上面的确切时间。他的心激动地怦怦直跳。再过6分钟,他就能见到那个女人了——一个在过去的13个月占据了他心中某个特殊位置的女人。虽然他们素未谋面,但是她的信一直是支撑他的精神支柱。
布兰德福中尉还记得那一天,那是战斗最艰苦的时刻,他的飞机被敌机重重包围着。他曾在一封信中向她坦白,他经常感到畏惧。就在战斗打响的前几天,他收到了她的回信:“当然你会感到畏惧……所有勇敢的人都会那样。下次你再怀疑自己的时候,我希望你能听到我为你朗诵的声音:‘啊,虽然我要走过死亡之谷,但是我将勇往直前,因为你与我同在。’……”他记得,就是这封信让他重新振作起来的。
现在,他很快就能听到她真实的声音,还差4分钟就6点了。
一个女孩朝他走来,布兰德福中尉一惊。女孩戴着一朵花,但不是他们约定好的那种红色玫瑰花。她只有18岁的样子,而霍丽斯·梅内尔告诉过他,她已经30岁了。“有什么关系呢?”他还回信说,“我已经32岁。”其实他才29岁。
His mind went back to that book he had read in the training camp.Of Human Bondage it was;and throughout the book were notes in a woman's handwriting.He had never believed that a woman could see into a man's heart so tenderly[76],so understandingly.Her name was on the book plate:Hollis Meynell.He had got hold of a New York City telephone book and found her address.He had written;she had answered.Next day he had been shipped out,but they had gone on writing.
For 13 months she had faithfully replied.When his letters did not arrive,she wrote anyway,and now he believed that he loved her and that she loved him.
But she had refused all his pleas to send him her photograph.She had explained,"If your feeling for me has any reality,what I look like won't matter.Suppose I'm beautiful.I'd always be haunted by the feeling that you had been taking a chance on just that,and that kind of love would disgust me.Suppose I'm plain(and you must admit that this is more likely),then I'd always fear that you were only going on writing because you were lonely and had no one else.No,don't ask for my picture.When you come to New York,you shall see me and then you shall make your decision."
One minute to six...he pulled hard on a cigarette.Then Lieutenant Blandford's heart leaped.
A young woman was coming toward him.Her figure was long and slim;her blond hair lay back in curls over her delicate ears.Her eyes were as blue as flowers,her lips and chin had a gentle firmness.In her pale-green suit,she was like springtime come alive.
他想起了在训练营里看过的一本书——《人性的枷锁》,书里有一个女人写满了批注。他简直不敢相信,一个女人能如此温和、如此透彻地读懂男人的心。她的名字就写在书签上——霍丽斯·梅内尔。于是,他找来一本纽约市的电话簿,查到了地址,给她写了信,并收到了回信。因为第二天他要执行任务,就乘船离开了,可他们还是保持通信。
在过去的13个月里,她始终真挚地给他回信。常常他的信还没到,她的信就来了。因此,他相信,他们彼此深爱着对方。
可是,她一直拒绝送他照片,并曾解释道:“如果你是真心爱我,那我的外表就不再重要了。如果我长得很漂亮,我会认为,你爱的只是我的外表,那会令我很反感。如果我相貌平平(你必须承认这一点的可能性更大),那我便会担心,你和我通信只是因为内心孤独、无人倾诉。别向我要照片。你来纽约时就能见到我了,到时再做决定也不迟。”
还差1分钟就6点了,布兰德福猛吸了一口烟,心跳得更快了。
一位年轻的女士向他走来,她身材苗条,金黄的卷发散落在小巧的耳朵旁。她的双唇红润,下巴精致,一双蓝色的眼眸像花儿一样美丽。她穿着淡绿色的西装,浑身散发出一股青春的气息。
他朝她看去,一时忘了她并没有戴红色玫瑰花。他走近,发现她的嘴角露出动人的微笑。
He stared toward her,forgetting to notice that she was wearing no rose,and as he moved,a small,provocative smile curved her lips.
"Going my way,soldier?"she murmured.He made one step closer to her.Then he saw Hollis Meynell.
She was standing almost directly behind the girl,a woman well past 40,her graying hair tucked under a worn hat.She was more than plump[77];her thick ankled feet were thrust into low-heeled shoes.
But she wore a red rose on her rumpled coat.The girl in the green suit was walking quickly.Blandford felt as though he were being split into two,so keen was his desire to follow the girl,yet so deep was his longing for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned and upheld his own;and there she stood.He could see her pale,plump face was gentle and sensible;her gray eyes had a warm twinkle.
Lieutenant Blandford did not hesitate.His fingers gripped the worn copy of Human Bondage which was to identify him to her.This would not be love,but it would be something precious,a friendship for which he had been and must ever be grateful...
He squared his shoulders,saluted,and held the book out toward the woman,although even while he spoke he felt the bitterness of his disappointment."I'm John Blandford,and you—you are Miss Meynell.May—may I take you to dinner?"
The woman smiled."I don't know what this is all about,son,"she answered."That young lady in the green suit,she begged me to wear this rose on my coat.And she said that if you asked me to go out with you,I should tell you she's waiting for you in that restaurant across the street.She said it was some kind of a test."
“问路吗,军人?”她嘀咕着说。他又走近了一步,这时,他看到了霍丽斯·梅内尔。
霍丽斯·梅内尔就站在这位年轻女士的身后,一个40多岁的女人,灰白的头发塞在一顶破旧的帽子下面,很胖,厚实的双脚穿着一双低跟鞋。
可是她那皱巴巴的外套上别了一朵红色玫瑰花。穿着淡绿色西装的年轻女孩匆匆离去了。布兰德福感到自己的心被撕成了两半,他多想跟着那个年轻的女孩啊,可是他又渴望见到这个女人,毕竟是她的精神一直陪伴着他,鼓励着他。现在,她就站在那儿,苍白丰满的面庞,温柔而理性,灰色的眼里闪烁着温和的光芒。
布兰福德中尉没有犹豫,他抓紧那本破旧的《人性的枷锁》,那是向她表明身份用的。尽管这不会是爱,却是一种珍贵的东西,是他曾经拥有并要感激的友情。
尽管因为深深的失望而痛苦,他还是摆正双肩,敬了个礼,然后把那本书递给她:“我是约翰·布兰德福,您——您是梅内尔小姐吧?我能——能请你吃顿饭吗?”
那个女人笑着答道:“孩子,我不知道这是怎么回事,那位穿绿西装的年轻小姐请求我把这朵红色的玫瑰花戴在外套上。她说如果你邀请我一起出去,就告诉你,她在街对面的那家餐厅等着你。她说,这是一种考验。”
■爱情不关机 Late at Night
◎Anonywous
Today,my friend asked me a question.At night,do you turn off[78]your cell phone?If you don't,whom do you leave it on for?
I usually do not turn off my cell phone.Why?I have no idea.After reading an article,I seemed to understand a little bit:for that little bit of caring.I am now sharing this story with you.
The girl would turn her cell phone off and put it by her photo on the desk every night before going to bed.This habit had been with her ever since she bought the phone.
The girl had a very close boyfriend.When they couldn't meet,they would either call or send messages to each other.They both liked this type of communication.
One night,the boy really missed the girl.When he called her,however,the girl's cell phone was off because she was already asleep.The next day,the boy asked the girl to leave her cell phone on at night because when he needed to find her and could not,he would be worried.
美丽语录
A person,be good to yourself;Two person,treat each other.
一个人时,善待自己;两个人时,善待对方。
朋友今天问了我一个问题。深夜,你的手机会关机吗?如果不关,那是为谁而开呢?
我通常都不关机。为什么?我不清楚。但读完这篇文章后,我似乎有所了解:只为那一丝牵挂。现在,就让我与你一起分享这个故事。
每晚睡觉前,女孩都会关掉手机,把它放在桌上的照片旁。从她买手机起,就一直保持着这个习惯。
女孩有个亲密的男朋友。不见面时,他们会打电话或发信息给对方。他们都喜欢这种交流方式。
一天晚上,男孩很挂念女孩。但他给她打电话时,女孩关机了,因为她已经睡着了。次日,男孩对女孩说,希望她晚上不要关机,因为他想找她时却找不到,他会很担心。
从那天起,女孩开始了新的习惯,晚上不关手机。因为她害怕他打来电话,而自己睡觉又听不到,于是女孩经常保持警惕。日子一天天过去了,她也日渐消瘦。渐渐地,他们之间出现了隔阂。
From that day forth,the girl began a new habit.Her cell phone never shut down at night.Because she was afraid that she might not be able to hear the phone ring in her sleep,she tried to stay very alert[79].As days passed,she became thinner and thinner.Slowly,a gap began to form between them.
The girl wanted to revive[80]their relationship.One night,she called the boy.However,what she got was a sweet female voice,"Sorry,the subscriber you dialed is power off."
The girl knew that her love had just been turned off.
After a long time,the girl had a new love.No matter how well they got along,the girl,however,refused to get married.In the girl's heart,she always remembered that boy's words and the night when that phone was power off.
The girl still kept the habit of leaving her cell phone on all throughout the night,but not expecting that it would ring.
One night,the girl caught ill.In a moment of fluster,instead of calling her parents,she dialed the new boyfriend's cell phone.The boy was already asleep but his cell phone was still on.
Later,the girl asked the boy,"Why don't you turn your cell phone off at night?"
The boy answered,"I'm afraid that if you need anything at night and aren't able to find me,you'll worry."
The girl finally married the boy.
Late at night,do you turn off your cell phone?
女孩想要维系他们的关系。一天晚上,她给男孩打电话,却听到了一个甜美的女声:“对不起,您所拨打的电话已关机。”
女孩明白了,她的爱也关机了。
很久以后,女孩有了新的爱情。但无论他们相处得有多好,女孩还是拒绝结婚。在她心中,还会时常想起那个男孩的话,还有那个关机的夜晚。
女孩仍然保持着整夜开机的习惯,但是不再期待它会响起。
一天晚上,女孩生病了。慌乱中,本想给父母打电话,却打到了新男友那里。男孩已经睡了,但手机依旧开着。
后来,女孩问男孩:“为什么整晚开着手机?”
男孩回答说:“我担心你晚上有需要时找不到我,会着急。”
最终,女孩嫁给了这个男孩。
深夜,你的手机开着吗?
■爱是艰难的 Love Is Difficult
◎Rainer Maria Rilke
It is also good to love:because love is difficult.For one human being to love another human being:that is perhaps the most difficult task that has been entrusted[81]to us,the ultimate task,the final test and proof,the work for which all other work is merely preparation.That is why young people,who are beginners in everything,are not yet capable of love:it is something they must learn.With their whole being,with all their forces,gathered around their solitary,anxious,upward-beating heart,they must learn to love.But learning-time is always a long,secluded time ahead and far on into life,is solitude,a heightened and deepened kind of aloneness for the person who loves.Loving does not at first mean merging[82],surrendering,and uniting with another person(for what would a union be of two people who are unclarified,unfinished,and still incoherent).It is a high inducement[83]for the individual to ripen,to become something in himself,to become world,to become world in himself for the sake of another person;it is a great,demanding claim on him,something that chooses him and calls him to vast distances.Only in this sense,as the task of working on themselves("to hearken and to hammer day and night"),may young people use the love that is given to them.Merging and surrendering and every kind of communion is not for them(who must still,for a long,long time,save and gather themselves);it is the ultimate,is perhaps that for which human lives are as yet barely large enough.
美丽语录
Be careful...When you give your heart to someone,you also give that person the power to hurt you.
谨慎一点吧……当你把你的心给某个人,你也给了这个人伤害你的能力。
这对爱来说是件好事:因为爱也是艰难的。因为让一个人去爱另一个人,这也许是上帝指派给我们的最重大、最艰巨的首要任务,是最后的考验和证明,别的工作只不过是为此而做的准备罢了。这就是为什么一切才刚刚开始的年轻人无法去爱。他们必须先学习什么是爱,用他们的整个生命,用他们的所有力量,用积聚了他们的孤独、焦虑和充满荣誉感的心去学习爱。然而,在这个长久且专注的学习过程中,爱会永远镌刻在你的生命里——在深深的寂寞里孤独地等待,只是为了那个所爱的人。爱的涵义不是倾心、献身以及与他人结合(对于一个懵懂的、涉世不深的、办事无条理的人来说,那会是怎样的一种结合呢)。爱是一种诱惑力,它吸引着人们去变得成熟,去完善自己,去成就世界,为了另一个人去充实自己;爱是一种伟大且艰巨的要求,是它选择了一个人,并呼唤着他走向远方。如此看来,年轻人必须把爱看作他们的工作(“日夜不分的敲打、锤炼”),希望他们能够善用那些赐予他们的爱。倾心、献身以及每一种结合都不是为他们而准备的(他们还需要很长很长时间的克制和积累);因为那是爱的最高境界,是人类目前几乎无法达到的境界。
■写给在天堂的妻子 A Moving Letter to My Wife
◎Frank Fields
When Christian Spragg's wife Joanne gave birth they were full of excitement...until she died just hours later.In a moving letter,Christian tells why he'll make sure their daughter Ilaria knows all about her mum.
My darling Joanne,
I still remember the conversation we had just a month before our baby daughter Ilaria was born.
Out of the blue you asked me how I'd look after her if anything happened to you.I remember telling you not to be silly but you were serious."I'd just want you to tell her often how much her mummy loved her,"you said.
"And to tell her what sort of person I was.And make sure she's clean and tidy and eats her vegetables!"Now I'm so glad we had that conversation.And I hope I've done things as you wanted.
I just wish with all my heart that you were here to enjoy all the special moments we've shared since you were taken from us.
The memories of our time together are so treasured for me now.
美丽语录
Relationships don't need promises,terms and conditions.It just needs two people:who can trust and who can understand.
感情不需要诺言、协议与条件。它只需要两个人:一个能够信任的人,与一个愿意理解的人。
克里斯琴·斯普拉格的妻子乔安娜生下女儿的那一刻,夫妻俩都十分激动……直到几个小时后他的妻子去世。在这封感人的信中,克里斯琴讲述了为什么一定要把关于她妈妈的一切告诉他们的女儿伊拉里娅。
我亲爱的乔安娜:
我还记得我们的宝贝女儿伊拉里娅出生前一个月我们的对话。
你突然问我,如果你出了什么事,我该如何照顾我们的女儿。我记得我叫你别说傻话,可你还是一脸严肃地对我说:“我只要你时常告诉她,她的妈妈有多爱她。”
“还要告诉她我是一个怎样的人。要保证她每天都是干净整洁的,还要多吃蔬菜!”现在,我很庆幸我们有过那样的对话,我希望我能做到你要我做的事。
我衷心地希望你能和我们一起分享这些特殊时刻,那些你走之后我们一起分享的时刻。
You used to laugh when I said I fell in love with you the moment we met but I did.I saw you in a nightclub and finally gathered the courage to ask if you'd like a drink.I couldn't believe my luck when you said yes.
I asked you to be my wife in Venice.
We splashed out on a gondola ride,giggling[84]to ourselves.I remember you tilted your head up to the sun and told me that this was one of the best days of your life.And when you walked down the aisle I knew I'd married my soulmate,"the one".
When we found out you were pregnant we were ecstatic[85]and soon we discovered it was a girl and spent the months running up to the birth getting the nursery ready.
Every time our baby kicked you'd grab my hand,put it on your tummy and say,"Can you feel her,Christian?She's so lively!"
You wanted to call our daughter Ilaria after a family friend you'd met in Venice.You found out that in Latin it meant"always happy."
We saw Ilaria before she was born.We had a 3D scan where you can see your baby's face—she was beautiful.
I am so thankful we did that now.When you went two weeks past your due date the hospital near our home in Bolton wanted to induce you.It's hard for me to think straight about what happened next.
When Ilaria was ready to come the midwife told you to push but Ilaria's heartbeat dropped—she was in distress.
You looked at me in terror as we were surrounded by doctors trying to get Ilaria out.When she was born she was blue and nurses rushed her to the special care baby unit.You screamed,"Is she OK?"and all I could say was,"Yes,she's beautiful,just like you."
现在,我们的那些共同记忆对我来说是多么珍贵啊!
当我说我对你一见钟情时,你总是哈哈大笑,但我确实是那样的。我在一家夜店见到你,最后,我终于鼓起勇气问你可否请你喝一杯。当你说愿意时,我简直不敢相信,自己居然这么幸运。
我是在威尼斯向你求婚的。
我们驾着尖尖的小船行驶在威尼斯,我们尽情挥霍,开怀大笑。我记得你昂着头看着太阳,说这是你一生中最美好的日子。当你走下走廊时,我知道自己娶的是一个灵魂伴侣,“我的唯一”。
当我们发现你怀孕了时,我们是那样的狂喜。不久后,我们发现是个女儿,于是我们花了好几月的时间为分娩做准备,甚至都把托儿所安排好了呢!
每一次我们的宝宝踢你的时候,你都会把我的手放在你的肚子上,并对我说:“克里斯琴,你能感觉得到她吗?她是那么的活泼!”
自从你在威尼斯见了你家里的一个朋友之后,你就想为我们的女儿取名为伊拉里娅,因为你发现这个名字在拉丁语里的意思是“永远快乐”。
在伊拉里娅出生前我们就见过她。我们做了3D扫描,能看到宝宝的脸盘——她很漂亮。
现在,我是如此感激我们曾用扫描仪看过我们的女儿。当预产期错过两周后,离博尔顿家很近的医院决定对你实施引产。我简直无法想象接下来要发生的事情。
伊拉里娅准备出来时,助产士让你使劲用力,可伊拉里娅的心跳在减速——她处在危险中。
医生们围在我们身边想方设法取出伊拉里娅时,你用恐慌的眼神看着我。终于,她被取出来了,可是她浑身青紫。护士赶紧把她送到婴儿特别护理病房。这时,你尖叫着说:“她还好吗?”可我只能说:“是的,她很漂亮,就像你一样。”
It breaks my heart you never even saw your daughter,let alone held her.Then your heart rate started going up and your blood pressure started going down.Doctors said they had to get you into theatre straight away.
As they wheeled you out I grabbed your foot and said"I love you".It was the last time I saw you alive.
Minutes later a doctor took me aside and told me Ilaria was showing signs of major brain damage and they didn't expect her to live.I didn't know which of you to turn to first.
I went to see Ilaria in her incubator.Half an hour later doctors told me the news that would change my life forever.There had been massive bleeding and as they tried to operate you'd had a cardiac arrest.
My world fell apart.I remember shouting,"Why?"
You were just 27,healthy as can be,and now you were gone.An aneurysm had caused the bleeding.
No one could have foreseen it;the doctors did all they could.In the chapel of rest you looked like you were sleeping peacefully.I kissed your face and stroked your hair as I sobbed.
I felt totally lost.Then a nurse came to find me and said something amazing had happened and led me to Ilaria.She'd pulled all the tubes out of her chest and nose and was breathing on her own.The nurses said it was a miracle.
It seemed our Ilaria was determined to stay alive.A nurse laid her in my arms and she began to cry."Don't worry,Daddy's here,"I told her,and she immediately stopped crying.
Our daughter was going to live.
It was as if you'd said,"God,you can have me,but you're not having my daughter."
你从来没有亲眼见到我们的女儿,更别说抱一抱她了,这让我无比心碎。接着,你的心率开始升高,血压开始降低。医生说要把你直接转移到手术室。
当你被他们推走的时候,我抓住你的腿说:“我爱你。”那是我最后一次见你。
几分钟过后,一位医生把我拉到旁边跟我说,伊拉里娅的大脑有受损的迹象,他们不指望她能活下来。我不知道,在你和女儿之间,我该先照顾谁。
我去看了躺在恒温箱里的伊拉里娅。半小时后,医生告诉我一个足以永远改变我命运的消息:当他们给你注射强心剂后,想要为你做手术的时候,你大出血。
我的世界天崩地裂了,记得那时我大叫着:“为什么?”
你才27岁啊,曾经的你是那么健康,如今却这样走了。动脉瘤导致了大出血。
没人能够预料到,医生也尽力了。在医院的小礼堂里,你看上去好像只是静静地睡着了。我亲吻着你的脸颊,抚摸着你的头发,泪水浸湿了你的脸颊和头发。
我完全丧失了自我。这时,来了一个护士,她跟我说奇迹出现了,她带我去看伊拉里娅。他们已经把她的胸腔和鼻子里的导管取出来了,她正自由地呼吸着。护士们都说这是一个奇迹。
看样子我们的伊拉里娅决定要坚强地活着。一位护士把她放在我的手上,她立刻大哭起来。“别哭,爸爸在这儿呢!”我这样对她说,她马上停止了哭泣。
我们的女儿活了下来。
Suddenly,from feeling I had nothing left to live for,I had Ilaria.I changed her first nappy,gave her first bottle—I thought about how you'd have done it and tried to do it the same way.
But then it was back to the terrible reality—your funeral.
Four hundred people attended as the vicar who'd married us buried you just three years later.
And then,two days later I brought Ilaria home from the hospital.
That first night I lay in our bed,Ilaria beside me in her cot and I talked to you."Jo,you should be here,I need you,"I said.I so desperately wished you were lying beside me.
I spent my days in tears.At night I'd lay Ilaria next to me and tell her about you—how,beautiful,good and kind you were.
Photos of you were all over the house and I'd hold Ilaria close to them so she could see you.
And as she gets older,I do other things to bring you into her life.I try to cook things I know you'd have made to make our beautiful Ilaria know her mum,even if she doesn't remember you.
I hope you can hear me when I say:"I miss you Joanne but thank you for our wonderful daughter."I just wish you were here to enjoy her.
When Ilaria was a year old she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy which means she is unlikely to walk.She'll never speak properly and will require constant care.That's when I pulled myself together.I needed to,to give Ilaria the best life I can.
Although it's hard it's wonderful too,we're like two little mates.She's nearly four now and looks just like you.
And what a personality.Although she can only say a few words—"Hiya!"is her favorite—she gives me so much love and affection.She's a real cheeky little thing,and can wrap me right round her little finger.
就好像是你跟上帝说:“上帝啊,你可以带走我,但请别带走我的女儿。”
突然间,我从不知道为什么而活着的情绪里走了出来,因为我有了伊拉里娅。我为她换下第一块尿布,我给她第一个奶瓶——我总会想着你是怎么做的,然后用同样的方式做这些事。
但是,我仍旧逃脱不了残酷的现实——你的葬礼。
400人参加了你的葬礼。时隔3年,曾经为我们主持婚礼的牧师现在正主持着你的葬礼。
两天后,我把伊拉里娅从医院抱回了家。
第一天晚上,我躺在我们的床上,伊拉里娅就在我的身旁,她睡在自己的婴儿床上,而我在和你聊天。“乔,你应该在这里的,我需要你。”我说着,我是如此希望你能躺在我的身旁。
我终日以泪洗面。晚上的时候,我把伊拉里娅放在我的身旁,告诉她关于你的事——告诉她你是一个美丽、善良、贤惠的人。
房间里到处都是你的照片。我抱着她凑近这些照片,好让她能看见你。
随着她慢慢地长大,我又做了其他的事情,为的是把你带进她的生活。我试着做一些我知道你会为她做的食物给伊拉里娅,让我们的漂亮女儿知道她的妈妈,就算她不记得你。
我希望你能听到我说:“我想你,乔安娜,谢谢你给我一个这么漂亮的女儿。”我只希望你能在我身旁与我分享她的一切。
伊拉里娅1岁的时候被诊断患有大脑麻痹症,这意味着她不能走路,也无法正常地说话,而且一直需要别人的照顾。就是从那时起,我振作起来,因为我要给伊拉里娅最好的生活。
生活虽然很艰苦,可也很美好。我们俩就像是两个小伙伴一样。现在,她快4岁了,长得几乎跟你一模一样。
I gave up my job as an area sales manager so that I could devote my time to Ilaria.Every morning she attends Rainbow House,where they specialize in helping children like her.
Every time I look at her I get comfort because she's a living part of you Joanne,your legacy.
I just want you to know that whatever happens I will bring up Ilaria in a way you would have been proud of—and she will always know how special her mummy was.
I love you my darling,
Christian
多可爱的小人儿啊!虽然她只能说一些单词——“你好!”是她最爱说的——可她给了我许多的爱和欢喜。她真的是个十足厚脸皮的小家伙,她能用她的小手指把我抓个正着。
我辞去了地区销售经理的工作,这样才能把全部的时间放在伊拉里娅身上。她每天早上都会去彩虹之家,那里专门帮助像她一样的小孩。
每一次看到她的时候,我都深感安慰,因为她是你——乔安娜的生命的延续,是你留给我的宝贵遗产。
我只是想让你知道,无论发生什么事情,我都会用一种让你骄傲的方式把伊拉里娅抚养成人——她永远都会记住她的妈妈是多么的特别。
我爱你,亲爱的。
克里斯琴
■咸咖啡 Salty Coffee
◎Trinity Bluce
He met her at a party.She was outstanding,many guys were after her;but nobody paid any attention to him.After the party,he invited her for coffee.She was surprised,so as not to appear rude,she went along.As they sat in a nice coffee shop,he was too nervous to say anything and she felt uncomfortable.Suddenly,he asked the waiter,"Could you please give me some salt?I'd like to put it in my coffee."
They stared at him.He turned red,but when the salt came,he put it in his coffee and drank.Curious[86],she asked,"Why salt with coffee?"He explained,"When I was a little boy,I lived near the sea.I liked playing on the sea...I could feel its taste salty,like salty coffee.Now every time I drink it,I think of my childhood and my hometown.I miss it and my parents,who are still there."
She was deeply touched.A man who can admit that he's homesick[87]must love his home and care about his family.He must be responsible.
美丽语录
Love is not the strong vow but the simple accompany.
爱情不是轰轰烈烈的誓言,而是平平淡淡的陪伴。
他在一个聚会上遇见了她。她如此出众,许多人都追随她左右,而他又是如此普通,没人注意到他。聚会结束后,他邀请她喝咖啡,她很惊讶,但出于礼貌她还是应允了。他们坐在一家很不错的咖啡店里,他紧张地说不出话来,她感到很不舒服。突然,他问服务员:“你能给我一些盐吗?我想往咖啡里加点盐。”
每个人都很诧异地盯着他,这人太奇怪了。他的脸红了,但是服务生把盐送来时,他还是把盐加进咖啡里,喝了起来。她很好奇,便问道:“你为什么有这个嗜好?”他解释说:“当我还是一个小男孩的时候,我住在海边。我喜欢在海边玩耍……我可以感觉到海水的味道,就像加盐的咖啡一样。现在每次喝咸咖啡的时候,我总会想起我的童年、我的故乡。我很想念我的家乡、我的父母,他们还在那里。”
她被深深地感动了。那是他的真情流露。一个能告诉别人乡愁的男人,一定是一个爱家、关心家人、有家庭责任感的男人。
接着,她也开始说起了她遥远的家乡、她的童年、她的家人。那真是一次温馨的谈话,也是他们之间故事的开端。
She talked too,about her faraway hometown,her childhood,her family.That was the start to their love story.
They continued to date.She found that he met all her requirements.He was tolerant,kind,warm and careful.And to think she would have missed the catch if not for the salty coffee!
So they married and lived happily together.And every time she made coffee for him,she put in some salt,the way he liked it.
After 40 years,he passed away and left her a letter which said:
My dearest,please forgive my life-long lie.Remember the first time we dated?I was so nervous I asked for salt instead of sugar.
It was hard for me to ask for a change,so I just went ahead.I never thought that we would hit it off.Many times,I tried to tell you the truth,but I was afraid that it would ruin everything.
Sweetheart,I don't exactly like salty coffee.But as it mattered so much to you,I've learnt to enjoy it.Having you with me was my greatest happiness.If I could live a second time,I hope we can be together again,even if it means that I have to drink salty coffee for the rest of my life.
接着他们又开始约会。她发现他真是一个能够满足自己所有要求的男人。他耐心、善良、热心、细心。这是一个好男人,可她差点错过了。多亏了那杯咸咖啡!
他们结婚了,幸福地生活在一起。每次她为他煮咖啡,都会往里面放些盐,因为他喜欢。
40年后,他去世了,留给她一封信:
我最亲爱的,请原谅我一生的谎言。记得我们的第一次约会吗?我很紧张,紧张到问服务员要了盐而不是糖。
我很难要求更改,所以我就这样喝了。我从没想到我们会合得来。很多次,我想告诉你真相,但我怕那样会毁了一切。
亲爱的,我不喜欢咸咖啡。但这对你来说那么重要,我已经学会了享受它。拥有你是我最大的幸福。如果我能再活一次,我希望我们还能在一起,即使这意味着我的余生都要品尝咸咖啡。
■为爱不分手 Never Say Goodbye
◎Crystal Kanone
If I could take this moment forever,
Turn the pages of my mind
To another place and time,
We would never say goodbye.
If I could find the words,I would speak them,
Then I wouldn't be tongue-tied,
When I looked into your eyes,
We would never say goodbye.
If I could stop the moon ever rising,
Day would not become the night,
I wouldn't feel this cold inside,
And we would never say goodbye.
I wish that our dreams were frozen,
如果我可以永远拥有这一刻,
将我心中的记忆
带回到另一个时间和地点,
我们永远不会说再见。
如果我可以找到这些话,我一定把它们说出来,
这样我的舌头就不会打结,
当我注视着你的眼睛,
我们永远不会说再见。
如果我可以永远地阻止月亮升起来,
白天就不会变成黑夜,
我就不会感到内心的寒冷,
我们也永远不会说再见。
我希望我们的梦可以冻结,
Then our hearts would not be broken,
When we let each other go...
If I could steal this moment forever,
Paint a picture—perfect smile,
So our story stayed alive,
We would never say goodbye.
那么我们的心也就不会破碎,
当我们放开彼此的手时……
如果我可以永远的偷走这一刻,
画一幅图画——完美的微笑,
那么我们的故事将会继续上演,
我们永远不会说再见。
■爱情与时间 Love and Time
◎Tom Farley
Once upon a time,there was an island where all the feelings lived:Happiness,Sadness,Knowledge and all of the others,including Love.One day,it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink,so all constructed[88]boats and left,except for Love.
Love was the only one who stayed.Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment.
When the island had almost sunk,Love decided to ask for help.
Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat.Love said,"Richness,can you take me with you?"Richness answered,"No,I can't.There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat.There is no place here for you."
Love decided to ask Vanity[89]who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel[90]."Vanity,please help me!""I can't help you,Love.You are all wet and might damage my boat,"Vanity answered.
Sadness was closed by,so Love asked,"Sadness,Let me go with you.""Oh...Love,I am so sad that I need to be myself!"
美丽语录
It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it,but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives.
无疑,一件东西只有失去时,我们才会懂得其真正的价值。同样,一件东西在得到之前,我们并不会意识到它的缺少。
很久以前,一个小岛上住着所有的情感:快乐、悲伤、智慧以及其他一切情感,当然还有爱情。有一天,突然有消息声称这座小岛将会沉没,所有的情感都造好了船准备离开,除了爱情。
爱情是唯一一个留下来的,爱情希望能够坚持到最后一刻。
当小岛即将没顶之际,爱情决定寻求帮助。
财富开着一条大船经过。爱情问:“财富,你可以带上我吗?”财富答道:“不,我不能。我的船上装满了金银财宝,装不下你了。”
爱情决定问开着漂亮的船从旁边经过的虚荣。“虚荣,请你救救我吧!”“我帮不了你,爱情,你浑身湿透了,会弄脏我的船的!”
悲伤也在附近,于是爱情问:“悲伤,带我一起走吧。”“噢……爱情,我是那么痛苦,痛苦得只想一个人待着!”
Happiness passed by Love,too.But she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her.
Suddenly,there was a voice,"Come,Love,I will take you."It was an elder.So blessed and overjoyed,Love even forgot to ask the elder where they were going.When they arrived at dry land,the elder went her own away.
Realizing how much was owed the elder,Love asked Knowledge,another elder,"Who helped me?"
"It was Time,"Knowledge answered.
"Time?"asked Love."But why did Time help me?"
Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered,"Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is."
快乐也经过了爱情,可是她快乐过头了,没有听见爱情的呼唤。
突然,一个声音响起:“来吧,爱情,我来帮你。”那是一位长者。爱情十分高兴,甚至忘了问这位长者要去哪儿。当他们抵达陆地时,老人独自离开了。
爱情意识到自己亏欠老人很多,于是问身边的另一个长者智慧:“帮我的那个是谁?”
智慧老人答道:“是时间。”
“时间?可是时间为什么要帮助我?”爱情不解。
智慧意味深长地笑着,答道:“因为只有时间才能理解爱是多么宝贵。”
■倘若鸟儿回还 If It Comes Back
◎Charle Eastman
Charles saw them both at the same time:a small white bird and the girl wheeling down the walk.The bird glided downward and rested in the grass;the girl directed the chair smoothly along the sunlit,shadowy walk.She stopped to watch the ducks on the pond and when she shoved the wheels again,Charles stood up."May I push you?"he called,running across the grass to her.The white bird flew to the top of a tree.
It was mostly he who talked and he seemed afraid to stop for fear she'd ask him to leave her by herself.Nothing in her face had supported the idea of helplessness conveyed by the wheelchair,and he knew that his assistance[91]was not viewed as a favor.He asked the cause of her handicap.
"It was an automobile accident when I was 12,"Amy explained.
They went for lunch,and he would have felt awkward[92]except that she knew completely how to take care of herself.
"Do you live with someone?"he asked the next day when they met.
美丽语录
Eternity is not a distance but a decision.
永远不是一种距离,而是一种决定。
查尔斯是在同一时刻看到他们的:一只白色的小鸟和坐着轮椅漫步而来的女孩。小鸟向下滑翔而来,栖息在草丛中;女孩则缓缓地驾着轮椅,走在阳光照射下婆娑的树影间。她停下来看了看池塘里的鸭子,当她再次用手推动轮椅时,查尔斯一下子站了起来。“我来推你,好吗?”他一面喊着,一面穿过草地朝她跑去。那只小白鸟嗖地一下飞上了树梢。
大多数时间都是他在不停地说话,他似乎担心话一停,她就会请他离开,好让她一个人呆着。她的脸上根本看不到任何因为轮椅而存在的无助表情,因此他知道,自己的帮助并没有被看作一种恩惠。他问起了导致她残疾的原因。
“我12岁那年出了一场车祸。”艾米解释道。
接着,他们一起去吃了午餐。幸好她能完全自理,不然他可就尴尬了。
第二天见面时,他问道:“你和什么人住在一起吗?”
“就我自己。”她答道。尽管这正是他希望得到的答案,但是,提出这个问题还是让他有些不安,因为他自己也过得很孤独。
"Just myself,"she answered.Asking the question made him feel uneasy because of his own loneliness even though he was hoping for this answer.
He came to like to feel the white handles in his grasp,to walk between the two white-rimmed metal wheels.And he grew almost more familiar with the slight wave at the back of her hair than with her eyes or her mouth.Once,he said to the wave at the back of her hair,"I hope I'm the only chair-pusher in your life,"but she had only smiled a little and her eyes had admitted nothing.
She cooked dinner for him once in June.He expected her to be proud of her ability to do everything from her seat in the wheelchair—and was faintly disappointed to see that she would not feel pride at what was,for her,simply a matter of course.He watched his own hand pick up the salt shaker and place it on one of the higher unused shelves,and awaited her plea for[93]assistance.He didn't know why he'd done it,but the look in her eyes made him realize how cruel his prank was.To make her forget what he'd done,he told her about the little white bird in the park.
"I've seen it,too,"she said."I read a poem once about a little white bird that came to rest on a windowsill and the lady who lived in the house began to put out food for it.Soon the lady fell in love,but it was a mismatched love.Every day the little bird came to the window and the lady put out food.When the love affair was over,the little white bird never returned,but the woman went on putting out the crumbs every day for years and the wind just blew them away."
In July he took her boating frequently.The most awkward event,she felt,was getting in and out of the boat.For Charles,however,these"freight[94]handlings,"as she came to call it,seemed to be the highlight of the outings.In the boat she felt helpless,unable to move around,sitting in one spot.Also,she was unable to swim,should the boat turn over.Charles didn't observe her discomfort;she did note how much he enjoyed being in control.When he called for her one day in early August,she refused to.
他开始喜欢把轮椅的白色手柄握在手里的感觉,喜欢在那两只镶有白边的金属轮子中间推车行走。他越来越熟悉她那披在身后的、微微起伏的长发,甚至超过了对她的眼睛和嘴唇的熟悉程度。有一次,他对着她波浪一般起伏的长发说:“真希望我是你生命中唯一为你推轮椅的人。”但她只是浅浅一笑,眼里没有任何表示。
6月的时候,她曾为他做过一顿晚餐。她能坐在轮椅上做任何事情,他以为她会引以为豪——可她仅仅把这当作一件理所当然的事,并无自豪感可言,这让他有些失落。他亲手拿起盐瓶,把它放到一块较高的、不常用的碗柜搁板上,然后等着她请求帮助。他不明白自己为什么要这么做,但她的眼神让他意识到,他的恶作剧有多么残酷。为了让她忘掉自己刚才的愚蠢行为,他跟她说起了公园里的那只小白鸟。
“我也看见过那只小白鸟,”她说,“我曾经读过一首诗,诗中的小白鸟经常栖息在一户人家的窗台上,女主人开始拿出食物喂它。很快,女主人便爱上了这只鸟儿,可这场爱恋并不般配。小鸟每天飞到窗前,女主人便每天捧出食物。恋情结束之后,小白鸟一去不复返,可女主人连着几年日复一日地把面包屑放到窗台上,任风把它们吹走。”
7月的时候,他常常带她去划船。最令她尴尬的是,自己只能由查尔斯抱上抱下,她称这个为“货物装卸”。然而,对查尔斯来说,那些时刻好像就是他们户外活动最精彩的部分。在船上她感到很无助,没法四处活动,只能坐在一个地方。而且一旦船翻了,她也不会游泳。查尔斯完全没注意到她的不安;而她发现了他是那么喜欢控制别人。8月初的一天,他邀请她去划船,她拒绝了。
They would,instead,she said,go for a walk in which she would move herself by the strength of her own arms and he would walk beside her.
"Why don't you just rest your arms and let me push you?"
"No."
"Your arms will get sore.I've been helping you do it for three months now."
"I wheeled myself for 12 years before you came along."
"But I don't like having to walk beside you while you push yourself!"
"Do you think I liked sitting helpless in your boat every weekend for the past two months?"
He never considered this and was shocked into silence.Finally he said quietly,"I never realized that,Amy.You're in a wheelchair all the time—I never thought you'd mind sitting in the boat.It's the same thing."
"It is not the same thing.In this chair,I can move by myself;I can go anywhere I need to go.That boat traps me so I can't do anything—I couldn't even save myself if something happened and I fell out."
"But I'm there.Don't you think I could save you or help you move or whatever it is you want?"
"Yes,but Charles—the point is I've spent 12 years learning to manage by myself.I even live in a city that's miles from my family so I'll have to be independent and do things for myself.Being placed in the boat takes all that I've won away from me.Can't you see why I object to it?I don't want to feel helpless."
她建议他们出去散步,这样她可以凭自己的手臂力量推动轮椅,他就可以走在她的身边。
“你为什么不让自己的胳膊休息一下,让我来推你呢?”
“不用。”
“你的胳膊会酸的,3个月以来一直是我在推你的呀!”
“可在你出现之前,我推了自己12年。”
“可我不愿让你自己推轮椅,而我只是个旁观者!”
“你以为过去2个月的每个周末,我就喜欢无可奈何地坐在你的船上吗?”
他一时间惊讶得说不出话,因为他从未考虑过这点。最后,他平静地说道:“我从未意识到这一点,艾米。你一直坐在轮椅上——我没想过你会介意我让你坐在船上。我以为这是一码事。”
“这不是一回事。坐在轮椅上,我还能行动自如,想去哪里就能去哪里;而那条船却把我困住了,它让我感到无奈——万一发生了意外,我掉进水里,我甚至都无法自救。”
“可是有我在啊!难道你觉得我救不了你,不能帮你活动或是干你任何想干的事吗?”
“你能。可是,查尔斯——关键是我花了12年的时间才学会自理。我甚至搬到离家几英里远的城市,就是为了让自己独立,一切都由自己动手。把我放在船上等于剥夺了我所获得的一切。难道你不明白我为什么反对你那样做吗?我不想让自己感到无助。”
As they went down the path Charles selfishly only thought of his own needs,finally he lost control and said,"Amy,I need to have you dependent upon me."He grabbed the wheelchair and pushed her along.She had to let go of the wheels or injure herself.He could not see the anger in her eyes,and it was just as well for it was an anger he would not have understood.
She would not answer her telephone the next morning but in his mail that afternoon came an envelope that he knew had come from Amy.The handwriting was not beautiful,but it was without question hers.Inside was only a card on which she had written:
If you want something badly enough,
You must let it go free.
If it comes back to you,
It's yours.
If it doesn't,
You really never had it anyway.
(Anonymous)
He ran out of his apartment,refusing to believe that Amy might no longer be in her home.As he was running towards her apartment,he kept hearing a roar in his ears:"You must let it go free;you must let it go free."
But he thought:I can't risk it,she is mine,can't give her a chance not to belong to me,can't let her think she doesn't need me,she must need me.Oh God,I have to have her.
But her apartment was empty.Somehow in the hours overnight,she had packed—by herself—and moved by herself.The rooms were now impersonal;their cold stillness could not respond when he fell to the floor and sobbed.
By the middle of August he had heard nothing from Amy.He went often to the park but avoided looking for the white bird.
他们沿着小路继续往前走着,自私的查尔斯只顾自己的需求,最后他失去了控制,说道:“艾米,我需要你依赖着我。”他一把抓过轮椅,推着她飞跑起来。无奈,她只好放开轮子,免得伤到自己。他看不到她眼中的愤怒,这样也好,因为那种愤怒不是他所能理解的。
第二天清晨,她没有接他打来的电话。可下午的时候,查尔斯收到的信件中有一封信,他知道那一定是艾米写给自己的。字写得虽不漂亮,但可以肯定那就是她的笔迹。信封里只有一张卡片,上面写着:
如果你渴望爱情,
就必须给它自由。
倘若鸟儿回还,
它就不再飞走。
若它去无影踪,
你从未真正拥有。
(无名氏)
他冲出公寓,不肯相信艾米会搬家。他朝她的公寓狂奔而去,一路上只有一个声音在他耳边萦绕:“给它自由;你必须给它自由!”
可他心想:我不能冒这个险,她是我的,我绝不允许她不再属于我,绝不允许她有不再需要我的想法,她一定需要我。噢,上帝,我必须得到她!
然而,她的公寓早已人去楼空。她一定是在头天夜里花了几个小时收拾好行李——自己动手——然后离开的。此时此刻,房间里再也找不到任何生命的气息。他倒在地板上啜泣,回答他的只有一片阴冷的寂静。
到了8月中旬,他依然没收到艾米的任何消息。他还是常常去公园,但总是刻意地不愿看见那只白色的小鸟。
September came and had almost gone before he finally received a letter.The handwriting was without question hers.The postmark was that of a city many miles distant.He tore open the envelope and at first thought it was empty.Then he noticed a single white feather had fallen from it.In his mind,the white bird rose in flight and its wings let fly one feather.Were it not for the feather,no one would have known that the white bird had ever been.Thus he knew Amy would not be back,and it was many hours before he let the feather drop out of his hand.
来也匆匆去也匆匆的9月,他终于收到了一封熟悉的来信,毫无疑问,那就是她的笔迹。邮戳表明这封信来自另一个遥远的城市。他撕开信封,最初以为里面什么也没有,后来才发现那根从信封中飘落的洁白羽毛。他的脑海里浮现出那只小白鸟,它展翅高飞,一片羽毛从它的翅膀上飘落。若不是小白鸟离去时留下了这片羽毛,试问有谁会知道它曾经来过呢?于是,他终于明白:艾米再也不会回来了。好几个钟头之后,那根羽毛才从他的手中悄然滑落。
■真爱 True Love
◎Julie Parker
An ancient Hebraic text says:"love is as strong as death".It seems that not everyone experiences this kind of strong love.The increasing poverty,crime and war tells us that the world is in indispensable need of true love.But what is true love?
Love is something we all need.But how do we know when we experience it?
True love is best seen as the devotion and action,not an emotion.Love is not exclusively based how we feel.Certainly our emotions are involved.But they cannot be our only criteria for love.True love is when you care enough about another person that you will lay down your life for them.When this happens,then love truly is as strong as death.
How many of you have a mother,or father,husband or wife,son or daughter or friend who would sacrifice his or her own life on yours?Those of you who truly love your spells but unchildren,would unselfishly lay your life on the line to save them from death?Many people in an emergency room with their loved ones and prayed"please,God,take me instead of them".
美丽语录
Love is not counting the days but to make every day meaningful.
爱情不是数着日子过去,它让每个日子都变得有意义。
一篇古代希伯来文说:“爱和死一样强烈”。好像不是每个人都经历过这种强烈的爱。日益增加的贫穷、犯罪和战争告诉我们,这个世界极度需要真爱。但是,什么又是真爱?
爱是我们都需要的东西,但是,我们怎么知道什么时候经历了爱?
真爱最好被看成奉献和行动,而不是情感。爱不完全基于我们的感觉。当然,我们的情感也参与其中,但是,情感不能成为我们对爱的唯一标准。真爱是当你足够关心在乎另一个人,你愿意为他们放弃自己的生命。当这一切发生时,那么爱的确是和死亡一样强烈。
你们当中有多少人的父亲或母亲、丈夫或妻子、儿女或朋友愿意为你牺牲自己的生命?你们当中谁愿意无私地放弃生命来拯救你真正爱着的配偶和孩子,拯救他们脱离死亡?许多人在急救室为他们所爱的人祈祷:“上帝,请让我来代替他们”。
Find true love and be a true lover as well.May you find a love which is not only strong as death,but to leave to a truly for feeling life.
找到真爱,并成为一个真正的爱人。祝愿你找到一种爱——不仅和死亡一样强烈,而且让你真正地感受生命。
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