书城外语双语学习丛书-年华追忆
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第14章 The Best Kind of Love爱的默契(2)

There is sensitivity. Last week he walked through the door with that look that tells me its been a tough day. After he spent some time with the kids, I asked him what happened. He told me about a 60yearold woman whod had a stroke.

还有分享。我们不止“分享”家务活和做父母的负担——我们也分享我们各自的想法。上个月斯科特参加了一个会议,回家时给我捎来一本很厚的历史小说。虽然他更喜爱恐怖和科幻小说,可他还是在飞机上看了这本书。当他对我解释,看这本书只是为了可以在我看后和我进行讨论时,我从心底被他感动了。

还有宽容。当我在派对上让人尴尬地大喊大叫时,斯科特原谅了我。当他忏悔在股市上丢掉了一些存款时,我给他一个拥抱然后说:“没关系,钱不是最重要的。”

还有敏感。上周当他回来时,脸上的神情让我感觉他那一天过得很糟糕。在他和孩子们玩了一会儿后,我问他怎么啦。他说有一个六十岁的老太太得了中风。

He wept as he recalled the womans husband standing beside her bed, caressing her hand. How was he going to tell this husband of 40 years that his wife would probably never recover?

I shed a few tears myself. Because of the medical crisis. Because there were still people who have been married 40 years. Because my husband is still moved and concerned after years of hospital rooms and dying patients.

There is faith. Last Tuesday a friend came over and confessed her fear that her husband is losing his courageous battle with cancer. On Wednesday I went to lunch with a friend who is struggling to reshape her life after divorce. On Thursday a neighbor called to talk about the frightening effects of Alzheimers disease on her fatherinlaws personality. On Friday a childhood friend called longdistance to tell me her father had died.

当回忆到老太太的丈夫立在床边,握住她的手的时候,斯科特哭了。他如何对这个结婚四十年的丈夫说他的夫人很有可能永远不能康复了呢。

我也流了一些眼泪,因为这种病,也因为现在还有结婚超过四十年的夫妻。更因为我丈夫在医院工作多年之后,却依然会为病危的病人所感动,还担心着那些病人。

还有信仰。上个星期二,一个朋友到家里来,向我倾诉她丈夫正在丢失与癌症斗争的勇气。星期三,我和一个朋友在一起共进午餐——她正烦恼着结束婚姻后如何重新整理自己的生活。星期四,一个邻居告诉我老年痴呆症在她公公身上有着多么可怕的影响。星期五,一个儿时好友打长途电话告诉我说她的父亲去世了。

I hung up the phone and thought, this is too much heartache for one week. Through my tears, as I went out to run some errandserrand n.差事, 差使, 使命 .

I noticed the boisterousboisterous adj.狂暴的, 喧闹的 orange blossoms of the gladiolusgladiolus n.[植]剑兰, 唐菖蒲 outside my window. I heard the delighted laughter of my son and his friend as they played. I caught sight of a wedding party emerging from a neighbors house. The bride, dressed in satin and lace, tossed her bouquetbouquet n.花束 to her cheering friends.

That night, I told my husband about these events. We helped each other acknowledge the cycles of life and that the joys counter the sorrows. It was enough to keep us going.

在我挂断电话后,心想这个星期真是一个让人伤心的星期。哭过之后,我有事要出去一下。

我注意到新鲜艳丽的橙色剑兰正在窗外绽放。我听到我的孩子和他们的朋友一起玩耍的嬉戏声。我看到邻居家恰好正在举行婚礼。新娘穿着绸缎和蕾丝的婚纱礼服,将花束抛向为她欢呼的朋友。

那天晚上,我告诉丈夫发生的这些事。我们帮助对方来认识生命的循环,以及如何用欢乐来对抗痛苦。这就已足以让我们继续生活下去。

Finally, there is knowing. Hell be late to most appointments and eat the last chocolate in the box. He knows that I sleep with a pillow over my head; Ill lock us out of the house at a regular basis, and I will also eat the last chocolate.

I guess our love lasts because it is comfortable. No, the sky is not bluer: its just a familiar hue. We dont feel particularly young: weve experienced too much that has contributed to our growth and wisdom, taking its toll on our bodies, and created our memories.

I hope weve got what it takes to make our love last. As a bride, I had Scotts wedding band engraved with Robert Brownings line “Grow old along with me!” Were following those instructions.

最后,还有相互之间的了解。约会时他总会迟到,还经常把盒子里最后的一块巧克力吃掉。他也知道我总喜欢在头上放个枕头睡觉;把大家关在屋外是我的家常便饭,还有我也经常把盒子里最后一块巧克力吃掉。

我觉得我们的爱之所以能持续是因为它很温馨。当然,我的天空并没有变得更蔚蓝:它还是我熟悉的颜色。我们也没有特别地感到年轻:我们经历过的太多了。这些经历有助于我们成长,让我们更具智慧,让我们切身体会到痛苦,也创造了我们的回忆。

但愿我们都明白是什么让我们的爱维持下来的。在我还是新娘时,斯科特给我的结婚戒指上面刻上了罗伯特·勃朗宁的名言:“与我一起变老吧!”我们一直遵循着这些指导。

夫妻是能够在一起同甘苦共患难的,彼此间有一种默契,并能相互理解和尊重对方。要保持爱情的新鲜,靠的不是外在的东西。而是自己的心灵。一份完整的爱情,要靠双方共同来珍惜,共同来经营。相携着一起慢慢变老,让岁月永远铭刻那些一路走过来的经历,为彼此间的感情时时补充养分。