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After 21 years of marriage, I discovered a new way of keeping alive the spark of love.
結(jié)婚21年后，我發(fā)現(xiàn)了保持愛之火花的一種新方法。
I started to go out with another woman.
我開始與另一個女人出去約會。
It was really my wife’s idea.
其實這還是我妻子的主意呢。
“I know that you love her.” she said one day, taking me by surprise.
“我知道你愛她?！庇幸惶炱拮訉ξ艺f，這令我感到十分驚訝。
“But I love you.” I protested. “I know, but you also love her.”
“但我也愛你。”我抗議道?！拔抑?，不過，你也愛她。”
The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my mother, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.
我妻子想讓我去拜訪的另一個女人，就是我的媽媽，她守寡19年了，但由于工作需要以及有三個孩子要撫養(yǎng)，我很少有機會去看望她。
That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie.
那天晚上，我打電話約她吃飯看電影。
“What’s wrong, are you well?” she asked.
“出什么事了？你還好吧？”她問。
My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news.
我媽媽是那種認(rèn)為深夜電話或出其不意的邀請代表壞消息征兆的女人。
“I thought that it would be pleasant to pass some time with you,” I responded, “just the two of us.”
“我覺得，與您共度一段時間將是一件愉快的事，”我這樣回答，“就我們兩個人?！?/p>
She thought about it for a moment, then said, “I would like that very much.”
她想了一想，然后說：“其實我很喜歡這樣。”
That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous.
周五下班后，我開車去接她，我有點兒緊張。
When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date.
到了她的住所，我注意到，她對我們的約會好像也有些緊張。
She waited in the door with her coat on.
她穿著外套在門口等我。
She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary.
她將頭發(fā)盤了起來，并且穿著最后一次結(jié)婚紀(jì)念日那天穿的套裝。
She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel’s.
天使般容光煥發(fā)的臉上帶著笑容。
“I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed,” she said, as she got into the car, “they can’t wait to hear about our meeting.”
“我告訴朋友們我要跟兒子出去約會，他們都很感動，”上車時她對我說，“他們迫不及待地想了解我們約會的情況。”
We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy.
我們?nèi)チ艘患绎埖?，雖不是一流的，卻很優(yōu)雅舒適。
My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady.
媽媽挽著我的手臂，宛如第一夫人。
After we sat down, I had to read the menu.
我們坐下后，我開始看菜單。
Her eyes could only read large print.
她的眼睛現(xiàn)在只能看清一些大字。
Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me.
透過條目的縫隙，我抬眼看到媽媽正坐在那兒盯著我。
A nostalgic smile was on her lips.
嘴上帶著懷舊的笑容。
“It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small.” she said.
“你小的時候，都是我看菜單?！彼f。
“Then it’s time that you relax and let me return the favor.” I responded.
“現(xiàn)在輪到您休息了，該我回報您了。”我答道。
During the dinner we had an agreeable conversation—nothing extraordinary—but catching up on recent events of each other’s life.
吃飯的時候，我們談得很愉快——也沒什么特別的事——只是簡單描述一下彼此生活中最近發(fā)生的事。
We talked so much that we missed the movie.
我們談得太盡興，以至于錯過了看電影。
As we arrived at her house later, she said, “I’ll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you.” I agreed.
當(dāng)我送她回到家時，她說：“我會再跟你出去約會，但前提是我邀請你。”我同意了。
“How was your dinner date?” asked my wife when I got home.
“飯吃得怎么樣??？”回到家時我妻子問。
“Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined.” I answered.
“非常好。比我想象中要好得多?！蔽一卮?。
A few days later my mother died of a massive heart attack.
幾天后，媽媽由于嚴(yán)重的心臟病發(fā)作去世了。
It happened so suddenly that I didn’t have a chance to do anything for her.
發(fā)生的如此突然以至于我沒有機會為她做任何事。
At that moment I understood the importance of saying in time: “I love you” , and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve.
那一刻，我明白了及時說出“我愛你”，以及給予我們所愛的人他們應(yīng)該得到的時間的重要性。
Nothing in life is more important than your family.
生命中沒有什么比你的家庭更重要。
Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till “some other time”.
多花些時間陪陪你的家人，因為這些事情不能被推遲到“改天”。
