Isn't it incredible
這不是很令人難以置信嗎
how the longer we live on this Earth
我們在世上活得越久
the more the passage of time
越會感覺
between the world outside us
我們自身之外的時間
and the world within us seems out of
與我們內在的世界已經脫軌
I attended my 35th high school reunion recently.
最近我去參加了第35次的高中同學聚會
It was held at the 4-H camp
這次聚會在一個青少年課外教育營地舉行
that I grew up next to as a child.
我從小到大就住在營地附近
When I got there
當我來到那里
the very first thing I noticed was the little Oak trees
我注意到的第一樣東西是一株小小的橡膠樹
that I used to climb up as a boy
小時候我經常爬上去玩耍
now seemed as tall as Redwoods.
現在看起來卻像紅杉一樣矮小
How had that happened?
這是怎么回事呢
I had arrived early
我到得比預定的時間早
so I volunteered to help get things set up.
便主動幫著布置場地
I placed some chairs around the tables
我將幾把椅子放到桌子周圍
and then got drafted to blow up the party balloons.
接著我被選派去吹氣球，這些氣球會掛在聚會現場

For some reason my aging lungs couldn't seem to get my balloons quite as large as my friend's,
由于某種原因，我日漸衰老的肺似乎不能把氣球吹得足夠大，至少跟其他朋友相比是這樣
who was helping me out.
他們不得不給我幫忙
Then later when we all gathered together at the buffet table
隨后，當我們齊聚在自助餐桌前
I had to remind myself not to put too much food on my plate
我不得不提醒自己，不要在盤子里堆太多的食物
lest I be up all night again with indigestion
不讓我又會因為積食整宿整宿的睡不著覺了
I glanced through an old yearbook that was there
我翻看一本放在餐廳里的年歷
and saw my teenage self again.
又看到了青少年時期的自己
I wondered where that guy with the thick, brown hair
我想著，那個長著一頭濃密棕色頭發
and cast-iron stomach had gone.
吃鐵都能消化的青少年去了哪里?
As I started to talk to my old high school friends
我開始與舊日的高中好友談天
I noticed something else too.
我注意到了另外一件事
We all looked a little different.
我們都看起來與往日不同了
There was some with gray hair.
有些人頭發已經花白
There was some with no hair.
有些人已經禿頂
And we all seemed to have a few extra pounds and a few extra wrinkles.
我們看上去都多了幾磅肉，多了幾條皺紋
Yet, the moment we started to talk and catch up
可是，一旦我們開始交談，開始敘舊
the years melted away
歲月仿佛倒流
and our young souls shined through.
年輕的我們又從心里閃耀起來
On the outside, we all seemed a little wiser and more mature,
我們的外表看上去都更加睿智，更加成熟了
but on the inside
然而在內心深處
every single one of us was bright, beautiful, and vibrant
我們每個人還是跟孩子一樣朝氣蓬勃，志氣滿滿，活力四射
On the inside, every single one of us was still young.
在心靈深處，我們每個人都仍然年輕
35 years may have aged our bodies a bit,
35年的時光，讓我們的身體衰老了一些
but it hadn't had any effect whatsoever on our souls.
但對我們的靈魂，這些歲月卻不能磨損半分。
Our souls are created in Love.
我們的靈魂是用愛鑄就的
Our souls live through Love.
我們的靈魂在大愛之中生存
And Love never ages.
愛永不衰老
Love is both immortal and forever young.
愛是不朽的，愛青春永駐
And so are we.
所以我們也是如此
May you live all of your days here from your young soul then.
愿你帶著少時的靈魂度過此岸的每一天
May you coax your aging body along
愿你讓自己的身體忘記衰老
so it can share all the love you possibly can in this life.
愿你通過這副軀體，將此生所有的愛播撒出去

微信公眾號：英語美文朗讀 孟叔的微博：孟飛Phoenix 孟叔的抖音：184302945