My father' s crocuses bloomed each spring for the next four or five seasons, bringing that same assurance every time they arrived: Hard times almost over. Hold on, keep going, light is coming soon.

　　以后的四五年中，父親種的番紅花年年在競相吐艷，每逢花開都給我帶來同樣的信心：艱難時刻就要結束。堅持不懈，繼續努力，光明就會來臨。

　　Then a spring came with only half the usual blooms. The next spring there were none. I missed the crocuses, but my life was busier than ever, and I had never been much of a gardener. I would ask Dad to come over and plant new bulbs. But I never did.

　　一年后的春天，開的花只有以往的一半。有過一年，一株花也不見了。我思念番紅花，可我的妻子比平時更加忙碌而我又不擅長養花弄草。本想叫爸爸過來再種些球莖，可我一直也沒付諸行動。

　　He died suddenly one October day. My family grieved deeply, leaning on our faith. I missed him terribly, though I knew he would always be a part of us.

　　有一年十月的一天，他突然仙逝了。全家人都沉浸在悲痛之中，我們靠信念支撐著。我深深地懷念他，我知道他將永遠和我們在一起。

　　Four years passed, and on a dismal spring afternoon I was running errands and found myself feeling depressed. You've got the winter blahs again, I told myself. You get them every year.

　　四年過去了，這年春天的一個下午，天氣陰沉郁悶，我外出辦事感到心情壓抑。難道你又犯冬季無聊癥了，我心里想。你年年犯這個毛病。

　　It was Dad ' s birthday, and I found myself thinking about him. This was not unusual--my family often talked about him, remembering how he lived his faith. Once I saw him give his coat to a homeless man. Often he ' d chat with strangers, and if he learned they were poor and hungry, he would invite them home for a meal. But now, in the car, I could not help wondering: How is he now? Where is he? Is there really a heaven?

　　這天是爸爸的生日，我不由得想到了他，這并不奇怪——家里人經常談起他，回憶他在生活中實踐自己的信念的件件往事。有一次，我曾見他把自己的外衣送給一個無家可歸的人。他常和陌生人聊天，要是聽說他們處于困頓饑餓之境，他會把他們請到家里吃上一頓飯。而今，坐在汽車中我不禁自問：他現在怎樣了?他在哪兒? 真有天國存在嗎?

　　I felt guilty for having doubts, but sometimes, I thought as I turned into our driveway, faith is so hard.

　　我為有此疑惑而感到內疚，可有時，我認為堅守信念太難了。此時，我把車拐進了我家的車道上。

　　Suddenly I slowed, stopped and stared at the lawn. Muddy grass and small gray mounds of melting snow. And there, bravely waving in the wind, was one pink crocus.

　　我猛地放慢了速度，停下車注視著草坪。草上粘滿泥污，一個個灰色小雪堆正在溶化。就在這里，有一株粉紅色的番紅花卻在不屈地迎風搖曳著。

　　How could a flower bloom from a bulb more than 18 years old, one that had not blossomed in over a decade? But there was the crocus. Tears filled my eyes as I realized its significance.

　　18年前種下的已有10多年未曾生長開花的球莖，如今怎會從新開放呢?可那確是番紅花。當我認識到其深刻含義時，不禁熱淚盈眶。

　　Hold on, keep going, light is coming soon. The pink crocus bloomed for only a day. But it built my faith for a lifetime.

　　堅持不懈，繼續努力，光明就會來臨。這株粉色番紅花只開了一天。但卻為我的一生樹立了信念。