There’s the bridge over the lazy river where I love to park my bike, and just sit on the tall ledge to think penetrating thoughts, as I look down the river into the expansive horizon. How far does this river go, and what is beyond the river, and even what is beyond that? Maybe someday I can travel to experience it on my own when I get older … Many are the places I’ve since traveled, only to enlarge my curiosity further, as my awareness of the unknown has grown.
我經常把單車停在悠悠的河邊，坐在高高的橋上，眺望寬廣無盡的地平線，思考著我那些奇異的想法。這條河會流到哪里呢？河的前面是什么？前面的前面呢？也許當我長大了，我可以獨自去探索……我去過很多很多地方，都只是為了擴大我的好奇心，因為越來越意識到我對這世界的無知。

It’s only a quick ride to reach the old retired doctor’s house, whose lawn I mow weekly. He pays me a modest wage to help maintain his large yard. We always enjoy talking as we work together. I don’t remember exactly all that we talked about, but I do remember that he always listened and I felt appreciated. He sure did know a lot about what life has in store that is common to every man … His example of deliberate kindness and thoughtful wisdom showed me how to pass on the same to others younger than myself, many times over the years.
騎車到那個退休的老醫生家里只要很短的時間，我每個星期都去給他修剪草坪。他給我微薄的報酬，讓我幫忙打理他的大庭院。我們很享受工作時一起聊天的時光。我已經不能確切地記得我們到底說了些什么，但我記得他總是在聆聽，這讓我覺得自己很受尊重。他當然知道對每個普通人來說，生活將會是什么樣子。很多年以來，他傳遞善意與智慧的榜樣一直激勵著我，讓我把這些繼續傳遞給比我年輕的人。

Up ahead is her house, just three houses down from that corner. I sure do have a crush on her. She is so lovely with pretty blond hair. I need to ride past her house yet again to see if I might find her outside where I could maybe, just maybe, have the chance to talk with her after school. I’m not sure what to say given the chance, but it’s worth the risk. Too bad she never really noticed me at school, even though we shared the same classes; I wonder where she is now … Years later in college, it was just as awkward when I first met my future bride and struggled to start a conversation, but those moments surprisingly became the initial spark that turned into the real communication of our now 25-year marriage.
前方是她的家，拐角過去再過三所房子就到了。我確定我是是迷上她了。她有著美麗的金發，十分可愛。我騎著車一次又一次地經過她的門前，幻想著或許能碰見她出門，或許——只是或許，能在放學后有跟她說話的機會。我不知道這機會能否降臨，但值得冒險。不幸的是，她在學校從來沒留意過我，即使我們在一個班里上課。我很想知道她現在身在何方……幾年后，當在大學里遇見我未來的新娘時，我還是那樣笨拙地，試著去開始我們的談話。然而那些時刻，很意外的，成為燃起我們如今25年婚姻的星星之火。

Where is that special tree? I know it’s somewhere around here between these two houses, or is it the next house? I guess the tree is now long gone. Having packed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich lunch in my bicycle basket, I’m set to spend almost the entire day climbing around in it, where I can think and dream unrestrained. It is here I have found a glorious refuge; each large branch is its own lavish room comprising my expansive estate. What a rich man I am to have found such an interesting place that I can call my own! I love to climb to the very top where the highest branch is so narrow, I must hold on tight as I sway widely with it in the wind – because the higher I go, the more I can see. I can even see past the supermarket, with a glimpse of the ocean a mile beyond that. I’m glad my mother never knew how high I dared to climb … Ever since then, I have always found it well worth paying the price to reach the vantage point that affords life’s best perspective.
那棵特別的樹在哪里呢？我知道它就在這兒的某個地方，在這兩所房子之間，還是在下一座房子旁邊？我猜那棵樹已經消失很久了。那時我經常把花生醬和果凍三明治裝好，放進車籃里作為午餐，出發來到這里。我幾乎整天都待在樹上，天馬行空地幻想著。我在這兒找到了輝煌的庇護所，每一根粗壯的樹枝都是一個寬大的房間，共同構筑成我的私人莊園。能夠找到如此有趣的屬于我的領地，我是多么的富有啊！我喜歡爬上最高的地方——上得越高，我才能看得越遠。因為樹枝太細，我必須得緊緊抓住它，隨風搖擺。我的目光甚至可以越過商場，瞥見一英里外的海洋。我很高興母親從來不知道我爬得有多高。從那以來，我一直都覺得為了看見生活的光明遠景，付出代價爬上那個制高點是十分值得的。