雙語·有聲 雨珠和雨靴

平常事改變我們對人生的看法，

改變我們做出決定的方式，

給我們的心靈留下永久的記憶……

雨珠和雨靴

Raindrops and Rubber Boots

It』s often the simple things in life that make the most significant impact on us. Simple things that change our view of life, change the way we make decisions, leave lasting memories in our minds.

生活中影響我們最深的往往是些平常事。平常事改變我們對人生的看法，改變我們做出決定的方式，給我們的心靈留下永久的記憶。

It was late one afternoon in mid-September. My then three-month-old son was napping in his crib(嬰兒床) and I was spending the afternoon getting settled into our new home in Wisconsin. It was a rainy day. Not cold, but a steady drizzle(細雨) had been falling all morning and into the afternoon.

那是九月中旬的一個午後。我當時三個月大的兒子正在嬰兒床上睡覺，而我則利用那個下午收拾我們在威斯康星州剛入住的新家。那一天有雨，天不算冷，但是淅淅瀝瀝的細雨下了整整一個早上，到了下午還不停歇。

As I wandered through our living room, picking up toys and blankets, I happened to glance out my second story balcony(陽台) window. Puddles(水坑) had formed on the ground and the rain had slowed.

我漫無目的地走過起居室，隨手拾起玩具和毛毯，不經意間從二層陽台的窗戶向外望去。只見地面上已經形成了一個個小水坑，雨下得也不那麼急了。

Down below, where the grass met the pavement and a large puddle had formed, stood a boy of about four. He wore a T-shirt and a pair of shorts and up to his knees he sported(惹人注目的穿戴) a pair of red, rubber boots. Filled with a mixture of fascination and glee, he stomped(跺腳) through the puddle, mud and water flying. Over and over he walked, stomped, splashed through that puddle, happily enjoying what Mother Nature had left for him.

樓下草地和人行道的接合處有一個大水坑，那裡站著一個四歲左右的小男孩，穿著一件T恤衫和一條短褲，腳蹬一雙與膝同高的紅色橡膠雨靴。他的內心充滿好奇和歡喜，跺著腳走過水坑，一時間泥水四濺。就這樣，他一遍又一遍地剁腳踩過那個水坑，開心地享受著大自然母親給予他的饋贈。

Not more than four feet away stood his mother, watching as her son explored his world. She watched as water droplets(小滴), airborne(在空中的) because of his stomping, landed on the boy』s head, clothes and body. Mud flecks(斑點) flew all around him and still she stood and watched with a pleasant smile on her face. It was a simple scene that I watched from my hidden vantage(優勢) point. To an unnoticing passerby it was just two people going about their day. But from my new found sensitivity to the joys and experiences of motherhood, it was a touching moment that altered the way I will forever view my role as a mother.

男孩的媽媽就站在不到四英尺遠的地方，注視著兒子探索自己的世界。她看到濺到空中的水珠落到男孩的腦袋、衣服和身體上。男孩四周泥點亂飛，可是當媽媽的仍然站著觀看，臉上浮現出開心的笑容。我是在那個隱蔽的有利地點目睹了這普普通通的一幕。如果路人不留心觀察，那不過是兩個人在一天的尋常生活片斷。但是我初為人母，對母親的幸福和體驗特別敏感，那片刻的感動永遠地改變了我對母親職責的認識。

There stood a mother allowing her child to explore and enjoy one of the simple things of life. She showed no concern for a little mud or for the laundry(要洗的衣服) she would later have to do because of the experience. She did not worry that she might have something to get done that day-dinner to cook, the dishes to do, or a phone call to make. She simply let her son relish(喜愛) the effects of one day』s rain and enjoy his afternoon outdoors.

站在那兒的母親允許孩子探索並享受生活中平常的事物。她並沒有因為一點泥巴或者事後得給兒子洗衣服而流露出焦慮之情。她也不為那天可能要做的事操心——做飯、洗碗或者打電話。她僅僅只是讓兒子去領略某天的雨後，去享受午後的戶外時光。

And so my outlook on motherhood was altered that day because of one simple moment, a glimpse from my balcony window, a pause in my daily cleaning. I was struck at how the mother allowed her son to enjoy the puddles and promised myself that day that I would be the kind of mother who lets my child stomp through life』s puddles. I will allow him to stop and exam the sticks, rocks and bugs, to splash in the bathtub to his heart』s content, to crawl through the dirt, maybe even to blow bubbles in his milk.

於是，那天那個尋常的片刻——從陽台窗戶向外的一瞥，從每日家務清理中的暫歇——改變了我對為母之道的看法。那個媽媽放手讓她的兒子在水坑嬉戲，這讓我感到震撼，在那一天我向自己保證，身為母親我要准許孩子跺腳踩過人生的水坑。我將允許他停下來研究枝條、石頭和蟲子，允許他在澡盆里盡情潑水，允許他在泥地上爬來爬去，或許甚至允許他在牛奶里吹泡泡。

A simple moment in my life made me stop and realize just how important the simple things really are. As the little boy in the rubber boots grows up, he probably will not remember each afternoon that his mother took him outside and let him stomp in the puddles or each bug that she let him stop to touch. He may not remember each little thing that his mother does for him every day—each time she lets him explore his world. But he will remember that his mother loved him and he will know that she helped him to learn and grow in a pleasant and fun environment.

我生命中的尋常一刻使我停下來意識到平常事的重要性。等穿橡膠雨靴的小男孩長大之後，他可能不會記得母親帶他出門讓他踩水坑的每個下午，不會記得母親讓他停下來觸摸的每個蟲子。他可能記不得母親每天為他付出的點點滴滴——記不得每次母親放手讓他探索自己的世界。但是他會記住母親愛他，也會明白母親為自己的學習和成長營造了一個開心快樂的環境。

Maybe we can all learn from the innocence of childhood that views a rainstorm not as something to run through or to avoid, but something meant to fascinate, to explore and to enjoy. Maybe we should all stop to play in the rain more often. Maybe I will learn more and my views will change as my experience of motherhood grows and evolves. But one thing I know for sure. As soon as my son can walk, I am buying him a pair of rubber boots.

或許我們都能夠從孩提時代的天真中獲得啟迪：在兒童看來，一場暴雨來臨時無需匆匆穿過或避之不及，不妨為之痴迷，一邊探索一邊享受。或許我們都應該更多地在雨中駐足嬉戲。或許我會有更多心得，我的看法會隨當母親的經歷增加和發展而變化。但是有一點我很肯定。我兒子一旦會走路了，我就給他買一雙橡膠雨靴。

英文原文By Amber Price

本文摘自《新東方英語》雜誌。

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