雙語小故事，Attending to Little Things

Attending to Little Things

注重細(xì)節(jié)，它真的很重要

The little kindnesses and courtesies are so important. Small discourtesies, little unkindnesses, little forms of disrespect make large withdrawals. In relationships, the little things are the big things.

一些看似無關(guān)緊要的小事，如忽視禮貌，不經(jīng)意的失言，最能消耗情感賬戶的存款。在人際關(guān)系中，最重要的正是這些小事。
 

I remember an evening I spent with two of my sons some years ago. It was an organized father-and-son outing, complete with gymnastics, wrestling matches, hot dogs, orangeade, and a movie-- the works.

我記得幾年前的一個(gè)傍晚，正是我同兩個(gè)兒子一起外出活動(dòng)的時(shí)間，一般就是做運(yùn)動(dòng)、看摔跤比賽、吃熱狗、喝果汁和看電影這些事情。
 

In the middle of the movie, Sean, who was then four years old, fell asleep in his seat. His older brother, Stephen, who was six, stayed awake, and we watched the rest of the movie together. When it was over, I picked Sean up in my arms, carried him out to the car and laid him in the back seat. It was very cold that night, so I took off my coat and gently arranged it over and around him. When we arrived home, I quickly carried Sean in and tucked him into bed. After Stephen put on his "jammies" and brushed his teeth, I lay down next to him to talk about the night out together.

電影看到一半，4歲的兒子肖恩在座位上睡著了，6歲的史蒂芬還醒著，我們兩個(gè)人一起看完了那部電影。電影結(jié)束后，我抱起肖恩，走到我們的車前，打開車門，把他放在后座上。那天晚上很冷，于是我脫下外套，輕輕地蓋在他的身上?；氐郊?，把肖恩送上床，我又照顧6歲的史蒂芬準(zhǔn)備睡覺。他上床以后，我躺在他身邊，父子倆聊著當(dāng)晚的趣事。
 

Kindness /?ka?ndn?s/ n. 仁慈，善行

Courtesy /?k?:t?si/ n. 承蒙;謙恭有禮，禮貌

Withdrawal /w?ð?dr?:?l/ n. 移開;撤回，撤退

Remember /r??memb?(r)/ v. 記得;牢記

Gymnastics /d??m?næst?ks/ n. 體操運(yùn)動(dòng);體操，體育

There wasn't much response on his part. I found myself making conversation. I wondered why Stephen wouldn't open up more. He usually did when exciting things happened. I was a little disappointed. I sensed something was wrong; he had been so quiet on the way home and getting ready for bed. Suddenly Stephen turned over on his side, facing the wall. I wondered why and lifted myself up just enough to see his eyes welling up with tears.

他不怎么說話。我發(fā)現(xiàn)我一個(gè)人在尬聊。史蒂芬不太愿意說更多了。要知道平常他總是興高采烈地忙著發(fā)表意見，我有些小失望。覺得有點(diǎn)不對(duì)勁。從回家到準(zhǔn)備睡覺，他一直都異常的安靜。突然史蒂芬偏過頭去，對(duì)著墻。我和很好奇翻身一看，才發(fā)現(xiàn)他眼中噙著淚水。
 

"What's wrong, honey? What is it?"

“怎么啦?孩子，有什么不對(duì)嗎?”
 

He turned back, and I could sense he was feeling some embarrassment for the tears and his quivering lips and chin.

他轉(zhuǎn)過頭來，我能感到嘴唇和下巴微微的顫著，流著淚，他有點(diǎn)不好意思地問:
 

"Daddy, if I were cold, would you put your coat around me too?"

“爸，如果我也覺得冷，你會(huì)不會(huì)也脫下外套披在我身上?”
 

Response /r??sp?ns/ n. 反應(yīng);回答

Conversation /?k?nv??se??n/ n. 交談，會(huì)話

Disappointed /?d?s??p??nt?d/ adj. 失望的;沮喪的

Embarrassment /?m?bær?sm?nt/ n. 難堪;窘迫

Quiver /?kw?v?(r)/ v. 微顫，抖動(dòng)

Of all the events of that special night out together, the most important was a little act of kindness –a momentary, unconscious showing of love to his little brother.

那天晚上我們一起做了那么多事，可是在他看來，最重要的卻是我不經(jīng)意間對(duì)他弟弟流露出的父愛。
 

What a powerful, personal lesson that experience was to me then and is even now. People are very tender, very sensitive inside. I don't believe age or experience makes much difference. Inside, even within the most toughened and calloused exteriors, are the tender feelings and emotions of the heart.

這件事無論在當(dāng)時(shí)還是現(xiàn)在，對(duì)我來說都是深刻的教訓(xùn)。人的內(nèi)心都是極其柔弱和敏感的，不分年齡和資歷。哪怕是在最堅(jiān)強(qiáng)和冷漠的外表下，也往往隱藏著一顆脆弱的心。
 

Momentary /?m??m?ntri/ adj. 瞬間的;短暫的

Unconscious /?n?k?n??s/ adj. 失去知覺的，無意識(shí)的

Sensitive /?sens?t?v/ adj. 敏感的;感覺的

Calloused /?kæl?st/ adj. 粗糙的，粗硬的

Exterior /?k?st??ri?(r)/ n. 外部，外面，表面