本文选自《小小王林王林》的博客，点击查看博客原文

　　On my way home from coaching basketball yesterday, I was listening to WGN - my favorite talk radio station out of Chicago. I could tell right away that there was something wrong by the somber1mood of the speaker. There had been a plane crash. Two small planes collided into each other over a northern suburb of Chicago. What made the story hit close to home 2 was that Bob Collins, the morning show man for WGN, was the pilot of one of the planes and had been killed. Later that night, as I made my 40 minute drive to my thirdshift3 job, I listened as the station reminisced and paid tribute to a man who was loved by many. They told story after story,describing him as the ultimate friend, and a man who had lived lifeto the fullest. Genuine love and affection poured in from all over the country. The more I listened about how this man had influenced those around him, the more discouraged I became。

　　昨天教完篮球课，我在回家的路上听着WGN电台的节目，这是芝加哥的广播电台中我最喜欢的谈话节目电台，主持人低沉的语调让我马上得知可能有什么不好的事情发生了。那是一场空难，两架小型飞机在芝加哥北部郊区上空相撞了。这个消息让我震动，因为相撞飞机的驾驶员之一就是WGN电台早播节目主持人鲍勃·柯林斯，他在事故中遇难了。当晚我驱车40分钟去我要值夜班的地方，途中我在电台中听到了人们对他的缅怀和敬意，许多人都敬慕他。人们讲述着他的故事，一个接一个，将他说成是我们一生的朋友、一个一生充实的人。人们对他真切的喜爱和情感从全国各地倾泻而来。但关于这个人对他身边的人们造成了何等影响，我听得越多就越觉得沮丧。

　　Why you ask?

　　I was discouraged because I wanted to know why we as aculture, wait until somebody has passed away before we tell them how much we love them? Why do we wait until someone’s ears can’thear before we let them know how much they mean to us? Why do wewait until it is too late before we recall the good qualities of aperson? Why do we build someone up after they have gone intoeternity? What good does it do then? We share memory after memory,as we laugh, cry, and think back about what was positive in aperson’s life. Yes, it does help us cope with the grief of losing someone that was special to us. And yes, it does bring those whoare coping closer together. But as we lovingly remember thisperson, our words fall short of the ears that most needed to hearthem。

　　你会问我为什么这样？

　　我感到沮丧是因为我想知道，为什么我们形成了这种文化，非要等到某人去世以后才告诉他我们是多么爱他？为什么我们非要等到某人再也听不到声音了才让他知道他对我们是何等重要？为什么我们非要等到无法挽回时才回忆起某人的优秀品质？为什么我们非要等到某人与世长辞后才去赞美他？这样做究竟好处何在？我们笑着，哭着，回想起某个人一生中的亮点，分享着关于他的点滴记忆。没错，这样做确实可以帮我们减轻因失去某个特别的人而带来的悲痛。没错，这样做确实可以使我们这些与悲痛抗争的人们靠得更近。但是，就算我们热切地去怀念这个人，我们的话却再也传不到最需要听到这些话的耳朵里了。

　　Just once I would like to see a celebration of life, insteadof a gathering of death. A celebration where stories are told, eyesmist over, laughter rings out; and as the speaker concludes his orher loving tribute, the person they are honoring rises from theirchair and gives them the biggest bear hug! Wouldn’t that besomething! The special person gets to hear the stories and come tothe realization that they have made a difference on this earth. Andall this is done well before they leave their earthly bodies and gointo eternity. And when the inevitable funeral finally comes, wecan say goodbye with the knowledge that they knew exactly how people felt about them while they were here on earth。

　　我想体验一次歌颂生命的庆典，而不是悼念亡灵的聚会，哪怕只有一次。在庆典上，人们诉说着故事，泪眼朦胧，笑声时而四起。当讲话人讲出自己爱的赞颂时，那些被称赞的人从椅子中站起来与他们热情相拥！这样不是很好吗？被赞颂的人听到人们讲述他的故事，这才意识到自己在这世界上对其他人也是重要的。他们在凡身入土、离开尘世之前要经历所有这些，这样，即使他们的葬礼最终总是要到来，我们也可以与他们道别了，因为我们知道，他们了解自己在世时人们对他们的感情。

　　I now have a stronger resolve to tell those around me how much they mean to me. I am going to let my wife know just how loved and appreciated she is, not only by my words, but also by my actions. Iam going to play Batman with my four year old more often, and inthe middle of our romping, I am going to grab him, hug him tightly,and tell him how thankful I am that he is my son. I am going to sneak into my sleeping toddler’s bedroom, place my lips on hischubby cheek, and thank God for the bundle of joy he has broughtinto my life. Each day I will make a point to tell both of my boyshow much I love them, whether they are four or eighteen! Fromthere, I am going to let family and friends know the tremendous impact they have had on my life. And last but not least, I am goingto let the high school players I coach know that I look forward toeach and every minute that I get to spend with them in the gym。

　　如今，我更加坚定地要告知身边的人，让他们知道他们对我是何等重要。我要让我的妻子知道我是多么爱她、欣赏她——不仅要说出来，还要用行动向她表示。我要多多地陪4岁的儿子玩“蝙蝠侠”游戏，在嬉笑打闹中，我会抓住他，紧紧地抱着他，告诉他有这样一个儿子我是多么感激。我要悄悄走到我那熟睡的蹒跚学步的孩子床前，亲吻他胖嘟嘟的脸蛋儿，感谢上帝将如此多的欢乐带进我的生命。每一天，我都会告诉两个儿子我是多么爱他们，无论他们是4 岁还是18岁！(通过这些举动，)我要让我的家人和朋友们知道他们对我的生活有着巨大的影响。最后，但也同样重要的是，我要让跟我训练的那些中学生们知道，我向往着和他们在体育馆里一同练习的每一分钟。

　　Do you love someone? Then tell them! Has someone been aninfluence in your life? Then give them a call! Has someone made adifference in your life? Then write them a letter or send them anemail! Life is too short to leave kind words unsaid. The words yousay, or the letters you write, might just make all the differencein the world。

　　你爱着什么人吗？那就对他们说出来！有谁曾影响过你的生活吗？给他们打个电话吧！有谁在你的生命中意义非凡吗？那就给他们写封信或发一封电子邮件吧！生命过于短暂，不要让这些温暖的话埋在心底。你说的这些话或写的这些信也许会让世界大不相同。

　　1. somber a . 忧郁的；闷闷不乐的

　　2. close to home: 极大地影响某人

　　3. 三班制(three-shift system) 是最经常使用的轮班制度，各国的时间安排不尽相同， 通常“ 早班”(或“白班”)(first shift 或day shift)为6:00 a.m. ～ 2:00 p.m，“ 中班” (secondshift 或middle shift) 为2:00 p.m. ～ 10:00 p.m，“ 晚班”(“ 夜班” 或“大夜班”)(third shift， night shift 或graveyard shift)为10:00 p.m. ～ 6:00a.m.，或者将全天24 小时等分成三部分，每一部分为一班。