中英雙字美文賞析
Your Happiness, Your Responsibility
"You are the only one who can make you happy." We have all heard that so many times in our lives.
There are times it is a pretty tough pill to swallow. In reality, the people that surround you have a huge impact on your current mood. When your children are grumpy in the morning, you find a nice pile the dog left you over night, you hit the road and the traffic won't allow you your normal speed, then when you get to work and your co-worker called in sick... these are all things that might contribute to your overall Happiness of the day.
However, moods and temporary emotions are not the same as happiness. Happiness exists when you look at the overall picture of your life and you smile, that is happiness. You know those times when you can't wait for your children to go to bed, then later you check on the kids and you almost cry because they look exactly like angels... YOUR ANGELS, sleeping so sweetly and soundly. You can hardly remember a time of irritation with them. That is Happiness.
As life progresses and changes, we realize that who we are, (what makes us, us)... that is what we are responsible for. We know that immediate gratification or irritation only pacifies or deteriorates our emotional stimuli short term. Our global view of how we see ourselves determines our state of mind. Our state of mind determines our Happiness.
So, how do we take control of our emotions and find the path of Happiness? This seems to be the million dollar question. There are tons of books on or related to the subject. You could read and practice until you are completely confused. Or, we could spend the rest of our life introspectively evaluating what makes us happy. Which might take more time and energy and actually frustrate us more.
How about this? What if we looked at ourselves and decided what we liked and didn't like and set about making changes. It doesn't have to be major alterations. Maybe you are tired of your house but can't afford to move. Try painting the living room or buying flowers to set on the kitchen table. If you haven't had a vacation for awhile and just can't afford to take that cruise, go camping instead.
Maybe the issues are more personal or internal. Do you get mad too easily? Learn yoga or meditation. Are you having marital problems? Visit a counselor. Are the kids having discipline issues? Determine the major issues, establish guidelines on how you are going to correct the problem and stick to it.
You may be saying, 'Sure, that sounds so easy but...' Of course it sounds easy. Problems are always easier to talk about than to take the obvious actions to fix them. But, for the most part, things are as difficult or as easy as we determine them to be. Sometimes we just make things harder than necessary.
If your unHappiness stems from a situation beyond your control then find other ways to compensate. If, for example, money is so tight and no apparent windfall is coming your way any time soon, find inexpensive entertainment. Backyard ballgames, picnics in the park, movie night with popcorn and snacks in your bedroom are a few alternatives to an expensive night out. If the issues are more serious and you feel powerless, that is the time to seek professional help.
Otherwise, look in the mirror and be glad. If you don't like what you see, change it. Make the solution that simple!
美文閱讀:Write Your Own Life 書寫你的生命
生命多姿多彩，快樂的，悲傷的，由自己決定；就如手中緊握著一只筆，想要什么藍(lán)圖，由自己書寫。
Write Your Own Life
書寫你的生命
Suppose someone gave you a pen — a sealed, solid-colored pen.You couldn’t seehow much ink it had.
假設(shè)有人給了你一枝筆，一枝密封的、純色的水筆，里面有多少墨水你看不到。
It might run dry after the first few tentative words or last just long enough to create a masterpiece (or several) that would last forever and make a difference in the scheme of things.You don’t know before you begin.
很可能剛剛試寫幾字便用干耗盡；也可能足以完成一部或幾部杰作，永存于世，使世事為之大變。
Under the rules of the game, you really never know.You have to take a chance!
而這一切你在動(dòng)筆之前卻是一無所知。根據(jù)游戲的規(guī)則，你確實(shí)永遠(yuǎn)也不會(huì)知道，只能冒一下險(xiǎn)。
Actually, no rule of the game states you must do anything. Instead of picking up and using the pen, you could leave it on a shelf or in a drawer where it will dry up, unused.
而事實(shí)上，也沒有規(guī)則說你就一定要做些什么。你大可以把筆擱在架子上、放在抽屜里，棄置不用，任墨水蒸發(fā)干凈。
But if you do decide to use it, what would you do with it? How would you play the game?
然而，如果你真的決定使用，你會(huì)做什么？怎么來做這個(gè)游戲？
Would you plan and plan before you ever wrote a word?
你會(huì)左計(jì)劃、右計(jì)劃，然后才慢慢下筆嗎？
Would your plans be so extensive that you never even got to the writing?
計(jì)劃會(huì)不會(huì)太泛太多，根本就達(dá)不到寫作這一步？
Or would you take the pen in hand, plunge right in and just do it, struggling to keep up with the twists and turns of the torrents of words that take you where they take you?
會(huì)不會(huì)提筆在手，迫不及待地投入其中，任由手中的筆、筆下的字帶著你在詞海中上下翻騰、左突右沖？
Would you write cautiously and carefully, as if the pen might run dry the next moment, or would you pretend or believe (or pretend to believe) that the pen will write forever and proceed accord gly?
會(huì)不會(huì)下筆謹(jǐn)小慎微，似乎墨水隨時(shí)都將干涸？會(huì)不會(huì)假裝或相信、或假裝相信筆中墨水永不會(huì)枯竭，任你揮灑？
And of what would you write: Of love? Hate? Fun? Misery? Life? Death?Nothing Everything?
你會(huì)寫些什么？愛情？仇恨？樂趣？痛苦？生命？死亡？虛無空空抑或世事萬種？
Would you write to please just yourself? Or others? Or yourself by writing for others?
是會(huì)用來自娛？還是取悅他人？還是為人寫作而愉悅自身？
Would your strokes be tremblingly timid or brilliantly bold? Fancy with a flourish or plain?
你的一筆一劃會(huì)顫抖怯懦還是亮麗大膽？花里胡哨還是樸實(shí)無華？
Would you even write? Once you have the pen, no rule says you have to write. Would you sketch? Scribble? Doodle or draw?
你確實(shí)會(huì)去寫嗎？你一旦有了這枝筆，卻也沒有規(guī)則說你一定就要去寫。你會(huì)粗粗寫來？潦潦草草？信手涂鴉？還是認(rèn)真描畫？
Would you stay in or on the lines, or see no lines at all, even if they were there? Or are they? There’s a lot to think about here, isn’t there?
你會(huì)寫在線里還是寫在線上，或者對紙上的線格根本就視而不見？真的有什么線格嗎？此時(shí)此刻，有很多東西值得思考，不是嗎？
Now, suppose someone gave you a life...
那么，假設(shè)有人給了你一次生命……
美文賞析:Next happiness,when will come？下一班幸福，幾點(diǎn)開？
下一站會(huì)更幸福嗎？沒有人知道。那只是我們美好的愿望而已。如果這一刻感覺是對的，請珍惜。把握現(xiàn)在遠(yuǎn)比憧憬未來更實(shí)際。
Next happiness,when will come？
下一班幸福，幾點(diǎn)開？
Life is full of confusing and disordering Particular time, a particular location, Do the arranged thing of ten million time in the brain, Step by step , the life is hard to avoid delicacy and stiffness No enthusiasm forever, No unexpected happening of surprising and pleasing So, only silently ask myself in mind Next happiness, when will come?
人生的紛紛擾擾，雜雜亂亂， 在一個(gè)特定的時(shí)間，特定的地點(diǎn)， 做腦海中安排了千萬遍的事， 一步一驟，人生難免精致，卻也死板， 永遠(yuǎn)沒有激情，沒有意料之外的驚喜。 于是，也只有在心里默默地問： 下一班幸福，幾點(diǎn)開？
When our family relationship, friendship, love and personal relationship became four cups different thick and Subtle tea, At push a cup to change, always have absentminded hesitation: Which on earth cup that is supposed to be first degusted in the best taste time ,which final cup ? Then the different person always have a different choice. Big customs under of the small customs is always not allowed, stick to a final twist, always wish to obtain an additional happiness
當(dāng)我們的親情、友情、愛情和私情變成了四杯濃淡不一的茶， 在推杯換盞間，總有恍惚的遲疑： 究竟哪一杯該在味道最好的時(shí)候先品，哪一杯該排到最后呢？ 然后不同的人總有不同的選擇。 大世俗下的小世俗總是不被允許， 堅(jiān)持到最后，總會(huì)獲得一份額外的幸福。
Dark light, just light each other. The responsibility that you and my shoulders take together, the such as one dust covers up. Afraid only afraid the light is suddenly put out in theendless dark night and Countless loneliness
暗黃的燈光，僅僅也只能照射過彼此。 你、我肩上共同擔(dān)當(dāng)?shù)呢?zé)任，猶如一片灰塵遮掩。 怕只怕燈絲的突然熄滅在這無盡的黑夜.數(shù)不盡的孤單
Always insisting. Use iron scoop is too cold; Use porcelain scoop is too weak; A wood scoop, engraved veins safely, engraved sky’s wasteland and glebe’s old. Just as happiness born in the years, not insolent, the every act and move blooms quietly
一直堅(jiān)持著。用鐵勺太冰冷；用瓷勺又太脆弱； 一只只木勺，刻出了紋理安然，刻出了天荒地老。 一如歲月中隱忍著的幸福，不張狂，舉手投足間悄然綻放
Hope is always more expect, engrave a bone is a fat lot looked Clear can touch, just don t know where end is. Can not find to come to the road of hour, just because of eying foot too very carefully.
希望總是多過盼望，刻骨而又絡(luò)絡(luò)可見， 清晰可觸，只是不知道終結(jié)在哪兒。 找不到來時(shí)的路，只是因?yàn)樘⌒囊硪淼淖⒁暷_下。
Then the wandering soul wild crane stands still the memory river Listen to whistle play tightly ring slowly, Water rises a ship to go medium long things of the past. Wait for a ship’s person Wait for one and other, But hesitate always should ascend which ship Missed Had to consign the hope to next time, Finally what to wait for until has no boats and ships to come and go, Sunset west .
再孤魂野鶴的佇立記憶河頭， 聽著哨子的緊奏慢響， 水漲船行中的悠悠往事。 等船的人兒， 等了一班又一班， 卻始終猶豫著該登哪一只。 錯(cuò)過的`， 只好把希望寄托到了下一回， 終究等到的是沒有船只的過往， 日落西頭 。
Six words really talk to solve each round to return to bitterness. Heart of lotus opens, body side of genial breezes walks. Constantly, only one pond water. Ripple but have no language, guarded happiness of this pond. This is from cradle to the grave one a life time
六字真言解每一個(gè)輪回苦。 心頭荷花開，身畔暖風(fēng)走。 不變的，只有那一池水。 蕩漾而無語，守住了這一池的幸福。 這就是一生一世
Happiness is so much simple, on your center of palm, a match a hand can grasp; Happiness is also very difficult, before your heel, A thousand mountains and rivers but blunder away because of Doing not turn a head
幸福好簡單，就在你手心上，一合手就能握�。� 幸福又好難，就在你腳跟前， 千山萬水卻因沒有轉(zhuǎn)頭而錯(cuò)失
Never believe, next will be better, Blunder away, never repair return of regret. Even met the god of shining in a dream, Never ask: "Next happiness, when will come?"
千萬不要相信，下一個(gè)會(huì)更好， 錯(cuò)失了，就是補(bǔ)不回的遺憾。 即使在夢中，遇見了那熠熠的神明， 也永遠(yuǎn)不要問：“下一班幸福，幾點(diǎn)開 ？"
美文背誦:The way to lift up your mood 改善心緒的方法
大多數(shù)人都有不開心的經(jīng)歷，有的人可以很快走出來，有的人卻被封鎖在自己的過去，無法自拔。情緒的好壞直接影響到我們的生活。無論你有多么難過，都要告訴自己，過去的都過去了，現(xiàn)在和未來才重要，不要讓情緒掌控自己~
The way to lift up your mood
改善心緒的方法
The Everyone has periods in their lives when everything seems very hard, when
there’s nobody to talk to and the mood is just getting worse and worse. But
why sit and think howpathetic you are? There are some things that may help you
lift up your mood. If it fails you, at least while doing these things you won
’t have time to think of your problems. You win anyway!
每一個(gè)人在其生活當(dāng)中，都有這樣的一個(gè)時(shí)期：一切事都是那么不順心，沒有人可
以交流，心緒變得越來越糟糕。但是，為什么你坐在這兒總是想著你是多么的可憐呢？這
兒有些方法能幫助你改善你的心緒。假如這些方法都不起作用的話，至少，當(dāng)你在做這些
事的時(shí)候，你就沒有時(shí)間來想你的問題。無論如何，我們是贏家！
The first thing you should try is socializing and thinking positively. It
’s very hard, because usually when we feel depressed we lock ourselves at
home and try to think about all the bad character issues we have. But if you’
ll try to force yourself and call a friend for a cup of coffee, the chances
for changing your mood into better are very good. Just try to avoid bad
thoughts. Instead, try to think only about the bright side of your life. Don’
t forget: We are what we think we are.
第一件事就是：你應(yīng)該融入人群并想積極的方面。這很難，因?yàn)橥ǔ．?dāng)我們感到失
望時(shí)，我們就會(huì)把自己鎖在家里，試圖想著我們自身的不好的品質(zhì)。但是，如果你強(qiáng)迫你
自己邀請朋友一起去喝一杯咖啡，讓自己有個(gè)機(jī)會(huì)去改變心緒，這是非常好的。避免壞的
想法，相反，你應(yīng)該想象你生活中那些精彩的一面，不要忘了：我們是我們所想象成的那
樣。
You should also try doing something only for yourself, something totally
selfish. This could be something you wanted for a long time: maybe a short
trip, a coat, a ring or anything that could lift up your mood. This doesn’t
have to be extravagant nor costly. The point of all this is being good to
yourself.
你應(yīng)該做一些專門為你自己做的事，完全是為你自己的。這可能是你一段時(shí)間以來你
所想要的東西：可能是短途旅行、一件衣服、一個(gè)戒指或者是任何能改善你心緒的東西。
這不必是非常奢侈的，也不必是非常昂貴的，只要它們有對你有好處的一面。
Not only giving presents to yourself can lift up your mood. Buying things
to others may be a perfect way to feel happy. Think of your friends, family,
relatives or even local charities，choose one person and give him a gift. It
doesn’t have to be something expensive nor big. It may be just a little toy
to your poor neighbor’s child. Making another person feel happy will make you
feel good in your heart and mind.
買禮物給自己不僅僅能改善你的心緒，買東西給別人也是一個(gè)使你感到高興的極好
方法。想想你的朋友、家庭、親戚，甚至當(dāng)?shù)氐拇壬茩C(jī)構(gòu)，選擇一個(gè)人并給他買禮物。這
不必是什么昂貴的或大的東西。這也可能是給家庭貧困的鄰居的小孩買的一個(gè)小玩具。使
他人高興也能快樂自己。
Renting a good or happy film is always a good idea. Laughter is a very
good panacea for all kinds of illness!
租一部好的或搞笑的電影也是一個(gè)好注意，笑能治百病。
Meeting a positive person should be very useful. Just try to keep your
problems off the conversation. The idea here is to get out of your shell and
have some interaction. Get involved with someone else and your mind will take
a turn as well.
與一個(gè)積極的人交流也是有用的，在談話中避開你的問題。這個(gè)理念就是：走出你
自己的圈子并與他人多些交流。多與他人在一起，你的觀點(diǎn)和想法也會(huì)轉(zhuǎn)變的。
Most bad moods and mental attitudes are the result of something that had
happened to us in the past. It is vital to your mind, soul, body and your life
on the whole that you stay in the present with all your thoughts and feelings.
Try to concentrate on the present and future to make your life better in every
possible way.
大多數(shù)不好的心緒和心理狀態(tài)是過去的事情發(fā)生的結(jié)果�？傮w上，你認(rèn)識(shí)到你所有的
想法和情感是生活在現(xiàn)在，這對你的心理、靈魂、身體和你生命是非常重要的。把你的精
力放在現(xiàn)在和未來吧，用各種方法使你的生活變得更美好。
Taking a walk in a crowded place is also one of the ways out. Seeing other
people, understanding that each of them also has days like this should force
you to do something that would change the situation.
在擁擠的人群中散步也是一種好的方法�？纯磩e人，想想他們也有與你類似的時(shí)期，
那么，你就應(yīng)該做一些能改變情形的事。
If you have too much time—volunteer it. We usually think that the
problems we have are huge, although if you’ll try to go to hospital，you’ll
see that there are a lot of people who have more severe problems. Moreover，
you’ll see that people are still working, smiling, and laughing. This kind of
work will definitely help you understand that your problems are very small and
maybe even funny.
如果你有很多的時(shí)間，去做志愿者吧。我們通常認(rèn)為我們的問題是非常巨大的，一
旦你去了醫(yī)院，你將會(huì)看到這兒有許多的人，他們的問題更嚴(yán)重。然而，這些人仍然在工
作、在開心地笑。你將會(huì)認(rèn)識(shí)到你的問題是多么渺小和多么可笑。
Try to meditate while listening to relaxation music. It helps to
concentrate your mind and relax your body.
當(dāng)你在聽音樂的時(shí)候，試圖思考一些問題，這有助于你集中精神和放松身體。
Don’t forget to be creative! Because creating things alters our mood.
Creating doesn’t include only painting or playing an instrument, it also
includes cooking, sewing, writing， photographing and many other activities.
While concentrating on creating you will forget how you have been feeling.
不要忘了創(chuàng)意！因?yàn)閯?chuàng)造一些東西也能改變我們的心緒，創(chuàng)造不僅僅包括繪畫和演奏
樂器，它還包括做飯、縫紉、寫作、攝影和其他的一些活動(dòng)。當(dāng)我們集中精力創(chuàng)造時(shí)，我
們就會(huì)忘掉我們曾經(jīng)的情感。
All you have to do is to take control of your emotions and make them
positive in spite of letting them control you. Making yourself feel better isn
’t that hard, it’s hard only to start doing something that would lift up
your mood.
所有我們必須要做的就是：控制我們的情緒并使它們積極起來，而不是讓它們來控制
你；使你感覺更好并不難，難的是你開始能做些什么事來改善你的心緒。
美文賞析:The secrets to happiness 通往幸福的秘密
我們一直在尋找，尋找幸福的密碼，走上幸福的階梯，開啟幸福的大門�？墒�，什么是幸福呢？是腰纏萬貫？眾星捧月？還是平平淡淡才是真？就讓我們一起來解讀幸福的秘密吧。
The secrets to happiness
通往幸福的秘密
We all know that money can’t buy happiness … but many times we act as if we
’d be happier with a bit more money. We are conditioned to want to be rich
(when we know the rich aren’t happy either); we are trained to want the
latest gadget or style that television tells us to want; we want to earn more
money because then we’ll have the good life.
我們都知道金錢買不來幸福，但我們都表現(xiàn)出如果我們的錢再多點(diǎn)就會(huì)更幸福的樣子
。我們習(xí)慣于想要變的更有錢(當(dāng)我們知道富人也并不快樂);在電視看到些最新的玩意兒
或是最潮的風(fēng)格，我們也想要賺更多的錢因?yàn)槟菢游覀儗?huì)擁有更好的生活。
But none of that will bring us happiness. No matter how much we earn, no
matter how much we have in the bank, no matter how nice our clothing or cars
or toys, none of it will make us happier. And the sad thing is that it could
take us decades of pursuing wealth and luxury items before we realize this.
但那些都不會(huì)帶給我們幸福。不管我們掙多少錢，不管我們在銀行擁有多少存款，不管
我們的衣服汽車玩具有多好，它們都不會(huì)讓我們更快樂。令人難過的是在我們明白這一點(diǎn)
之前，它會(huì)讓我們一直追求財(cái)富和奢侈品。
So what will bring us happiness? Luckily, it’s three things that don’t
cost a thing. These three things have been proven by research — surveys of
hundreds of thousands of people about what they have, what their lives are
like, and how happy they are.
那么，究竟什么能帶給我們幸福呢?幸運(yùn)的是，有三樣?xùn)|西，它們不需要花費(fèi)其他任何。
這三樣是被研究證明的——這項(xiàng)研究調(diào)查了數(shù)以十萬的人們，包括他們擁有什么，他們的
生活怎么樣以及他們有多快樂。
Here they are, the Three Secrets to Happiness:
那么，下面就是幸福的三個(gè)秘密：
1. Good relationships. We have a human need to be close, to be intimate,
with other human beings. Having good, supportive friendships, a strong
marriage or close and loving relationships with our family members will make
us much more likely to be happy.
Action steps: Take time, today, to spend time with your loved ones, to tell
them what they mean to you, to listen to them, and develop your relationship
with them.
1、良好的關(guān)系。我們同他人的親近、親密是人類的需求。擁有良好的、支持性的友誼
、牢固的婚姻或是同家庭成員緊密有愛的關(guān)系會(huì)使我們更可能快樂。
動(dòng)作步驟：今天就花時(shí)間同你愛的人在一起，告訴他們他們之于你的意義，傾聽他們所
說的，進(jìn)一步發(fā)展同他們的關(guān)系。
2. Positive thinking. I’m obviously a big proponent of positive thinking as
the best way to achieve your goals, but it turns out that it can lead to
happiness too. Optimism and self-esteem are some of the best indicators of
people who lead happy lives. Happy people feel empowered, in control of their
lives, and have a positive outlook on life.
Action steps: Make positive thinking a habit. In fact, this should be one of
the first habits you develop. Get into the habit of squashing all negative
thoughts and replacing them with positive ones. Instead of “I can’t” think
“I can”. It may sound corny, but it has worked for me, every time.
2、積極的思考。積極思考是達(dá)成你目標(biāo)的最佳方式，我很顯然是這一想法的強(qiáng)烈支持者
，但同時(shí)它也能指引你走向幸福。樂觀和自尊是快樂生活的人們的最佳寫照�？鞓返娜藗�
感到充滿活力，能夠控制他們的生活，同時(shí)積極看待生活。
動(dòng)作步驟：把積極思考培養(yǎng)成習(xí)慣。事實(shí)上，這應(yīng)該是你首先培養(yǎng)的習(xí)慣之一。養(yǎng)成
粉碎你的負(fù)面想法并用積極的想法替代它們的習(xí)慣。用“我能”的想法替代“我不能”。
盡管聽起來毫無新意，但對我來說每次都很奏效。
3. Flow. This is a popular concept on the Internet these days — the state we
enter when we are completely focused on the work or task before us. We are so
immersed in our task that we lose track of time. Having work and leisure that
gets you in this state of flow will almost undoubtedly lead to happiness.
People find greatest enjoyment not when they’re passively mindless, but when
they’re absorbed in a mindful challenge.
Action steps: Find work that you’re passionate about. Seriously — this is
an extremely important step. Find hobbies that you’re passionate about. Turn
off the TV — this is the opposite of flow — and get outside and do something
that truly engages you.
3、流動(dòng)。這是最近網(wǎng)絡(luò)上一個(gè)流行的概念——當(dāng)我們?nèi)褙炞⒂谘矍暗墓ぷ骱腿蝿?wù)
時(shí)我們進(jìn)入的狀態(tài)。我們太過沉浸于我們的任務(wù)以至于沒了時(shí)間觀念。擁有工作和休閑會(huì)
讓你出于流動(dòng)的狀態(tài)，這幾乎毫無疑問會(huì)讓你幸福。當(dāng)人們被動(dòng)地沒有意識(shí)時(shí)不會(huì)找尋到
巨大地愉悅感，這種感覺只有當(dāng)他們專注于挑戰(zhàn)時(shí)才能獲得。
動(dòng)作步驟：找一份你熱愛地工作。這是至關(guān)重要地一步。在找一個(gè)你有興趣地愛好。關(guān)掉
電視機(jī)(這是流動(dòng)的反面)，走到戶外，進(jìn)行些你能夠真正參與進(jìn)去的活動(dòng)。
You’ve been given the Three Secrets to Happiness. Don’t waste them!
你已經(jīng)獲得了通往幸福的三個(gè)秘密，請不要浪費(fèi)它們！
Hungry for your love 渴望你的愛
我的心跳急劇加速，我徑直地看著拉瑪?shù)难劬�，問她，“那個(gè)男孩是不是有一天告訴你，‘明天不要給我送蘋果了，我要被送到另一個(gè)集中營了’？”
“對呀，你怎么知道的�！崩�?shù)穆曇粲悬c(diǎn)顫抖，“告訴我，赫爾曼，你到底是怎么知道的啊？”
我抓住她的手說，“因?yàn)槲揖褪悄莻�(gè)男孩啊，拉瑪�！蓖高^時(shí)間的面紗，我們認(rèn)出了那藏在眼睛深處的靈魂，那是我們永遠(yuǎn)也無法停止愛戀的親人。最后，我說：“拉瑪，我再也不想和你分開了。我想要永遠(yuǎn)和你在一起。親愛的，你能嫁給我嗎？”
It is cold, so bitter cold, on this dark, winter day in 1942. But it is no different from any other day in this Nazi concentration camp. I stand shivering in my thin rags, still in disbelief that this nightmare is happening. I am just a young boy. I should be playing with friends; I should be going to school; I should be looking forward to a future, to growing up and marrying, and having a family of my own. But those dreams are for the living, and I am no longer one of them. Instead, I am almost dead, surviving from day to day, from hour to hour, ever since I was taken from my home and brought here with tens of thousands other Jews. Will I still be alive tomorrow? Will I be taken to the gas chamber tonight?
Back and forth I walk next to the barbed wire fence, trying to keep my emaciated body warm. I am hungry, but I have been hungry for longer than I want to remember. I am always hungry. Edible food seems like a dream. Each day as more of us disappear, the happy past seems like a mere dream, and I sink deeper and deeper into despair. Suddenly, I notice a young girl walking past on the other side of the barbed wire. She stops and looks at me with sad eyes, eyes that seem to say that she understands, that she, too, cannot fathom why I am here. I want to look away, oddly ashamed for this stranger to see me like this, but I cannot tear my eyes from hers.
Then she reaches into her pocket, and pulls out a red apple. A beautiful, shiny red apple. Oh, how long has it been since I have seen one! She looks cautiously to the left and to the right, and then with a smile of triumph, quickly throws the apple over the fence. I run to pick it up, holding it in my trembling, frozen fingers. In my world of death, this apple is an expression of life, of love. I glance up in time to see the girl disappearing into the distance.
The next day, I cannot help myself-I am drawn at the same time to that spot near the fence. Am I crazy for hoping she will come again? Of course. But in here, I cling to any tiny scrap of hope. She has given me hope and I must hold tightly to it.
And again, she comes. And again, she brings me an apple, flinging it over the fence with that same sweet smile.
This time I catch it, and hold it up for her to see. Her eyes twinkle. Does she pity me? Perhaps. I do not care, though. I am just so happy to gaze at her. And for the first time in so long, I feel my heart move with emotion.
For seven months, we meet like this. Sometimes we exchange a few words. Sometimes, just an apple. But she is feeding more than my belly, this angel from heaven. She is feeding my soul. And somehow, I know I am feeding hers as well.
One day, I hear frightening news: we are being shipped to another camp. This could mean the end for me. And it definitely means the end for me and my friend. The next day when I greet her, my heart is breaking, and I can barely speak as I say what must be said: "Do not bring me an apple tomorrow," I tell her. "I am being sent to another camp. We will never see each other again." Turning before I lose all control, I run away from the fence. I cannot bear to look back. If I did, I know she would see me standing there, with tears streaming down my face.
Months pass and the nightmare continues. But the memory of this girl sustains me through the terror, the pain, the hopelessness. Over and over in my mind, I see her face, her kind eyes, I hear her gentle words, I taste those apples.
And then one day, just like that, the nightmare is over. The war has ended. Those of us who are still alive are freed. I have lost everything that was precious to me, including my family. But I still have the memory of this girl, a memory I carry in my heart and gives me the will to go on as I move to America to start a new life. Years pass. It is 1957. I am living in New York City. A friend convinces me to go on a blind date with a lady friend of his. Reluctantly, I agree. But she is nice, this woman named Roma. And like me, she is an immigrant, so we have at least that in common.
"Where were you during the war?" Roma asks me gently, in that delicate way immigrants ask one another questions about those years.
"I was in a concentration camp in Germany," I reply.
Roma gets a far away look in her eyes, as if she is remembering something painful yet sweet.
"What is it?" I ask.
"I am just thinking about something from my past, Herman," Roma explains in a voice suddenly very soft. "You see, when I was a young girl, I lived near a concentration camp. There was a boy there, a prisoner, and for a long while, I used to visit him every day. I remember I used to bring him apples. I would throw the apple over the fence, and he would be so happy."
Roma sighs heavily and continues. "It is hard to describe how we felt about each other-after all, we were young, and we only exchanged a few words when we could-but I can tell you, there was much love there. I assume he was killed like so many others. But I cannot bear to think that, and so I try to remember him as he was for those months we were given together."
With my heart pounding so loudly I think it wil1 explode, I look directly at Roma and ask, "And did that boy say to you one day, 'Do not bring me an apple tomorrow. I am being sent to another camp'?"
"Why, yes," Roma responds, her voice trembling.
"But, Herman, how on earth could you possibly know that?"
I take her hands in mine and answer, "Because I was that young boy, Roma."
For many moments, there is only silence. We cannot take our eyes from each other, and as the veils of time lift, we recognize the soul behind the eyes, the dear friend we once loved so much, whom we have never stopped loving, whom we have never stopped remembering.
Finally, I speak: "Look, Roma, I was separated from you once, and I don't ever want to be separated from you again. Now, I am free, and I want to be together with you forever. Dear, will you marry me?"
I see that same twinkle in her eye that I used to see as Roma says, "Yes, I will marry you," and we embrace, the embrace we longed to share for so many months, but barbed wire came between us. Now, nothing ever will again.
Almost forty years have passed since that day when I found my Roma again. Destiny brought us together the first time during the war to show me a promise of hope and now it had reunited us to fulfill that promise.
Valentine's Day, 1996. I bring Roma to the Oprah Winfrey Show to honor her on national television. I want to tell her in front of millions of people what I feel in my heart every day:
"Darling, you fed me in the concentration camp when I was hungry. And I am still hungry, for something I will never get enough of: I am only hungry for your love."
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