【赫临译笔】亲情树 - 心云驛站

多年来，我一直想要有一个花园，一花就是几个小时，想象着在里面种些什么花才漂亮。

但后来我们有了马太，接着是马尔文，接着是双胞胎爱丽莎和爱伦，然后是海伦，五个孩子。我忙着养儿育女，不能侍弄花草了。

像紧迫的时间一样，钱有点紧张。当孩子们小时候，其中一个要什么花钱太多的东西时，我常常说：“你看看外面有摇钱树吗？你瞧，树上长不出钱来。”

五个孩子终于上完了高中，又上完了大学，都离开家去过自己的日子了。我又开始想要有个花园。

我还是不太确定，我的意思是，花园要花钱，这么多年来，我习惯了相当节俭地过日子，不会去做什么奢华的预算。

然后，有一年春天，在母亲节，我正在厨房里忙。我突然意识到经过的汽车在狂按喇叭。我向窗外一看，在我的院子里，新种了一棵树。我想那一定是棵垂柳，因为我看到所有的树枝上都有东西在飘动。接着，我戴上了眼镜——我不敢相信自己的眼睛。

我出去一看，千真万确！树上粘满了百元一张的美元！想想一百美元可以买到花园里所有的花！上面还粘有一张便条：“我欠你八小时的挖掘时间。爱你的马尔文。”

马尔文遵守诺言，他为我挖出了一个十英尺宽十五英尺长的漂亮的花床。其它的孩子给我买来了工具，装饰品，一个花架子，向日葵的垫脚石，还有园艺方面的书籍。

那是三年前的事，现在正如我愿，我的花园非常漂亮。当我出去除草埘花时，似乎就不太想孩子们了。感觉孩子们就和我在一起。

我住在密西根上半岛，这里夏季短暂，冬季漫长而寒冷。但每年冬季到来时，我会看着窗外，想象着明春我的小花园里会有什么花。我想到了孩子们为我做的一切，每次眼里都会涌出泪水。

我依然不知道树上是否可以长出钱，但我知道可以长出亲情。

For years I wanted a flower garden. I'd spend hours thinking of different things Icould plant that would look nice together.

But then we had Matthew. And Marvin. And the twins, Alisa and Alan. And then Helen.Five children. I was too busy raising them to grow a garden.

Money was tight, as well as time. Often when my children were little, one of them would want something that cost too much, and I'd have to say, "Do you see a money tree outside? Money doesn't grow on trees, you know."

Finally,all five got through high school and college and were off on their own. I started thinking again about having a garden.

I wasn't sure, though. I mean, gardens do cost money, and after all these years Iwas used to living on a pretty lean,no-frills budget.

Then,one spring morning, on Mother's Day, I was working in my kitchen. Suddenly, I realized that cars were tooting their horns as they drove by. I looked out the window and there was a new tree, planted right in my yard. I thought it must be a weeping willow,because I saw things blowing around on all its branches. Then I put my glasses on - and I couldn't believe what I saw.

I went outside to look. It was true! There were dollar bills, one hundred of them, taped all over that tree. Think of all the garden flowers I could buy with one hundred dollars! There was also a note attached: "IOU eight hours of digging time. Love, Marvin."

Marvin kept his promise, too. He dug up a nice ten-by-fifteen foot bed for me. And my other children bought me tools, ornaments,a trellis, a sunflower stepping stone and gardening books.

That was three years ago. My garden's now very pretty, just like I wanted. When I go out and weed o rtend my flowers, I don't seem to miss my children as much as I once did. It feels like they're right there with me.

I live up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where winters are long and cold, and summers are way too short. But every year now, when winter sets in, I look out my window and think of the flowers I'll see next spring in my little garden. I think about what my children did for me, and I get tears in my eyes - every time.

丛中笑发表于 2014-2-2 19:31
我依然不知道树上是否可以长出钱，但我知道可以长出亲情。