A Small Harbor of Reconnection——让爱重温的小港

It was December in California, and we had flown in from Texas to visit our families for the holidays. The days between our arrival and Christmas Eve brimmed with a flurry of last-minute activities.

那是十二月的加利福尼亚，我们从德克萨斯飞来和亲戚们共度圣诞。从抵达目的地到圣诞节前夜的日子都被纷至沓来的岁末活动挤得满满的。

One evening we all hustled into the car to drive to a Chrismas party at the home of family friends. We were a little behind schedule because my mom, sister, and I had gotten home late after spending a long day writing checks, signing charge slips, and bringing hysterical grins of joy to the faces of local merchants at a nearby mall.

一天晚上，我们都匆忙上车前往朋友家参加圣诞聚会。妈妈、姐姐和我在附近的购物街花了一整天的时间，不停的填支票、签交费单，让当地商贩笑得合不拢嘴，回家回晚了，出发的时候已经有点落后预定计划了。

My mom looked across the front seat at my dad and said,"Whew! What a busy day! I feel like I haven't seen you in a week!"

妈妈看着在前排驾驶的爸爸说：“哎呀！真是忙碌的一天，感觉好像整整一个礼拜都没有看见你了。”

My dad grunted, checked the rearview mirror, and changed lanes at something approximating the speed of light.

爸爸嘴里咕哝着什么，一边注视着后视镜一边换车道，车速似乎接近光速了。

My mom reached over and twirled a lock of my dad's hair around her finger."I know! Let's look at each other. For just a minute. In the eyes."

妈妈伸手过去用手指缠绕着爸爸的一绺头发说：“我知道了！我们看看对方吧，就一会儿，看对方的眼睛。”

My dad responded this time. He groaned."Honey, I'm driving."

这次爸爸开口了，他哼哼道：“亲爱的，我在开车呢。”

"Ten seconds. Five! I haven't seen you all day. I need to look into your eyes. Are you ready?"

“10秒钟，要不5秒钟？我一天都没有看见你了，我要好好看看你的眼睛，行吗？”

He shook his head."I can't look right now. We'll have a wreck!"

爸爸摇摇头说：“我现在不能看你，我们会撞车的！”

"At the next light."

“那就下一个红灯的时候。”

At the speed we were traveling, we hit the next red light in no time. And sure enough, holding hands across the front seat, my parents turned and gazed into each other's eyes."Hi," my mom said."Hi,"my dad said warmly back.

我们照这个速度行驶着，一会儿工夫就到了下一个红灯。果然，父亲转过身，隔着前座与母亲手握着手，互相凝视着对方。“嗨，“妈妈说。”嗨，“爸爸热情地回应着。

Then the light changed, the gas pedal hit the floor, and the race was on again. Nothing had changed, and yet everything had changed. Most of all, I was silently moved by what I had witnessed. a small harbor of reconnection in a raging hurricane of activity and distraction.

接着灯变了，油门踩到底，赛跑又开始了。似乎什么都没有改变，但又好像一切都变了。最重要的是，我被刚才亲眼目睹的一幕悄悄打动了：在这手忙脚乱、焦头烂额的日子里，居然有这样一站让爱重温的小港湾。

（by Karen Scalf Linamen/赵斯彧  译）