一生之恋
Forever In Their Eyes
佚名 / Anonymous
Early one morning， I witnessed romance at one of the least-expected places in the world—a long-term care facility. At the time， my father shared a room with three other gentlemen. While it wasn’t an ideal situation， it was the best the administrator could do at the time.
A few days before this particular visit， an elderly couple was admitted to the facility. Since there wasn’t a double room available， they were forced to separate the couple. The gentleman， Mr. West (name has been changed) was placed in the bed beside Daddy. His wife， Mrs. West， shared a room with several other ladies down the hall.
When I went to see Daddy that morning， I met Mr. West. Three employees were working with him. He hadn’t eaten a bite of food since he was admitted several days earlier. I could tell by the expression on the nurses’ faces that they were worried about him. While one nurse was trying to get him to open his mouth with spoonfuls of gelatin， another nurse was trying to coax him to drink a health shake from a straw. The third nurse was standing nearby with a cup of water. Mr. West refused to open his mouth for any of them.
“Let’s try this，” one of the nurses said. She pulled out a lollipop， tore off the paper and offered it to Mr. West. His lips were clamped together tightly. He refused to listen to reason. Finally， he uttered something about his sweetheart， who was resting down the hall.
“Go get Mrs. West，” the nurse instructed her helper， while handing her the lollipop. “Maybe Mr. West will eat for her.”
In a few minutes a kind-looking lady was wheeled into the room. She held the lollipop in her hand. Her smile was contagious and Mr. West smiled brightly. I felt as though I was intruding on a private moment， but I couldn’t take my eyes off the couple. The love between them was obvious， as Mrs. West patted Mr. West's hand and then caressed his forehead.
With a soft voice， Mrs. West convinced Mr. West to eat. To everyone’s surprise Mr. West opened his mouth and began to enjoy the lollipop and his wife’s company. While the nurses fed him， he stared at his sweetheart with a smile on his face. Mrs. West began humming a tune to him. The expression on his once solemn face became even brighter.
Tears filled my eyes. The nurse then pulled the curtain around the couple to give them some quality time alone to visit. I discovered that romance doesn’t only exist when we’re young and in love. Romance lasts a lifetime and grows stronger with age. Before long I heard snores of contentment coming from the bed beside me.
Today， Mr. and Mrs. West reside together in a place where there are no limitations， nursing homes or wheelchairs. There are no tears in their eyes or rooms dividing them. I am convinced that the West marriage went well beyond “till death us do part” and will last throughout eternity. Not only did I witness a memorable romance that day， I saw a glimpse of forever in a loving couple’s tired and worn-out eyes.
一天清晨，我在世界上人们最不想去的地方——长期看护所里，目睹了一段浪漫故事。那时，我父亲和另外三位先生同住一间房。虽然条件不是很好，但已是当时管理员所能提供的最好环境了。
在那次特殊拜访的前几天，一对老年夫妇被送进这家看护所。因为没有多余的双人间，他们只好被分开。那位老先生，维斯特先生（化名），被安排住到我父亲的临床。而他的妻子，维斯特太太，则被安排到大厅另一侧的房间，和几位女士合住。
去看父亲的那个上午，我见到了维斯特先生。当时有三个护理员在照料他。自从住进看护所，他就没吃过一口东西。从护理员的神情中，我能看出他们很担心他。当一个护理员正用小勺哄他吃一种胶状食物时，另一个护理员则试着让他吸食一种营养汁，而第三个护理员则端着一杯水站在旁边。可是，维斯特先生却坚决不肯张嘴。
“来尝尝这个。”其中一个护理员取出一支棒棒糖，撕掉糖纸递给维斯特先生。然而他仍紧闭着双唇，不听任何人劝说。最后，他自言自语地说了一些有关他妻子的话，而她就住在大厅的另一侧。
“去把维斯特太太找来，”护理员对助手说着，随手把棒棒糖也给了他。“或许维斯特先生肯为她而吃点东西。”
几分钟后，一位和蔼可亲的老太太坐着轮椅，被推了进来，她手里拿着的正是那支棒棒糖。她的微笑极富感染力，维斯特先生也露出了灿烂的笑容。我突然觉得自己的存在仿佛侵犯了他们的私人空间，但是我却无法将视线从那对老夫妇身上移开。当维斯特太太轻拍维斯特先生的手并轻抚他的额头时，你可以真切体会到他们之间的那份爱。
维斯特太太温柔地劝说维斯特先生先吃点东西。令人惊讶的事情发生了，维斯特先生张开嘴津津有味地吃那支棒棒糖，同时也享受着妻子陪伴的欢愉。护理员喂他食物时，他始终带着笑意凝视着妻子。维斯特太太开始为他轻声哼唱。他原本严肃的脸顿时露出了轻松的表情。
我被感动得热泪盈眶。护理员拉上围帘，将他们围在其中，让他们尽情享用这段私人空间。我发觉，浪漫不仅仅是恋爱中的年轻人的专利，它会陪伴我们一生，并随着年龄的增长而变得愈加香醇。不一会儿，惬意的鼾声从旁边的床上传来。
现在，维斯特夫妇住在一个没有轮椅，没有看护室，没有任何限制自由之所。他们不会再因为房间而分离，而他们的眼中也不再有泪水。我坚信他们的婚姻已经超越了“生死相许”的誓言成为了永恒。那天，我不仅亲眼见证了一段难忘的浪漫故事，也从这对相亲相爱的老夫妇那倦怠而焦灼的眼神中，瞥到了永恒的瞬间。
心灵小语
最幸福的爱情，就是当两个人已经老去，还可以手拉着手，肩并着肩，坐在长椅上，慢慢聊那些不起眼的往事。
词汇笔记
witness ['witnis] vt. 亲眼看见；目击
I witnessed the accident.
我亲眼目睹了这场事故。
refuse [ri'fju：z] vt. & vi. 拒绝；回绝
We asked him to come， but he refused.
我们叫他来，可是他拒绝了。
nurse [n·：s] n. 护士；保育员；保姆
The nurse wore a pleated cap on her head.
护士头上戴着打褶的小帽。
reside [ri'zaid] vi. 居住；定居
They reside abroad.
他们居住在国外。
我发觉浪漫不仅仅是恋爱中的年轻人的专利，它会陪伴我们一生，并随着年龄的增长而变得越愈加香醇。
我坚信他们的婚姻超越了“生死相许”的誓言成为了永恒。那天，我不仅亲眼见证了这段难忘的浪漫故事，也从这对相亲相爱的老夫妇那倦怠而焦灼的眼神中瞥到了永恒的瞬间。
The third nurse was standing nearby with a cup of water
a cup of ：一杯
I felt as though I was intruding on a private moment， but I couldn’t take my eyes off the couple.
as though：好像；仿佛
汉诺威广场，不见不散
My Darling Wife
佚名 / Anonymous
Can it really be sixty-two years ago that I first saw you·
It is truly a lifetime， I know. But as I gaze into your eyes now， it seems like only yesterday that I first saw you， in that small cafe in Hanover Square.
From the moment I saw you smile， as you opened the door for that young mother and her newborn baby， I knew that I wanted to share the rest of my life with you.
I still think of how foolish I must have looked， as l gazed at you， that first time．I remember watching you intently， as you took off your hat and loosely shook your short dark hair with your fingers．I felt myself becoming immersed in your every detail， as you placed your hat on the table and cupped your hands around the hot cup of tea， gently blowing the steam away with your pouted lips.
From that moment， everything seemed to make perfect sense to me. The people in the cafe and the busy street outside all disappeared into a hazy blur.All I could see was you.
All through my life I have relived that very first day. Many， many times I have sat and thought about that the first day， and how for a few fleeting moments I am there， feeling again what is like to know true love for the very first time. It pleases me that I can still have those feelings now after all those years， and I know I will always have them to comfort me.
Not even as I shook and trembled uncontrollably in the trenches， did I forget your face. I would sit huddled into the wet mud， terrified， as the hails of bullets and mortars crashed down around me. I would clutch my rifle tightly to my heart， and think again of that very first day we met. I would cry out in fear， as the noise of war beat down around me. But， as I thought of you and saw you smiling back at me， everything around me would be become silent， and I would be with you again for a few precious moments， far from the death and destruction.It would not be until I opened my eyes once again， that I would see and hear the carnage of the war around me.
I cannot tell you how strong my love for you was back then， when I returned to you on leave in the September， feeling battered， bruised and fragile. We held each other so tight I thought we would burst. I asked you to marry me the very same day and I whooped with joy when you looked deep into my eyes and said “yes” to being my bride.
I’m looking at our wedding photo now， the one on our dressing table， next to your jewellery box. I think of how young and innocent we were back then. I remember being on the church steps grinning like a Cheshire cat， when you said how dashing and handsome I looked in my uniform. The photo is old and faded now， but when I look at it， I only see the bright vibrant colors of our youth.
I remember being so over-enjoyed，when a year later， you gently held my hand to your waist and whispered in my ear that we were going to be a family.
I know both our children love you dearly； they are outside the door now， waiting.
Do you remember， how I panicked like a mad man when Jonathon was born· I can still picture you laughing and smiling at me now， as I clumsily held him for the very first time in my arms. I watched as your laughter faded into tears， as I stared at him and cried my own tears of joy.
Sarah and Tom arrived this morning with little Tessie. Can you remember how we both hugged each other tightly when we saw our tiny granddaughter for the first time·
I know you are tired， my dear， and I must let you go. But I love you so much and it hurts to do so.
I must go now， my darling. Our children are waiting outside. They want to say goodbye to you.
I am sad that you had to leave me， but please don’t worry. I am content， knowing I will be with you soon. I know it won’t be long before we meet again in that small cafe in Hanover Square.
第一次见到你，真的已经是62年前的事了吗？我明白，这是一生的缘分。但此时，当我凝望着你的双眸时，一切又都像是就发生在昨天，在汉诺威广场的那间小咖啡店里。
当时，你正在为一位年轻的母亲和她的新生宝贝开门，就在那一瞬间，我看到了你的微笑；从那一刻开始，我就知道，我要与你共度我的余生。
时至今日，我仍然觉得，初次遇到你时，我凝望你的眼神看起来一定很愚钝。我记得，当时我呆呆地望着你摘下帽子，用手指轻柔地抚弄着你的黑发。
你把帽子放在桌上，双手捧一杯热气腾腾的茶，嘟着嘴轻轻地吹开热气，那一刻，我感觉自己已经完全沉醉在你的一举一动中了。
从那时起，每一件事对我来说都好像是有意义的。咖啡店里的人们，以及行走于匆忙的街道上的人们顿时都消失在了迷雾之中。我的眼中只有你。
在我的一生之中，那次的初遇曾多次在我的脑中重现。一次又一次，我坐在那里，回味着当时的情形，感受岁月如梭，再次体味着你我初遇时的那份真爱。令我感到欣慰的是，多年以后的今天我仍然能够重拾那份感觉，而我也知道这是我生命中永远的慰藉。
即使我在战壕中不由自主地战栗和发抖时，我也没有忘记你的容颜。我蜷缩在潮湿的泥浆中，恐惧和枪林弹雨包围着我。我握着步枪，将其紧紧地贴在胸口，再次回想着我们的初遇。当战争的号角吹响时，我在恐惧中大叫。但是当我想到你，看到你在我的背后微笑，周围的一切顿时便陷入沉寂，我与你在这宝贵的时刻里相遇，暂时远离死亡和毁灭。直到我再次睁开双眼，我才又看到和听到周围的战火和屠杀。
九月，我回到了你身边，那时的我，因受伤痛的折磨而变得脆弱不堪，我无法告诉你我对你的爱是多么的强烈。我们彼此紧紧拥抱，仿佛想溶入对方的身体，就在这一天，我向你求婚。当你注视我的双眼，说“我愿意”时，兴高采烈的我兴奋得大叫。
此时，我正看着我们的结婚照，我一直把它放在梳妆台上——你的首饰盒旁边。那时的我们是多么年轻和天真啊！我记得你说我穿制服很神勇英俊，而那时我正站在教堂的台阶上，咧着嘴笑得像只柴郡猫。这张照片已经有些泛黄和褪色，但是当我看着它，眼里却只有我们年轻时灿烂的容颜。
一年后，你轻轻地将我的手放在你的腹部，悄悄地告诉我，我们有孩子了，而那一刻，我记得我几乎被这突如其来的幸福击倒！
我知道我们的两个孩子都深深地爱着你，此时，他们就在门外等候着。
你记得吗？乔纳森出世时，我是多么慌张！我还记得，当我第一次把他抱在怀中，你含笑望着我时的表情。微笑中，你的眼泪夺眶而出，我望着他，也流下了开心的眼泪。
萨拉和汤姆今天早上带着小泰西来了。你还记得我们初次看到我们的小孙女时，曾紧紧地拥抱在一起吗？
亲爱的，我知道你很累，我必须要放你走。但我是如此爱你，让你离开，我好难过。
亲爱的，我必须得走了，孩子们正在外面等我，他们也希望能同你道别。
你要离开我了，我很悲痛，但是请不要担心，只要一想到我很快就能去陪你，我就感到欣慰。我知道，不久之后，我们就会在汉诺威广场上的那间小咖啡店里再次相聚。
心灵小语
当爱到了一个境界，就会冲破生死的束缚。真爱，是永恒的，不会因为时间、地域又或其它而改变。当一个人，真爱一个人，不管他们是否阴阳相隔，他们的心也在一起。
词汇笔记
gaze [geiz] v. 凝视；注视
The climbers stood on the top of the mountain， gazing at the
splendid view.
登山队员们站在山顶，凝视壮丽的景色。
trench [trent·] n. 深沟；地沟
The farmer dug several trenches to irrigate the rice fields.
这个农民挖了好几条沟以灌溉稻田。
innocent ['in·snt] adj. 清白的；无罪的；无辜的
They have imprisoned an innocent man.
他们监禁了一个无辜的男子。
darling ['dɑrli·] n. 心爱的人；亲爱的；宝贝；亲切友好的人；备受宠爱的人；宠儿
She’s a little darling！
她是小宝贝！
你把帽子放在桌上，双手捧起一杯热气腾腾的茶，嘟着嘴轻轻地吹开升腾而起的热气，那一刻，我感觉自己已经完全沉醉在你的举动中了。
一次又一次，我坐在那里回味着当时的情形，感受岁月如梭，再次体味着你我初遇时的那份真爱。
I felt myself becoming immersed in your every detail.
Immerse in：沉浸；陶醉
Not even as I shook and trembled uncontrollably in the trenches， did I forget your face.
Not even：连……也不
……
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