There is a peace at sunrise that surpassesall understanding. It's a renewal. A feeling that anything is possible. I'dlike to say I drag myself from the comfort of my bed every day to enjoysunrise's splendor, but you wouldn't believe me and I would be lying. What istrue is I was there that day and so was she.
日出时有一种超越所有你了解的宁静.这是一种重生.一种一切皆有可能的感觉.我想说我每天都把自己从舒适的床上拽下来,去享受日出的辉煌,但你不会相信我,我也会撒谎.真实的情况是,那天我在那里,她也在那里.
There is a connection between sunrisersjust because they are sunrisers. It's a shared, yet unspoken, appreciation forthings quiet and beautiful.That might explain why I was immediately drawnto her, but I know it wasn't just because of the earliness of the morning.Delilah, you see, would have attracted me no matter the time of day.
早起的人们之间有一种联系,因为他们是早起的人.这是一种共同的,但又无法言说的,对安静和美丽事物的欣赏.这也许可以解释为什么我立刻就被她吸引了,但我知道这不仅仅是因为时辰尚早.瞧,黛莉娜,无论在什么时候,都会吸引我.
The first time I saw her I was sittingthere, at my favorite secret spot, overlooking Lake Quinault. It's a hidden gemin Washington State owned by the Quinault Indian Nation and, before that day,if I had my way, no one would ever sit and admire its beauty other than me.
第一次见到她时,我正坐在我最喜欢的秘密花园,俯瞰着奎诺特湖.它是华盛顿州的一颗隐藏的宝石,属于奎诺特印第安人部落,在那一天之前,如果我有办法的话,除了我,没有人会坐在那里欣赏它的美丽.
The lake, a destination point forfishermen, swimmers, and sightseers, is nature at its most spectacular. It islocated deep in the Olympic National forest. It isn't easy to find, even ifyou're looking for it. Once discovered, even the most magnanimous outdoorsmenwill keep the secret to themselves. In an era where, too often, free time iswasted in front of a flat screen TV, Lake Quinault is a reminder of the reasonsfor taking vacations and the sunrise over the lake is God's definition ofmust-see.
这个湖是垂钓者,游泳的人和观光客的目的地,是大自然最壮观的地方.它位于奥林匹克国家森林的深处.即使你特意去找,也不容易找到.一旦发现,即使是最宽宏大量的户外爱好者也会自个守着这个秘密.在一个空闲时间常常被浪费在平板电视前的时代,奎诺特湖提醒着人们该去度假了,湖上的日出是上帝定义的必看之景.
That particular trip occurred in earlysummer. I remember it vividly because I had to be in place just after 5:00 a.m.to catch the sun as it appeared over the mountain. Summer is the best time towatch the sunrise because no one in their right mind would be up early enough,nor would be hardy enough to make the journey to my secret spot. No one exceptme, and Delilah.
那次特别的旅行发生在初夏.我记得很清楚,因为我必须在早上5点就位,才能看到从山上升起的太阳.夏天是看日出的最佳时间,因为正常人都不会早起,也不会硬着头皮跑到我的秘密花园.没人会,除了我和黛莉娜.
"Is this seat taken?"
"这个位置有人吗?"
Not many people can remember the firstwords spoken by or to the love of their life, but I absolutely can. Thatmorning, as I turned to see from where the unexpected voice was coming, thefirst light of dawn revealed the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Not allmen might have thought so. Delilah wore no makeup, a pair of ripped jeans, anda faded brown hoodie. Her hair, perfectly auburn, looked as if it hadn't beentouched since she rolled out of bed that morning.It was obvious she hadmade no effort to look beautiful and yet she had an inner spark that couldn'tbe hidden. Not by tattered jeans or a faded hoodie. Something changed thatfirst moment I saw her, I changed. I had spent years guarding my secret spot,and now, surprisingly, unexpectedly, delightfully, I wanted nothing more thanto share my sunrise with her.
没有多少人能够记住他们的爱人所说的第一句话,但我绝对可以.那天早上,当我转过身去看这突如其来的声音从哪里传来时,黎明的第一道曙光显露出我所见过的最美丽的女孩.可能不是所有的男人都会这么认为.黛莉娜没有化妆,穿着一条破旧的牛仔裤,以及一件褪色的棕色连帽衫.她的头发是完美的赤褐色,看起来就像她那天早上从床上爬起来后就没有被碰过一样.很明显,她没有努力让自己看起来更漂亮,但她体内有一团无法隐藏的火花.破烂的牛仔裤或褪色的连帽衫都无法掩盖.在看到她的第一眼,有些东西改变了,我变了.花了多年时间守着我的秘密空间,而现在,令人惊讶,意外,高兴的是,我只想和她分享我的日出.
I, unfortunately, was not born a poet andas such the most romantic thing I could think of in response to her inquirywas: "It's a free country." With that, she invaded my secret spot, both next tothe lake and in my heart.
不幸的是,我不是天生的诗人,因此在回答她的询问时,我所能想到的最浪漫的话就是: "这是个自由的国家".就这样,她侵入了我的秘密花园,既在湖边又在我心.
The silence that followed was both loud andrevealing. Delilah wasn't there for small talk; she was there to admire thebeauty of sunrise. We sat in silence and watched as the sun peeked over thehorizon, covering the two of us in its warming light. She and I carried on aconversation without words. She told me, silently, that she understood theimportance of the moment, and I responded in kind that this moment was made allthe more special because she was there to share it.
随后的沉默既刺耳又坦率.黛莉娜过来的目的不是为了闲聊;她是来欣赏日出之美.我们静静地坐着,望着太阳从地平线上探出头来,温暖的光芒笼罩着我们.我和她进行了一次无言的对话.她默默地告诉我,她明白这一刻的重要性,而我也回应说,这一刻因为和她在这里一起分享而变得更加特别.
Perfection is a goal impossible to realizein this mortal realm, but that morning came as close as is humanly possible. Somany thoughts ran through my mind as the sun revealed itself completely. Thenjust as quickly and quietly as she had come, Delilah rose to her feet, wipedsome residual dirt from the seat of her ripped jeans, and headed down the trailand out of my sight.
完美是一个在凡间不可能实现的愿望,但是在那个早晨却无限地接近了人类的极限.太阳完全显露出来时,我的脑海中闪过许多想法.然后,就像她来时一样的迅速和安静,黛莉娜站了起来,擦了擦她破损的牛仔裤上沾着的泥土,然后沿着小路往下走,离开了我的视野.
Eight words verbalized, an infinite numberof potential events contemplated. Thirty minutes had passed, a lifetime hadbeen imagined. I was sure I would never see her again, and the thought made meoverwhelmingly sad.
两句话的言语,无限多的可能在暗自踌躇.30分钟过去了,一生都在想象之中.我确信我再也见不到她了,这个想法让我感到无比的悲伤.
The next five years came and went, fivelong years since that day at the lake. There were first dates, first kisses,and the words "I love you" exchanged, yet every time fate or intention wouldreach down and sabotage promise. I became determined to find peace in mysolitude.
接下来的五年来了又去,从湖边的那一天算起,已经过去了五年之久.无数的第一次约会,第一次亲吻,以及互换 "我爱你",然而每次命运或故意都会伸手打破承诺.我决定在孤独中寻找平静.
There was always a reason or an excuse formy ending every potential relationship, but at its core was a shared sunriseand a conversation that didn't happen.
我结束每一段潜在的关系总有一个理由或借口,归根结底是一个共同的日出和一段没有发生的对话.
I went to our spot from time to time, tosee the sunrise, not for her. At least, that's what I told myself. I had givenup without realizing I was hoping. Hoping to see her again. Hoping to feel whatI felt that day. Hoping she would be there. And then it happened. It was onceagain summer, it was sunrise, but this time she was there.
我时不时地去我们的地方,去看日出,而不是为了她.至少,我是这样告诉自己的.我已经放弃了,却没有意识到我是在盼望.盼望能再次见到她.盼望能感受到我那天的感受.盼望她会在那里.然后事情就发生了.又是夏天,又是日出,但这一次她早就在那里了.
"It's a free country."
"这是个自由的国家."
The same eight words.
同样的两句话.
At the time, I didn't know that she, too,had often made the trip back to our secret spot.
那时,我不知道她也经常回到我们的秘密花园.
Seeing her again, I knew I wouldn't let theopportunity slip from my grasp, not a second time. When the sun had completedits part in our play, Delilah rose to her feet and wiped the dirt from herjeans exactly as she had done five years earlier. This time, however, I stoodup as well.
再次见到她,我知道我不会让机会从我手中溜走,不会再有第二次了.当太阳完成了它的戏份时,黛莉娜站了起来,擦拭着牛仔裤上的污垢,就像五年前那样.然而,这一次,我也站了起来.
"My name is Peter. I don't like coffee, butI'd really like to have a cup with you."
"我叫彼得.我不喜欢咖啡,但我真的想和你喝杯咖啡."
"My name is Delilah," she responded,matter-of-factly, "and I would be glad to share a cup of Joe."
"我叫黛莉娜,"她淡淡地回应道,"我很高兴能和你分享一杯乔."
She called it Joe? It's funny the things that confirm that a love is real. I couldn'ttell her that day, for fear of losing her, but at that moment, I was sure. Ihad said "I love you" to others before, but it was obvious to me that I hadlied. For in that moment, I was finally sure what love felt like.
她把咖啡叫做乔?证实爱情是真实的事情是很有趣的.那天我不能告诉她,因为害怕失去她,但在那一刻,我确定了.我曾经对别人说过"我爱你",但对我来说,显然,我撒了谎.因为在那一刻,我终于确定了爱是什么感觉.
Lifetimes are only lifetimes when viewed inreverse. A cup of coffee became a dinner date. A dinner date became acommitment. A commitment became a proposal, and a proposal became forever.There were kids and dogs and vacations, but more than anything, there weretrips to Lake Quinault. Always at sunrise. Always just the two of us. Never anywords spoken.
一生只有在回头看时才是一生.一杯咖啡变成了一次晚餐约会.一次晚餐约会变成了一个承诺.承诺变成了求婚,而求婚变成了永远.于是,孩子,狗,假期接踵而至,但更多的是奎诺特湖的旅行.总是在日出时分.总是只有我们两个人.总是无言的交谈.
You never know the last time is the lasttime until it's too late. The final trip we took to Lake Quinault was like allthe rest. It took a little longer for tired, old bones to make the trek, but wefound our spot, sat together, and conversed in silence. The sun, unaffected bytime, rose as perfectly as always, but Delilah rose only with myhelp.
你永远不知道最后一次是最后一次,知道时已经晚了.我们最后一次的奎诺特湖之行和其他所有的一样.衰老的身体面对这样的旅行确实花多了点时间,我们找到了自己的位置,坐在一起,默默地交谈.太阳没有受到岁月的影响,像往常一样完美地升起,但是黛莉娜需要我的帮助才站得起来.
"Would you like to share a cup of Joe?"
"你想和我一起喝杯咖啡吗?"
She knew I did. She knew sitting next toher pretending to like coffee was my greatest pleasure. She also knew she wouldnever come back to see another sunrise even though I was too stubborn to admitit to myself.
她知道我想.她知道坐在她身边假装喜欢咖啡是我最大的乐趣.她也知道她不会再回来看下一个日出,尽管我固执地,不愿意承认这一点.
That day in the café, we told stories offamily and friends, living and lost, as we sipped on what had eventually becomemy favorite beverage. We made a mental scorecard of our life and realized wehad won.
那天,咖啡馆里,我们一边讲述亲人和朋友的故事,健在的和离开的,一边喝着最终成为我最喜欢的饮料.我们在脑子里给自己的一生做了一个记分卡,并意识到我们赢了.
Two days later I lost her. Just like thatfirst day at the lake, I watched her as she left me alone, this time withouteven the hope of returning. The sadness I felt from years back flooded over melike a tidal wave.
两天后,我失去了她.就像第一天在湖边那样,我望着她离我而去,这一次甚至没有回来的希望.悲伤,过往多年的陪伴,像潮水一样涌上我的心头.
I'll save a seat for you. Those were her last words to me. True to myself, I replied: "It's afree country." Then, she was gone.
"我会给你留个座位."这是她对我说的最后一句话.我,还是那个傻小子,答道 "这是个自由的国家." 然后,她就走了.
One day, hopefully soon, I will watch thesunrise with my Delilah again only from a far better secret place. Until then,I only go to our special spot at night.
有一天,希望很快,我将再次和我的黛莉娜一起看日出,不过那时是在一个比秘密花园还更好的地方.在那天到来之前,我只会在晚上去我们的老地方.
I'm never alone when I go there. I make myway to our clearing and sit down just as I did all those years ago. As the moonreflects off the lake, I feel her comforting hand reach down for me, and in thesilence only we understand, I hear her very clearly.
去那里的时候从来不是我一个人.我走到我们的空地上,坐下来,就像多年前那样.当月亮的影子照在湖面上时,我感觉到了她伸出的手抚慰着我,在只有我们明白的沉默中,非常清楚地听到了她的声音.