Chapter 5 At the End 第五章 终点
41 并不孤独珍.金赛 283
42 最后的萨瓦萨那普里西拉.丹恩- 考特尼 291
43 当我是个懦夫时阿丽萨.达利森 295
44 赢得战争劳拉.J. 奥康纳 303
45 最伟大的礼物托马斯.P. 海恩斯 313
46 祝我生日快乐弗娜.伍德 319
47 温柔的一刻布伦达.布莱克 323
48 最后的话布丽奇特.麦克纳马拉- 菲尼斯 329
49 小鸟黛安.威尔逊 335
50 哀悼未来芭芭拉.洛莫那科 342
Meet Our Authors 见见我们的作者 350
Thank You 感谢词 354
Chicken Soup for the Soul Improving Your Life Every Day 《心灵鸡汤》 每天改善你的生活 357
Share with Us 与我们一同分享 359
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14 独自缅怀 He who has gone, so we but cherish his memory, abides with us, more potent, nay, more present than the living man. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery No, he knows they will never turn up again. Many years ago, when he was a younger man, there were four of them who came here every day on their way home from work. They would have a glass of wine or two ? four handsome, strong young men. Once a week they would sit at that table and have lunch together because it was Friday, and they did not work again until Monday. They laughed and told tales and planned their weekends. They had been friends since school days and were always together. Then the war came and first one and then another went off to fight. They were like brothers, you understand, and finally the war was over and we waited for all the boys to come home. Of the four who sat there, only Nikolas returned. He has come here every Friday since the day he limped out of the hospital and sat down to have lunch with his friends. In his mind he relives their happy childhood here as boys playing tricks on people, their lives as growing young men, and the farewell hugs as they all went off to war. The rest of the week, he lives a normal life with his wife and family around him. Nikolas needs these Fridays to cope with his grief, to spend happy times with his old friends. It was so touching that I still get tears on my cheeks just thinking about the old man. I will never forget the final words of the old lady as I was turning to leave. The legacy of war isnt just about thousands of white crosses in a military cemetery; its about empty chairs at a table, and the friends that can never meet again. As long as I am alive, Nikolas can always meet here with his friends. ~Joyce Stark 他已经离开了,所以我们会珍惜有关他的回忆,不但如此,它还会比活着的人更有力、更长久地陪伴我们。 安托万?圣?埃克苏佩里 不是,他知道他们永远也不会来了。很多年以前,当他还是个年轻人的时候,他们四个人每天下班都会结伴来到这里。他们会聊天,再喝上一两杯红酒四个英俊而健壮的年轻人。每周有一天他们都会坐在那张桌子旁吃午餐,就是每周五的时候,然后他们会休息两天直到周一再上班。他们坐在那里谈笑,讲故事,计划周末的活动。他们四个人从上学的时候就是好朋友,一直都形影不离。 接着战争开始了,他们也陆续上了战场。他们就像兄弟一样,你明白的。终于战争结束了,我们也期待着这几个男孩都能回家。结果坐在这里的四个男孩中,只有尼古拉斯回来了。自他从医院出来后,每个周五他都会来这里和他的朋友们一起享用午餐,在这里回忆他们快乐的童年生活,男孩们如何戏弄别人,成长过程中的种种细节,还有他们上战场前那告别的拥抱。而每周其他的时间他则与身边的妻子和家人过着正常而平淡的生活。 尼古拉斯需要每个周五来这里宣泄他的悲伤,与他的好朋友们享受快乐的时光。 这个故事是如此动人,让我一想到那位老人就情不自禁地流下眼泪。而我更不能忘怀的,是我准备离开时那位老妇人说的最后几句话。 战争遗留下来的不只是在军事公墓里数以千计的白色十字架;还有一张桌子前空荡荡的椅子和永远不能再见面的朋友们。只要我还活着,尼古拉斯就可以在这里与他的朋友们在一起。 乔伊斯?斯塔克