When I was in my 30's and newly married,
當(dāng)我剛剛?cè)畾q出頭，新婚燕爾

I followed my husband to his native Japan.
我隨著丈夫去了他的日本老家

His mother lived in a small town
婆婆住在一個(gè)小鎮(zhèn)子里

where a son bringing home his American wife was unheard of.
從沒有人聽說過誰家的兒子帶個(gè)美國(guó)媳婦回來

Japanese households were (in)famous for their myriad of rules.
日本人家素來有許多家規(guī)，因此臭名遠(yuǎn)揚(yáng)

Not only what slippers were for which room
不僅有規(guī)定，哪雙拖鞋只能在哪個(gè)房間里穿

- and in which rooms none were allowed -
還規(guī)定哪個(gè)房間不可以穿拖鞋

but also,
不僅如此

at mealtime what foods to eat
還有吃飯的時(shí)間可以吃什么食物

and in which order.
按照什么順序吃

But
沒想到

my elderly mother-in-law set me at ease at the very first meal,
我年老的婆婆從第一餐進(jìn)門宴就讓我放下警惕

announcing warmly to everyone
溫暖的向每個(gè)人宣布

that I could do anything I wished
我可以做任何自己想做的事情

because there were no expectations.
對(duì)我沒有任何條條框框

She said it so cheerfully to everyone present,
她如此興高采烈的向在場(chǎng)每個(gè)人說明

that they agreed!
每個(gè)人都同意了！

I never forgot this gift!
我從未忘記她送我的這份禮物！

A few years later we moved to Los Angeles.
幾年之后，我們搬到了洛杉磯

In this new city
在這個(gè)新城市里

I missed my family on the East Coast so much,
我非常想念自己在東海岸的家人

and desperately tried to make friends
求友若渴

to ease the loneliness.
希望緩解內(nèi)心的孤獨(dú)

An elderly neighbor
一個(gè)年老的鄰居

who lived in a cottage behind our apartment
住在我家后面的小木屋里

would often say hello to me,
經(jīng)常過來跟我打招呼

and one day
有一天

he made a picnic
他準(zhǔn)備了一份野餐

and invited me and my child to join him!
邀請(qǐng)我和孩子們一起加入

He said,
他說

"Don't worry,
別擔(dān)心

I decided I like you!
我決定要喜歡你了

You can make any mistake...
你可以出任何差錯(cuò)

it's OK."
沒關(guān)系的

I never forgot this gift!
我從未忘記這份禮物

A few yew years later
幾年之后

we moved to NYC.
我們搬到了紐約

It was wonderful to have visits from my family after so many years!
時(shí)隔多年，又有了親朋好友的拜訪，真是太好了

We settled down,
我們安定下來

our child in kindergarten
孩子去了幼兒園

and a new baby just born,
還有一個(gè)孩子剛剛出生

when I experienced post-partum depression.
我得了產(chǎn)后抑郁癥

It took a few months,
病情持續(xù)了幾個(gè)月

very busy and somehow very sad,
十分忙亂，情緒十分低沉

until a healthly balance returned.
直到生活恢復(fù)到積極的循環(huán)

During one especially hard day
其中一天我過得特別艱難

I took the baby for a walk
我?guī)е鴭雰喝ド⒉?/div>

in the stroller to help him sleep
把他放在搖籃車?yán)铮胱屗M快入睡

- I knew I had a terribly unhappy expression,
我知道自己臉上的表情非常糟糕

but couldn't pick myself up.
卻無法讓自己振奮起來

Down the sidewalk
沿著人行道，

came an elderly gentleman
遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)的走過來一位老者

who saw me,
他看到我

beamed a bright warm smile,
臉上洋溢著微笑

and passed on by.
接著與我擦肩而過

And I never forgot this gift!
我永不會(huì)忘記他贈(zèng)與我的禮物！

This week
這一周

I called my adult sons
我給兩個(gè)成年的兒子打了電話

who are doing well
他們都還算順利.

As I walked our dog down the street,
我牽著狗穿過街道

hoping I did not appear silly,
希望自己臉上沒有顯露出悲傷

because
因?yàn)?/div>

others I met along the way
沿途我遇到的路人

chose to keep a safe distance
都選擇與旁人保持了安全距離

but forego the mask..
但他們還是沒有帶口罩

an elderly fellow rode a red bike down the road
一位老爺爺一路過來，騎著一輛紅色的自行車

and sweetly nodded to me
帶著甜甜的笑向我點(diǎn)頭

saying,
對(duì)我說

"You look lovely dear!"
“你看上去真可愛！”

And I will never forget the gift!
我將永遠(yuǎn)不忘這份禮物！