摘錄：生命過于短暫，不要讓這些溫暖的話埋在心底，你要向你愛的人大聲的說出你的愛。你說的這些話或?qū)懙倪@些信也許會讓世界大不相同。

　　On my way home from coaching basketball yesterday, I was listening to WGN - my favorite talk radio station out of Chicago. I could tell right away that there was something wrong by the somber1mood of the speaker. There had been a plane crash. Two small planes collided into each other over a northern suburb of Chicago. What made the story hit close to home 2 was that Bob Collins, the morning show man for WGN, was the pilot of one of the planes and had been killed. Later that night, as I made my 40 minute drive to my thirdshift3 job, I listened as the station reminisced and paid tribute to a man who was loved by many. They told story after story,describing him as the ultimate friend, and a man who had lived lifeto the fullest. Genuine love and affection poured in from all over the country. The more I listened about how this man had influenced those around him, the more discouraged I became。

　　昨天教完籃球課，我在回家的路上聽著WGN電臺的節(jié)目，這是芝加哥的廣播電臺中我最喜歡的談話節(jié)目電臺，主持人低沉的語調(diào)讓我馬上得知可能有什么不好的事情發(fā)生了。那是一場空難，兩架小型飛機在芝加哥北部郊區(qū)上空相撞了。這個消息讓我震動，因為相撞飛機的駕駛員之一就是WGN電臺早播節(jié)目主持人鮑勃·柯林斯，他在事故中遇難了。當晚我驅(qū)車40分鐘去我要值夜班的地方，途中我在電臺中聽到了人們對他的緬懷和敬意，許多人都敬慕他。人們講述著他的故事，一個接一個，將他說成是我們一生的朋友、一個一生充實的人。人們對他真切的喜愛和情感從全國各地傾瀉而來。但關(guān)于這個人對他身邊的人們造成了何等影響，我聽得越多就越覺得沮喪。

　　Why you ask?

　　你會問我為什么這樣?

　　I was discouraged because I wanted to know why we as aculture, wait until somebody has passed away before we tell them how much we love them? Why do we wait until someone’s ears can’thear before we let them know how much they mean to us? Why do wewait until it is too late before we recall the good qualities of aperson? Why do we build someone up after they have gone intoeternity? What good does it do then? We share memory after memory,as we laugh, cry, and think back about what was positive in aperson’s life. Yes, it does help us cope with the grief of losing someone that was special to us. And yes, it does bring those whoare coping closer together. But as we lovingly remember thisperson, our words fall short of the ears that most needed to hearthem。

　　我感到沮喪是因為我想知道，為什么我們形成了這種文化，非要等到某人去世以后才告訴他我們是多么愛他?為什么我們非要等到某人再也聽不到聲音了才讓他知道他對我們是何等重要?為什么我們非要等到無法挽回時才回憶起某人的優(yōu)秀品質(zhì)?為什么我們非要等到某人與世長辭后才去贊美他?這樣做究竟好處何在?我們笑著，哭著，回想起某個人一生中的亮點，分享著關(guān)于他的點滴記憶。沒錯，這樣做確實可以幫我們減輕因失去某個特別的人而帶來的悲痛。沒錯，這樣做確實可以使我們這些與悲痛抗爭的人們靠得更近。但是，就算我們熱切地去懷念這個人，我們的話卻再也傳不到最需要聽到這些話的耳朵里了。

　　Just once I would like to see a celebration of life, insteadof a gathering of death. A celebration where stories are told, eyesmist over, laughter rings out; and as the speaker concludes his orher loving tribute, the person they are honoring rises from theirchair and gives them the biggest bear hug! Wouldn’t that besomething! The special person gets to hear the stories and come tothe realization that they have made a difference on this earth. Andall this is done well before they leave their earthly bodies and gointo eternity. And when the inevitable funeral finally comes, wecan say goodbye with the knowledge that they knew exactly how people felt about them while they were here on earth。

　　我想體驗一次歌頌生命的慶典，而不是悼念亡靈的聚會，哪怕只有一次。在慶典上，人們訴說著故事，淚眼朦朧，笑聲時而四起。當講話人講出自己愛的贊頌時，那些被稱贊的人從椅子中站起來與他們熱情相擁!這樣不是很好嗎?被贊頌的人聽到人們講述他的故事，這才意識到自己在這世界上對其他人也是重要的。他們在凡身入土、離開塵世之前要經(jīng)歷所有這些，這樣，即使他們的葬禮最終總是要到來，我們也可以與他們道別了，因為我們知道，他們了解自己在世時人們對他們的感情。

　　I now have a stronger resolve to tell those around me how much they mean to me. I am going to let my wife know just how loved and appreciated she is, not only by my words, but also by my actions. Iam going to play Batman with my four year old more often, and inthe middle of our romping, I am going to grab him, hug him tightly,and tell him how thankful I am that he is my son. I am going to sneak into my sleeping toddler’s bedroom, place my lips on hischubby cheek, and thank God for the bundle of joy he has broughtinto my life. Each day I will make a point to tell both of my boyshow much I love them, whether they are four or eighteen! Fromthere, I am going to let family and friends know the tremendous impact they have had on my life. And last but not least, I am goingto let the high school players I coach know that I look forward toeach and every minute that I get to spend with them in the gym。

　　如今，我更加堅定地要告知身邊的人，讓他們知道他們對我是何等重要。我要讓我的妻子知道我是多么愛她、欣賞她——不僅要說出來，還要用行動向她表示。我要多多地陪4歲的兒子玩“蝙蝠俠”游戲，在嬉笑打鬧中，我會抓住他，緊緊地抱著他，告訴他有這樣一個兒子我是多么感激。我要悄悄走到我那熟睡的蹣跚學步的孩子床前，親吻他胖嘟嘟的臉蛋兒，感謝上帝將如此多的歡樂帶進我的生命。每一天，我都會告訴兩個兒子我是多么愛他們，無論他們是4 歲還是18歲!(通過這些舉動，)我要讓我的家人和朋友們知道他們對我的生活有著巨大的影響。最后，但也同樣重要的是，我要讓跟我訓練的那些中學生們知道，我向往著和他們在體育館里一同練習的每一分鐘。

　　Do you love someone? Then tell them! Has someone been aninfluence in your life? Then give them a call! Has someone made adifference in your life? Then write them a letter or send them anemail! Life is too short to leave kind words unsaid. The words yousay, or the letters you write, might just make all the differencein the world。

　　你愛著什么人嗎?那就對他們說出來!有誰曾影響過你的生活嗎?給他們打個電話吧!有誰在你的生命中意義非凡嗎?那就給他們寫封信或發(fā)一封電子郵件吧!生命過于短暫，不要讓這些溫暖的話埋在心底。你說的這些話或?qū)懙倪@些信也許會讓世界大不相同。