Erma Bombeck

Someone asked me the other day if I had my life to live over would I change anything.

My answer was no， but then I thought about it and changed my mind.

If I had my life to live over again I would have talked less and listened more.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been combed and sprayed.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was dirty and the sofa faded.

I would have eaten popcorn in the “good” living room and worried less about the dirt when you lit the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather talk about his youth.

I would have sat on the grass with my children and never worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching TV... and more while watching real life.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband which I took for granted.

I would have gone to bed when I was sick， instead of pretending the Earth would go into a holding pattern if I werent there for a day.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical/wouldnt show soil/ promised to last a lifetime.

When my child kissed me， I would never have said， “Later. Now， go get washed up for dinner.”

There would have been more I love yous ... more Im sorrys ... more Im listenings ...

But mostly， if I had my life to live over， I would seize every minute， look at it and really see it，

live it and never give it back.

曾有人問我，如果有機(jī)會(huì)再活一次，我是否會(huì)讓生活做出一些改變……

我的回答是“不”，可是想想之后，我又有了不同的想法：

如果我能再活一次，我會(huì)少說多聽。

我決不會(huì)因?yàn)橄奶祛^發(fā)剛剛梳理過、噴過發(fā)膠，就一定要把車窗玻璃關(guān)起來。

我一定會(huì)邀請(qǐng)朋友共進(jìn)晚餐，即使這會(huì)讓地毯弄臟，讓沙發(fā)褪色。

我會(huì)在精致的客廳里吃爆玉米花。我也不會(huì)操心有人在壁爐生火帶出灰塵。

我會(huì)花點(diǎn)時(shí)間聽爺爺講述他年輕時(shí)候的經(jīng)歷。

我要和孩子們一起坐在草坪上，再不擔(dān)心身上會(huì)沾上草漬。

看電視我會(huì)少哭少笑一點(diǎn)，而觀察生活時(shí)我會(huì)多哭多笑一點(diǎn)。

我會(huì)更多地分擔(dān)我丈夫承擔(dān)的職責(zé)，而之前我認(rèn)為這些事情他做是理所當(dāng)然的。

生病的時(shí)候我就臥床休息，不會(huì)假裝自己一天不在，地球就會(huì)停止轉(zhuǎn)動(dòng)。

買東西時(shí)我再也不會(huì)只看它實(shí)用、耐臟，或能保證用一輩子。

孩子們來親我時(shí)，我決不會(huì)說：“等等。先去洗手吃飯。”

我要更多地說“我愛你” “對(duì)不起” “我在聽”……

總之，如果我能再活一次，我要把握好每一分鐘，欣賞生活，真正地關(guān)注生活，去品味生活，且決不放棄生活。

范妍翻譯整理