用爱填补空白

Filling the Void

Cindy： So…

Bruce： Yep.

Cindy： It finally happened.

Bruce： I know. It’s so weird. You could hear a pin drop in here.

Cindy： Well I don’t like it. Not one bit.

Bruce： At least the trip went off without a 1）hitch.

Cindy： Did it？ Wouldn’t you count losing a piece of ourselves as a slight hitch？

Bruce： I wouldn’t exactly call it a hitch. A hitch is usually something unexpected. I’d call missing a piece of ourselves just par for the course when it comes to dropping one’s kids off at college.

Cindy： But how will they survive without us？ And how will we survive without them？ Don’t you remember when we first decided to have kids？ ①Our marriage was on the rocks， we went to that therapist， and he warned us that becoming parents was not the answer.

Bruce： But did we listen？

Cindy： Of course not， because we are a couple of stubborn 2）mules. ②Once we have our minds set on something， there’s no turning back.

Bruce： And I happen to know a pair of identical know-it-alls who have the exact same 3）mindset.

Cindy： I have to keep reminding myself how lucky they actually are to have each other for support. I guess having twins turned out to be the best thing for all of us. I just wish they didn’t have to choose a school so far from home. I always pictured them staying in the northeast， so I could drive up for special events or if they’re feeling homesick.

Bruce： ③Yeah， but Stanford gave them a scholarship offer they simply couldn’t refuse， and neither could we since the tuition there is normally through the roof.

Cindy： Fine. Besides， that’s not really what I’m worried about. I keep asking myself； will our marriage survive without the glue that’s held us together for all these years？

Bruce： I think being 4）immersed in our roles as parents， you the big corporate exec and me the stay-at-home dad with my blogs and recordings， has taken over our daily lives. They’ve been the center of our universe. And providing a safe， healthy and happy home has been our top 5）priority ever since they were born. So， with this new empty place in our hearts， maybe it’s time for us to fill it with a newfound passion. Let’s rediscover who we really are.

Cindy： ④Bruce， I…I just flashed back to when you were talking at that rally in college. You inspired such hope in all of us， that we could make a difference in people’s lives. Maybe we can devote ourselves to a good cause， and start to fill that void of ours by giving back to others and bringing joy to those in need.

Bruce： I love you so much， honey.

Cindy： I love you too， hubby.

辛迪：那么……

布鲁斯：是的。

辛迪：这最终还是发生了。

布鲁斯：我知道。这很奇怪。一根针掉在地上你都可以听到。

辛迪：我不喜欢这样。一点也不。

布鲁斯：至少这次旅途畅行无阻。

辛迪：是吗？难道你不把失去我们生命中的一部分算作是一次小故障吗？

布鲁斯：准确地说，我不会把这称为一次小故障。故障通常指的是那些意料之外的事。当说到让自己的孩子在大学这一站下车，我会把失去我们生命中的一部分当作意料中的事。

辛迪：但没有我们，他们将怎么办？而没有了他们，我们又该怎么办？你难道不记得当我们第一次决定要孩子的时候了吗？（当时）我们的婚姻正遭遇瓶颈，我们去咨询心理医师，他提醒我们当父母并不是解决办法。

布鲁斯：但我们有听他的意见吗？

辛迪：当然没有，因为我们俩都顽固得像驴一样。一旦我们决意要做某事，便义无反顾。

布鲁斯：我刚好认识这样一对和我们完全相同的，有着一模一样固执心态的自称无所不知的人。辛迪：我不得不一直提醒自己他们事实上是多么幸运，可以相互依靠对方。我觉得有一对双胞胎对我们大家来说是最好的事。我只希望他们不用选一所离家那么远的学校。我总想着他们待在东北部，这样的话，当有特殊活动或者他们想家的时候，我可以开车去看他们。

布鲁斯：是的。但斯坦福大学提供了让他们无法拒绝的奖学金，我们也无法拒绝，因为那里的学费通常极为昂贵。

辛迪：好吧。另外，那不是我真正担心的事。我不停地问自己，如果没有了这么多年来把我们黏合在一起的纽带，我们的婚姻还能维持下去吗？

布鲁斯：我认为专注于做好父母一直占据着我们的生活，其中你是重要的高层管理人员，而我是居家老爸，通过写博客、录像等方式（记录他们的生活）。他们一直都是我们的中心。从他们一出生开始，给他们提供一个安全、健康、快乐的家就一直是我们优先考虑的事。既然现在我们的心里有新的空白，或许我们是时候用新发现的激情来填补这片空白。让我们一起来重新认识真实的自我吧！

辛迪：布鲁斯，我……我刚回想起你在大学集会的讲话。当时你激发了我们大家无尽的希望，你说我们可以对别人的生活产生影响。或许我们可以投身到高尚的事业中去，通过回报别人，给那些需要帮助的人带来快乐来填补我们的空虚。

布鲁斯：我真的很爱你，亲爱的。

辛迪：我也爱你，丈夫。

Smart Sentences

① Our marriage was on the rocks， we went to that therapist， and he warned us that becoming parents was not the answer.

（当时）我们的婚姻正遭遇瓶颈，我们去咨询心理医师，他提醒我们当父母并不是解决办法。

on the rocks： in a state of difficulty， having problems， usu. used for a relationship（困境，濒于破裂；常用于形容情感关系）。例如：

I can’t believe my relationship with Amy is on the rocks after being together for five long years.

我与艾米一起已经五年了，真不敢相信我们的感情会陷于困境。

② Once we have our minds set on something， there’s no turning back.

一旦我们决意要做某事，便义无反顾。

have one’s mind set on sth.： want sth. or want to do sth. very much（一心想要某物，或做某事）。例如：

Ever since she was a kid， she has had her mind set on becoming an astronaut.

她从小时候起就决意要当一名宇航员。

③ Yeah， but Stanford gave them a scholarship offer they simply couldn’t refuse， and neither could we since the tuition there is normally through the roof.

是的。但斯坦福大学提供了让他们无法拒绝的奖学金，我们也无法拒绝，因为那里的学费通常极为昂贵。

through the roof： sth. is extremely high， esp. price（非常高，特别是价钱）。例如：

The price of gold is through the roof now， so it’s a good thing I bought our wedding rings last month.

如今金价猛涨，我上个月就买了结婚戒指，太棒了。

④ Bruce， I…I just flashed back to when you were talking at that rally in college.

布鲁斯，我……我刚回想起你在大学集会的讲话。

flash back to sth.： remember sth. or think of sth. briefly（回想起，闪现）。例如：

After hanging up the phone with Dan， my mind kept flashing back to the old days when we were roommates in college.

与丹挂电话后，我脑海里不停地回想起我们在大学做室友的那些日子。