Anonymous
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当你的孩子……你所记得的，是……
当你在寂静无声的房子里走来走去时，你纳闷他们都去哪儿了——你多希望孩子别这么快就长大了。
All you remember about your child being an infant is the incredible awe you felt about the precious miracle you created.You remember having plenty of time to bestow all your wisdom and knowledge.You thought your child would take all of your advice and make fewer mistakes，and be much smarter than you were.You wished for your child to hurry and grow up.
All you remember about your child being two is never using the restroom alone or getting to watch a movie without talking animals.You recall afternoons talking on the phone while crouching1 in the bedroom closet，and being convinced your child would be the first Ivy League2 college student to graduate wearing pullovers at the ceremony.You remember worrying about the bag of M＆M's melting in your pocket and ruining your good dress.You wished for your child to be more independent.
All you remember about your child being five is the first day of school and finally having the house yourself.You remember joining the PTA3 and being elected president when you left a meeting to use the restroom.You remember being asked'Is Santa real'？and saying'yes'because he had to be for a little bit longer.You remember shaking the sofa cushions for loose change，so the toothfairy could come and take away your child's first lost tooth.You wished for your child to have all permanent teeth.
All you remember about your child being seven is the carpool4 schedule.You learned to apply makeup in two minutes and brush your teeth in the rearview mirror because the only time you had was when you were stopped at red lights.You considered painting your car yellow and posting a'taxi'sign on the lawn next to the garage door.You remember people staring at you，the few times you were out of the car，because you kept flexing5 your foot and making acceleration6 noises.You wished for the day your child would learn how to drive.
All you remember about your child being ten is managing the school fund raisers.You sold wrapping paper for paint，T-shirts for new furniture，and magazine subions7 for shade trees in the school playground.You remember storing a hundred cases of candy bars in the garage to sell so the school band could get new uniforms，and how they melted together on an unseasonably warm spring afternoon.You wished your child would grow out of playing an instrument.
All you remember about your child being twelve is sitting in the stands8during baseball practice and hoping your child's team would strike out9 fast because you had more important things to do at home.The coach didn't understand how busy you were.You wished the baseball season would be over soon.
All you remember about your child being fourteen is being asked not to stop the car in front of the school in the morning.You had to drive two blocks further and unlock the doors without coming to a complete stop.You remember not getting to kiss your child goodbye or talking to him in front of his friends.You wished your child would be more mature.
All you remember about your child being sixteen is loud music and undecipherable10 lyrics screamed to a rhythmic beat.You wished for your child to grow up and leave home with the stereo.
All you remember about your child being eighteen is the day they were born and having all the time in the world.
And，as you walk through your quiet house，you wonder where they go and you wish your child hadn't grown up so fast.
当你的孩子还是个婴儿时，你所记得的，是你对自己创作出的堪称奇迹的珍贵作品，感到不可思议的敬畏。你记得你有充裕的时间去传授你所拥有的智慧和知识。你认为你的孩子将会接受你给的所有忠告而少犯错误，将会比孩提时代的你聪明的多。你多希望你的孩子能快快长大。
孩子两岁时，你所记得的，是再也不能独自使用卫生间，再也不看一部与动物无关的电影。你回忆起那些蜷缩在卧室储衣间跟朋友通电话的下午，深信你的孩子将是第一个身着套头衫出席毕业典礼的常春藤名牌大学的毕业生。你记得你担心那袋放在你衣兜里的M＆M巧克力糖会化掉，毁了你体面的衣服。你多希望你的孩子能更独立些。
孩子5岁时，你所记得的，是他开始上学的那一天，你终于独自拥有整个房间了。你记得去参加家长—教师联系会，在你离开会议室去洗手间时，你当选为会长。你记得你的孩子问道“真有圣诞老人吗？”你回答“是的”，因为他还需要得到你的肯定回答，尽管不久他就能自己判断了。你记得一通翻腾要在沙发垫子下找出些零钱，这样牙齿仙女就会来把你孩子掉的第一颗牙齿带走。你多希望孩子的牙都换成了恒牙。
孩子7岁时，你所记得的，是合伙用车的时间安排。你学会了在两分钟之内化好妆，并对着汽车后视镜刷牙，因为你能给自己找出的时间就只有路上遇红灯暂停的那一小段了。你考虑过要把你的车子漆成黄色，并在车库门旁边的草坪上立一个“出租车”的标志牌。你记得有几次从车上下来，人们都盯着你看，因为你不断地用脚踩油门加速，制造了噪音。你多希望孩子他有一天能学会开车。
孩子10岁时，你所记得的，是如何组织学校的募捐者。你们为了重新粉刷学校而兜售包装纸，为购置新家具而兜售T恤衫，又为在学校操场上种植遮阳树而劝大家订阅各种杂志。你记得你在车库里存放了上百盒等待出售的糖果，卖得的钱就可以为学校的乐队购置新制服，可是在一个暖和得过头的春天的下午，那些糖果竟全都融化在一起了。你多希望孩子能够长大，不再演奏什么乐器了。
孩子12岁时，你所记得的，是孩子在体育场打棒球练习赛的时候，你坐在看台上希望你孩子所在的队可以三击不中很快出局，因为家中还有更重要的事等着你去做。教练不明白你为什么那么忙。你多希望棒球赛季能够尽快结束。
孩子14岁时，你所记得的，是早晨送他时，他不让你把汽车停在校门口。所以你不得不开过两个街区，然后车还没停稳就赶紧打开车门。你记得不能当着他朋友的面跟他吻别或说话。你多希望孩子能更成熟些。
孩子16岁时，你所记得的，是吵闹的音乐，以及和着节奏感特强的鼓点尖声吼出的难以听懂的歌词。你多希望孩子能快点长大成人，带着音响离开家。
孩子18岁时，你所记得的，是他们出生的那一天，拥有的是世间所有的时光。
当你在寂静无声的房子里走来走去时，你纳闷他们都去哪儿了——你多希望孩子别这么快就长大了。
生词空间 New Words
1.crouch v.蹲，蹲伏
2.Ivy League 常春藤联盟
3.PTA（ABBREVIATION FOR）parent-teacher association 家长教师联谊会
4.carpool v.合伙使用汽车，拼车
5.flex v.弯曲
6.acceleration n.加速
7.subion n.订阅；预约
8.stand n.露天看台
9.strike out：（本文指比赛出局）
10.undecipherable adj.辨认不出的，翻译不出的
妙语连珠：Beautiful Sentences
All you remember about your child being an infant is the incredible awe you felt about the precious miracle you created.
当你的孩子还是个婴儿时，你所记得的，是你对自己创作出的堪称奇迹的珍贵作品，感到不可思议的敬畏。
心灵感悟：
孩子小的时候，既淘气又顽皮，真盼望我们能赶快长大、懂事，可等到我们真的长大了，离开了，父母们又都会不停地想着小时候的我们。走过的岁月，你所记得的又是什么事呢？
文化链接 Culture Notes
Ivy League：A group of old colleges in the northeastern US with a good reputation常春藤联盟。
根据一种理论，“常春藤联盟”之原名应追溯到1937年，一位纽约报作者铸造了此名词，因美国最古老及最精英的学校建筑物均被常春藤覆盖住。
在美国，“常春藤学府”一般隐喻着和高等学习院校有关，但只有一些学校被公认为“常春藤联盟”。常春藤联盟由美国东北部之八所学校组合而成：布朗大学（Brown）、哥伦比亚大学（Columbia）、康乃尔大学（Cornell）、达特茅斯学院（Dartmouth）、哈佛大学（Harvard）、宾州大学（Pennsylvania）、普林斯顿大学（Princeton）及耶鲁大学（Yale）。除康乃尔大学外，所有这些学校均在美国独立战争前创设，每所院校的入学标准均非常严格。这些学校之间的学术与运动竞争性纪录始于十九世纪末。由于很多人加入最有学术名望学院联合会，常春藤联盟成为多数美国及世界领导之母校。