愿真情永在 Lucky to Be Sad

We sat, as always, front and center, four rows from the stage so we could have that all-important perfect view of our son performing. And, of course, so I could get ideal photos of the concert.
像往常一般，我们坐在前排靠中间的座位上，和舞台隔着四排座位，这样我们就能完美捕捉到儿子表演时所有的重点。当然，我因此也能拍到这场音乐会的理想照片。

It was late May. My wife and I sat there feeling rather sentimental, thinking the same things but sitting quietly, keeping thoughts to ourselves. This was our youngest's last high school concert-and to our sad 1)disbelief it was also ours.
当时正值五月末，我和妻子坐在那儿，感觉很伤感。我们想着同样的东西，却都安静地坐着暗自思忖。这是我们小儿子念高中的最后一场音乐会……我们不禁感伤，真难以置信，这也是我们最后一次参与孩子在学校的汇报表演了。

Lucky to Be Sad　　Where had the time gone? Just yesterday, he'd been sitting next to us, watching first his sister, then his older brother perform in some music or sporting event. Now we were watching our youngest, a senior in high school, nearing graduation.
时间都溜到哪儿去了？就在昨天，他一直挨着我们坐，先是看他姐姐，而后是看他哥哥参加音乐演出或是运动赛事。现在，我们看着最小的孩子，已经在念高三，临近毕业了。

Mamaroneck High School has a wonderful ritual each year: to conclude the annual spring concert by honoring the graduating seniors, calling them each to the stage with a few words about their experience and where they are each heading off to next. College! My wife and I sat there quietly; proud, beaming, but misty-eyed.
马马罗内克高中每年都有这么个极好的仪式惯例：在年度春季音乐会的最后向高三毕业生致敬，让他们逐一上台简单讲讲体会和未来目标。大学！我和妻子静静地坐在那儿，感到自豪、欣喜，却泪眼朦胧。

We were sad.
我们感到悲伤。

As we walked out of the auditorium looking for our son, we saw him standing with his closest friends, arm in arm, posing for the parent photos. He came over to us; we hugged as we always do after a concert, telling him how proud we were, how awesome he was. But we noticed that he was having a bit of a tough time. He had tears in his eyes.
当我们走出礼堂寻找我们的儿子时，我们看见他和他的密友手挽着手站在一起，正儿八经地在合照。他向我们走来。我们一如往常地在音乐会结束后，习惯性地拥抱了一下，然后告诉他，我们感到多么自豪，他是多么的棒。但我们注意到，他当时感到有点难受，眼里含着泪水。

We asked if he was OK. He looked at us, holding back tears, and said, "I just can't believe it's over. It's really sad."
我们问他是否还好。他抑制住泪水看着我们，说道："我只是无法相信高中生活就这么结束了。真让人难过。"

I looked at my son, proud he was comfortable showing his emotions amongst his friends who were also clearly choked up. And I remembered the words I said to my wife a few years earlier: "You're lucky to be sad."
我看着我的儿子，很自豪于看到他能在显然已哽咽的朋友们面前安然地流露自己的感情。我记得在早几年前，我对妻子说过的那些话："能感到悲伤是件幸运的事。"

I looked at Rob and reminded him, "You've had a special time; you've made so many good close friends. You are lucky to have had the kind of time that you will truly miss." He nodded.
我看着罗布，提醒他说："你拥有过一段特别的时光，交了这么多的密友，能经历过这段往后会真心怀念的时光，你是幸运的。"他点点头。

When it comes to family, my wife and I, like many of our close friends, have looked at things a bit differently from other parents. Over the years, when it was time to send our kids off to camp or college, there would be those who'd say, "Lucky you—you must be so relieved. You have your freedom!" We'd see parents high-fiving each other as the buses drove away, several muttering to themselves, "Finally, they are gone."
谈及家庭，我和妻子与咱们的许多密友一般，有着跟其他父母不太一样的看法。过去这些年里，每到要送孩子去野营或上大学的时候，总有些人会说："你真幸运……你肯定一下子轻松了不少。你自由啦！"当公交车载着孩子离开时，我们会看见一些父母相互欢欣击掌，有些还会喃喃自语道："他们终于走了。"

We never understood them. We would sit in the car driving home quietly but clearly a bit depressed. We'd wonder if we were strange to not be seeing the separation as some parentally liberating event. We decided we weren't strange at all, just lucky. To have kids we preferred being with, children we would miss.
我一直都没有弄懂他们。我们会坐在车里，静静地把车开回家，但明显感觉到有些沮丧。我们也曾怀疑自己是否有些奇怪，因为我们没有将分离视为从父母重责中"解放"出来的时机。 后来我们觉得自己其实一点也不奇怪，反而是很幸运。我们拥有的这群子女，是我们喜欢相伴身旁，会想念记挂的子女。

It was three years ago, nearly to the day. Our middle child was walking through the processional as Mamaroneck High School celebrated its graduating seniors. It was a perfect day and there we were, my wife and I, applauding, cheering and then, as always, photographing Will and all his friends as they left the high school field.
三年前，差不多是这个时候，马马罗内克高中为其高三毕业生举行庆祝仪式，我们的第二个孩子在列队行进音乐中迈进。那是完美的一天，我和妻子都在现场鼓掌、欢呼，并且接下来如往常一般，为将要结束高中生活的维尔和他的朋友们拍照。

Our son was off to a graduation party and would meet us later. My wife and I sat in the car at the stop light, waiting to pull out of the high school parking lot. I remember the moment vividly. With a lump in my throat, I looked over to my wife, and she was sitting there with tears in her eyes. "I'll be OK," she said. "I'm going to miss him so much. It's just so sad."
我们的儿子去参加毕业派对了，迟些再和我们汇合。我和妻子坐在车里，等着绿灯亮就把车开出高中校园的停车场。我还清晰地记得那一刻。我的喉咙哽住了，我看了看妻子，她正坐在那儿，满眼是泪。"我会没事的，"她说，"我会很想念他的。只是感到很难过。"