Everyday was a struggle physically¹. The heat was oppressive in the Summer and the cold was constant in the Winter.

每天的工作都很繁重。夏天异常炎热，冬天持续寒冷。

My back would burn with pain from the constant bending, lifting, and carrying. My feet would ache from standing² the entire day.

由于不停地弯腰，抬货、搬货，背部有灼烧般的疼痛。一整天下来我的脚也酸痛不已。

The skin around my fingernails would split³ and bleed from the continuous work my hands were doing.

手指甲旁边的皮肤因双手持续工作而开裂出血。

I tried to keep my spirits up while I worked there, but day by day I felt myself wearing down.

每天工作的时候我都强打精神，但是随着日子一天一天过去，我也感到厌烦。

Every morning I would place Band-Aides around my fingers and pull on my worn out work boots. And every night I would drag myself home smelling of sweat and sawdust and collapse⁴ on the couch⁵.

每天在早晨我用OK绷缠在手上，穿上破旧的工作靴。每天晚上，我拖着疲惫不堪、满身臭汗、沾满木屑的身体回到家中，瘫坐在沙发上。

One evening I felt like I could take it no more.

一天晚上我觉得再也不能忍受这样的工作了。

Why am I working myself to death here just to survive?

为什么为了生存我要这样至死不渝的工作？

Why couldn't I find a better job than this?

为什么找不到比这个像样一点的工作？

Why am I having to go through this right now?

为什么我非要忍受这些？

I wasn't really expecting an answer, but God loves to surprise us.

我也不期望得到回答，但上帝总喜欢给我们惊喜。

As I struggled up the steps to my front door, I found all three of my young children waiting for me with smiling faces.

当我无力地走上家门口，我的三个年幼的孩子在微笑着等我。

"Daddy, Daddy!", my daughter yelled⁶.

“爸爸！爸爸！”我的女儿大喊道。

I smiled and picked her up in my arms. After hugging them all, I laughed for the first time in days and sat down peacefully. It was just the answer I needed.

我笑着把她搂入臂弯，在把他们一一拥抱过后，我由衷的笑起来，是工作这些天以来的第一次，然后安静的坐下来。这就是我想要的答案。

[en]Eventually I moved on to a better job, but I never forgot that answer to my questions. We may have to work to live, but we live to love.

最后，我换了更好的工作，但是我永远也忘不了这个问题的答案。也许我们工作是为了生活，但我们生活是为了爱，为爱而生。