Getting out of the back of the truck I stood in at a ranch¹ home从卡车后面翻身下车，我来到这座牧场里的木屋前

that was set back from the dirt road

木屋蜷缩在那条泥泞的公路里侧

just enough to be completely shaded by the biggest oak tree I had ever seen.

正好被一株橡树投下的树阴完全笼罩，那是我见过的最大的橡树The house was square with a rusty² old screened in porch that went all the way around.

木屋四面环绕着一圈封闭式的门廊，锈迹斑斑，衰朽不堪I found out later it was built around 1860 and was completely constructed with square nails.

据我后来得知，这座木屋大约是在1860年建造的，全部用方头钉建成To the left was a very impressive carriage barn with several vacant horse stalls.

木屋的左边是一座庞大的马车车厢，旁边还有几个空空的马厩I could tell by the ware³ on the wood of these stalls从马厩的木料上被磨损的痕迹我能看出

that at some time in the past

在过去的某个时候

this now quiet barn was a very active and important part of life on this ranch.

这座如今寂静无声的谷仓曾经充满喧嚣，在牧场的生活中扮演着自己重要的角色The trunk of the oak tree was the corner of a fenced off section, out from one of the stalls strolls a huge cow.

橡树的树干正好在一连串牛棚的拐角，这些牛棚边缘被栅栏围了起来，一只身形巨大的奶牛在牛棚外面闲庭散步。

It was the biggest animal I had ever seen.

它是我见过的体型最大的动物。

This cow comes right towards me as if we knew each other.

奶牛径直朝我走过来，就像我们俩很熟悉似的

I step back away from the fence thinking what it wants.

我向后退步，离开围篱，想着它想要干什么

She lifted her head enough to get it between the top and second fence rail它把头抬起来，正好从围栏最高一格和第二格中间的缝隙里探出头来which was good because she was still moving forward这样挺好，因为它还在向前移动

when she bumped the fence and it strained and squeaked⁴ trying to hold her as she pushed that enormous head towards me奶牛那只庞大的脑袋还是直直对着我，它开始用头撞围栏，围栏被撞变形，发出吱吱嘎嘎的声音，竭力阻拦前者。

Rodger said that's daisy Rodger

告诉我，那头母牛名叫Daisy

Seemed like everything daisy did was in slow motion似乎Daisy的一举一动都是以慢动作进行的

and I was fascinated by the gentle animal...

我对这只温柔的动物着了迷

We became close friends over the next couple of years在之后的几年中，我们变成了亲密的朋友

and she marked the beginning of my life long affection love and understanding of animals.

以它为起点，我的心里生出对动物的关爱和理解，这种关爱和理解延续了一辈子Over time, I managed to explore every inch of that place.

过了一段时间，我已经把牧场周围的每一寸土地都探索了一遍Today I am proud of the knowledge I have about the place that I call home.

如今，对这个我称为家园的地方我积累了百科全书般的知识，对此我感到骄傲Well a couple summers went by

几个夏天匆匆过去

and Kenny asked me to go with him to help his brother over at the ranch of course I went.

Kenny请我跟他的哥哥一起到农场那头去，帮忙干农活。我欣然前往。

While Kenny was talking with Roger, I went to hang out with Daisy.

Kenny和Roger交谈的时候，我走去跟Daisy一起玩耍Standing⁵ at the pen I though how strange.

站在围栏边，我心想，这多么奇怪呀。

For the last two years since we met, whenever I was around the ranch she was at the fence watching me.

我们相识已经两年了，可是每次我走到围栏边，它都会跟着走到围栏边来看着我。

I looked for the gate to be opened but it wasn't我等着它撞开栏门走出来，它却迟迟没有出现。

so I went into the barn and there she was,

我走进谷仓，它果然在那

I walk up talking to her and shaking the bucket of apples我走近它，跟它说话，还摇晃着手中的一桶苹果，想吸引它的注意but she didn't move

它却一动不动

Daisy's head was stuffed into the corner of the barn like she was frightened.

Daisy正把脑袋埋在谷仓的角落里，似乎受到了惊吓。

I drop the pail thinking something is wrong and I have to tell Roger.

我放下装苹果的桶，心想一定是出了什么事，我得告诉Roger。

I ran as fast as I could out the barn accost⁶ the pen我以最快的速度跑出谷仓，穿过马厩

and normally I would go over the fence

通常我会从围栏上翻过去

but I was in far too big of a hurry

但此刻我得赶时间

so I dove on me belly and slid right under the thing.

于是便趴在地上，从围栏下面的缝隙爬了过去

I ran around to the front of the house and up on the porch.

我跑到房子正面，登上门廊

Where's everybody I yell as my eyes searched the house in seconds.

我边用眼睛迅速扫视房屋各处，边冲四处喊叫，想找到其他人They’re not in the house maybe the fruit shed!!!

他们不在屋里，或许在果棚里？

As I leap off the porch on the other side of the house,我跑到房间另一边，从门廊上跳下来

The vet⁷ I see explains what is wrong with Daisy and sends me in to a fright before my feet even hit the ground.

在我的脚到达果棚之前，已经有一股恐惧袭上我的心头，因为我看见一股兽医，这让我明白了Daisy到底出了什么问题。

Temporarily hidden in a cloud of dust I hear the silence of death.

天上是浅灰色的乌云，我听到云中传来死神的寂静之声。

I took off for home, about an hour's walk through the woods我从牧场跑了出去，在树林里徐徐步行，大概度过了一个小时的时间but it took me all day for some reason.

但理清思绪却花了我一天的时间

I remember walking in the house well past dark.

我记得，直到天擦黑的时候，我才走回房里。

I knew my mom would be worried sick.

我知道母亲一定为我着急坏了

I was never home past dark without telling her.

我从没这样，在不告诉她的情况下天黑才回家过。

Mom and I had a deal.

我跟母亲有一个约定

I could leave in the morning and be gone all day without checking in.

我可以早晨就出门，一整天都不回家

but I had to be home by dark without fail.

但是我一定得在天黑前回家

When I came in the house, my mom was standing in the kitchen with her arms out当我回到家里时，母亲正站在厨房里，两只胳膊朝我伸过来and I broke down in tears while she hugged me.

我的泪水夺眶而出，母亲抱住了我

Mom said Kenny came by and told her what had happened.

母亲说Kenny来过，把事情经过都告诉了母亲

The next thing I know it's morning.

后来如何我不记得了，只记得第二天早上

For the first time in my life

有生以来第一次

I entered the day with a huge hole in my heart新一天来临时，我感到心里有一个巨大的黑洞

that only a day before wasn't there.

就在一天以前那个黑洞还不在那儿。

That's when I was acquainted with the feelings of loss.

直到此刻，我才明白什么是失去的感觉

Over the years I have acquired many of these holes多年之后，我的心上已经有了许多这样的黑洞

and before my time is up their will be plenty more.

到我大限之期到来之前，我的心上会有更多黑洞

Some of the lessons life taught me come from love and happiness生活给我的启示中，有些来自爱和幸福

and some come from love and sadness.

还有一些来自爱和悲伤

I think they are equally important teachers.

无论是哪一种，我想它们都是重要的人生导师