Isn't it incredible¹

这不是很令人难以置信吗

how the longer we live on this Earth

我们在世上活得越久

the more the passage of time

越会感觉

between the world outside us

我们自身之外的时间

and the world within us seems out of sync" class="hjdict" word="sync" target=_blank>sync ?

与我们内在的世界已经脱轨

I attended my 35th high school reunion" class="hjdict" word="reunion" target=_blank>reunion recently.

最近我去参加了第35次的高中同学聚会

It was held at the 4-H camp

这次聚会在一个青少年课外教育营地举行

that I grew up next to as a child.

我从小到大就住在营地附近

When I got there

当我来到那里

the very first thing I noticed was the little Oak² trees我注意到的第一样东西是一株小小的橡胶树

that I used to climb up as a boy

小时候我经常爬上去玩耍

now seemed as tall as Redwoods.

现在看起来却像红杉一样矮小

How had that happened?

这是怎么回事呢

I had arrived early

我到得比预定的时间早

so I volunteered" class="hjdict" word="volunteered" target=_blank>volunteered to help get things set up.

便主动帮着布置场地

I placed some chairs around the tables

我将几把椅子放到桌子周围

and then got drafted to blow up the party balloons.

接着我被选派去吹气球，这些气球会挂在聚会现场

For some reason my aging lungs couldn't seem to get my balloons quite as large as my friend's,由于某种原因，我日渐衰老的肺似乎不能把气球吹得足够大，至少跟其他朋友相比是这样who was helping³ me out.

他们不得不给我帮忙

Then later when we all gathered together at the buffet⁴ table随后，当我们齐聚在自助餐桌前

I had to remind myself not to put too much food on my plate我不得不提醒自己，不要在盘子里堆太多的食物

lest I be up all night again with indigestion.

不让我又会因为积食整宿整宿的睡不着觉了

I glanced through an old year book that was there我翻看一本放在餐厅里的年历

and saw my teenage self again.

又看到了青少年时期的自己

I wondered where that guy with the thick, brown hair我想着，那个长着一头浓密棕色头发

and cast iron stomach had gone.

吃铁都能消化的青少年去了哪里？

As I started to talk to my old high school friends我开始与旧日的高中好友谈天

I noticed something else too.

我注意到了另外一件事

We all looked a little different.

我们都看起来与往日不同了

There was some with gray hair.

有些人头发已经花白

There was some with no hair.

有些人已经秃顶

And we all seemed to have a few extra pounds and a few extra wrinkles⁵.

我们看上去都多了几磅肉，多了几条皱纹

Yet, the moment we started to talk and catch up可是，一旦我们开始交谈，开始叙旧

the years melted away

岁月仿佛倒流

and our young souls shined through.

年轻的我们又从心里闪耀起来

On the outside we all seemed a little wiser and more mature,我们的外表看上去都更加睿智，更加成熟了

but on the inside

然而在内心深处

every single one of us was bright, beautiful, and vibrant⁶.

我们每个人还是跟孩子一样朝气蓬勃，志气满满，活力四射On the inside every single one of us was still young.

在心灵深处，我们每个人都仍然年轻

35 years may have aged our bodies a bit,

35年的时光，让我们的身体衰老了一些

but it hadn't had any effect whatsoever⁷" class="hjdict" word="whatsoever" target=_blank>whatsoever on our souls.

但对我们的灵魂，这些岁月却不能磨损半分。

Our souls are created in Love.

我们的灵魂是用爱铸就的

Our souls live through Love.

我们的灵魂在大爱之中生存

And Love never ages.

爱永不衰老

Love is both immortal⁸" class="hjdict" word="immortal" target=_blank>immortal and forever young.

爱是不朽的，爱青春永驻

And so are we.

所以我们也是如此

May you live all of your days here from your young soul then.

愿你带着少时的灵魂度过此岸的每一天

May you coax⁹" class="hjdict" word="coax" target=_blank>coax your aging body along愿你让自己的身体忘记衰老

so it can share all the love you possibly can in this life.

愿你通过这副躯体，将此生所有的爱播撒出去