What is home? A roof to keep out the rain? Four walls to keep out the wind? Floors to keep out the cold? Yes, but home is more than that. It is the laugh of a baby, the song of a mother, the strength of a father, warmth of loving hearts, lights from happy eyes, kindness, loyalty, and comradeship.
Home is the first school for young ones, where they learn what is right, what is good and what is kind; where they go for comfort when they are hurt or sick; where joy is shared and sorrow eased; where fathers and mothers are respected and loved, and children are wanted; where the simplest food is good enough for kings because it is earned; where money is not as important as love and kindness; where even the tea kettle sings from happiness. That is home.
家是什么？蔽雨的屋檐？遮风的四壁？还是御寒的地板？是的，这些都是家的一部分，但是这还远远构不成家。家里还要有婴儿的笑声、妈妈的歌声、爸爸的力量、爱的温暖、幸福的眼神、善意、忠诚和同志之谊。
家是孩子们的第一所学校，在那儿他们知道了什么是对，什么是好，什么是善。当他们受到伤害或是生病时，会从那里得到温暖和安慰。在那里，欢乐得到分享，忧伤得到缓解；在那里，爸爸、妈妈互相尊重，孩子们被需要；在那里，最简单的食物也味美得足以飨国王，因为那是自己赚来的；在那里，钱没有爱心和善意重要；在那里，就是茶壶也在唱着幸福的歌谣。那就是家。
Home
—By Denn A. Meneses
There is a magical place in our own private universe that stays at the core of our being no matter where our life’s journeys take us. It is where we seek refuge when the slings and arrows of outrageous1 fortune have become too much for the soul to bear.
Home beckons the child in us who cries out above the din2 of conflicting sounds and clashing egos. It is like an unseen hand that lulls3 us to blissful slumber, a strong shoulder upon which we can cast our never-ending burdens, and an invisible light that warms the innermost of our hearts.
It smoothes our ruffled feathers, irons out the wrinkles in our overwrought4 countenance, and repairs the chinks5 in our overused armor —letting us forget our fears for the time being, bringing us back to more transcendent time when we were children.
Ah, the time when we were children. Wasn’t it the most pristine6 and sublime period of our existence? It is the time of our life when laughter was easy, dreams were for free, moments were tender, and troubles were a world away.
And home, sweet home, was the safest place to be. Inside its protective walls we were shielded from the inexorable7 pains of growing up, taking them all in, and letting them go. Its unblemished8 air allowed us to breathe generously the fresh smell of morning sunshine, the invigorating whiff9 of new mown hay, animals in pasture, flowers in bloom and soft breeze blowing from the horizon.
It is a virtual reservoir of the loveliest thoughts and fondest memories of our life, mostly well and devoutly spent to be wished for again and again a harbor where things and faces are warm and familiar, giving and nurturing, caring and everlasting. It bequeathed to us in no small measure the priceless gift of innocence, the wonderful feeling of mirth and the invaluable sensation of being forever young.
It is where we shed our superficial selves, repair our battered bodies, boost our wilting10 spirits, fix our tarnished11 psyches, mend our bruised emotions and change our evil ways.
It is that one warm spot in all of God’s marvelous creation where we could be children again —feet up, hair down, laughter perpetually etched on our faces, like goblins12 playing in the rain, romping13 in the mountains, running up and down barefoot on the shore, frolicking14 as if there wasn’t any worry in the world.
When we were in the simplicity and buoyancy15 of our youth, all that we had were dreams to spin, rainbows to chase, stars to wish upon, and dewdrops to catch. Home shapes the persons we are today. It stirs passions long laid dormant, letting it all break out and fall free. And we always emerge the better for allowing ourselves to delight in the breathtaking review of oft-trodden pathways and old, familiar places; the welcoming embrace of cherished faces; and the fond memories not at all faded by time.
Indeed, more often than not, we stray too far to places unknown in search of what we need, what we want and what we would die for just to have —and we return home to find it.
Notes:
1. outrageous adj.骇人的,无法容忍的
2. din n.喧嚣声,嘈杂声
3. lull v.使放松,使镇静
4. overwrought adj.过度紧张的,过分忧烦的,紧张激动的
5. chink n.裂口,裂缝
6. pristine adj.清新的,处于原始状态的
7. inexorable adj.不可阻挡的,无法改变的
8. unblemished adj.完好的,无损的,无污点的
9. whiff n.一点儿气味
10. wilt v.(使)枯萎,凋谢,蔫
11. tarnish v.(使)失去光泽,暗淡
12. goblin n.(传说中的)小妖精,丑妖怪
13. romp v.嬉戏喧闹
14. frolick v.嬉戏,嬉闹
15. buoyancy n.轻快
家
张辉 译
在我们的心中有一个神奇的地方，不管生命之旅把我们带到何处，它都是我们生命的核心。当恶境中的枪林弹雨让我们的身心感到难以承受时，我们会在那里寻求到庇护。
在世事的喧嚣和自我的冲突中，家召唤着我们心中的童真。它就似一只看不见的手轻抚着我们安然进入甜美的梦乡；也似那强壮的臂膀，可以承载起我们无尽的负担；还似一盏看不见的明灯，温暖着我们的内心深处。
它抚平我们已经凌乱的翅羽，烙平岁月的沧桑在我们脸上印下的纹路，修补我们久经杀场的盔甲上的裂纹。它让我们忘掉了现时的恐惧，超越时空带我们回到了童年。
啊，童年，那不是我们一生最质朴、最纯洁、最崇高的时候吗？那时候，我们自在地笑，自由地梦想，一幕幕总是那么温柔，烦恼与麻烦离我们是那么的遥远。
家，甜蜜的家，那是我们最安全的地方。在它的护羽下，我们免受了成长所带来的切肤之痛，它容纳了我们所有的伤痛，又化解了它们。它无暇的空气使我们可以畅快地呼吸早晨阳光下的清新气息，新收割的干草的清香，牧场上动物的气息，盛开的花朵那令人神清气爽的香气，还有那从地平面吹拂而来的清凉微风。
它实际上是一个蓄水池，储存着我们最可爱的想法和最美妙的回忆。其实我们生命大部分的努力都是为了希望得到一个港湾，在那里所有的物品和脸庞都是温暖而又熟悉的，准备给予而又滋润人的，充满关爱而又永恒的。它给了我们可贵的天真，让我们感受到了欢乐的美妙以及永远年轻的那种珍贵的感受。
在这里，我们可以脱掉虚饰的外衣，休养疲惫的身体，重振萎蔫的精神，拭亮黯淡的心灵，养护我们受伤的情感，改正我们心中的邪恶。
在上帝所有神奇的创造中，这是一个温暖的地方，在这里，我们又变成了孩子——我们可以头朝下脚朝上地玩闹着，笑容好像被永远地印刻在了我们的脸上，我们可以像传说中的小精怪一样在雨中玩耍，于山间嬉闹，赤脚在海边踏浪，欢乐得好像不知这世上还有任何忧愁。
在我们单纯和浮躁的青年时代，我们现在所拥有的一切都还是梦，是待追逐的彩虹，待摘下的星星，待采撷的露珠。是家造就了我们今天的自己。是家激起了我们潜伏已久的热情，使其爆发、释放。当我们快乐地回望常走的路、熟悉的老地方、珍爱的人对你欢迎的拥抱以及没有随着时间流逝而褪色的美好回忆时，那总是让我们很感动，我们的精神面貌也总是会随之焕然一新。
确实，常常我们为了寻求我们需要和渴望的东西以及为了拥有而愿意献出自己生命的东西而迷失得太远，到了那些全然陌生的地方——然后我们回到家中，却发现它就在那里。