I Will Remember
我會記得
Until I was eight, I spent every Sunday outside in the garden with Nana . The zucchini plants quickly became my favorite. It was the way the tiny little delicate tendrils reached out and wrapped around the lattice , like tiny fingers holding on as tightly as they could. They seemed so helpless. I would sit on the ground and tend to them, sensing that they needed me. Nana would sit there, perched on her gardening stool, looking at the tomatoes in the same way.
在我八歲之前，我的每一個週日都是和奶奶一起在外面的菜園裡度過的。那種叫西葫蘆的植物很快就成了我的最愛。它們細小精緻的卷鬚伸出去纏繞在架子上的樣子，就像許多小手指盡其所能抓緊架子。它們看起來如此無助。我感到它們需要我，我會坐在地上照看它們。奶奶則會坐在她的園藝凳上暫時歇一會兒，以同樣的方式看著西紅柿。
Wonderful Little Things
奇妙的小東西
Nana, I asked one day, "should I take off all these little yellow flowers?"
“奶奶，”有一天我問她，“我可以把這些小黃花都摘下來嗎？”
Why would you take the flowers off? she asked gently.
“你為什麼要摘這些花呢？”她溫柔地問。
Well, I thought they might attract the bugs and then the bugs might eat them.
“唔，我覺得它們可能會招來蟲子。然後，蟲子可能會把它們吃掉。”
No, darling, she said with a little laugh, "Those flowers will turn into zucchini soon."
“不會的，寶貝，”她微微笑道，“那些花很快就會變成西葫蘆的。”
Really?
“真的嗎？”
You just wait. Soon you'll see that little things can turn into wonderful things. You should remember that.
“你等著看吧。很快，你就會看到這些小東西變成奇妙的事物。你應該記住這一點。”
Little things can turn into wonderful things, I repeated.
“小東西會變成奇妙的事物。”我重複道。
That's right, she said.
“對。”她說。
The Magic of Taking Care
照料的魔力
Every Sunday I returned to the garden to check on the zucchini plants, and each time I saw more and more zucchini.
每個週日，我都會回到菜園去查看那些西葫蘆藤。每一次我都會看到越來越多的西葫蘆。
Do you think there are so many because I take good care of the plant? I asked.
“結了這麼多西葫蘆，您認為是我精心照料它們的緣故嗎？”我問道。
Yes, Nana said, "When you look after things, good things tend to grow. You should remember that."
“是啊，”奶奶說，“當你照料事物的時候，美好的事物就容易生長。你應該記住這一點。”
When you look after things, good things tend to grow, I repeated.
“當你照料事物的時候，美好的事物就容易生長。”我重複道。
That's right, she said.
“對。”她說。
To Give Up Is to Gain
放棄是為了收穫
I looked after the zucchini plants even better after that. I removed brown leaves, and if one of those tiny tendrils couldn't reach the lattice, I moved it a little closer. Nana did the same to the tomatoes. Then one Sunday, I watched as she took the clippers and cut off one whole branch of the plant.
從那以後，我更精心地照料那些西葫蘆藤。我摘掉髮黃的葉子。如果哪根小卷須夠不到架子，我就把它移得更近一些。奶奶也同樣如此照料著西紅柿。有一個週日，我看到她用一把大剪刀剪去西紅柿藤的一整根枝條。
Nana! I put my hand over my mouth in shock, "What did you do that for?"
“奶奶！”我驚訝地用手捂住了嘴巴，“您為什麼要那樣做啊？”
The plant isn't strong enough to have two good branches full of tomatoes, she said, "I had to get rid of one so the plant could make the most of the other one."
“那棵西紅柿藤是支撐不住兩根結滿了西紅柿的粗壯枝條的，”她說，“我必須剪掉一枝，讓剩下的那枝結出最好的果實。”
Oh.
“噢。”
You might have to make the same kind of choice some day, she said. "Because sometimes you just can't have everything."
“將來有一天，你可能也不得不做出同樣的選擇。”她說，“因為有時候你就是無法擁有全部。”
I'll remember that, I said.
“我會記住這一點的。”我說。
Nature Has Its Rules
萬物自有道
For months I returned every week to Nana's to see how my plant was doing, and each time I was proud to see more zucchini. Until one day, when they stopped appearing, and a few weeks later, there were none.
幾個月以來，我每週都回奶奶家看我的那棵西葫蘆藤長得怎麼樣了，而每一次我都驕傲地看到更多的西葫蘆。直到有一天，它不再結出新的西葫蘆。幾星期後，一個也不長了。
Nana, what's wrong with my plant? I asked tearfully, "It's not growing anymore."
“奶奶，我的西葫蘆藤怎麼了？”我淚眼汪汪地問，“它不再結出新的西葫蘆了。”
That's what happens, darling. Things grow but then they stop. Nothing lasts forever.
“就是那樣的，寶貝。事物生長，然後停止生長。沒有事物持續到永遠。”
But I was so good to it.
“但我對它那麼好。”
Yes, she said. But things end so new things can start."
“是的，”她說，“但舊事物結束了，新事物才會開始。”
And is there something I should remember?
“有什麼是我應該記住的嗎？”
Yes, said Nana. "Seasons change, but for everything that ends, something new will take its place."
“有，”奶奶說，“四季交替。但每一個消亡了的事物總會被某種新事物取代。”
I'll remember that, I said.
“我會記住這一點的。”我說。
Nature's Rules Are Not Unchangeable
萬物之道並非一成不變
I helped tend other garden plants. But one day, I admitted , "I really miss the zucchini plants."
我幫助照料菜園裡的其他植物。但有一天，我坦白說：“我真想念那些西葫蘆。”
I know, darling.
“我知道，寶貝。”
I was thinking, Nana, what if we got grandpa to make a greenhouse?Then we could have zucchini plants all year.
“我在想，奶奶，我們讓爺爺建一間溫室怎麼樣？那樣我們就一年四季都可以種西葫蘆了。”
I don't know, she said. Maybe we should just wait for the right season."
“我不知道，”她說，“也許我們應該等合適的季節到來吧。”
But can we just try? Can I just ask grandpa? Please, Nana.
“但我們能試一試嗎？我能問問爺爺嗎？求您了，奶奶。”
I guess we can try, she said.
“我想我們可以試試。”她說。
Grandpa agreed. The next week, I arrived to find a greenhouse constructed. The best part about it was the inside of the walls: there was lattice from top to bottom.
爺爺同意了。第二週我到奶奶家的時候，發現一間溫室已經建好了。最棒的是溫室裡面的牆壁：架子從地上一直搭到了天篷頂上。
This is the perfect home for zucchini plants, I said.
“對西葫蘆來說，這是一個最棒的家。”我說。
And tomatoes, Nana added.
“還有西紅柿。”奶奶補充說。
We planted zucchini on one side and tomatoes on the other. Week after week, the zucchini plants looked better and better. Nana's tomatoes were just as good. Then the fruit came, and we both realized that this greenhouse worked perfectly.
我們在一邊種上了西葫蘆，在另一邊種上了西紅柿。一週又一週過去了，西葫蘆的秧苗看起來越長越好。奶奶的西紅柿也是如此。然後它們都結了果，我們倆都體會到這間溫室好用極了。
Look, Nana, I said, "I have a little zucchini here and it is going to be the best ever."
“瞧，奶奶，”我說，“我這兒有一棵很小的西葫蘆，它將成為最棒的。”
What a fabulous idea you had! Nana said, squeezing my hand.
“你這個主意可真好啊！”奶奶一邊說，一邊捏了捏我的手。
Nana, I said, "I think you should remember something."
“奶奶，”我說，“我想您應該記住點什麼。”
What's that?
“記住什麼？”
There is always a way if you want something bad enough.
“如果你非常想要某種東西，就一定會有辦法的。”
Nana turned and looked at me. I saw a tiny tear in her eye and for a moment, I thought she was going to cry. Then she smiled the biggest smile I have ever seen. She shook her head slightly and squeezed my hand again. "Thank you, darling," she said, "I will remember that."
奶奶轉過身，看著我。我看見她的眼睛裡有一小滴淚。有一會兒，我以為她要哭了。然後，她的臉上露出我所見過的最燦爛的笑容。她輕輕地搖了搖頭，又捏了捏我的手。“謝謝你，寶貝，”她說，“我會記住這一點的。”
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