雙語美文：你看我時很遠 看電子設備很近
A local grocery store here is remodeling
一家附近的雜貨店正在翻新改造
and not a single one of the changes is good
這些改造卻一個也不好
for those of us who shop there.
對於我們這些在那裏買東西的人來說
The grocery aisles have been rearranged
雜貨店裏的貨廊被重新整理過了
with some going in one direction
有些朝向這邊
and others going in another.
有些又朝向相反的方向
The aisles have been pushed closer together too
貨廊從兩邊向中間變窄了
making it harder to get through them.
行走其間變得更加艱難
All of the items have been moved from their usual spots as well
而且，所有的商品都從它原本的位置挪開了。
It seems like
似乎
all of these changes have been for the purpose
所有這些變化都只有一個目的
of slowing the shoppers down
就是讓買東西的人動作更慢一些
so they will make more impulse buys
他們就會做出更多的衝動消費
and give the store bigger profits.
讓雜貨店賺更多的錢
As I walked through the store today
今天，當我在店裏走動的時候
no one was smiling
我發現沒有一張笑臉
and everyone was unhappy about it.
沒有人爲此感到高興
The change that bothered me the most, however,
不過，最讓我氣惱的改變
was in the check-out aisles.
是在收銀的區域
Only a few cashiers were left working
只剩下幾個收銀臺可以用
with huge sections being converted into self-scanning check-outs.
大部分的區域都改成了自動掃碼收銀區
It saddened me to see this.
這讓我感到難過
I knew that
我想
people were probably going to lose their jobs because of this change.
一定會有人因爲這些變化丟掉工作
I got in a cashier aisle
我走到一個收銀區
and patiently waited
開始耐心等待
while I saw some other people struggling to figure out how the self scan machines worked.
這時我看到其他顧客正竭力弄明白自動掃碼機的使用辦法
I vowed at that moment
那一刻我暗自發誓
never to use one myself
自己絕不會用自動掃碼機
even if I had to wait longer every time I shopped there.
即使每次來店裏買東西，都必須等待更長的時間
When I finally arrived at the front of the aisle
當我終於來到了人工收銀臺前
I saw the cashier was someone I knew.
我發現收銀員是我認識的人
I smiled
我報以微笑
and asked her how her family was doing.
問她家人都好嗎
She smiled back with a warmth and kindness
她帶着溫暖和善意回饋了一個微笑
that touched my soul.
讓我深受觸動
We chatted happily
我們相談甚歡
while she scanned and bagged up my groceries .
同時，她掃描我的商品，並且幫我裝袋
I felt a friendship and a connection with her
我感覺到彼此之間的友情和默契
that warmed my heart.
這讓我心中一暖
I wished her well before I left
在我離開前，我祝願她一切都好
And wished good luck to her
並祝她好運
and all the other hard working cashiers there.
也祝店裏其他辛勤勞作的收銀員好運
Machines can do a lot for us,
機器能爲我們做很多事
but there are many things they can't do.
但也有很多事他們無能爲力
They can't smile.
他們不會微笑
They can't love.
他們不能付出愛意
They can't touch a heart.
他們不能觸碰我們的心絃
Only we can do that.
只有我們人類可以做這些
Only we can make life worth living.
只有我們能讓生活變得值得
It is time we realize that
是時候我們應該意識到
profits aren't more important than people
利益並不比人心更重要
and machines aren't more important than us.
機器也不比人更重要
It is time we see that
是時候我們應該看到
we are here not to conquer the world
我們來到世界，不是爲了征服
but to be a part of it.
而是爲了成爲世界的一部分
It is time we learn that
是時候我們應該學會
each other,
相互彼此
and this world
還有這個世界
is what life is all about.
纔是生活的意義所在
