第522期:英語美文 Attending to Little Things

Attending to the Little Things

人性化的本質其實就是kindness,善意，善良。這些善意體現在產品中，就叫人性化。而我們在人際交往中，小小的善意，也會讓你和他人的關係瞬間變得温暖，和諧。但若是忽視了一些小節，有時，也會在不經意間傷害到他人的感情。今天就來分享一篇關於注重小節的美文。這個故事選擇《高效能人士的七個習慣》。

New Words:

courtesy n.謙恭有禮，禮貌;
trampoline n.蹦牀
somersault n. 翻筋斗
sensitive adj. 敏感的;
calloused adj. 鐵石心腸的，無情的

The little kindnesses and courtesies are so important. Small discourtesies, little unkindnesses, little forms of disrespect make large withdrawals. In relationships, the little things are the big things.
一些看似無關緊要的小事，如忽視禮貌，不經意的失言，最能消耗情感賬户的存款。在人際關係中，最重要的正是這些小事。

I remember an evening I spent with two of my sons some years ago. It was an organized father-and-son outing, complete with gymnastics, wrestling matches, hot dogs, orangeade, and a movie-- the works.
我記得幾年前的一個傍晚，正是我同兩個兒子一起外出活動的時間，一般就是做運動、看摔跤比賽、吃熱狗、喝果汁和看電影這些事情。

In the middle of the movie, Sean, who was then four years old, fell asleep in his seat. His older brother, Stephen, who was six, stayed awake, and we watched the rest of the movie together. When it was over, I picked Sean up in my arms, carried him out to the car and laid him in the back seat. It was very cold that night, so I took off my coat and gently arranged it over and around him. When we arrived home, I quickly carried Sean in and tucked him into bed. After Stephen put on his "jammies" and brushed his teeth, I lay down next to him to talk about the night out together.
電影看到一半，4歲的兒子肖恩在座位上睡着了，6歲的史蒂芬還醒着，我們兩個人一起看完了那部電影。電影結束後，我抱起肖恩，走到我們的車前，打開車門，把他放在後座上。那天晚上很冷，於是我脱下外套，輕輕地蓋在他的身上。回到家，把肖恩送上牀，我又照顧6歲的史蒂芬準備睡覺。他上牀以後，我躺在他身邊，父子倆聊着當晚的趣事。

There wasn't much response on his part. I found myself making conversation. I wondered why Stephen wouldn't open up more. He usually did when exciting things happened. I was a little disappointed. I sensed something was wrong; he had been so quiet on the way home and getting
ready for bed. Suddenly Stephen turned over on his side, facing the wall. I wondered why and lifted myself up just enough to see his eyes welling up with tears.
他不怎麼説話。我發現我一個人在尬聊。史蒂芬不太願意説更多了。要知道平常他總是興高采烈地忙着發表意見，我有些小失望。覺得有點不對勁。從回家到準備睡覺，他一直都異常的安靜。突然史蒂芬偏過頭去，對着牆。我和很好奇翻身一看，才發現他眼中噙着淚水。

"What's wrong, honey? What is it?"
“怎麼啦?孩子，有什麼不對嗎?”

He turned back, and I could sense he was feeling some embarrassment for the tears and his quivering lips and chin.
他轉過頭來，我能感到嘴脣和下巴微微的顫着，流着淚，他有點不好意思地問:
"Daddy, if I were cold, would you put your coat around me too?"
“爸，如果我也覺得冷，你會不會也脱下外套披在我身上?”

Of all the events of that special night out together, the most important was a little act of kindness – a momentary, unconscious showing of love to his little brother.
那天晚上我們一起做了那麼多事，可是在他看來，最重要的卻是我不經意間對他弟弟流露出的父愛。

What a powerful, personal lesson that experience was to me then and is even now. People are very tender, very sensitive Inside. I don't believe age or experience makes much difference. Inside, even within the most toughened and calloused exteriors, are the tender feelings and emotions of the heart.
這件事無論在當時還是現在，對我來説都是深刻的教訓。人的內心都是極其柔弱和敏感的，不分年齡和資歷。哪怕是在最堅強和冷漠的外表下，也往往隱藏着一顆脆弱的心。

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