一生之戀 Forever In Their Eyes
佚名/Anonymous
Early one morning,I witnessed romance at one of the least-expected places in the world-a long-term care facility.At the time,my father shared a room with three other gentlemen.While it wasnt an ideal situation,it was the best the administrator could do at the time.
A few days before this particular visit,an elderly couple was admitted to the facility.Since there wasnt a double room available,they were forced to separate the couple.The gentleman,Mr.West（name has been changed）was placed in the bed beside Daddy.His wife,Mrs.West,shared a room with several other ladies down the hall.
When I went to see Daddy that morning,I met Mr.West.Three employees were working with him.He hadn’t eaten a bite of food since he was admitted several days earlier.I could tell by the expression on the nurses’faces that they were worried about him.While one nurse was trying to get him to open his mouth with spoonfuls of gelatin,another nurse was trying to coax him to drink a health shake from a straw.The third nurse was standing nearby with a cup of water.Mr.West refused to open his mouth for any of them.
“Lets try this,”one of the nurses said.She pulled out a lollipop,tore off the paper and offered it to Mr.West.His lips were clamped together tightly.He refused to listen to reason.Finally,he uttered something about his sweetheart,who was resting down the hall.
“Go get Mrs.West,”the nurse instructed her helper,while handing her the lollipop.“Maybe Mr.West will eat for her.”
In a few minutes a kind-looking lady was wheeled into the room.She held the lollipop in her hand.Her smile was contagious and Mr.West smiled brightly.I felt as though I was intruding on a private moment,but I couldn’t take my eyes off the couple.The love between them was obvious,as Mrs.West patted Mr.West’s hand and then caressed his forehead.
With a soft voice,Mrs.West convinced Mr.West to eat.To everyone’s surprise Mr.West opened his mouth and began to enjoy the lollipop and his wife’s company.While the nurses fed him,he stared at his sweetheart with a smile on his face.Mrs.West began humming a tune to him.The expression on his once solemn face became even brighter.
Tears filled my eyes.The nurse then pulled the curtain around the couple to give them some quality time alone to visit.I discovered that romance doesn’t only exist when we’re young and in love.Romance lasts a lifetime and grows stronger with age.Before long I heard snores of contentment coming from the bed beside me.
Today,Mr.and Mrs.West reside together in a place where there are no limitations,nursing homes or wheelchairs.There are no tears in their eyes or rooms dividing them.I am convinced that the West marriage went well beyond“till death us do part”and will last throughout eternity.Not only did I witness a memorable romance that day,I saw a glimpse of forever in a loving couples tired and worn-out eyes.
一天清晨，我在世界上人們最不想去的地方——長期看護所裏，目睹了一段浪漫故事。那時，我父親和另外三位先生同住一間房。雖然條件不是很好，但已是當時管理員所能提供的最好環境了。
在那次特殊拜訪的前幾天，一對老年夫婦被送進這家看護所。因為沒有多餘的雙人間，他們隻好被分開。那位老先生，維斯特先生（化名），被安排住到我父親的臨床。而他的妻子，維斯特太太，則被安排到大廳另一側的房間，和幾位女士合住。
去看父親的那個上午，我見到了維斯特先生。當時有三個護理員在照料他。自從住進看護所，他就沒吃過一口東西。從護理員的神情中，我能看出他們很擔心他。當一個護理員正用小勺哄他吃一種膠狀食物時，另一個護理員則試著讓他吸食一種營養汁，而第三個護理員則端著一杯水站在旁邊。可是，維斯特先生卻堅決不肯張嘴。
“來嚐嚐這個。”其中一個護理員取出一支棒棒糖，撕掉糖紙遞給維斯特先生。然而他仍緊閉著雙唇，不聽任何人勸說。最後，他自言自語地說了一些有關他妻子的話，而她就住在大廳的另一側。
“去把維斯特太太找來，”護理員對助手說著，隨手把棒棒糖也給了他。“或許維斯特先生肯為她而吃點東西。”
幾分鍾後，一位和藹可親的老太太坐著輪椅，被推了進來，她手裏拿著的正是那支棒棒糖。她的微笑極富感染力，維斯特先生也露出了燦爛的笑容。我突然覺得自己的存在仿佛侵犯了他們的私人空間，但是我卻無法將視線從那對老夫婦身上移開。當維斯特太太輕拍維斯特先生的手並輕撫他的額頭時，你可以真切體會到他們之間的那份愛。
維斯特太太溫柔地勸說維斯特先生先吃點東西。令人驚訝的事情發生了，維斯特先生張開嘴津津有味地吃那支棒棒糖，同時也享受著妻子陪伴的歡愉。護理員喂他食物時，他始終帶著笑意凝視著妻子。維斯特太太開始為他輕聲哼唱。他原本嚴肅的臉頓時露出了輕鬆的表情。
我被感動得熱淚盈眶。護理員拉上圍簾，將他們圍在其中，讓他們盡情享用這段私人空間。我發覺，浪漫不僅僅是戀愛中的年輕人的專利，它會陪伴我們一生，並隨著年齡的增長而變得愈加香醇。不一會兒，愜意的鼾聲從旁邊的**傳來。
現在，維斯特夫婦住在一個沒有輪椅，沒有看護室，沒有任何限製自由之所。他們不會再因為房間而分離，而他們的眼中也不再有淚水。我堅信他們的婚姻已經超越了“生死相許”的誓言成為了永恒。那天，我不僅親眼見證了一段難忘的浪漫故事，也從這對相親相愛的老夫婦那倦怠而焦灼的眼神中，瞥到了永恒的瞬間。
心靈小語
最幸福的愛情，就是當兩個人已經老去，還可以手拉著手，肩並著肩，坐在長椅上，慢慢聊那些不起眼的往事。
詞匯筆記
witness[witnis]vt.親眼看見；目擊
I witnessed the accident.
我親眼目睹了這場事故。
refuse[rifju:z]vt.&vi.拒絕；回絕
We asked him to come,but he refused.
我們叫他來，可是他拒絕了。
nurse[n?:s]n.護士；保育員；保姆
The nurse wore a pleated cap on her head.
護士頭上戴著打褶的小帽。
reside[rizaid]vi.居住；定居
They reside abroad.
他們居住在國外。
小試身手
我發覺浪漫不僅僅是戀愛中的年輕人的專利，它會陪伴我們一生，並隨著年齡的增長而變得越愈加香醇。
我堅信他們的婚姻超越了“生死相許”的誓言成為了永恒。那天，我不僅親眼見證了這段難忘的浪漫故事，也從這對相親相愛的老夫婦那倦怠而焦灼的眼神中瞥到了永恒的瞬間。
短語家族
The third nurse was standing nearby with a cup of water.
a cup of：一杯
I felt as though I was intruding on a private moment,but I couldnt take my eyes off the couple.
as though：好像；仿佛