年輕人教給我的一課

On a recent trip to Florida， it was hard not to notice that 1）senior citizens seem to form a large part of that state’s population. After two weeks， I found myself slightly depressed at being around so many folks who’ve lived as long or longer than I. Later， when I told my son about these feelings， he laughed and said， “But Mom， you’re old， too.”

I responded pretty fast. “Watch it！ One of these days， you’ll be there， as well.”

I found it a joy to be back in our university town where 23，000 students mingle with the town folk， 2）sprinkling their youth over us like 3）pixie dust.

The late teens， early twenty-somethings are occasionally loud and sometimes rude， but more often smiling and helpful. How can that be anything but good for the rest of us？ I watch them in shops and restaurants， out walking and jogging， and I benefit from the energy and enthusiasm they display on a regular basis. And yes， I think of my own happy， young years when I see them.

The college crowd finds pleasure in so many more things than those on the other end of the maturity timeline. They yell louder and longer at football games than fans in their seventies.

They go to concerts and let loose in ways that those of us who are a great deal older have trouble understanding completely. Even so， we do have to admire the way the college crowd harvests enjoyment. We often restrain ourselves in the name of dignity， or an outlook that says “I’m past all that.”

I’d much rather observe two college students striding purposefully across campus than two frowning seniors moving at a turtle’s pace down the aisle of a grocery store， not their own fault， I know. Years and years of living take a toll physically， but sometimes in attitude， as well. It’s the outlook on life in many older citizens that concerns me more than physical 4）deterioration over which we have somewhat less control.

When my mother-in-law turned seventy， she began to drop out of all the organizations she’d belonged to for years. “I’m too old，” she told me when I questioned her about it. She was in excellent physical condition and sharp as ever mentally， but her inner self told her that she’d reached an age where she should sit at home and continue growing old. Her social network withered and died， her interest in many things waned， and she had little to no mental 5）stimulation other than watching TV. To me， the saddest part of life might have been very different. I promised myself to live my senior years with a better attitude.

When I’m around a group of students， I find myself standing a little straighter， walking with a bit of a bounce to my step， and enjoying the world around me. Seeing them brings out the young person still buried deep inside. So， I think I’ll continue to live where youth 6）rubs off on older folks in this beneficial way. I’ll save Florida for an occasional vacation.

從最近的一次佛羅里達之旅中，不難發(fā)現(xiàn)長者似乎已經(jīng)占了這個州人口的一大部分。兩周后，置身于眾多年紀(jì)與我相仿或者比我年長的人當(dāng)中，我發(fā)覺自己稍稍有點沮喪。之后，當(dāng)我跟兒子聊起這些感受時，他大笑起來，說道：“可是，媽媽，你也是老人家啊?！?/p>

我迅速進行“還擊”：“當(dāng)心點！總有一天，你也會老的?！?/p>

我發(fā)現(xiàn)回到我們的大學(xué)鎮(zhèn)是件很快樂的事。那里有兩萬三千名學(xué)生與鎮(zhèn)上的居民一同生活，如仙塵一般在我們的頭頂灑下他們的青春光彩。

那些十來二十歲的孩子們偶爾喧鬧，時而粗魯，但更多的時候面帶笑容，樂于助人。對于我們其他人來說，有什么比這更好的呢？我看到他們在商店或者飯館里，在外面步行或者慢跑，我從他們時常展現(xiàn)的活力和熱情中收獲裨益。是的，當(dāng)我看到他們的時候，我想起了自己快樂的青春年華。

比起那些走在人生歷程另一端的人，這些大學(xué)生能在更多的事情上找到樂趣。他們在足球賽事上比那些七十多歲的球迷們能喊得更大聲更持久。

他們?nèi)ヂ犚魳窌?，全情釋放的方式是我們這些比他們老一大截的人所無法完全理解的。雖然如此，我們確實要對這些大學(xué)生們收獲快樂的方式贊頌一番。要保持端莊，或者覺得“我已經(jīng)過了那種年紀(jì)了”，我們常常以這些名目來壓抑自己。

我寧愿看著兩個大學(xué)生滿懷壯志地闊步穿越校園，而不是看著兩個眉頭緊皺的老年人以龜速沿著雜貨店的走廊走來——這不是他們的錯，我明白。年復(fù)一年的生活，會讓人身疲體倦，但有時候也在態(tài)度上造成了負(fù)擔(dān)。讓我有所憂慮的，更多的是許多年長者對生命的看法，而不是我們無法控制的身體上的退化。

當(dāng)我的婆婆年屆七十，她開始退出所有她從事多年的組織活動?！拔姨狭耍碑?dāng)我問起她原因的時候，她如是說。當(dāng)時她身體狀況良好，頭腦也依舊敏銳，但其內(nèi)心暗示著自己已經(jīng)到了應(yīng)該靜坐家中繼續(xù)變老的年紀(jì)。她的社交網(wǎng)絡(luò)凋謝枯萎，她的多種興趣消失殆盡，除了看電視，她在精神上獲得的刺激近乎于零。對于我來說，生命中最悲哀的部分或許已經(jīng)迥然不同了。我對自己許下承諾，在暮年要以一種更好的態(tài)度來生活。

當(dāng)我處于一群學(xué)生之中，我發(fā)現(xiàn)自己會站得更直，走起路來也有勁兒，而且會享受圍繞在我四周的世界?？粗麄?，能將那個依然埋在深處的年輕人發(fā)掘出來。所以，我覺得我會繼續(xù)住在一個老人家與年輕人相處生活會產(chǎn)生積極影響的地方。我會將佛羅里達保留為一個偶爾造訪的度假點。