I was ten years old
那時(shí)我十歲

riding my bicycle
騎著自己的自行車(chē)

at break-neck speed
速度足以讓我摔斷脖子

down a hill near my home.
從家附近的山坡上向下俯沖

This was long before bike helmets were used
自行車(chē)頭盔是很久之后才發(fā)明的

Only a month before
就在一個(gè)月之前

I had hit a rock in the road,
我撞到馬路上的一塊石頭

flown over my handlebars
從車(chē)把手前面飛了出去

and smashed open my skull .
腦瓜開(kāi)了瓢

I had walked home bleeding,
我渾身是血，走回了家

terrified my Mom,
嚇壞了我的母親

and gotten a trip to the hospital
去了一趟醫(yī)院

to have my skull stitched shut again.
才把我的腦殼縫合好了

The memory of a boy is brief, however,
可是，小男孩都是好了傷疤忘了疼

so here I was back on my bike,
所以此刻我又在自己的自行車(chē)上了

flying fearlessly down a hill again.
義無(wú)反顧，飛也似地從山坡上往下沖

I was picking up speed
我一路加速

as I neared a curve in the road.
很快沖到馬路上的一個(gè)拐彎處

I started to hit my brakes when I saw it:
直到我看到一樣?xùn)|西，才開(kāi)始猛踩剎車(chē)

a pothole in the road.
馬路上有一個(gè)大坑！

Not wanting to go flying over my handlebars again
我可不想第二次從車(chē)把手前面飛出去

I twisted my wheel
我調(diào)轉(zhuǎn)車(chē)頭

and stomped on my foot brakes
踩住腳下的剎車(chē)

as hard as I could.
用盡全力

I could hear the tires skidding
我聽(tīng)到輪胎摩擦地面的聲音

as I flew off the bike.
接著就從車(chē)上飛了起來(lái)

Thankfully,
幸好

this time I landed on my back
這次我是背部著地

and in the soft grass
底下是柔軟的草地

of the field along the side of the road.
原來(lái)是路邊的一塊草坪

I got up and laughed.
我站起來(lái)，大笑起來(lái)

I was happy to be alive
我為自己還活著感到高興

and ready for one more ride
準(zhǔn)備好了再騎一次

before heading home.
然后再回家

These days
如今

I am fifty one years old
我已經(jīng)五十一歲了

and my bike riding days are far behind me.
騎著自行車(chē)撒野的歲月早已離我而去

I try not to stress my guardian too much these days either.
不過(guò)，我仍不敢讓自己的看護(hù)人過(guò)于心力憔悴

I am sure
我很確信

I made him work hard enough when I was a boy.
當(dāng)自己年少的時(shí)候，我已經(jīng)給他添了夠多的麻煩了

These days
如今

my adventures involve
我的冒險(xiǎn)舉動(dòng)包括

hugging my boys
擁抱我的兩個(gè)兒子

and petting my dogs.
輕拍我的狗

Still,
仍然

each day
每天

when I wake up in the morning
當(dāng)我早上起床的時(shí)候

I am happy to be alive.
我為自己活著感到高興

Each day when I open my eyes
每天我睜開(kāi)眼睛的時(shí)候

I am ready
我都準(zhǔn)備好了

for one more ride through this life
在這趟生命之旅中再騎一次

before heading home.
在我回“家”之前

I am not sure
我不知道

how many days, months, or years I have left
自己還剩下多少天，多少個(gè)月，抑或多少年

but I am determined
但我決心

to live them all in laughter, love and joy.
要用歡笑，愛(ài)和喜悅度過(guò)每一天

Life is a glorious adventure .
生命是一次榮耀的冒險(xiǎn)

Its most exciting parts, though ,
不過(guò)，這旅行中最精彩的時(shí)刻

aren’t when you risk your neck.
卻不是你差點(diǎn)摔斷脖子的時(shí)候

They are when you share your heart.
而是你將自己的心意分享出去的時(shí)候

May you give your love freely,
愿你能自由的播撒自己的愛(ài)

to yourself,
愿你愛(ài)自己

and to everyone else.
也愛(ài)所有其他的人

May you make your ride through this life
希望你能讓自己在這一世的旅行

a joyous one for everyone you can.
讓盡可能多的人感到快樂(lè)