Not Just a Mom

母親的含義

A woman named Emily renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk's office was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. "What I mean is," explained the recorder, "do you have a job, or are you just a ... "

一位名叫埃米莉的婦女在縣辦事處給駕駛執照續期時，一名女記錄員問及她的職業。她猶豫了一下，不敢肯定應如何將自己歸類。“我意思是說你有沒有工作，”那名記錄員解釋說，“還是說你只不過是一名……”

"Of course I have a job," snapped Emily. "I'm a mother."

“我當然有工作，”埃米莉馬上回答，“我是一名母親。”

"We don't list 'mother' as an occupation ... 'Housewife' covers it," said the recorder emphatically。

“我們這里不把‘母親’看成是一個職業……‘家庭主婦’就可以了。”那名記錄員斷然回答。

I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like, "Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar." "What is your occupation?" she probed。

這個故事聽后，我就忘了。直到有一天在市政廳，我也遇到了同樣的情況。很顯然，那名辦事員是位職業女性，自信、有能力，并有著一個類似“官方訊問員”或“鎮登記員”之類很堂皇的頭銜。“你的職業?”她問道。

What made me say it, I do not know ... The words simply popped out. "I'm a Research

Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations."

至今我也不知道，當時是什么因素作怪，我脫口而出：“我是兒童發育和人類關系研究員。”

The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozen in midair, and looked up as though she had not heard right。

那名辦事員愣住了，拿著原珠筆的手也不動了。她抬頭看著我，好像沒有聽清楚我說什么似的。

I repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire。

我慢慢地把我的職業再重復一遍，在說到重要的詞時還加重語氣。然后，我驚奇地看著我的話被粗黑的筆記錄在官方的問卷上。

"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field?"

“我能不能問一下，”這名辦事員好奇地問，“你在這個領域具體做什么?”

Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research, (what mother doesn't)， in the laboratory and in the field, (normally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters, (the whole darned family)， and already have four credits, (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money."

我非常鎮定地答道：“我有一個不間斷的研究項目(哪位母親不是這樣呢?)，工作地點包括實驗室和現場(通常我會說室內和戶外)。我在為我的學位努力(就是我們一家人)，而且已經有了四個學分(全部是女兒)。當然，我的工作是人類要求最高的工作之一(有哪位母親會反對嗎?)我通常工作一天14小時(24小時更為準確)。但這項工作比大部分普通工作都具有挑戰性，而它通常帶來的回報不是金錢，更多的是滿足感。”

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door。

那名辦事員在填完表格后，站起來，親自把我送到門口。在這個過程中，她說話時流露出一股敬意。

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants - ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby)， in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern。

我回到家，把車停在家門前的車道時，還對自己響亮的頭銜覺得飄飄然。我那三名年齡分別為13歲、7歲、3歲的實驗室助手正在等著我，從樓上傳來我們的新實驗模特兒(六個月大的嬰兒)的聲音，她正放開嗓門，測試著新的聲音模式。

I felt triumphant! I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "just another mother."

我感到歡欣鼓舞!我竟然打敗了官僚機構!如今，在官方的紀錄上，我成了人類超群出眾、不可或缺的人物，而不僅僅是一位母親。

Motherhood ... What a glorious career! Especially when there's a title on the door。

母親……這是多么光榮的職業啊!特別是現在這已經成為官方記錄了。

Does this make grandmothers "Senior Research Associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations" and great grandmothers "Executive Senior Research Associates"? I think so!!!

這是不是說奶奶和姥姥就是“資深兒童發育和人類關系研究員”，而曾祖母則是“高級研究員”呢?我想是這樣的!

I also think it makes Aunts "Associate Research Assistants"。

我想，小姨子也因此成了“研究員助理”。

 

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