引人深思
From the time I was a child growing up in New Jersey，I loved spending weekends with my grandparents.Their big old house was cozy1），and I felt especially welcome and relaxed in Granny's small kitchen.It was there that we had intimate conversations，and Granny always seemed to include morsels2） of wisdom with every recipe she prepared.
I remember one Saturday morning in particular.I was about 11years old and had spent the night3）。After breakfast I asked Granny，"What kind of soup are you making today？"I could smell the broth4） simmering5） in a blue－speckled enamelware pot6） on top of the old gas stove.
"Vegetable beef，"she answered."And you can help by chopping7） some carrots and celery."
Granny tied an apron around her full waist8）。We got the vegetables from the refrigerator：onions，carrots，celery，potatoes and cauliflower9）。She gave me a knife and cutting board so I could do my share of the work.
As I slowly peeled carrots，I lamented10），"I've got to give an oral book report next week and I' m scared."
Granny looked at me and then back to the handful of chopped onions she had measured in her hand.She dumped11） them into the soup pot and said，"Most people are afraid of public speaking.But remember，the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.So，what exactly are you afraid of？"
I slumped12） in my chair."Everything，I guess.I don' t like standing up in front of everybody.What if I forget what I'm going to say？Or what if somebody laughs？"
"And what if you do just fine？"Granny asked."Have you prepared notes？"
"Well，no.That would be a lot of extra work."
"Hard work never hurt anyone，"Granny cautioned as she pointed the wooden spoon toward me."You could try practicing in front of a mirror."
I pushed the pieces of carrots to the side of the cutting board.The room was quiet except for Granny's thick－heeled13） lace－up14） shoes clicking across the worn linoleum15） floor.She took the chopped carrots to the stove and added them to the soup.Then，as I sliced celery，I went on to complain about schoolwork，friends and family.As far as I was concerned，I had more troubles than the amount of chopped vegetables on the wooden cutting board in front of me.
Granny took it all in16），listening patiently while I sputtered17） about the bits and pieces of grief in my life.Wiping her hands on her apron，she brushed a strand18） of curly gray hair from her brow and sat down next to me.That close，I could smell the scent of her face powder19）。It not only whitened her face but made every wrinkle show up too.
I stopped cutting and looked into my grandmother's blue－gray eyes.Her expression was stern20） yet gentle."Nancy，"she started，"there's nothing wrong with a little trouble in your life.It adds character."
I sat back，but Granny leaned closer.Her glasses，which hung from a chain around her neck，hit the table，emphasizing her movement.I know she must have something important to say.
"Do you like my soup？"she asked.Soup？I wondered.I thought we were talking about my life.
"I love your soup，Granny."I said.
"Well，you know，a lot of people don't make home－made soup these days.They say it's too much trouble.First you have to cook a nice broth and then chop all the vegetables into bite－size pieces."
"But I don' t mind a little trouble，"she said."It adds variety and flavor to my soup――and to my life.My soup would be pretty bland without the vegetables，and so would my life if it didn't have the little ups and downs21）。"
After pausing she added，"Besides，you have to remember that God knows exactly what he' s cooking up in your life.You've got to trust him with the recipe22）。"She smiled and then walked to the sink to start washing the dishes.
While I helped Granny clean up，I thought about what she had said.I still had a few days to practice my oral report.
That Saturday，Granny gave me food for thought as well as a bowl of her homemade soup.Every spoonful of Granny's masterpiece23） was loaded with delicious bits of meat and vegetables.As I enjoyed the meal with my grandparents，somehow my problems didn't seem quite so big anymore.I would have to work on them，but Granny had said hard work paid off24）。Maybe I too could turn a little trouble into something as special as Granny's homemade soup.
by Nancy Otto Boffo
小的時候我是在新澤西長大的，那時，我就喜歡和祖父母一起度周末。他們的老房子很大，溫暖又舒適。我覺得在奶奶的小廚房里特別隨意、放松。我們常在那里進行親密的交談。奶奶總是在她準備的每一個菜譜里加上點滴哲理。
我特別清楚地記得，那是一個星期六的早晨，那時我大概是11歲，前一天我在那兒剛過的夜，吃完早點，我問奶奶："你今天做什么湯？"我已聞到舊煤氣爐上有藍色斑點的搪瓷鍋里燉的肉湯的香味。
"蔬菜牛肉湯，"她回答道。"你可以幫我切點兒胡蘿卜和芹菜。"
奶奶在她那粗壯的腰上系了個圍裙。我們從冰箱里取出了蔬菜：洋蔥、胡蘿卜、芹菜、土豆，還有菜花。她遞給我刀和菜板，以便我做我那份活。
我邊慢吞吞地給胡蘿卜削著皮，邊抱怨道："我下禮拜還要做一個口頭的讀書報告，我有些害怕。"
奶奶看了看我，然后回頭看了看她手里的那把掂量好了的切碎的洋蔥。她把洋蔥放在湯鍋里，說："大多數人都害怕在公眾面前講話，但你要知道，我們惟一要怕的就是害怕本身。那么你到底怕什么呢？"
我一下倒在靠椅里。"好像什么都怕，我不喜歡站在眾人面前。我如果忘了要說的話怎么辦？如果有人嘲笑我怎么辦？"
"要是你一切都做得很好呢？"奶奶說。"你有沒有準備發言稿？"
"嗯，沒有，那要多花工夫。"
"多干活累不壞人，"奶奶用手中的木勺子指著我告誡說。"你可以對著鏡子試著練練。"
我把菜板上的胡蘿卜塊推到一邊。屋子里寂靜無聲，只能聽到奶奶系帶的厚跟鞋在破舊的鋪著漆布的地板上發出的咔噠聲。她把切好的胡蘿卜拿到煤氣爐前放在湯里。接著我一邊把芹菜切成小細條，一邊繼續抱怨學校的作業、朋友以及家人。在我看來，我的麻煩要比我面前木菜板上切好的菜的數量還要多。
當我結結巴巴地講訴著那些瑣碎的不愉快的事情時，奶奶耐心地聽著，都聽明白了。她在圍裙上擦了擦手，將額頭上的一縷卷曲的白發理了一下，在我的身邊坐了下來，坐得那樣近，我幾乎聞到了她臉上的香粉氣息。這不僅使她的臉看起來白皙了，而且使皺紋都露了出來。
我停住了切菜的手，盯著奶奶灰藍的眼睛。她的表情和藹而嚴肅。"南希，"她開始說，"生活中有一點點麻煩算不了什么，這會磨礪性格的。"
我往后靠了靠，她卻向前逼得更近了。她那用鏈子掛在脖子上的眼鏡碰在桌子上，突出了她的動作。我知道她一定有重要的話要說。
"你喜歡我的湯嗎？"她問道。湯？我們談的是我的生活呀，我心里想著。
"我喜歡你的湯，奶奶，"我說。
"那么你知道，現在很多人不再自家做湯了，他們說太麻煩，你得先調好肉湯，然后把所有的蔬菜切成適口的小塊。"
"但是小麻煩我是不在乎的，"她說。"這使我的湯和我的生活增添了花樣和滋味。沒有這些蔬菜，我的湯就會乏味，生活中如果沒有點小坎坷同樣會如此的。"
停了一會，奶奶又接著說："而且，你要記住，上帝完全知道他要把你的生活安排成什么樣，你要相信他的菜譜。"她笑了，然后走到洗滌槽前開始刷碗。
我幫奶奶收拾的時候思考著她說的話。我還有幾天時間可以練習我的口頭報告。
那個星期六，奶奶不僅給了我一碗自家做的燉菜湯，也給我提出了一個引人深思的問題。奶奶那精心調制的每一勺都含有美味的肉和菜。當我和爺爺奶奶享用美餐時，不知怎的，我的問題似乎不再那么大了。我得應付我的問題，奶奶說過努力工作是有回報的。也許我也能將一點麻煩變成一個像奶奶自家燉的菜湯一樣特別的東西。
注釋：
1. cozy = cosy adj.暖和舒適的
2. morsel n.（食物）一口， 少量
3. had spent the night 剛住了一宿
4. broth n.肉湯
5. simmer vi.煨， 燉
6. blue－speckled enamelware pot 有藍色斑點的搪瓷鍋
7. chop vt. 剁碎， 砍， 切
8. full waist 粗壯的腰
9. cauliflower n. 花椰菜，菜花
10. lament vt. 悲嘆，抱怨
11. dump vt. 傾倒
12. slump vi. 突然倒下
13. thick-heeled 厚跟的
14. lace-up 系帶的
15. linoleum n. 油布， 油毯
16. took it all in 聽懂了，明白了
17. sputter vi. 結結巴巴地說
18. strand n. 縷，股
19. face powder （撲面用的）香粉，面粉
20. stern adj. 嚴厲的， 苛刻的
21. ups and downs 曲折，盛衰，沉浮
22. trust him with the recipe 意為相信上帝給你的安排
23. masterpiece n. 杰作
24. pay off 得到好報，有回報
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