2017-03-05

【Aiden in English】

        My grandmother's birthday is coming up. I know, why would you care? So, what? But this event is unique. The day after tomorrow will be her eightieth birthday, a monumental milestone for anyone. However, I must say that these milestones in life are much less hyped now than they were in the past.

        Nevertheless, Grandma's birthday deserves some recognition. As usual in this household, Mom took us to a friendly Golden City Chinese Restaurant for dinner. Although the food was great, I didn't want to talk about the tastes of the night. Most of my audience has tired of my ramblings about the same adjectives used in Chinese food.

        In school, the English class discussed themes related to milestones, such as reaching a certain age. They say living past eighteen, twenty-one, and thirty are the significant age milestones of the front half of life, but I think turning eighty is a massive milestone in general.

        Before medicine and technology enabled people to combat disease and prolong their health, living to eighty was a remarkable and exceptional achievement. However, nowadays, turning eighty has almost become a routine occurrence. So why should we celebrate it?

        Turning 80 years old means that you have lived through 79 years of bashing, smashing, and tearing events that want to stop your heart. It symbolizes strength, determination, and a will to live.

        Turning 80 also shows the experience within. By now, all critical advice can and should be taken seriously. Furthermore, the "respect your elders" motto becomes even more potent as the influence of older people grows increasingly significant. They've seen so much in their lives, and their views on things can be much more logical and wiser than those of teenagers facing stress and peer pressure.

        Turning 80 is a milestone that I hope to reach one day. Although it may be a long time, time always seems to sneak up on you. If 14 years can go by this fast, think about how much longer it will take for 80 years. When life keeps chucking bombs at your head, years tick away in large chunks at a time. The funny thing is that it slows down when you think about time. When you stop thinking about it, the watch begins to speed up. Perhaps if I constantly thought about time, I wouldn't grow old.

        Anyway, I'll soon be giving out advice to the youngsters myself.

        Happy Birthday, Grandma!

【红霞译】

        外婆生日快到了，我知道你未必留心甚至在意什么，但此次庆生异乎寻常，后天便是她老人家80岁诞辰，对任何人而言耄耋之年具有划时代意义。然而我承认，当生命进入这类里程碑的那一刻肯定不及其它阶段乐衷张扬。

        不管怎样，外婆的生日值得好好庆祝。如同以往我家惯例，今晚妈妈带我们去一家遐迩闻名的金城酒家吃筵席，虽说菜肴可口，但我并非真要谈及舌尖上的美味感受，想必多数读者早已厌倦我对中式珍馐喋喋不休的赞誉。

        在学校，英语课上大家曾讨论过有关里程碑的话题，譬如特定年龄，前半生中人们把18岁、21岁和卅岁视为里程碑，但在我看来80岁应被当成极其重要的里程碑。

        早在医学科技能够治病救人延年益寿之前，人活到80岁简直是一个不可思议的奇迹；如今80岁几乎司空见惯，那么我们为啥还要庆祝呢？

        到了80岁意味着您不畏艰辛已走过七十九年非凡历程，它象征力量、决心以及生活意愿。

        到了80岁表明您见多识广，现在大家对您的先见之明言听计从。此外，随着老年人作用越来越大， “尊敬长辈” 的座右铭也越来越盛行，比起面临内在心理与外在同学双重压力的青少年，他们经验丰富阅历深厚。

        80岁也是我期盼有朝一日达到的里程碑，尽管要花上很长一段时间，但是白驹过隙，岁月总是不知不觉地从你眼皮底下溜走。我的意思是，假若14岁如弹指一挥间，那么不妨考虑一下80年究竟需要多久。当你日理万机，大把光阴一晃而过；有趣的是，当你盯着它不放，时间过得很慢，可当你由它而去，时间过得很快。也许我老想打发工夫，因此一时半会儿成熟不起来。

        无论如何，不久我将到了给年轻一代现身说教的年龄。

        祝外婆生日快乐！

Today in History(历史上的今天):

2012: 新论大智若愚(Still Water Runs Deep)

2011: 生日聚会后续─自选礼物(Gift Selection)

Mom's 80-Yr-Old BD @ Golden City Chinese Restaurant 

(金城酒家·外婆80岁庆生宴 03-05-2017)

Blow the Candles & Make a Wish (吹蜡烛许个愿)

韭黄炒青蛙、葱爆羊肉、蚝油虾泥茄盒、全家福

蔬菜捞面、果盘、红薯生日蛋糕、店面

Crosslinks(相关博文):

2015: Grandma's 78th Birthday @ Peony Pavilion Asian Fusion, NJ(新州牡丹亭现代亚洲餐馆庆外婆78岁生日)

8th Grade(初中三年级)