Messengers of Light光之使者

Joseph J.Mazzella　張慧儀

It was a dark，overcast2 night. Thick， dark， gray clouds had made sure that there was no starlight or moonlight to greet me as I walked out on my porch3. Still，I kept the porch light off because I didnt want to be munched4 on by bugs and moths on this hot summer evening.I stood there for a while letting my eyes adjust5 to the lack of light. My dog stood beside me waiting for me to start her walk. It was then， though， that I saw them. First one blink6 of light at the far end of the grass followed by another and then another.I smiled.I recognized them at once as my firefly friends—my lightening bug buddies who always showed up this time of the year.

那是一個陰暗的夜晚。當我走出門廊時，厚厚的深灰色云層籠罩著天空，以至于沒有星光或月光迎接我。盡管如此，我還是關了門廊的燈，因為我不想在這個悶熱的夏夜被嗡嗡作響的蟲子叮咬。我在那里站了一會兒，讓我的眼睛適應光線不足的情況。我的狗站在我旁邊等我帶它散步。不過，就在那時，我看到了它們。首先是草地盡頭有一道亮光，接著一道又一道。我笑了。我立刻認出它們是我的螢火蟲朋友——我那會發光的螢火蟲伙伴，它們總是在每年的這個時候出現。

I got so much joy watching them first as a child and then as an adult. They never became dull7 or boring and they always filled me with joy. When l was little I used to sit in the grass and watch them slowly fly around blinking on and off.I never caught and put one in a bottle as some kids did because l was afraid I might kill it and I never wanted to hurt these messengers of light. Their time on this earth was so brief8 as it was.I tried to enjoy them each night they were here. It always made me sad when they went away in the fall. It always made my heart sing when they came the next summer.

我從孩提時代到成年都很喜歡觀察它們。它們從不枯燥乏味，總是讓我充滿喜悅。小時候，我常常坐在草地上，看著它們慢慢地飛來飛去，時斷時續地閃爍。我從來沒有像一些孩子那樣捕捉并把它放進瓶子里，因為我害怕我會殺死它們，我從沒想過要傷害這些光之使者。它們在地球上的時間如此短暫。我試著享受它們每天晚上在這里的陪伴。每當它們在秋天離開的時候，我總是很難過。每當第二年夏天它們到來的時候，我又會滿心歡喜。

I think I enjoy these little fireflies so much because I can see that we are like them in a lot of ways. Our time here on earth is brief. Often our light and love are more like on and off blinks rather than a steady9 shine. Still， we do our best to share it and we will know that others will be shining their light， too. Lets share our love and light.

我很喜歡這些小螢火蟲，因為我覺得我們在很多方面都跟它們很像。我們在世上的時間是短暫的。通常，我們的光和愛更像是時斷時續的幽微光芒，而不是持續的光芒。盡管如此，我們還是盡力去分享它，我們會知道其他人也會發出自己的光芒。讓我們分享我們的愛和光吧。

（英語原文選自：sunnyskyz.com）