2020.03.31(星期二) 

搭建友宜的橋樑

我希望留下來，但是，我還有更多的橋樑要建造。

"I’d love to stay on, but, I have many more bridges to build."

曾幾何時，住在毗鄰農場的兩個兄弟陷入衝突。這是40年來並排耕作的第一個嚴重裂痕，可以毫無困難地共享機械設備，並根據需要交換勞力和商品。然後，長期的合作破裂了。它最初是由一個小的誤會開始的，後來演變成一個重大的區別，最後演變成苦澀的言語交流，隨後是幾週的沉默。一天早上，約翰的門被敲了一下。

他打開它找到一個有木匠工具箱的人。他說：“我正在找幾天工作。” “也許你會在這里和那裡有一些小工作。我能幫你嗎？”

“是的。”哥哥說。 “我確實有工作要給你。在那家農場的小河對面看。那是我的鄰居，實際上是我的小個子。上週我們之間有一塊草地，他把推土機帶到河堤上，現在有一個我們之間的小河，好吧，他可能這樣做是為了sp我，但我會讓他好一點。看到那堆木頭在穀倉旁邊固化了嗎？我想讓你給我建一個圍欄-一個8英尺長的圍欄-所以我再也不需要看他的位置了。無論如何，讓他冷靜下來。”

木匠說：“我想我了解情況。請給我看一下挖坑機的細節，我將能夠做一件令您滿意的工作。”

哥哥不得不去鎮上補給，所以他幫助木匠給我準備了材料，然後他就出去了。木匠整天辛勤地測量，鋸，釘子。農夫返回時，大約在日落時，木匠剛剛完成工作。農夫的眼睛睜大了，下巴掉下來了？

那裡根本沒有柵欄。那是一座橋-從小溪的一側延伸到另一側的橋樑！一塊精美的工作扶手及所有配件–鄰居，他的弟弟，正對面，他的手伸出來。

“在我說完所有步驟後，您是建造這座橋的好夥伴。”

兩兄弟站在橋的兩端，然後在中間相遇，握著彼此的手。他們轉身看到木匠將工具箱吊在他的肩膀上。哥哥說：“不，等等！待幾天。我還有很多其他的項目要為您服務。”

這位木匠說：“我希望留下來，但是，我還有更多的橋樑要建造。”

25.Building Bridges (2020.03.31)

Once upon a time two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery and trading labor and goods as needed without a hitch. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence. One morning there was a knock on John's door.

He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox. "I'm looking for a few days work," he said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there. Could I help you?"

"Yes," said the older brother. "I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That's my neighbor, in fact, it’s my younger. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll go him one better. See that pile of lumber curing by the barn? I want you to build me a fence - an 8-foot fence - so I won't need to see his place anymore. Cool him down, anyhow."

The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation. Show me the mulfand the post-hole digger and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you."

The older brother had to go to town for supplies, so he helped the carpenter get me materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped?

There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge - a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of WORK handrails and all - and the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming across, his hand outstretched.

"You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I’ve said and done."

The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other's hand. They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder. "No, wait! Stay a few days. I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother.

"I’d love to stay on," the carpenter said, "but, I have many more bridges to build."