It was June 15, and in two days I would be turning thirty. I was worried about entering a new decade1 of my life and feared that my best years were now behind me.
My daily routine 2 included going to the gym3 for a physical training4 before going to work. Every morning I would see my friend Nicholas at the gym. He was seventy-nine years old and in terrible5 shape. As I greeted Nicholas on this particular day, he noticed I wasn't full of my usual energy and asked if there was anything wrong. I told him I was feeling anxious about turning thirty. I wondered how I would look back on my life once I reached Nicholas's age, so I asked him, “What was the best time of your life?”Without hesitation, Nicholas replied, “Well, Joe, this is my philosophical 6 answer to your philosophical question:
“When I was a child in Austria7 and everything was taken care of for me and I was nurtured8 by my parents, that was the best time of my life.
“When I was going to school and learning the things I know today, that was the best time of my life.
“When I got my first job and had responsibilities9 and got paid for my efforts, that was the best time of my life.
“When I met my wife and fell in love, that was the best time of my life.
“The Second World War came, and my wife and I had to flee10 Austria to save our lives. When we were together and safe on a ship going for North America, that was the best time of my life.
“When we came to Canada and started a family, that was the best time of my life.
“When I was a young father, watching my children grow up, that was the best time of my life.
And now, Joe, I am seventy-nine years old. I have my health, I feel good and I am in love. This is the best time of my life.
那一天是6月15日，再过两天，我就奔30了。进入生命中又一个10年，我忧心忡忡，害怕生命中最好的年华从此离我而去。
每天上班前去体育馆健身是我的“必修课”。每天早晨在体育馆，我都会碰到朋友尼古拉斯，他79岁了，体态臃肿。就在那天和他打招呼时，他注意到我没有往日那么精力充沛，问我有什么不对劲儿。我告诉他转眼快30了，心里有些焦虑。不知道一旦到了尼古拉斯的年龄，回首生活我会有何感慨。于是我问他：“你一生中哪一段时光最为美好？” 尼古拉斯毫不犹豫地回答：“乔，你这是个富有哲理的问题，我有一个富有哲理的答案：
“小时候在奥地利，得到父母的悉心照料和养育，那是我生命中最美好的时光。
“上学时学到了如今深有体会的知识，那是我生命中最美好的时光。
“得到第一份工作，承担起各种责任，努力得到回报，那是我生命中最美好的时光。
“遇到我妻子并与她坠入情网，那是我一生中最美好的时光。
“二战时，为了活命，我和妻子逃出奥地利。俩人平安地坐在一艘驶往北美的客船上，那是我一生中最美好的时光。
“来到加拿大，开始安家立业，那是我一生中最美好的时光。
“年轻得子，目睹孩子们一天天长大，那是我一生中最美好的时光。
“而现在，乔，我79岁，身板硬朗，感觉良好，心中有爱，这也是我一生中最美好的时光。”
1. decade n． 十年
2． routine n． 例行公事
3． gym n． 体育馆
4． physical training 健身锻炼
5． terrible adj． （美俚）极妙的
6． philosophical adj． 富有哲理的
7． Austria （国名）奥地利
8． nurture v． 养育，抚育
9． responsibility n． 责任
10． flee v． 逃离