超越自我篇10：Keep Your Fork紧握餐叉

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed¹ with a terminal² illness and had been given three monthes to live,So as she was getting her things "in order,"
有个年轻的少妇被诊断出只剩三个月可活的绝症 , 因此她开始准备她的后事

she contacted her Pastor³ and had him come to her huses to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.
她联络了她的牧师到她家来讨论特定方面的一些遗嘱

She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service,
她告诉他 , 告别式想要点播哪首歌

what scxxxxxriptures she would like to read, and what coutfit she wanted to be buried in.
 哪段圣经她会想要读，并且什么服装她想一起埋葬。

Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered somthing very important to her.
当一切都交代完成牧师准备离开时 , 这位少妇突然叮咛某件对她来说很重要的事

"There's on more thing," she said exciteddly..
"还有一件事" 她兴奋的说

"what's that?" came the Pastor's reply.
"什么事?" 牧师回覆

"This is very important," the young woman continued. "I want to be buried wtih a fork in my right hand."
"这很重要"她继续说着:"我想要右手握着叉子一起埋葬"

The Pastor stood looking at the youn woman, not knowing quite what to say.
牧师呆呆的站着看着她不知要说什么才好

"That surprises you, doesn't it?" the young woman asked.
"那让你很惊讶吗?" 少妇问

"Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the Pastor.
"嗯...老实说 , 我不懂这项请求" 牧师说

The young woman explained. "My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on 。I have always tried to pass along its message to these I love and those who are in need of encouragment...
少妇解释:"我祖母有一次告诉我这个故事 , 从那天起我总是试着告诉那些我爱跟须要被鼓励的人...

 In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared,someone would inevitable⁴ lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favourite part because I knew that something better was coming...
like velvety⁵ chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful and with substance!"
在我生命中参加过的宴会跟晚餐 , 我总是记得当用完主食的时候 , 有人照例会靠过来说 '保留您的叉子'这是我最开心的部份 , 因为我知道有更好的要上场了...例如天鹅绒般柔软光滑的巧克力蛋糕或深盘苹果派 , 某些实质的好东西

So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder "What's with the fork?" Then I want you to tell them: "Keep your fork , the best is yet to come."
所以 , 我只是想让人们看到棺材中我~握着叉子而好奇的问: "为什么握着叉子呢?"然后我要你告诉他们: "保留您的叉子 , 最好的还没来唷"

The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye, He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her befor
her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven then he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge.
当牧师拥抱她道别时 , 眼睛涌出了喜悦的泪水 , 他知道这可能是往生前最后几次见到她了, 但是他同时也知道这少妇比他还了解天堂 ,
她拥有两倍经验跟知识 , 超越许多岁数比她大一倍的人还懂~什么是天堂

At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and during his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symblized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.
在葬礼人们走过观礼台聆听牧师的留言, 牧师告诉人们他跟少妇短暂的对话 , 也告诉人们有关叉子对她的象征意义 , 他告诉人们他无法忘怀这叉子或许你们也无法停止想着这件事吧

He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come.
他是对的 , 所以下次你触摸到你的叉子 , 让它婉约的提醒你: 最好的还没来唷

show your friends how much you care. Remember to always be there for them, even when you need them more.
表示你的关心给你的朋友 , 记得当朋友需要时你总是在身旁~即使你比他们还需要时

Cherish⁶ the time you have, and the memories you share.
珍惜你拥有的时间跟你分享的记忆

Being friends with someone is not an opportunity but a sweet responsibility.
成为某人的朋友不是一个机会而是一个甜蜜的责任

Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEMD, including your family, even if it means sending this back to the person who sent it to you.
寄送此篇给你认为是朋友的人 , 包括你的家人 , 即使是那位送给你的人

1 diagnosed   

诊断( diagnose的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Some foetal malformations cannot be diagnosed until late in pregnancy. 有些胎儿的畸形部位得等到妊娠后期才能诊断出来。
• He diagnosed the trouble that caused the engine to knock. 他找出了引擎咔咔响的毛病所在。

2 terminal   

n.终端机，终点，末端；adj.终点的，按期的，致死的

参考例句：

• The car has reached its terminal speed and can run faster no longer.这辆车的速度已达到了极限，不能再跑更快了。
• There's a taxi stand outside the terminal.在终点站的外面有出租车。

3 pastor   

n.牧师，牧人

参考例句：

• He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
• We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

4 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

5 velvety   

adj. 像天鹅绒的, 轻软光滑的, 柔软的

参考例句：

• a velvety red wine 醇厚的红葡萄酒
• Her skin was admired for its velvety softness. 她的皮肤如天鹅绒般柔软，令人赞叹。

6 cherish   

vt.抱有，怀有（希望等），爱护，抚育，珍爱

参考例句：

• I cherish for you the liveliest feeling of affection and gratitude.我对你怀有最强烈的爱和感激之情。
• We must cherish experience acquired at the cost of blood.我们必须珍惜用鲜血换来的经验。