美国国家公共电台 NPR A Half-Century After Getting Divorced, This Couple Is Heading Back Down The Aisle

 

SCOTT DETROW, HOST:

Lillian Barnes and Harold Holland¹ got married in 1955. They had five kids together, but after a dozen years, they divorced². Both Barnes and Holland remarried and spent decades⁴ apart. After both their spouses⁵ passed away in 2015, they found their way back into each other's lives.

HAROLD HOLLAND: I'm 83 and she's 79, so we decided⁷ we want to walk the last mile together.

DETROW: This coming week, they're doing it all again and getting remarried. We reached them yesterday in Lexington, Ky., and asked how they rekindled⁸ their love.

HOLLAND: We got to talking and went to a graduation dinner, and then a Christmas dinner. And one thing led to another, and I said, well, would you like to try this again? And we said, yeah. Let's do it. And the old flame was still there.

DETROW: Yeah. I'm thinking about this because I just got married a couple years ago, and my wife and I are expecting our first kid in just a matter of weeks. And I'm thinking it must be nice to get married, but to have all the family that resulted from your marriage be there and see that wedding in person with you.

HOLLAND: Oh, it's going to be a bunch⁹ of them. We had five kids during that first marriage, and then she had two more kids by her second marriage. So there's going to be about 20-some grandkids and about 30-some great-grandkids.

DETROW: You're about to be newlyweds. Is there any advice that you would give to the first time you two were newlyweds - going back to the first time you tried this?

LILLIAN BARNES: You pay attention to your spouse⁶.

DETROW: Yeah.

BARNES: That's it.

HOLLAND: And don't be a workaholic.

BARNES: You got that baby on the way, and just don't forget your spouse - either one of you. Go out on a date. Go to a movie or whatever.

DETROW: Harold, can you tell us one thing you really love about Lillian?

HOLLAND: Well, I've loved her ever since she was 16 years old. She was one of the most beautiful girls that is in our part of the world. And this divorce³ - I've told everybody - is 100 percent my fault. She did nothing. She's always been a great person and a great mother. And her five kids are as good as you'll find anywhere. I don't think you could ask for anything better.

DETROW: Lillian, what about you? What's one thing you love about Harold?

BARNES: Well, his caring - the way he shows his love to everybody. And he's got a good sense of humor¹⁰. I don't know how he's going to put up with me, but (laughter) we'll find a way.

HOLLAND: We'll get along.

BARNES: Yeah, we do get along real good. And we're older now, and you live and learn. Live and learn.

DETROW: Well, Harold Holland and Lillian Barnes divorced in 1968, but they're getting remarried in 2018. Congratulations¹¹ to both of you, and thanks so much for taking a few minutes to talk to us.

HOLLAND: Take care.

BARNES: Take care.

1 Holland   

n.荷兰(欧洲)

参考例句：

• There are many dairies in Holland.荷兰有很多牛奶场。
• Holland is one of Germany's neighbours.荷兰是德国的邻国之一。

2 divorced   

adj.离婚的；分开的；不相干的；脱离的v.与…离婚(divorce的过去式和过去分词)；分离；与某人离婚，判某人离婚

参考例句：

• Apparently they are getting divorced soon. 看样子，他们很快就要离婚。
• Many divorced men remarry and have second families. 许多离婚的男子再婚组成了新的家庭。

3 divorce   

n.离婚；分离；vi.离婚；vt.离婚；脱离

参考例句：

• Did he divorce his wife or did she divorce him?是他要和妻子离婚，还是妻子要和他离婚？
• None of us like the divorce of word and deed.我们都不喜欢言行不一。

4 decades   

十年，十年间( decade的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The middle decades of the 19th century marked a watershed in Russia's history. 19世纪中叶标志着俄国历史的转折点。
• The Empress Dowager of the Qing Dynasty attended to state affairs for several decades. 清朝慈禧太后垂帘听政几十年。

5 spouses   

n.配偶，夫或妻( spouse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Jobs are available for spouses on campus and in the community. 校园里和社区里有配偶可做的工作。 来自辞典例句
• An astonishing number of spouses-most particularly in the upper-income brackets-have no close notion of their husbands'paychecks. 相当大一部分妇女——特别在高收入阶层——并不很了解他们丈夫的薪金。 来自辞典例句

6 spouse   

n.配偶(指夫或妻)

参考例句：

• Her spouse will come to see her on Sunday.她的丈夫星期天要来看她。
• What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in the marriage?在婚姻中保持配偶幸福的最好方法是什么？

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 rekindled   

v.使再燃( rekindle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• As soon as they met again his dormant love for her was rekindled. 他们一见面，他对她的旧情如乾柴烈火般又重新燃起。 来自辞典例句
• Ive found rekindled my interest in re-reading the books. 我发觉这提起了我再次阅读这些书的兴趣。 来自互联网

9 bunch   

n.串，束；群，帮

参考例句：

• A bunch of girls was[were] sitting on the grass.一群女孩坐在草地上。
• I received a bunch of flowers yesterday.昨天我收到了一束鲜花。

10 humor   

n.(humour)幽默，诙谐

参考例句：

• He is distinguished for his sense of humor.他以其幽默感著称。
• American humor is founded largely on hyperbole.美式幽默主要以夸张为基础。

11 congratulations   

n.祝贺；贺词；祝词

参考例句：

• I send you my warmest congratulations on your success. 我对你的成功致以最热烈的祝贺。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Please give her my congratulations when you see her. 见到她时请转达我的祝贺。 来自《简明英汉词典》