Larry pressed me on why, and I thought about telling him that I really wanted to try consulting in Los Angeles. Instead, I opened up.  拉里问我为什么，我本来打算找一个借口，结果我还是说了实话。

　　I explained that I was getting divorced and wanted to move far away from D C., which held too many painful memories. 我解释说自己马上要离婚，想离华盛顿这个让我伤心的城市越远越好，因为这里有太多痛苦的回忆。

　　A year later, when enough time had passed and I felt ready to return to D.C., I called Larry and asked if the opportunity was still available. 一年后，我觉得自己已经做好了返回华盛顿的准备，于是给拉里打电话，问他是否还有机会去财政部工作。

　　It was one of the easiest calls I have ever made, in part because I had been honest the year before. 这也是我打过的最轻松的电话之一，从某种意义上讲是因为我在一年前已告诉了他实情。

　　If I had told Larry that I was passing on the job for professional reasons, I would have appeared impulsive when I reversed that decision. 如果我当初告诉拉里拒绝那次工作机会是出于其他业务方面的原因，那么现在改变决定就显得非常鲁莽。

　　Since the real reason was personal, sharing it honestly was the best thing to do. 由于真实的原因出自个人情况，所以如实相告是最好的选择。

　　People often pretend that professional decisions are not affected by their personal lives. 人们常常假装职场上的决策不会受到个人生活的影响，

　　They are afraid to talk about their home situations at work as if one should never interfere with the other, when of course they can and do. 他们害怕在工作时谈起家里的私事，仿佛这二者毫无关联。

　　I know many women who won't discuss their children at work out of fear that their priorities will be questioned. 我认识很多不愿意在工作时间谈及家庭的女人，她们害怕别人提起工作和家庭孰先孰后的问题。

　　I hope this won't always be the case. 我希望这种情况有所改变。

　　My sister-in-law, Amy Schefler, had a college roommate, Abby Hemani, who is a partner in one of Boston's most prestigious law firms.  我的弟媳埃米·舍弗勒的大学室友阿比·赫曼妮是波士顿一家著名律师事务所的合伙人之一。