My dear friend
我亲爱的朋友
I know of no medicine fit to diminish the violent natural inclination you mention; and if I did, I think I should not communicate it to you. Marriage is the proper remedy. It is the most natural State of man, and therefore the state in which you will find solid Happiness.Your reason against entering into it at present appears to be not well founded. The circumstantial advantages you have in view by postponingit, are not only uncertain, but they are small in comparison with the thing itself, the being married and settled. It is the man and woman united that makes the complete human Being, Separate she wants his force of body and strength of reason; he her softness, sensibility and acute discernment. Together they are most likely to succeed in the world. A single man has not nearly the value he would have in that state of union. He is an incomplete animal.He resembles the odd half of a pair of scissors.
我知道没有药物能够消除你们所提到的'那种疯狂的自然倾向;即使我知道,我想我也不该告诉你.婚姻是适当的药物。它是人类最本能的状态,因此是一种最幸福的生活状态。你拒绝现在进入婚姻殿堂的理由显的不够充分.你认为推迟婚姻可能存在好处,不仅不一定实现，而且,那些利益跟婚姻本身以及婚后的安定相比起来就微不足道了。男人和女人只有联合起来才能组成完整的人.女人缺乏男人的力量和周密的推理,而男人缺乏女人的温柔、感性和敏锐的洞察力。因此当男人和女人联合起来。就能够无往不胜。单身和离婚生活的男男女女不可能具有婚姻生活中的价值，是一种不完善的动物。他简直好比半把剪刀--孤掌难鸣。
If you get a prudent, health wife, your industry in your profession, with her good economy, will be a fortune sufficient.
如果你拥有一位健康而谨慎的妻子，你的辛勤工作，加上她的勤俭节约，必定会创造充足的财富。
Your affectionate Friend
您真挚的朋友
Dear Sherri,
By the time you read this you will be 30. At the age of 18 I had so many hopes and dreams about where you'd be, what you'd be doing and with whom you'd spend your life with.
Right now I hope that you have traveled and seen everything you've always wanted to, both in Canada and overseas, and maybe even settled down somewhere in Australia doing some research in the field of biology (genetics).
I hope you're married to the man of your dreams. The man of mine is Gwynn. He is originally from South Africa (another place I wish to visit).
You'll probably have two children of your own – a girl(Michaela Anne) and a boy (name yet to be decided).
If everything goes according to plan you'll be living in Australia in a big house in a small town outside of a big city with a lot of land, a dog, Gwynn and your two beautiful children. Hopefully you have a career in the medical field, maybe doing research in genetics. Gwynn will be a computer programmer and you will be doing alright for yourselves.
However, if things don't go according to plan for you, I wish you all the love, happiness and joy in the world and don't settle for anything less than the best since that is absolutely what you deserve.
Live long, be happy and live life to it's fullest.
Love Sherri "18"
When I read this for the first time since writing it I was floored. Even now having dug this up again another 4 years later I still can't help but think this is really cool.
So much of what I wanted for myself has materialized.
I did travel to a few more places in Canada although I haven't seen everything I'd like to.
I did marry the man of my dreams and yes he still is my one and only.
I've traveled to the UK, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
I lived in Australia for nearly 4 years in a big house, in a small suburb, in a major city (close enough).
I had a career in Biology in the field of genetics for 10 years.
I have two lovely kids – both boys (names now decided).
I have not one dog but two dogs. Both yellow labs from Australia.
Gwynn is a computer programmer.
We are doing okay for ourselves.
After writing this I quickly forgot about what I had put in here actually. The things that materialized were all met with quite a bit of resistance (all internal) but I suppose these were things that I really did want. Having never strayed too far from home overseas travel was a huge deal. Having never been away from my family moving to Australia for several years was an incredibly huge decision.
I find it fascinating how the dreams of a young and naive little girl can become a grown woman's reality.
I'm curious if you guys have ever written anything to your future self and how it stacks up to your current reality. If you haven't, will you join me in writing a letter now to yourself in say 10 years from now? It's an interesting little experiment.
Dear,
In 1994 I wrote a letter. I stuck it in an envelope, put it away and completely forgot about it.
It wasn't until we moved into our new home in 20xx that I found it again. It was addressed to me with explicit instructions not to open until my birthday 20xx. It was now 20xx so I decided to open it. This is what it said:
Dear son...
孩子…..
The day that you see me old and I am already not, have patience and try to understand me …
哪天你看到我日渐老去,身体也渐渐不行,请耐着性子试着了解我……
If I get dirty when eating… if I can not dress… have patience.
Remember the hours I spent teaching it to you.
如果我吃的脏兮兮,如果我不会穿衣服……
有耐性一点……
你记得我曾花多久时间教你这些事吗?
If, when I speak to you, I repeat the same things thousand and one
times… do not interrupt me… listen to me
如果,当我一再重复述说
同样的事情…不要打断我,听我说….
When you were small, I had to read to you thousand and one times the same story until you get to sleep…
When I do not want to have a shower, neither shame me nor scold me…
你小时候,我必须一遍又一遍的读着同样的故事,直到你静静睡着……..
当我不想洗澡,不要羞辱我也不要责骂我……
Remember when I had to chase you with thousand excuses I invented, in order that you wanted to bath…
When yousee my ignorance on new technologies… give me the necessary time and not look at me with your
mocking smile…
你记得小时后我曾编出多少理由,只为了哄你洗澡…..
当你看到我对新科技的无知,给我一点时间,不要挂着嘲弄的微笑看着我
I taught you how to do so many things… to eat good, to dress well… to confront life…
我曾教了你多少事情啊….如何好好的吃,好好的穿…
如何面对你的生命……
When at some moment I lose the memory or the thread of our
conversation… let me have the necessary time to remember… and if I cannot do it,
do not become nervous… as the most important thing is not my
conversation but surely to be with you and to have you listening to me…
如果交谈中我忽然失忆不知所云,给我一点时间回想…
如果我还是无能为力,
请不要紧张…..
对我而言重要的不是对话,而是能跟你在一起,和你的倾听…..
If ever I do not want to eat, do not force me. I know well when I need
to and when not.
当我不想吃东西时,不要勉强我.
我清楚知道该什么时候进食
When my tired legs do not allow me walk...
当我的腿不听使唤….
give me your hand… the same way I did when you gave your first steps.
扶我一把….
如同我曾扶着你踏出你人生的第一步….
And when someday I say to you that I do not want to live any more…
that I want to die… do not get angry… some day you will understand…
当哪天我告诉你不想再活下去了….请不要生气….
总有一天你会了解…
Try to understand that my age is not lived but survived.
试着了解我已是风烛残年,来日可数.
Some day you will discover that, despite my mistakes, I always wanted
the best thing for you and that I tried to prepare the way for you..
有一天你会发现,
即使我有许多过错,我总是尽我所能要给你最好的…
当我靠近你时不要觉得感伤,生气或无奈
You must not feel sad, angry or impotent for seeing me near you. You
must be next to me, try to understand me and to help me as I did it when
you started living.
Help me to walk… help me to end my way with love and patience. I will
pay you by a smile and by the immense love I have had always for you.
你要紧挨着我,如同我当初帮着你展开人生一样的
了解我,帮我….
扶我一把,用爱跟耐心帮我走完人生…
我将用微笑和我始终不变无边无际的爱来回报你
I love you son…
我爱你孩子
Your father
你的父亲