2014-08-10

【Aiden in English】

        I have never seen a true friend leave my life so far. Sure, classmates moved and acquaintances left, but never friends. And today, a girl named Crystal said her goodbyes.

        Crystal and I became the best buds at the preschool in Bright Horizon Child Learning Center, PA shortly after she moved from CA and I was relocated from NJ. Day in and day out, we enjoyed playing together and had a fun as time went by. When entering a different grade in the different elementary school districts, we had barely any contact like strangers. For some reasons, we seemed to stay connected. Both of us attached the same professional piano teacher Lena Chen for years. But our lessons were so far apart that we hardly knew where we were until we ran into one another for a recital at least once a year.

        About two years ago, she left with her parents for China and then it went back to being strangers again. As much as we didn't see face to face a lot, our families have kept in touch over the years. Yet my mom and Peter, Crystal's dad, used to work in the same building for the same company. Both moms were friends and did their volunteer work together for Guang Hua Chinese School and our local community. I have inherited some extra clothes from Jesse, Crystal's elder brother.

        Now Crystal came back briefly for her summer break in US and will set foot on the other part of the world. Somewhere in me, I recognized her just like her old self. I'm 99% certain that we're not gonna see each other again, well, at least for a long time.

        I've never lost a friend before. Now that I'm about to. I can't stand to see another friend go because I know the pain in losing a friend. Losing a friend is not cool. They're a piece of you. And as they leave, that piece goes with them, gone for good.

            Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

            and never brought to mind?

            Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

            for the sake of auld lang syne.

【红霞译文】

        长这么大，我还从来没经历过与朋友分别的场面，当然同学搬家换地、熟人远行离去，但绝非发生在朋友之间。然而就在今天，我和一位名叫家纯的女生相互道别。

        忆想当年，家纯自加利福尼亚州插班进入光明天地幼儿园小班的时候，我刚从新泽西迁至宾州不及数月半载，两人唱歌跳舞一起成长，不知不觉已到了上学的岁数。打那以后，我们各奔东西，因为学区不同，加上年级相差一年，平常鲜少相见，几乎形如路人。可不知为什么，彼此又好像从未间断过来往。多年来，我们一直师从艺术教育家陈伦茜学习钢琴，尽管双方上课时间错开得很远，根本谈不上有任何接触，但一年至少一次的汇报演出总能把我们联系在一起。

        大约两年前，家纯随父母去了中国，这回我们真的成了陌生人。不过惺惺惜惺惺，好汉识好汉，难道见面并不等于忘却朋友，更何况我们两家已有多年情谊。我妈妈和家纯的爸爸培志曾经在同一家公司同一座大楼上班；两位妈友经常一起在宾州光华中文学校做义工，服务于本地华人社区；我还是她哥哥的“接班人”，身上穿的服装不少都是从家杰那里承接下来的。

        如今家纯回美短期度假，夏季过后很快又将踏上回归地球对面的征程， 天各一方。久别重逢之时，我依稀辨认出她儿时的容貌，我敢打赌，百分之九十九确定，今后彼此难得再见，至少在很长的日子里。

        以前我从来没有失去过任何朋友，看来现在我必须正视现实。有过这次体验，我不愿再经历下一回，因为我清楚失去朋友的痛苦，送别朋友的滋味并不好受。朋友是你不可分割的组成部分，一旦离去，定会令你难以释怀。

                怎能忘记旧日朋友

                心中能不欢笑

                旧日朋友岂能相忘

                友谊地久天长