晚安心语
We must accept finite disappointment，but we must never lose infinite hope.
我们必须接受失望，因为它是有限的，但千万不可失去希望，因为它是无穷的。
In the spring of 1983，Margaret Patrick arrived at the Southeast Senior Center for Independent Living to begin her physical therapy.As Millie McHugh，a longtime staff member，introduced Margaret to people at the center，she noticed the look of pain in Margaret's eyes as she gazed at the piano.
“Is anything wrong？”asked Millie.
“No，”Margaret said softly.“It's just that seeing a piano brings back memories.Before my stroke，music was everything to me.”
Millie glanced at Margaret's useless right hand as the black woman quietly told some of the highlights of her music career.
Suddenly Millie said，“Wait right here.I'll be back in a minute.”
She returned moments later，followed closely by a small，white-haired woman in thick glasses.The woman used a walker.
“Margaret Patrick，”said Millie，“meet Ruth Eisenberg.”Then she smiled.“She too played the piano，but like you，she's not been able to play since her stroke.Mrs.Eisenberg has a good right hand，and you have a good left，and I have a feeling that together you two can do something wonderful.”
“Do you know Chopin's Waltz in D flat？”Ruth asked.Margaret nodded.
Side by side，the two sat on the piano bench.Two healthy hands-one with long，graceful black fingers，the other with short，plump white ones-moved rhythmically across the ebony and ivory keys.
Since that day，they have sat together over the keyboard hundreds of times-Margaret's helpless right hand around Ruth's back，Ruth's helpless left hand on Margaret's knee，while Ruth's good hand plays the melody and Margaret's good hand plays the accompaniment.
Their music has pleased audiences on television，at churches and schools，and at rehabilitation and senior citizen centers.And on the piano bench，more than music has been shared by these tow.For it was there，beginning with Chopin and Bach and Beethoven，that they learned they had more in common than they ever dreamed-both were great-grandmothers and widows，both had lost sons；both had much to give，but neither could give without the other.
Sharing that piano bench，Ruth heard Margaret say，“My music was taken away，but God gave me Ruth.”
And evidently some of Margaret's faith has rubbed off on Ruth as they've sat side by side these past five years，because Ruth is now saying，“It was God's miracle that brought us together.”
And that is our story of Margaret and Ruth，who call themselves Ebony and Ivory.
虽然她们身体已不再健康，但她们携手合作，跨越了疾病带来的障碍，两人一左一右，肤色一黑一白，仍然可以在黑白琴键上共奏一首完美的曲调。
Fingal 译
1983年春，玛格丽特·帕特里克来到美国东南部的老年独立生活中心，开始进行她的物理治疗。工作人员米莉·麦克休是一位老员工，当她把玛格丽特介绍给中心里的人们时，她注意到当玛格丽特凝视着钢琴时眼神里流露出的痛苦表情。
“有什么问题吗？”米莉问道。
“没事儿，”玛格丽特轻轻地说，“只是，我一看到钢琴就会想起往事。在我中风之前，音乐是我的一切。”当这位黑人老妇静静地向米莉诉说自己音乐生涯中的光辉事迹时，米莉瞟了一眼她那不能动的右手。
米莉忽然说道：“在这儿等一会儿，我马上就回来。”
片刻之后她就回来了，紧随其后的是一位个子矮小、戴着厚眼镜片、头发花白，并支着助步架的女人。
“玛格丽特·帕特里克，”米莉介绍道，“这位是露丝·艾森伯格。”然后，她笑了笑，说：“她也会弹钢琴，但和你一样，自从中风后就无法再弹了。艾森伯格夫人的右手行动自如，而你的左手也是，我有一种感觉，你们俩在一起，可以弹奏出一些美妙的音乐。”
“你知道肖邦的《降D大调圆舞曲》吗？”露丝问道。玛格丽特点点头。
两人并排坐在钢琴凳上。两只健康的手——一只是纤长而优雅的黑手，另一只是短而胖乎乎的白手——有节奏地在乌木琴键和象牙琴键之间跳跃。
从那日起，她们两人坐在琴键前一起弹奏了数千次——当露丝用健康的右手弹奏歌曲时，她那无助的左手就搭在玛格丽特的膝盖上；而当玛格丽特用健康的手弹奏伴奏时，她那无助的右手则搂着露丝的背。
在电视、教堂、学校、康复中心以及老年人中心，她们的音乐让观众们愉悦满意。
在钢琴凳上，她们俩分享的不只是音乐。因为就在这儿，她们从肖邦、巴赫和贝多芬开始，了解到两人有很多共同点，甚至比她们曾经想象的还多。两者都是曾祖母，并且都是寡妇，都已经失去了儿子，都奉献了很多，但没有对方的支持，两人都无法再奉献。
她们俩一起坐在钢琴凳上时，露丝听到玛格丽特说：“我的音乐被夺走了，但上帝给了我露丝。”
她们并肩而坐，度过了五年时光，很明显，玛格丽特的某些信仰影响了露丝，因为露丝现在会说：“这是上帝的奇迹，使我们走到一起。”
这就是玛格丽特和露丝的故事，她们自称乌木键和象牙键。
轻英语
古诗词译文欣赏
1.We wish each other a long life so as to share the beauty of this graceful moon light，even though miles apart.
但愿人长久，千里共婵娟。
2.A lonely stranger in a strange land I am cast，I miss my family all the more on every festive day.
独在异乡为异客，每逢佳节倍思亲。
3.A bosom friend afar brings distance near.
海内存知己，天涯若比邻。
4.The endless river eastward flows；with its huge waves are gone all those gallant heroes of bygone years.
大江东去，浪淘尽，千古风流人物。
