That Christmas Eve, the streets of Boston were clogged with tourists and locals bundled in wool and flannel(法兰绒). Shoppers, hawkers, and gawkers(伸长脖子呆看的人) whirled and swirled around me."Frosty the Snowman," "Let It Snow!" and "Jingle Bells" played in stores; on the sidewalks, the street musicians did their best. Everyone, it seemed, was accompanied by someone else smiling or laughing. I was alone.
The eldest of a Puerto Rican family of 11 children growing up in NewYork's crowded tenements(公寓房间), I'd spent much of my life seeking solitude(孤独,隐居). Now, finally, at 27, a college student in the midst of a drown-out breakup of a seven-year relationship, I contemplated what I'd so craved, but I wasn't quite sure I liked it. Every part of me wanted to be alone, but not at Christmas. My family had returned to Puerto Rico, my friends had gone home during the holiday break, and my acquaintances were involved in their own lives. Dusk was falling, and the inevitable return to my empty apartment brought tears to my eyes.B
I stopped at the local market, feeling even more depressed as people filled their baskets with goodies. Dates and dried figs, walnuts, pecans, and hazelnuts in their shells reminded me of the gifts we received as children in Puerto Rico on Christmas Day, because the big gifts were given on the morning of the Feast of the Epiphany, on January 6. I missed my family: their rambunctious parties; the dancing; the mounds of rice with pigeon peas; the crusty, garlicky skin on the pork roast; the plantain and yucca pasteles wrapped in banana leaves. I wanted to cry for wanting to be alone and for having achieved it.
In front of the church down the street, a manger had been set up, with Mary, Joseph, and the barn animals in expectation of midnight and the arrival of baby Jesus. I stood with my neighbors watching the scene, some of them crossing themselves, praying. As I walked home, I realized that the story of Joseph and Mary wandering from door to door seeking shelter was much like my own history. Leaving Puerto Rico was still a wound in my soul as I struggled with who I had become in 15 years in the United States. I'd mourned the losses, but for the first time, I recognized whatI’d gained. I was independent, educated, healthy, and adventurous. My life was still before me, full of possibility.
Sometimes the best gift is the one you give yourself. That Christmas, I gave myself credit for what I'd accomplished so far and permission to go forward, unafraid. It is the best gift I've ever received, the one that I most treasure.
相关单词:clogged
clogged解释:(使)阻碍( clog的过去式和过去分词 ); 淤滞
clogged例句:
The narrow streets were clogged with traffic. 狭窄的街道上交通堵塞。
The intake of gasoline was stopped by a clogged fuel line. 汽油的注入由于管道阻塞而停止了。
相关单词:flannel
flannel解释:n.法兰绒;法兰绒衣服
flannel例句:
She always wears a grey flannel trousers.她总是穿一条灰色法兰绒长裤。
She was looking luscious in a flannel shirt.她穿着法兰绒裙子,看上去楚楚动人。
相关单词:swirled
swirled解释:v.旋转,打旋( swirl的过去式和过去分词 )
swirled例句:
The waves swirled and eddied around the rocks. 波浪翻滚着在岩石周围打旋。
The water swirled down the drain. 水打着旋流进了下水道。
相关单词:jingle
jingle解释:n.叮当声,韵律简单的诗句;v.使叮当作响,叮当响,押韵
jingle例句:
The key fell on the ground with a jingle.钥匙叮当落地。
The knives and forks set up their regular jingle.刀叉发出常有的叮当声。
相关单词:eldest
eldest解释:adj.最年长的,最年老的
eldest例句:
The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。
The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。
相关单词:tenements
tenements解释:n.房屋,住户,租房子( tenement的名词复数 )
tenements例句:
Here were crumbling tenements, squalid courtyards and stinking alleys. 随处可见破烂的住房、肮脏的庭院和臭气熏天的小胡同。 来自辞典例句
The tenements are in a poor section of the city. 共同住宅是在城中较贫苦的区域里。 来自辞典例句
相关单词:contemplated
contemplated解释:adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式
contemplated例句:
The doctor contemplated the difficult operation he had to perform. 医生仔细地考虑他所要做的棘手的手术。
The government has contemplated reforming the entire tax system. 政府打算改革整个税收体制。
相关单词:craved
craved解释:渴望,热望( crave的过去式 ); 恳求,请求
craved例句:
She has always craved excitement. 她总渴望刺激。
A spicy, sharp-tasting radish was exactly what her stomach craved. 她正馋着想吃一个香甜可口的红萝卜呢。
相关单词:inevitable
inevitable解释:adj.不可避免的,必然发生的
inevitable例句:
Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。
相关单词:beckoned
beckoned解释:v.(用头或手的动作)示意,召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 )
beckoned例句:
He beckoned to the waiter to bring the bill. 他招手示意服务生把账单送过来。
The seated figure in the corner beckoned me over. 那个坐在角落里的人向我招手让我过去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
相关单词:velvet
velvet解释:n.丝绒,天鹅绒;adj.丝绒制的,柔软的
velvet例句:
This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。
The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。
相关单词:depressed
depressed解释:adj.沮丧的,抑郁的,不景气的,萧条的
depressed例句:
When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。
相关单词:figs
figs解释:figures 数字,图形,外形
figs例句:
The effect of ring dyeing is shown in Figs 10 and 11. 环形染色的影响如图10和图11所示。
The results in Figs. 4 and 5 show the excellent agreement between simulation and experiment. 图4和图5的结果都表明模拟和实验是相当吻合的。
相关单词:walnuts
walnuts解释:胡桃(树)( walnut的名词复数 ); 胡桃木
walnuts例句:
Are there walnuts in this sauce? 这沙司里面有核桃吗?
We ate eggs and bacon, pickled walnuts and cheese. 我们吃鸡蛋,火腿,腌胡桃仁和干酪。
相关单词:rambunctious
rambunctious解释:adj.喧闹的;粗鲁的
rambunctious例句:
Their rambunctious son always got into trouble.他们那个不受管束的儿子老是惹麻烦。
It's not the chirping,rambunctious play that they did when they first arrived.他们现在已经不像刚开始见面那会儿,总是冲着对方乱叫,或者在玩耍时动作粗暴。
相关单词:mounds
mounds解释:土堆,土丘( mound的名词复数 ); 一大堆
mounds例句:
We had mounds of tasteless rice. 我们有成堆成堆的淡而无味的米饭。
Ah! and there's the cemetery' - cemetery, he must have meant. 'You see the mounds? 啊,这就是同墓,”——我想他要说的一定是公墓,“看到那些土墩了吗?
相关单词:adventurous
adventurous解释:adj.爱冒险的;惊心动魄的,惊险的,刺激的
adventurous例句:
I was filled with envy at their adventurous lifestyle.我很羨慕他们敢于冒险的生活方式。
He was predestined to lead an adventurous life.他注定要过冒险的生活。
相关单词:accomplished
accomplished解释:adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的
accomplished例句:
Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。