英语翻译
Untillateinthe20thcentury,mostAmericansspenttimewithpeopleofdifferentgenerations,Nowmiddle-agedAmericansmaynotkeepintouchwitholduntiltheyarethemselves.
That’sbecausewegrouppeoplebyage.Weputourthree-year-oldstogetherinday-carecenters,our13-year-oldsinschoolsandsportsactivities,andour80-year-oldsinsenior-citizenhomes.Why?
Weliveawayfromtheoldformanyreasons.Youngpeoplesometimesavoidtheoldtogetridoffearsofaginganddying.Itismuchhardertowatchsomeonewelovedis-appearbeforeoureyes.Sometimesit’ssohardthatwestayawayformthepeoplewhoneedusthemost.
Fortunately,someofushavefoundourwaytotheold.Anderhavediscoveredthattheyoftensavetheyoung.
Areportermovedherfamilyontoablockfiledwitholdpeople.Atfristherchil-drenweredisappointed.Butthereporterbakedbananabreadfortheneighboursandhadherchildrendeliveritandvisit.Soonthechildrenhadmanynewfriends,withwhomtheysharedfood,storiesandproject.”Mychildrenhaveneverbeenlesslonely,”there-protersaid.
Theyoung,inturn,savetheold.OnceIwasinaresthomewhenavisitorshowedupwhitababy,shewasimmediatelysurrounded.Peoplewhohadn’tgottenoutofbedinaweeksuddenlywereringingforawheelchair.Eventhosewhohadseemedasleepworkuptowatchthechil.Babieshaveanastonishingpowertocomfortandcure.
Grandparentsareaspecialcase.Theygivetheirgrandchilrenafeelingofsecurityandcontinuity.Asmyhusbandputit,”Mygrandparentsgavemeadeepsensethatthingswouldturnoutrightintheend.”Grandchilrenspeakofattentiontheydon’tgetfromworriedparents.”Myparentswerealwaystellingmetohurryup,andmygrandparentstoldmetoslowdown,”onefriendsaid.Ateachertoldmeshecantellwhichpupilshaverelationshipswithgrandparents:theyarequieter,calmerandmoretrusting.