一位驻阿富汗士兵的爱情

by Kevin Farrell

I was at 1）Fort Drum in upstate New York last year when it really hit me. I dont know if it was because I was getting ready to go to war and was nervous， or because I watched the sun rise every morning at first formation， and that always reminded me of Kathryn. Either way， all I knew for certain was that I was still in love with her， and I had to get her back into my life.

For a long time I had this crazy idea that I could change the world if I just worked hard enough. The 2）downside of having that idea is that it took me away from home for long periods of time.

Kathryn was always at home waiting for me. All told I was away for an entire year of the two and a half years we dated.

I met Kathryn when I was 22 and she was 18. The short version of our story sounds great： Her house caught fire and I was in the fire department.

去年，当思念真真切切地涌上心头的时候，我是在纽约上州的德拉姆堡。我不清楚那是因为我正准备投身战事而心绪不安，还是因为我每天早上初次集队时都看到日出，而这常常会让我想起凯瑟琳。无论是哪种原因，我能够肯定的是我依然爱着她，并且我必须把她拉回到我的生命中。

长期以来，我一直有这种疯狂的想法，认为自己只要够努力就能改变世界。怀有这种想法的坏处就是会让我长期离家在外。

凯瑟琳总是呆在家里等我。在我们交往的两年半时间里，有整整一年我是完全不在家的。

当我遇到凯瑟琳的时候，我22岁，她18岁。我们的故事简单说来很美妙：她的房子着火了，而我就在消防局工作。

When I got back from basic training a couple of years ago， I felt different， as if I was doing things with my life and Kathryn wasnt. I wanted something more， something bigger， and it didnt seem that she did， so I broke up with her. She was crushed， but she didnt try very hard to change my mind.

A few months later， in December， something bigger did happen. My 3）National Guard unit was selected for a 2012 deployment to Afghanistan. Suddenly our monthly 4）drills got more intense， and our annual two weeks of training that summer made me think over what was good in my life.

I called Kathryn and told her I was still in love with her and I was a fool to have let her go. She said she had a new boyfriend and was happy with him and didnt want me back.

Even though Kathryn said she didnt want me back， she entertained the texts I sent saying I loved her.

One day while she was in the shower， her boyfriend went through her phone and saw the texts， and their relationship ended shortly after. Two weeks later our new relationship started.

几年前，当我结束基本训练回家时，我的感觉有所不同，就像是我是以生命成就大事，而凯瑟琳却不然。我想干更多、更大的事，但她看起来却并非如此，于是我向她提出分手。她崩溃了，但没有做太多的努力来改变我的想法。

几个月后，到了12月，果然有大事发生。我所在的国民警卫队小组被选中参加奔赴阿富汗的2012年部署。突然间，我们每月的训练变得更加紧张起来，而那个夏天我们每年一度的为期两周的训练让我思考自己的人生什么才是美好的。

我给凯瑟琳打电话，跟她说我依然爱她，我是个蠢蛋，竟然让她离开我。她说她已经有了新男友，和他处得很愉快，并不想与我复合。

尽管凯瑟琳口中说她不想和我复合，但是她却留着我发的示爱短信。……