During my junior year in high school, Mr. Reynolds, my English teacher, handed each student a list of thoughts or statements written by other students, then gave us a creative writing assignment based on one of those thoughts.
上初中时，英文老师雷诺兹先生给每位同学发了一张纸条。纸条上列出其他同学写的各种想法和陈述。然后，他要大家据此写一篇创造性的作文。
At 17, I was beginning to wonder about many things, so I chose the statement, I wonder why things are the way they are? That night, I wrote down in the form of a story all the questions that puzzled me about life. I realized that many of them were hard to answer, and perhaps others could not be answered at all.
17岁的我对不少事情都很疑惑不解。所以我选择了我不知道为何事物都是目前这个样子? 作为题目。那天晚上，我以故事的形式写下了我对生活的所有困惑。我了解不少问题非常难回答，可能有的问题根本找不到答案。
When I turned in my paper, I was afraid that I might fail the assignment because I had not answered the question, I wonder why things are the way they are? I had no answers. I had only written questions.
交上作文后，我很担忧作业过不了关。由于我根本没回答 我不知道为何事物都是目前这个样子这个问题，我找不着答案，只写下了问题。
The next day Mr. Reynolds called me to the front of the class and asked me to read my story for the other students. He handed me my paper and sat down in the back of the room. The class became quiet as I began to read my story:
第二天，雷诺兹先生让我到讲台上把我的作文念给全班同学听。他把我的文章递给我，坐到了教室的后面。教室很安静。我开始朗读自己撰写的故事。
Mommie, Daddy...Why?
《母亲，父亲为何?》
Mommie, why are the roses red?
母亲，为何玫瑰是红的?
Mommie, why is the grass green and the sky blue?
母亲，为何草是青的，天是蓝的?
Why does a spider have a web and not a house?
为何蜘蛛织网不造房?
Daddy, why cant I play in your toolbox?
父亲，为何我不可以在你的工具箱里玩耍?
Teacher, why do I have to read?
老师，为何我必须要念书?
Mother, why cant I wear lipstick to the dance?
母亲，为何我不可以抹上口红参加舞会?
Daddy, why cant I stay out until 12:00? The other kids are.
父亲，为何我不可以在外面玩到中午12点? 别的孩子却可以。
Mother, why do you hate me?
母亲，你为何讨厌我?
Daddy, why dont the boys like me?
父亲，为何男孩不喜欢我?
Why do I have to be so skinny?
为何我需要苗条如柴?
Why do I have braces and wear glasses?
为何我必须要系上背带，戴上眼镜?
Why do I have to be 16?
我为何需要得过16岁?
Mom, why do I have to graduate?
妈，为何我需要毕业?
Dad, why do I have to grow up?
爸，为何我得长大?
Mom, Dad, why do I have to leave?
妈，爸，为何我需要离开你们?
Mom, why dont you write more often?
妈，为何你不给我多写几封信?
Dad, why do I miss my old friends?
爸，为何我思念老友?
Dad, why do you love me so much?
爸，为何你这么爱我?
Dad, why do you spoil me?
爸，为何你这么宠我?
Your little girl is growing up.
你的女儿已经长大。
Mom, why dont you visit?
妈，为何你不常来看看?
Mom, why is it hard to make new friends?
妈，为何结交新朋友这么困难?
Dad, why do I miss being at home?
爸，为何我怀念在家的日子?
Dad, why does my heart skip a beat when he looks in my eyes?
爸，为何每次他与我对视时我就心跳加快?
Mom, why do my legs tremble when I hear his voice?
妈，为何一听见他的声音我就双腿打颤?
Mother, why is being in love the greatest feeling in the world?
妈，为何坠入爱河是世界上最好看的妙的感觉?
Daddy, why dont you like to be called Gramppy?
父亲，为何不喜欢有人叫你姥爷?
Mother, why do my baby s tiny fingers cling so tightly to mine?
母亲，为何我的小宝贝要紧抓着我的手?
Mother, why do they have to grow up?
母亲，为何他们必须要长大?
Daddy, why do they have to leave?
父亲，为何他们需要离开大家?
Why do I have to be called Grammie?
为何需要得有人叫我 奶奶?
Mommie, Daddy, why did you have to leave me? I need you.
母亲，父亲，为何你们要离我而去?我需要你们!
Why did my youth slip past me?
为何我的青春已悄悄溜走?
Why does my face show every smile that I have ever given to a friend or a stranger?
为何我会笑对朋友，也会笑对陌生人?
Why does my hair glisten a shiny silver?
为何我满头银发?
Why do my hands quiver when I bend to pick a flower?
为何我弯腰摘花时会双手抖动?
Why, God, are the roses red?
上帝啊，为何玫瑰是红的?
At the conclusion of my story, my eyes locked with Mr. Reynold s eyes, and I saw a tear slowly sliding down his cheek. It was then that I realized that life is not always based on the answers we receive, but also on the questions that we ask.
读完故事，我眼睛紧盯着雷诺兹先生，雷诺兹先生也正凝视着我。我看到一颗泪珠正缓缓地从他的面颊上滚下来。就在那时，我豁然意识到，生活的根基不只包含大家得到的所有答案，而且还包含大家提出的所有问题。
