All roads are ultimately home

When I was a boy there were no smart phones, computers were something you saw on STAR TREK, and our television only got one channel clearly. Still, I was never bored. The fields, hills, and woodlands around my home were the perfect playground whose adventures were only limited by my imagination.
当我还是个小男孩的时候，没有智能电话、电脑，也没有什么东西能够播放“星球大战”，电视只有一个频道是清楚的。即使这样，我也不觉得无聊。家附近的田野、山坡、林地都是极佳的玩耍场所，只有想不到，没有玩不到的冒险。
I can remember once hiking to a nearby lake and slowly walking around it. At the backside of it I was amazed to find an old, one lane, dirt road that I had never seen before. I immediately set out to travel it. It was full of potholes and muddy tire tracks and deep woods bordered it on both sides, but exploring it still seemed like a fine adventure.
我还记得有次徒步去附近的一个湖，我沿着湖边慢慢地走着，在湖的后部沿岸，我惊奇的发现之前没有的一条上了些年头的草坪泥泞路。我当即就决定去走走。这条路上遍布凹坑以及泥巴上的轮胎印，在路的两边类似分界线般的扎根的植物，这不失为一个冒险的好场所。
I walked on and on for what seemed like hours. I am sure my guardian angel was whispering in my ear to turn around and head back home but I was stubborn and even a bit stupid, so I walked on.
我走啊走，可能有好几个小时，守护我安全的小天使在我耳边低语，让我掉头回家，但我执拗，甚至显得有些愚蠢，依然执意往前走。
The dirt road gave way to a gravel one and then a paved one, yet there was still neither a car nor a house in sight. My legs were getting tired. I noticed that the sun was starting to go down and I grew scared. I didn’t want to end up trapped on this road in the dark of night, but I was sure it would be dark before I could make my way back to the lake again.
泥泞的路走着走着，渐渐变成了砂石路，又慢慢变成了平路，但是目力所及之处未见车和房子。我走得双腿疲累，太阳开始下山了，我开始害怕起来，我不想等天黑以后困在这条路上，但是如果现在往回，天黑前也回不到湖边。
I continued to walk on with the fear growing inside of me. My heart was pounding and my legs were aching. I was almost in tears when I turned one last curve and saw something in the distance. It was a house that I recognized.
我继续朝前走着，恐惧在我心理蔓延，心跳加速，双腿疼痛，泪水几乎要夺眶而出，我最后抬头一瞥，远处好像有什么东西，我认出那是一幢房子。
My heart leapt up! I jumped up and down and laughed out loud. I knew the way home! It was still over a mile away but my legs felt like feathers and I hurried back to my house in no time. I walked in with a big smile on my face just in time for dinner. Then I ended my adventure with a good night’s sleep.
我激动不已，上窜下跳，高兴地笑出了声，我认得这是回家的路。尽管还要一英里才能到家，我的腿却像羽毛般轻快，我迫不及待地回到家里，走进家中，喜悦之情溢于言表，而且正好赶上晚上的饭点。我的冒险以晚上的一场酣睡收尾。
I remembered this recently when I saw a sign that said: “All roads lead Home.” This is true. In this life all roads no matter what their twists and turns can lead us home again. They can lead us to our homes here on Earth. They can lead us to our homes in our hearts.
我记得最近见过的一则标语是这样说的：“所有的路都是回家的路。”确实是这样，这辈子所有的路不管怎样波折最终都会引导着我们回家，有的是回到地球上看得见摸得着的家，有的是回到心里的家。
May you always walk your path with love. May you always help your fellow travelers along the way. And may your roads always lead you Home again.
愿你的人生之路都有爱为伴，愿你在旅途中帮助同路人，愿你人生中的一段又一段旅程都是通往“家”的旅程。