It was June 15th, and in two days I would be turning thirty. I was insecure about entering a new decade of my life and feared that my best years were now behind me.

那天是6月15日，再過兩天我就要30歲了。即將進入生命中的又一個十年，我對此感到不安，擔心自己最美好的歲月已經離我遠去了。

My daily routine included going to the gym for a workout before going to work. Every morning I would see my friend Nicholas at the gym. He was seventy-nine years old and in terrific shape.

我每天的慣例是上班之前先去體育館鍛煉。每天早上我都會在體育館見到我的朋友尼古拉斯。他79歲，身材很好。

As I greeted Nicholas on this particular day, he noticed I wasn't full of my usual vitality and asked if there was anything wrong. I told him I was feeling anxious about turning thirty. I wondered how I would look back on my life once I reached Nicholas's age, so I asked him, "What was the best time of your life?"

那天我跟他打招呼時，他注意到我不像往常那樣充滿活力，就問我有什麼不對勁。我告訴他我就要30歲了，心裡感到焦慮。我尋思著等我到了尼古拉斯的歲數真不知該怎樣回顧自己的一生，於是我問他：“你一生中最美好的時光是什麼時候?”

Insecure /ˌɪnsɪˈkjʊə(r)/ adj. 無安全的;不穩定的

Routine /ru:ˈti:n/ n. 常規;例行程序

Terrific /təˈrɪfɪk/ adj. 了不起的;極好的

Particular /pəˈtɪkjələ(r)/ adj. 特別的;詳細的

Vitality /vaɪˈtæləti/ n. 活力;生命力

Without hesitation, Nicholas replied, "Well, Joe, this is my philosophical answer to your philosophical question:

尼古拉斯毫不猶豫地回答：“你瞧，喬，對於你這個富有哲理的問題，這就是我富有哲理的答案。”

When I was a child in Austria and everything was taken care of for me and I was nurtured by my parents, that was the best time of my life.

“小時候我在奧地利，凡事都不用操心，父母撫育我長大，那是我一生中最美好的時光。”

When I was going to school and learning the things I know today, that was the best time of my life.

“上學以後，我學習知識，直到今天都沒有忘。

When I got my first job and had responsibilities and got paid for my efforts, that was the best time of my life.

“當我找到第一份工作，承擔了工作中的職責並且為自己的努力獲得報酬時，那是我一生中最美好的時光。”

Hesitation /ˌhezɪ'teɪʃn/ n. 猶豫;躊躇

Philosophical /ˌfɪləˈsɒfɪkl/ adj. 達觀的;哲學上的

Nurture /ˈnɜ:tʃə(r)/ v. 培育;養育

Responsibility /rɪˌspɒnsəˈbɪləti/ n. 責任;職責;負責任

When I met my wife and fell in love, that was the best time of my life.

“當我遇到我的妻子而且愛上她時，那是我一生中最美好的時光。”

The Second World War came, and my wife and I had to flee Austria to save our lives. When we were together and safe on a ship bound for North America, that was the best time of my life.

“第二次世界大戰來臨，我和妻子為了活命不得不逃離奧地利。當我們一起安安全全地坐上駛往北美洲的輪船時，那是我一生中最美好的時光。

When we came to Canada and started a family, that was the best time of my life. When I was a young father, watching my children grow up, that was the best time of my life.

“當我們來到加拿大並建立了家庭時，那是我一生中最美好的時光。”“當我成了一位年輕的父親，看著自己的孩子一點點地長大時，那是我一生中最美好的時光。”

And now, Joe, I am seventy-nine years old. I have my health, I feel good and I am in love with my wife just as I was when we first met. This is the best time of my life.

“現在，喬，我79歲了。我身體健康，感覺良好，愛我的妻子如同我們初次相遇。這是我一生中最美好的時光。

bound for 駛向(某地)