It was June 15, 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.
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. 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?"
Without hesitation, Nicholas replied, "Well, Joe, this is my philosophical answer to your philosophical question:
"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.
"When I was going to school and learning the things I know today, that was the best time of my life.
"When I got my first job and had responsibilities and got paid for my efforts, that was the best time of my life.
"When I met my wife and fell in love, that was the best time of my life.
"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.
"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.
"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."
精美译文：
那天是6月15日，再过两天我就要30岁了。即将进入生命中的又一个十年，我对此感到不安，担心自己最美好的岁月已经离我远去了。
我每天的惯例是上班之前先去体育馆锻炼。每天早上我都会在体育馆见到我的朋友尼古拉斯。他79岁，身材很好。那天我跟他打招呼时，他注意到我不像往常那样充满活力，就问我有什么不对劲。我告诉他我就要30岁了，心里感到焦虑。我寻思着等我到了尼古拉斯的岁数真不知该怎样回顾自己的一生，于是我问他：“你一生中最美好的时光是什么时候？”
尼古拉斯毫不犹豫地回答：“你瞧，乔，对于你这个富有哲理的问题，这就是我富有哲理的答案。”
“小时候我在奥地利，凡事都不用操心，父母抚育我长大，那是我一生中最美好的时光。”
“上学以后，我学习知识，直到今天都没有忘。那是我一生中最美好的时光。”
“当我找到第一份工作，承担了工作中的职责并且为自己的努力获得报酬时，那是我一生中最美好的时光。”
“当我遇到我的妻子而且爱上她时，那是我一生中最美好的时光。”
“第二次世界大战来临，我和妻子为了活命不得不逃离奥地利。当我们一起安安全全地坐上驶往北美洲的轮船时，那是我一生中最美好的时光。”
“当我们来到加拿大并建立了家庭时，那是我一生中最美好的时光。”
“当我成了一位年轻的父亲，看着自己的孩子一点点地长大时，那是我一生中最美好的时光。”
“现在，乔，我79岁了。我身体健康，感觉良好，爱我的妻子如同我们初次相遇。这是我一生中最美好的时光。”
注释：
1. insecure adj.不可靠的, 不安全的
2. decade n.十年, 十
3. routine n.常规, 日常事务, 程序
4. workout n.锻炼
5. terrific adj.很棒的；了不起的
6. vitality n.活力, 生命力, 生动性
7. hesitation n.犹豫, 踌躇
8. philosophical adj.哲学的，达观的
9. nurture vt.养育, 给与营养物, 教养
10. flee v.从…逃跑
11. bound for 驶往
