According to my mail,"Nature" is the wilderness, which I'm supposed to save. And I want to.But right here and now, if I go outside to pick up trash, I might have to fish a used syringe out of my hedge. That's saving nature too. The hard task is loving the earth, all of it.
根据我的字典,"大自然"是旷野,我应该拯救的旷野。我也愿意拯救。但此时此刻,如果我出去捡垃圾,也许会从树篱里捡出一个用过的注射器。这也是拯救大自然。艰巨的任务是热爱地球,热爱地球的全部。
The notes I stick on my refrigerator door remind me of the unity and sacredness of life. There's a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. on "the inescapable network of mutuality. " I know I can't take a vacation from any part of this world.
我贴冰箱门上的短笺提醒我生活的统一性和神圣性。这上面有一条马丁·路德·金关于"无法逃避的相关性之网"的语录。我知道我不可能离开世界上任何一个地方去度假。
Still, the habit of my mind is dual. This I hate:(the littered sidewalk); this I love:(the alpine meadow). I could get into my car and drive to that meadow. But when I drive back, the sidewalk will still be dirty. Or, I could stay here, pick up a broom, and walk out my front door.
不过,我的思维习惯依然有两重性。这个我恨(到处是纸屑杂物的人行道);这个我爱(高山草地)。我可以坐进汽车,驶向那个草地,但我驾车返回时,人行道仍是脏的。或者呢,我可以呆在这儿,拿起扫帚,从前门走出去。
The sidewalk yields clues that people have passed this way, like trail markers in the mountains: candy wrappers the kids have dropped on their way back from the store; malt liquor cans and fortified-wine bottles inside brown bags. Sometimes there are clothes, or shoes, or car parts. I tackle it all in thick orange rubber gloves, wielding my broom and dustpan, dragging my garbage can along with me. I recycle what I can. "This is all sacred," I tell myself. "All of it. "
人行道会提供有人经过这儿的线索,宛若山里的路线标识:孩子们从店铺回来的路上丢弃的包糖纸;放在棕色纸袋里的麦芽酒罐头和烈性葡萄酒瓶。有时有衣服或鞋子,或汽车部件。我戴着厚厚的橙黄色橡皮手套、拿着畚箕扫帚处理这一切,随手还拖着一只垃圾桶。我能回收的,我全都回收。"这些都是神圣的,"我对自己说,"全都是。"