“唔，真漂亮，让我们在树上找个特别的地方挂它。”自那以后，每年它们都被挂到树上。
A few hours after I started, the filled boxes were back in the garage, the room was vacuumed and I sat staring at a barren corner. The room seemed so empty. It took me two days of work to assemble and decorate my tree, but only a few hours to take it apart.
几小时后，装得满满的盒子又回到了车库，房间腾空了，我坐下来凝视那空荡荡的角落。房间显得太空旷了。我花了两天装饰装点我的圣诞树，而收起却只花了几个小时。
My tree is a good marriage or a great friendship. Like the tree, they take a long time to assemble and decorate with memories, but can be torn down quickly. All it takes is an unkind word or a thoughtless act, and what once stood proudly in the glow of love comes tumbling down.
圣诞树彰显着我美满的婚姻、美好的友情。这些也和圣诞树一样要经历很长的时间积聚并用回忆加以装点，但却转眼就能分崩瓦解。一番尖刻的话语，一个轻率的举动就能使原本在爱的光辉中傲然挺立的东西纷纷坠落。
Every year I have to put my tree away, but not my marriage or friendships. I take great care of those. They get to glow in the corner of my life for as long as I live. I get to analyze my tree and find memories for a few weeks every year. I can do the same with the loves in my life every day. When I held the Santa, a flood of wonderful memories returned. The same happens when I hold my wife or see the smile of a friend across the room.
每年我都不得不把圣诞树搁置起来，但我从不搁置我的婚姻和友情，而是小心地经营它们。只要我活着，它们就在我生活的角落里焕发光彩。每一年我都会分析我的树并花几个星期寻找回忆，我也可以每天回忆生活中的爱。当我拿着圣诞老人时，美好回忆的潮水席卷而来。当我抱着妻子或是看到房间对面一个朋友的微笑时也是如此。
Take great care of your friendships and your marriage. Once they come down, they aren't as easy to put back together as a Christmas tree, if at all. Stand them in that special spot in the corner of your heart and admire their glow.
小心经营你的友谊和婚姻，它们一旦失落，可不像圣诞树那样能那么轻易地加以重装，如果能够重装的话。把它们放到你心灵角落那个特殊的位置上并懂得欣赏它们焕发出的夺目光彩。