Surrounded by brothers (1)

　　I know it was wrong to envy your children. But when I see my son Tonio and his younger brother Sam going down a slide [1] together, one's arms around the other, I know I have missed something wonderful.
　　Not only did I never have a brother, but I also had no friendships like theirs. My sister was old enough to help take care of [2] me, so she was more a mother than a playmate, and I was more a pest [3] than a friend. A brother would have been terrific, but it was not in the family planning.
　　My parents worked side by side in their own little business. My mom said she was willing to have another child if, for this one, she could stay home from work. My father said he couldn't manage without her. I don't think they ever discussed it again.
　　Now I finally live with brothers, my sons, and I am watching them forge [4] the kind of relationship that I once daydreamed about. I have a picture of Tonio with his head on my pregnant wife's belly the night Sam was born. Tonio, only 18 months old, had been talking to the baby, and he had his ear pressed against my wife, listening for an answer. The boys have been whispering to each other ever since.
　　Sam, oddly, manages the world with more ease than his older brother, whose frustrations [5] often bring him to tears. With an earnest [6] "Smile, Tonio," Sam is the one who comforts him. They are always backing each other up [7].

与兄弟同处（1）

　　我知道嫉妒自己的孩子是不应该的。但是每当我看见我的儿子托尼和他的弟弟山姆搂抱着从滑梯上滑下时，便觉得自己失掉了一些美好的东西。

　　我没有兄弟，也从来没有感受过兄弟间的情谊。我小时侯，姐姐已经很大了，足以帮忙照顾我。因此，她更像母亲，而不是一个玩伴，而我更像淘气鬼，而不是一个朋友。有个兄弟肯定是非常好的，但这在当时并没有列入家庭计划。

　　我的父母那时侯正并肩工作，一块儿经营他们的小生意。母亲曾说她想再要一个孩子——如果她可以因此呆在家里不出去工作的话。父亲则认为没有母亲他就无法继续经营。我想，他们后来肯定没有再论及此事了。

　　我现在终于和兄弟们，也就是我的儿子们相处了，并且亲眼看着他们建立起一种我曾经梦寐以求的亲爱关系。我有一张照片，上面照的是托尼奥，在山姆出生的哪个晚上，他正把头贴在妻子的肚子上呢。托尼奥那时只有18个月，已经在和婴儿谈话了，他把耳朵贴在母亲肚子上等待回应。从那时起，两个孩子就常说悄悄话。

　　奇怪的是，山姆比他的哥哥更能适应这个世界——托尼常常因遭受挫折而哭泣。“笑啊，托尼，”山姆诚挚的话语使他成为能够安慰哥哥的人。他们总是互相帮助。