梦想总有成真时
Dreams Always Come True
I used to believe that dreaming was something for the young. At some point, adulthood quietly replaced my big ambitions with to-do lists, deadlines, and the steady rhythm of everyday life. Every now and then, though, a restless idea would slip into my mind—what if I tried something different? What if there was still time?
我曾经以为,只有年轻人才配做梦。长大以后,不知不觉间,梦想被代替成了各种待办清单、截止日期,还有一成不变的日常节奏。可偶尔,心里总会冒出一点不安分的念头——要不试试些新东西?或许,还有时间?
Last spring, during an ordinary family dinner, my daughter Clara suddenly mentioned that she wanted to learn guitar. She was in her teens then, her voice a little hesitant, as if she was testing how I would react. I almost told her to prioritize her studies, but I stopped myself. Instead, I surprised both of us by saying, “Let’s learn together.” She looked at me like I’d grown a second head, then burst out laughing. But that night, we signed up for classes—beginners welcome.
去年春天,一次普通的家庭晚餐上,女儿Clara忽然说,她想学吉他。那会儿她正处在青春期,语气有些犹豫,像是在试探我的反应。我差点就要习惯性劝她先以学业为重,但最终什么都没说出口。反倒让我们两个都没想到的是,我说:“不如我们一起学?”她先是一脸吃惊,然后笑出声来。那天晚上,我们真的一起报了零基础吉他班。
The beginning wasn’t pretty. My stiff fingers fumbled on the strings, and Clara rolled her eyes through our awkward practice sessions. Some nights, after work, the last thing I wanted was to fight with E minor and C. There were times I wondered if this was all a bit ridiculous—middle-aged, tired, and barely able to carry a tune. But each small achievement, whether it was managing a simple chord change or playing a few bars in rhythm, felt oddly rewarding.
一开始的过程真谈不上愉快。我的手指怎么也灵活不起来,练琴的时候Clara不是在偷笑就是翻白眼。有些下班的夜晚,我完全不想面对E小调和C调的折磨。偶尔我也会怀疑自己是不是太自不量力——年纪一把,白天累成狗,吉他也弹不好。可每当真正掌握了一个和弦,哪怕只是弹对了几小节,心里又莫名地有成就感。
Over time, something changed. We started looking forward to our lessons, even joking about forming a terrible family band. The experience wasn’t earth-shattering, but it added a new layer to our routine. I realized that dreams don’t always have to be wild or grand. Sometimes, they’re just about making a small promise to yourself and showing up, especially on days when you’d rather not.
日子久了,情况竟然变了。我们反而越来越期待上课,还开玩笑组个“车祸现场家庭乐队”。说不上这段经历多么跌宕起伏,但它确实让我们的生活多了一些新鲜感。我渐渐明白,梦想未必要伟大或遥不可及,有时仅仅是给自己一个小约定,然后坚持去做,特别是在你最不想坚持的时候。
A year later, we’re still not very good at playing. But Clara has started writing her own songs, and our Sunday evenings are now filled with messy music and laughter. Sometimes I’ll catch myself thinking about what else I can try—maybe learning Spanish, maybe writing a short story. It took me long enough to see it, but I suppose it’s true: as long as you’re willing to begin again, dreams don’t really expire.
一年过去了,我们的吉他水平依然很一般,不过Clara已经开始自己写小曲子了。现在每个周日晚上,家里都充满了笑声和乱七八糟的音符。有时候我会想,或许以后可以再试试别的,比如学西班牙语,或者写个短篇小说。花了好些年才想明白,其实真的如此——只要你愿意重新开始,梦想就没有截止日期。
【短语积累】
replaced my ambitions with to-do lists —— 用待办清单取代理想
slip into my mind —— 悄然浮现在脑海
signed up for classes —— 报名参加课程
zero foundation / beginners welcome —— 零基础 / 欢迎初学者
fumbled on the strings —— 在琴弦上笨拙地摸索
the experience wasn’t earth-shattering —— 这段经历并不轰轰烈烈
make a small promise to yourself —— 给自己一个小小的承诺
as long as you’re willing to begin again —— 只要你愿意重新开始
dreams don’t really expire —— 梦想其实并不过期
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