即使是当我在战壕中控制不住地颤抖，我也不曾忘记你的容颜。我蜷缩在稀泥中，身边是枪林弹雨，弥漫硝烟，我把步枪紧紧地攥在胸前，一颗惊恐不安的心，还是想起了我们初识的那一天。身旁战火呼啸，恐惧让我想要大声呼叫，直到想起你，仿佛见到你在我身后盈盈浅笑，战场忽然沉寂下来，在这珍贵的瞬间，我觉得自己暂时远离了毁灭和死亡，飞向你的身旁。我拼命想留住这美好，直到睁开眼，周围却依然是血与火的生死战场。
九月休假回到你身边，我疲惫而脆弱，没能再告诉你战火纷飞时我对你的爱有多深。我们只能紧紧拥抱在一起，仿佛要把对方挤碎。也就在那天，面对我的求婚，你深深凝望我的眼睛，答应做我的新娘，而我早已欢喜地大喊大叫。
我现在正看着我们的结婚照片，总是放在妆台上的那张，就在你的首饰盒旁。那时候，我们多么年轻，多么纯真。我记得我们站在教堂的台阶上，开心得像一对甜蜜的鸳鸯，你还说我穿着制服多么英武俊朗。照片已经旧得泛黄了，但我看到的，却只有当年青春的明媚姿彩。我仍然记得你母亲为你做的那件新娘礼服，那些精致的花边和漂亮的珠饰。让我再想一想，我还能闻到那婚礼花束的甜香，你那么骄傲地捧着花，让每一个人分享你的幸福时光。
一年后，你轻轻地把我的手放到你的腹前，对着我的耳朵悄悄透露这个让我欣喜若狂的好消息：我们就快有宝宝啦。
我知道我们的孩子都深深地爱你，他们现在就在门外等候。
你还记得乔纳森出生的时候我那手足无措的慌张样子吗？当我笨拙地把他抱在怀里，我还记得你笑话我的样子，我看着他，我们都情不自禁地迸出了开心的泪花。
今天早晨撒拉和汤姆带着小缇西也赶到了。你还记得吗？第一次看到这个可爱的小孙女，我俩高兴地紧紧拥抱。真让人难以相信，她下个月就八岁了。亲爱的，我不得不忍住眼泪告诉你，小家伙今天穿着漂亮的裙子，闪亮的红色小鞋，让我立刻想起当年相遇时的你，连她的短发也像极了年轻的你。当我在门口看到她的时候，她的笑容暖人心脾，这竟然也和你一模一样。
我明白，亲爱的，你累了，我应该让你离开。可是爱人即逝，孤侣何伤！
这些年我们相濡以沫，白首到老，我总是逗你说你的容颜依然如昔。可这是真的，亲爱的，我真的见不到他人眼里的皱纹和白发。现在我望着你，也还是只能看到你娇嫩温柔的红唇和秋水流盼的眼眸，仿佛我们第一次在那条小溪边野餐，在那棵巨大的老橡树旁追逐嬉戏。那时候我们刚刚在一起，总是盼望那样的日子生生世世，你还记得吗？那些日子是多么激情荡漾，让人不忍回首……
亲爱的，我应该走了。孩子们都等在外面，他们要和你道别。
我擦去了眼角的泪，跪在你的身边，轻轻靠近你，握住你的双手，最后一次吻你。
亲爱的，安心地睡吧。
这分离扯碎了我的心。别担心，我很快就会来陪伴你。生死茫茫，尘世间没有你，这满腔的衷肠凭谁倾诉？这只影的寂寥复有何欢？
很快，我们就能在汉诺威广场的那间小咖啡馆里再相逢。
再会了，我的爱妻。
The Blessed Dress
I got an engagement ring for Christmas.My boyfriend and I had been dating for almost a year and both felt the time was right to join our lives together in holy matrimony.
The month of January was spent planning our perfect Alabama June wedding.My mother，two sisters and I went to Huntsville，the closest town with a selection of bridal shops，to buy the gown that would play the leading role on my special occasion.
We had a wonderful time just being together and sharing silly jokes，but the day soon turned serious by afternoon：still no sign of the dress of my dreams.Both sisters were ready to give up and try another day in another town，but I coerced them into one more boutique.
I had a good feeling as we entered the quaint little shop filled with the scent of fresh flowers.The elderly clerk showed us several beautiful gowns in my size and price range，but none were right.As I opened the door to leave，the desperate shop owner announced she had one more dress in the back that was expensive and not even my size，but perhaps I might want to look at it anyway.When she brought it out，I squealed in delight.
This was it！
I rushed to the dressing room and slipped it on.Even though it was at least two sizes too large and more costly than I had anticipated，I talked Mom into buying it.The shop was so small it didn’t offer alterations，but my excitement assured me I would be able to get it resized in my hometown.
Excitement wasn’t enough.On Monday morning，my world crumbled when the local sewing shop informed me the dress simply could not be altered because of numerous handsewn pearls and sequins on the bodice.I called the boutique for suggestions but only got their answering machine.
A friend gave me the number of a lady across town who worked at home doing alterations.I was desperate and willing to try anything，so I decided to give her a call.
When I arrived at her modest white house on the outskirts of town，she carefully inspected my dress and asked me to try it on.She put a handful of pins into the shoulders and sides of my gown and told me to pick it up in two days.She was the answer to my prayers.
When the time came to pick it up，however，I grew skeptical.How could I have been so foolish as to just leave a 1，200wedding dress in the hands of someone I barely knew？What if she made a mess out of it？I had no idea if she could even sew on a button.
Thank goodness my fears were all for naught.The dress still looked exactly the same，but it now fit as if it had been made especially for me.I thanked the cheerful lady and paid her modest fee.
One small problem solved just in time for a bigger one to emerge.On Valentine’s Day，my fiance called.
“Sandy，I’ve come to the decision that I’m not ready to get married，”he announced，none too gently.“I want to travel and experience life for a few years before settling down.”
He apologized for the inconvenience of leaving all the wedding cancellations to me and then quickly left town.
My world turned upside down.I was angry and heartbroken and had no idea how to recover.But days flew into weeks and weeks blended into months.I survived.
One day in the fall of the same year，while standing in line at the supermarket，I heard someone calling my name.I turned around to see the alterations lady.She politely inquired about my wedding，and was shocked to discover it had been called off，but agreed it was probably for the best.
I thanked her again for adjusting my wedding gown，and assured her it was safely bagged and awaiting the day I would wear it down the aisle on the arm of my real “Mister Right.”With a sparkle in her eye，she began telling me about her single son，Tim.Even though I wasn’t interested in dating again，I let her talk me into meeting him.
I did have my summer wedding after all，only a year later.And I did get to wear the dress of my dreams standing beside Tim，the man I have shared the last eighteen years of my life with，whom I would never have met without that special wedding gown.
幸运的礼服
圣诞节的时候我戴上了订婚戒指。我和男友交往已快一年，我们都感到是携手步入神圣的婚姻殿堂的时候了。
整个一月份我都忙于计划我们将于六月份在阿拉巴马州举行的美丽婚礼。我和母亲，连同两个姐姐前往最近的城市汉斯维尔的一些新娘服装店去挑选结婚礼服——这可是婚礼中至关重要的一个环节。
我们母女四个高高兴兴，互相开着玩笑。但是等到了下午气氛就变得严肃起来：仍然没有我梦想中的结婚礼服的丝毫影子。我的两个姐姐都已经准备就此打道回府，改天再到其它的城镇去买，但是我迫使她们陪我再多看一家小店。
当我们进入这家满是新鲜花香的精致小店时，我有一种很好的预感。上年纪的店员让我们看了几件适合我穿的美丽的礼服，价格也都在我的预算之内，但是都不是我想要的。正当我打开店门准备离开之即，孤注一掷的老板娘喊道，在后面库里还有一件礼服，这件礼服很贵，甚至没有我穿的号码，但是也许我还是想看一眼。当她拿出来时，我欣喜的叫出声来。
就是这一件了！
我冲进试衣间把身体滑进去。尽管它至少要大上两码，价格也比我预想的要高很多，我仍说服了母亲买下了它。这家店很小，连改衣服的服务都不提供，但是在激动之余，我确信能在家乡把它改好。
然而盲目的激动是无济于事的。礼拜一早上，当我们那儿的裁缝店告诉我礼服上手缝的珠子和饰片太多因而没法改动时我傻眼了。我打电话给那家服装店寻求建议，听到的却只是机器的自动应答。
一个朋友给我镇上一个裁缝的电话，这个裁缝在家里做活。在绝望之余，我愿意进行任何尝试。于是我决定给她打个电话。
当我赶到她在城镇郊区的简陋的白色房子里时，她仔细地察看了我的礼服，并让我穿上。她用别针将礼服的肩膀处和两侧别上，让我两天后来取衣服。她正是我祈祷的福音。
该去取衣服了，我却忐忑不安起来。我怎么这么愚蠢，将一件价值1200美元的礼服交到一个一点儿也不了解的人手里？如果她改坏了怎么办？我甚至不知道她会不会缝扣子。