Whoosh!
呼！
 

A snowball zoomed past my head.
一只雪球从我的脑袋旁边飞过

I bent over a snowdrift
我弯腰探身向一个雪堆

 and packed one myself
自己也用最快的速度攒了一个雪球
 

to throw back as quickly as I could.
准备扔出去

I stood up and took aim.
我站起身，选定了目标
 

Wham!
呼！
 

Another snowball crashed into my skull
另一个雪球砸到我的脑壳上


sending me stumbling into the snowdrift.
我脚下踉跄，一下子跌进了雪堆里

 I could feel my feet slipping on the ice beneath them
我感觉自己的双脚踩在积雪下面的冰层上，脚底一滑 

and suddenly found myself buried face first in the wet, heavy snow.
接着，我就脸朝下跌入了又湿又冷的厚厚积雪中

It was a mid-winter's day.
那天正好是仲冬节

My Mom had ordered me and my two brothers outside
母亲把我和两个哥哥赶到屋外
 

so she could get a little housework done.
这样她才能好好做点家务活儿
 

My brothers were seven and five years older than me
我的哥哥们，一个比我大七岁，一个比我大五岁
 

and much bigger as well.
他们的身形也比我大得多
 

Still, it was I who decided to start the snowball fight.
可是，决定要打一场雪仗的人却是完全

I hit one of them when they weren't looking
我趁他们不注意的时候，砸中了一个哥哥

and soon we were all making and throwing snowballs as fast as we could.
很快，我们都开始做雪球，扔雪球，而且是尽自己最快的速度

 It was every boy for himself.
三个男孩都要竭力自保。

Being little helped me avoid the first dozen or so snowballs that came my way
由于身体矮小，我顺利躲开了开战后第一批朝我飞来的雪球。

until the one that caught me in the back of the head
直到一个雪球砸中了我的后脑勺

and sent me sliding into the two foot deep snowdrift.
让我失足滑进了两英尺深的雪堆里

I felt two hands grasp my shoulders
我感到两只手抓住我的肩膀
 

as my oldest brother lifted me out safely.
我的大哥哥把我安全的从雪堆里拖了出来

I laughed as I dusted the snow off.
我一边大笑一边掸去了身上的积雪


Later Mom called us back inside for a lunch of hot, chicken soup.
接着妈妈就喊我们回家吃午饭了，一锅热气腾腾，喷香扑鼻 的鸡汤在等着我们。

 I sipped it slowly
我一小口，一小口的喝着鸡汤
 

and then sat near the old, wood stove in our living room
然后坐到客厅里那个老旧的木质火炉旁 

and let the warmth quickly dry my damp socks and jeans.
让热烘烘的暖气迅速烘干我潮湿的袜子和牛仔裤
 

It felt so nice.
感觉温暖又舒服

I couldn't describe the feeling back then
那个时候我还不知道如何形容那种感觉
 

but I know now that it was pure happiness.
但现在我明白，那就是最纯粹的幸福的滋味

In those innocent days of childhood
在那些童年的单纯日子里 

there was no regret for the past
没有悔不当初
 

or worry for the future.
也没有前途渺茫
 

Each moment could be enjoyed.
每个时刻都能被尽情享受
 

Each day could be filled with fun, laughter, and love.
每一天都充满欢乐，笑声和爱

I think that we all need to recapture that feeling in our lives.
我想，在我们的身后中，我们都需要找回那样的感觉
 

We need to live with childlike joy while keeping our adult wisdom .
保有成人的智慧的同时，我们也需要重拾童年的欢乐
 

We need to throw a few snowballs
我们要扔几个雪球

and sip a few bowls of soup afterwards.
然后喝几口鸡汤

We need to trust in our lives
我们要相信自己的生活
 

and share our love with others as well.
并且将爱心与周围的人分享

Life here is too brief not to enjoy all of its precious moments.
生命太过短暂，每个时刻都弥足珍贵，应该被好好珍惜