佚名/Anonymous
, .
ThenonedayIdroppedinonanotheroldfriendwho'—surroundedbymaybeathousandbooksandfellintodeepconversationabouteverythingfromsmallcomputerstothetormentedlifeofBeethoven.
.“Relationshipsaremysteries,”myfriendsaid,“.”
GazingouthiswindowtothewoodedVermonthills, hepointedtowardaneighboringfarm,“Usedtobealargebarnoverthere.”Nexttoared-framehousewerethefootingsofwhathadbeenasizablestructure.
“Itwassolidlybuilt, , ；rainwatergotundertheeavesanddrippeddowninsidethepostsandbeams.”
“Onedayahighwindcamealong, , first, likeoldsailing-shiptimbers, .”
“Afterthestormblewover, Iwentdownandsawthesebeautiful, oldoaktimbers, , , therewasnothingtolinkthegiantbeamstogether.”
.
Myfriendsaidhehadturnedtheincidentoverandoverinhismind, andfnallycametorecognizesomeparallelsbetweenbuildingabarnandbuildingafriendship：nomatterhowstrongyouare, hownotableyourattainments, youhaveenduringsignifcanceonlyinyourrelationshiptoothers.
“Tomakeyourlifeasoundstructurethatwillserveothersandfulfillyourownpotential,”hesaid,“youhavetorememberthatstrength, howevermassive, can''llinevitablytumble.”
“Relationshipshavetobecaredfor,”headded,“, thanksunsaid, confdencesviolated, quarrelsunsettled—allthisactslikerainwaterseepingintothepegs, weakeningthelinkbetweenthebeams.”
Myfriendshookhishead.“.”
LaterthatafternoonIgotreadytoleave.“Youwouldn'tliketoborrowmyphonetomakeacall, Idon'tsuppose?”heasked.
“Yes,”Isaid,“.”
昔日的友情逐渐淡漠，曾经的亲密无间，如今只有剑拔弩张了。现在，强烈的自尊心让我无法拿起电话。
