____ ____ your parents take a walk every day?

黑土地

韩静霆^①

    ①我是北方的黑土捏成的，土性浇铸在我的灵魂之中了。

    ②我生于黑土，长于黑土。童年，我用黑土捏出我的天使：人，马，牛，羊，鸡，狗。我和黑土造就的这些众生厮守，说话，说梦。我用黑土制成能吹奏抑抑扬扬、呜呜咽咽曲调的埙。我的埙就是我的唇舌，我生命的延长，我灵魂的独白。我是黑土的上帝，黑土也是我的上帝。

    ③26年前我孑然一身进关，闯荡京华。我住在前门箭楼下的小客栈里，柔和湿滑的京腔在议论我：这个北方的小牛犊子。哦，是的。牛犊子，北方，我。我走出北方黑色的漠野，什么也没带——不不，我带走了一样东西，永生永世不可抛弃也无法抛弃，就是我的土性。

    ④每次返乡，黑土地总是极尽柔情待我。当我的两脚插在浸了油似的黑土地里，即便是大旱时节，湿漉漉的地气也冲得脚心痒苏苏的，我的两足张开十个“根须”吸吮着水汽，我感觉到筋络舒展的咔咔声，我感觉到血管中冲撞着一排又一排粘稠的然而又是流动着的激情的浪头。惟有此时，我可以和刚刚拱出土皮儿的荠荠菜私语，可以得到玉米缨子扬来的花粉，可以喝到奉献到手心的蚂蚁酒，这时候我能把目光的线一直拉到松辽平原的极处，看云起云飞，进入一种境界。我想我变成了黑土地上植根并且眺望着的树，一棵生有两个丫杈的树，一棵擎着乱蓬蓬鸟窝的树，一棵白桦树。我想我不怕被肃杀的风摇落最后一片叶子，也落了还会再生。我想我可以燃烧。在地上成炭，在地下变煤。因为，我是黑土地的子孙。

    ⑤带着黑土地给我的足够的营养，我离开了故土。西北高原的风吹不倒我这北方的榛莽，海南天涯的烈日晒不干我黑褐色肌肤蕴藏的油性。有时候，我枕着塬，枕着海，闭上眼睛想到的却是北方黑土地柔软的怀抱，想到儿时睡过的桦树皮摇床。我为此心旌摇荡，依稀看到黑土地上跋涉而去的祖先。哦，努尔哈赤的雕弓拉成满月，“玉骢嘶罢飞尘起，皂雕没处冷云平”；哦，挖参人如崖上的壁虎，没入密林，“雪中食草冰上宿”；哦，刚刚冷却的火山口杉木葱茏，岩洞里举起了伐木人的炊烟；哦，田畴把黑色的垄划到天尽头，那里，一人，一犁，一牛，共同较量着耐力和韧性。犁着，耕着，走着，没有一点声音。我的黑土地就是这样一部悠远的、孔武的、神秘的、充满着内聚力的不朽经典。当然，在黑土的深层，也埋藏着古战场鲜血锈蚀的剑，也抛落了亡国之民的遗骸，也有过拼搏、绞杀、屈辱和失败。即便是失败，我的先人也是屡败屡战，不屈不挠。

    ⑥北方的黑土地是何等博大啊，兼容着火山与冰岸，天池与地泉，针叶林与毛毛草，红高粱与罂粟花，野性与柔情，爱情与仇恨，严峻与温馨，粗犷与粗疏，自强与自私，寥廓与孤寂。既有长久的四季轮回，又有短暂的无霜期，既有虎群的雄浑，又有狗皮帽子的寒碜，既有宽广又有褊狭，既有宁静又有躁动，坦诚而又神秘，富丽而又贫瘠。我的黑土地，我的黑土地，我对你的爱也是又宽阔又褊狭，又坦诚又神秘的。我读着你，想念你，梦过你。我也渴望走出“宇宙黑洞”，穿破固垒，渴望超越。当我远离故乡去生存，拼搏和拓荒数年之后，终于明白有一种东西是不可超越的，那就是黑土地所给予我的生命的原汁。

    ⑦是的，读懂黑土地这部博大恢宏、幽远深邃的自然、历史和人生的巨卷，需要时间的穿凿和精神的反刍。如今，我头上的野草荣而又枯，年已不惑，似乎才领略了一点她的教诲。她从我呱呱坠地的一刻起，就用日出日落、阳春严冬和风霜雨雪教导我。她要我生来就成熟，就懂得什么是沧桑，什么叫坚韧，什么叫忍耐，什么叫不屈。非洲谚语说，创世之初，上帝赐给每个人一杯土，人们从杯中吸吮生命的滋养。北方黑土地给我的滋养令我受用无穷。也就铸成了我终生的土性。

    ⑧不可改变，我北方的土性。因为，自我落生的时候，黑土地就给我打上了胎记。我的黑土铸成的肌肤和魂魄不可改变。因为，我不能选择也不愿意改变我的籍贯。我为此感到荣幸——当我走在异乡异域的时候，人们会顷刻间认识我和我的内涵：中国，北方，黑土地。

    One of the most important things in the world is friendship. In order to have friends, you have to be a friend. But how can you be a good friend at school?

    Listen — Listen when they are talking. Don't say anything unless they ask you a question. Sometimes it's not necessary for you to have anything to say; they just need someone to talk to about their feelings.

    Help them — If your friend is ever in need of something, be there to help them. You should try to put them first, but make sure you don't do everything they want you to do. Try to take an extra (额外的) pencil or pen with you to classes in case (以防) they forget one. Have a little extra money in your pocket in case they forget something they need.

    Be there for them — Try to make something for your friend to help make them feel better in hard times. Making cards and encouraging them are among the nicest things you can do for a friend. Marilyn Monroe, a famous U.S. actor, once said, “I often make mistakes. Sometimes I am out of control. But if you can't stay with me at my worst, you are sure not to deserve (值得) to be with me at my best.” Always remember this! If you don't want to stay with your friends when they're in hard times, then you don't deserve to be with them when they're having a good time!

    ______ — Try to make plans with your friends. Go shopping, go for ice cream, have a party, go to a movie and so on. Take time to know each other even better by doing something you both enjoy. By planning things together, you both can have a good time. And you'll remember these things when you're all old!