2-13Everyoneunderstandsthenatureofwar,wealsounderstandthatvictorydependsonthecardsthatwehavebeendealt.Somewhenfacedwithabloodybattlesimplygivein,butforsomesurrenderisunacceptable,eventhoughtheyknowitwouldbeafighttothedeath.每个人都清楚战争的本性，我们也知道胜利取决于我们打出的那些牌。有些人在面对血战会从容放弃；但是对某些人来说投降是无法接受的，尽管他们清楚面前的是决一死战。2-14Theworldisfilledwithunlikelyfriendships.Howdidtheybegin,withonepersondesperatelyinneedandanotherwillingtolendahelpinghand.Whensuchkindnessisoffered,wearefinallyabletoseetheworthofthosewehavepreviouslywrittenoff,andbeforewe'veknownit,abondhasformed,regardlessofwhetherotherscanunderstandit.Yes,unlikelyfriendshipsstartupeveryday,nooneunderstandsthismorethanthelonely,infact,it'swhattheycounton.世界上到处都是不太可能的友谊。它们都是由一方迫切的需求和另一方伸出的援助之手开始的。当这样的帮助提供给我们的时候，我们才明白曾经失败的价值。在我们相识之前，一条纽带就已经把我们连接在一起了，不管别人能否理解。的确，不太可能的友谊每天都在发生，没有人能比孤独寂寞的人更了解这一点。事实上，不太可能发生的友谊就是他们的指望。2-15Nowandthenweallneedalittlehelp,soweaskforsmallfavors.Butit'salwaysbesttobewaryofthoseeagertocometoourrescue.Becauseeventhesmallestoffavorscarriesapricetag.Yes,everyonehasanagenda,nomatterwhattheymaytellus...andinthoserareinstanceswherethereisnoulteriormotive,we'resotakingabackthatwemayfailtorecognizethetruth-thatalovingfriendhasjustdoneusanenormousfavor.偶尔我们总会需要帮助，所以我们请别人帮点小忙。不过对那些急切想拯救我们的人最好要带着一颗机警的心。因为哪怕是最小的恩惠都是有价格的。是的，每个人心里都有一本帐，不管他们告诉我们什么。别有用心的人太多了，像好朋友帮了大忙这样的情况真是少之又少。我们过分的警觉导致我们失去了对真相的判断力。2-16ThisishowBreeVanDeKampfinallycametochangeherweeklyroutine,shestillcleanedonTuesdays,paidherbillsonWednesdays,anddidherlaundriesonThursdays,butherFridayswerenowreservedforameeting,aspecialmeetingwhereshestoodinfrontofpeopleshedidn’tknow,andsaidthingsshedidn’tbelieve,andafterwardsBreewouldcomehomeandrewardherselfonthecompletionofanothersuccessfulweek.这就是BreeVanDeKamp如何最终改变了自己的每周安排，她仍然在周二打扫卫生；在周三付帐单；在周四洗衣服，但每个周五她要参加一个特别会议，在会议上她站在一群陌生人面前说她自己都不相信的话，然后回到家中犒劳自己，祝贺完满成功的一周。2-17AtthatprecisemomentasDrHansonMillswascuttingyetanotherumbilicalcord,othertieswerebeingseveredallovertown,liketheonebetweenachildandamotherwhodidn'twanthimtogrowupsoquickly,ortheonebetweenacaseoffinewineandahousewifewhohadn'twantedtoadmitshehadaproblem,ortheonebetweenawomenandtheboyfriendwhocouldn'tforgiveherbetrayal.Thechoicetoseparatefromwhatweloveispainful;theonlythingworseiswhensomeonewe'vetrustedmakesthechoiceforus.就在HansonMills医生切断另一根脐带的时候，小镇上其他的联系也被切断了。像一个母亲和儿子之间，母亲不想孩子那么快就长大；一箱好酒和主妇之间的关系，主妇不想承认她酗酒；或是一个女人和男友之间的关系，男友不能原谅她的背叛。选择离开我们的爱是痛苦的，更糟糕的是我们信任的人让我们做这样的选择。2-18Temptationcomestoallofus,whetherornotwesuccumbdependsonourabilitytorecognizeitsdisguise,sometimesitarrivesinaformofanoldflame,flickeringbacktolife,oranewfriendwhocouldendupbeingsomuchmore,orayoungchildwhowakensfeelingswedidn'tknowwehad.Andsowegiveintotemptationallthewhileknowingcomemorning,we'll...