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两位年过不惑的女人在某个场合偶然相遇，此前她们已有多年未见。两个女人恰好都是我的熟人。事后甲遇到我说：没想到，乙竟然这么老了。
奇怪的是，乙遇到我同样惊呼：甲怎么了，她怎么老得那么快？
依我看，甲不算老。甲向来注意保养，定期上美容院，寻找各种减肥良方，故一直保持脸皮白嫩，腰身正常，与她18岁的女儿上街，人家都当她是姐姐。
依我看，乙更不能说老。乙一直单身，走南闯北，敢于冒险，思想敏捷，兴趣广泛，简直像个年轻人。
但是她们都说对方老了。他们有什么理由？
甲说乙老的理由大概是——她从不沾化妆品的边，夏天从不戴遮阳帽，她皮肤黝黑，皱纹深深，在那些对生活细加雕饰的同龄人中，她看上去确实显老了。
乙说甲老同样有理由——她竭力想维持现状，不再有冲动热望，平和平静掩饰着无奈无为，在精力充沛敢于玩命的人看来，这还不是老了？
但我知道在甲的女友圈子中，总是互相打量互相宽慰：“你真年轻。”“你也年轻。”
我知道在乙的朋友圈中，也总是互相赞美互相钦佩：“真难想象你已过了40岁。”“你简直就是个年轻人。”
她们其实都是在宽慰或赞美自己，用足够的理由告诉自己：我不老。
而一旦看到活法和自己不一样的同龄人，她们一眼便看出了人家老的理由。
Two women in forties met somewhere by chance after they hadn＇t seen each other for many years.It so happened that I know both of them. Later on when encountering me, Miss A said, ″ I can＇t believe Miss B looks so old.″
Strange to say that B, when meeting with me, exclaimed, ″ what makes A age so fast?″
It seems to me that A looks younger than her age. She regularly goes to the beauty salon to have her skin protected and she is always on the lookout for some new ways of becoming slim. With a fair complexion and a small waist, she is often taken for the old sister of her eighteen-hear-old daughter when they walk in the street.
It seems to me the B is not old at all. A, as an adventurous woman having wide interests, still single and quick-witted, she has gone to every part of the country. She seems simply a woman of young age.
But why does each think the other old?
A＇s reason is perhaps that B＇s dark and wrinkly face resulting from never using face cream and wearing a sunbonnet in summer makes her look older than her peers who keep fit and protect their fair complexions in the latest fashion.
B＇s reason is that A, short of zeal and initiative, tries to maintain her present situation. Her inactivity is nothing but an excuse for her attempting and accomplishing nothing. Wouldn＇t that be evidence of her getting old in the eyes of those brave, vigorous people?
But I know A has a small circle of friends. They often look one another up and down and comfort themselves by saying, ″ You look very young.″ ″ So do you.″
I also know that B has a small circle of friends. They often admire and sing the praises of one another: ″ I can＇t believe you are in your forties.″ ″ You look simply a young woman.″
In fact either A or B is comforting and praising herself by presenting evidence to prove that she is not old.
Therefore each sees at a glance why the other, whose way of life is different from her own , has become old.
奇怪的是，乙遇到我同样惊呼：甲怎么了，她怎么老得那么快？
依我看，甲不算老。甲向来注意保养，定期上美容院，寻找各种减肥良方，故一直保持脸皮白嫩，腰身正常，与她18岁的女儿上街，人家都当她是姐姐。
依我看，乙更不能说老。乙一直单身，走南闯北，敢于冒险，思想敏捷，兴趣广泛，简直像个年轻人。
但是她们都说对方老了。他们有什么理由？
甲说乙老的理由大概是——她从不沾化妆品的边，夏天从不戴遮阳帽，她皮肤黝黑，皱纹深深，在那些对生活细加雕饰的同龄人中，她看上去确实显老了。
乙说甲老同样有理由——她竭力想维持现状，不再有冲动热望，平和平静掩饰着无奈无为，在精力充沛敢于玩命的人看来，这还不是老了？
但我知道在甲的女友圈子中，总是互相打量互相宽慰：“你真年轻。”“你也年轻。”
我知道在乙的朋友圈中，也总是互相赞美互相钦佩：“真难想象你已过了40岁。”“你简直就是个年轻人。”
她们其实都是在宽慰或赞美自己，用足够的理由告诉自己：我不老。
而一旦看到活法和自己不一样的同龄人，她们一眼便看出了人家老的理由。
Two women in forties met somewhere by chance after they hadn＇t seen each other for many years.It so happened that I know both of them. Later on when encountering me, Miss A said, ″ I can＇t believe Miss B looks so old.″
Strange to say that B, when meeting with me, exclaimed, ″ what makes A age so fast?″
It seems to me that A looks younger than her age. She regularly goes to the beauty salon to have her skin protected and she is always on the lookout for some new ways of becoming slim. With a fair complexion and a small waist, she is often taken for the old sister of her eighteen-hear-old daughter when they walk in the street.
It seems to me the B is not old at all. A, as an adventurous woman having wide interests, still single and quick-witted, she has gone to every part of the country. She seems simply a woman of young age.
But why does each think the other old?
A＇s reason is perhaps that B＇s dark and wrinkly face resulting from never using face cream and wearing a sunbonnet in summer makes her look older than her peers who keep fit and protect their fair complexions in the latest fashion.
B＇s reason is that A, short of zeal and initiative, tries to maintain her present situation. Her inactivity is nothing but an excuse for her attempting and accomplishing nothing. Wouldn＇t that be evidence of her getting old in the eyes of those brave, vigorous people?
But I know A has a small circle of friends. They often look one another up and down and comfort themselves by saying, ″ You look very young.″ ″ So do you.″
I also know that B has a small circle of friends. They often admire and sing the praises of one another: ″ I can＇t believe you are in your forties.″ ″ You look simply a young woman.″
In fact either A or B is comforting and praising herself by presenting evidence to prove that she is not old.
Therefore each sees at a glance why the other, whose way of life is different from her own , has become old.