Poet William Stafford once said that we are defined more by the detours in life that by the narrow road toward goals. I like this image. But I as quite by accident that I discovered the deep meaning of his words.
诗人威廉·斯塔福德曾说过，我们更多地被生活中的弯路所定义，而不是被通往目标的狭窄道路所定义。我喜欢这种解释，但我偶然地发现了他这话的深刻含义。

For years we made the long drive from our home in Seattle to my parents’ home in Boise in nine hours. We traveled the way most people do: the fastest, shortest easiest road, especially when I was alone with four noisy, restless kids who hates confinement and have strong opinions about everything.
多年来，我们从西雅图的家开车到我父母在博伊西的家要花九个小时。我们以大多数人的方式旅行：最快、最短、最简单的道路，尤其是当我独自一人和四个孩子在一起的时候（他们吵闹、焦躁不安、讨厌限制、对一切很有看法）。

Road trips felt risky, so I would drive fast, stopping only when I had to. We would stick to the freeways and arrive tired.
公路旅行感觉很危险，所以我会开得很快，只在必要的时候才停车。我们坚持走高速公路，到达时很累。

But then Banner, our lamb was born. He was rejected by his mama days before our planned trip to Boise. I had two choices: leave Banner with my husband, or take him with me. My husband made the decision for me.
但是我们的小羊班纳出生了。在我们计划去博伊西的几天前，母羊有点排斥它。我有两个选择：把班纳留给我丈夫，或者带它一起去。我丈夫为我做了决定。

That is how I found my self on the road with four kids, a baby lamb and nothing but my everlasting optimism to see me through．We took the country roads out of necessity. We had to stop every hour, let Banner shke out his legs and feed him. The kids chased him and one another. They'd get back in the car breathless and energized, smelling fresh from the cold air.
这就是我和四个孩子、一只小羊羔在路上的感觉，除了我永远的乐观，什么都没有。出于需要，我们走了乡间小路。我们不得不每小时停下来，让班纳伸出腿来，同时给它喂食。孩子们一个接一个地追逐小羊。他们会气喘吁吁、精力充沛地回到车里，身上散发着新鲜的冷空气。

We explored side roads, catching grasshoppers in waist-high grass. Even if we simply looked out of the car windows at baby pigs following their mother, or fish leaping out of the water, it was better than the best ride down the freeway. Here was life. And new horizons.
我们沿着小路走，在齐腰高的草地上捉蚱蜢。即使我们只是从车窗向外看，看小猪跟在妈妈后面，或者鱼从水里跳出来，这感觉也比在高速公路上飞驰的感觉要好。这就是生活，还有新的见识。

We eventually arrived at my parents' doorstep astonishingly fresh and full of stories.
带着一路的新奇和一路的故事，我们终于到达了我父母的家门口。

I grew brave with the trip back home and creative with my disciplining technique. On an empty section of road, everyone started quarreling．I stopped the car, ordered all kids out and told them to meet me up ahead．I parked my car half a mile away and read my book in sweet silence.
回家的路上，我变得勇敢起来，我的训练技巧也变得富有创造性。在一段空荡荡的路上，每个人都开始争吵。我停下车，命令所有的孩子出去，并告诉他们在前面等我。我把车停在半英里外，在甜蜜的沉默中阅读我的书。

Some road trips are by necessity fast and straight. But that trip with Banner opened our eyes to a world available to anyon adventurous enough to wander around and made me realize that a detour may uncover the best part of a journey-and the best part of yourself.
有些公路旅行必然又快又直。但那次带着横幅的旅行让我们看到了一个世界，一个任何有足够冒险精神的人都可以在这个世界上漫步的世界，让我意识到绕道而行可能会发现旅程中最好的部分，也可能会发现你自己最好的部分。