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Kana's英語のことわざ・名言手帖

By Kana Ishiguro / 石黒 加奈

世界の名言やことわざの意味を、石黒加奈さんが自分自身の体験を例に挙げながら解説してくれます。注釈・ミニクイズ付きです。
「ちょびつき」留学日記・高校編はこちら
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筆者へお便りを送る

Kana Ishiguro

Vol. 12 : Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

(遠ざかるほど思いは募る)

 

When my little brother and I were studying together in the States, he often spent the weekend at my place in New York, where I went to college. Freed from the Draconian rules of high school dorm life, he would let his hair down and was happy enough to be himself.

But being himself involved wolfing down (practically inhaling) any food that I'd prepared, even food that my roommatecousin had slaved hours to prepare. He'd then go out with his friends without bothering to clean up after himself. He'd come home early the following morning, just as I'd start vacuuming, and then, scattering his dirty clothes over the floor, he'd sleep until noon, when he'd get up and eat the ice cream I'd been saving for myself.

Come Sunday, I'd be thinking, "Thank God! He's going back to his dorm."

But then, for some reason or other, once he'd left, the apartment would look very empty. I'd find a note from him on the kitchen table, saying, "Thank you, Kana! Take care!" And as quickly as that, my rage over his stealing my ice cream or napping instead of doing the washing evaporated. He had quickly turned from the weekend demon back into a dear sweet brother.

Absence does make the heart grow fonder. You may quarrel with your family and friends, your teachers or your lovers, and you may quarrel constantly, but when you move to a place far away, you suddenly find yourself thinking better of them and (gasp!) even actually getting along. It's ironic, but it's also true, and time and again, I've seen friends become closer (emotionally) to their families after (geographically) moving further away.

I'm reminded of a line by Lebanese-American poet Kahlil Gibran: "When you part from your friend, you/grieve not;/For that which you love most in him may/be clearer in his absence, as the mountain/to the climber is clearer from the plain." When I first came across this, I didn't understand it. Later, after I had been away from my family and friends for quite some time and I had grown very sad at the distance between us, I came across this quote again, and it cheered me up. After all, thanks to their absence, I have learned to better appreciate and better understand the people I love.

 

Q1 Why would Kana's brother spend the weekends at Kana's house?
A1) So he could eat whatever he wanted while he was there.
A2) To help Kana clean up the house.
A3) To get away from the strict rules of his dorm.



Q2 Because "Absence does make the heart grow fonder," people:
A1) living close to each other are likely to not become friends.
A2) Would rather live far away from their families or friends they love than live together.
A3) Tend to get along more when they are geographically far away from each other.



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