"He probably was. Your problem is you don't understand what that word means. People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that's holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. A true soul mate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then they leave. And thank God for it. Your problem is, you just can't let this one go. It's over, Groceries. David's purpose was to shake you up, drive you out of that marriage that you needed to leave, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light could get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you had to transform your life, then introduce you to your spiritual master and beat it. That was his job, and he did great, but now it's over. Problem is, you can't accept that this relationship had a real short shelf life. You're like a dog at the dump, baby—you're just lickin' at an empty tin can, trying to get more nutrition out of it. And if you're not careful, that can's gonna get stuck on your snout forever and make your life miserable. So drop it."
“或许他是。你的问题在于不懂这词儿的含义。大家以为精神伴侣是天作之合，每个人都想要。可是真正的精神伴侣是一面镜子，他使你看到让你退缩的东西，他使你注意到自己，让你能改变自己的生活。真正的精神伴侣可能是你遇上的最重要的人，因为他们卸下你的防备，把你给打醒。但是跟精神伴侣一辈子住在一起？不，太痛苦了。精神伴侣之所以走进你的生命，只是为了向你展现你的另一面，而后离你而去，让你感谢神。你的问题是，这回你没法放手。食品杂货，都结束了。大卫的目的是摇醒你，驱使你离开必须离开的婚姻，稍稍撕裂你的自我，让你看见自己的障碍与执迷，打开你的心让新的光线进入，使你绝望、失控，不得不改变生活，而后在引荐精神导师给你后转身离去。这是他的职责，他干得很好，可是现在都结束了。问题是，你不相信这段关系寿命短暂。孩子，你就像垃圾场里的狗——舔着一只空铁罐，想从中取得更多养分。你若不谨慎点，铁罐将永远卡住你的鼻子，让你活得悲惨兮兮。所以算了吧。”

"But I love him."
“可是我爱他。”

"So love him."
“那就爱他。”

"But I miss him."
“但我想念他。”

"So miss him. Send him some love and light every time you think about him, and then drop it. You're just afraid to let go of the last bits of David because then you'll really be alone, and Liz Gilbert is scared to death of what will happen if she's really alone. But here's what you gotta understand, Groceries. If you clear out all that space in your mind that you're using right now to obsess about this guy, you'll have a vacuum there, an open spot—a door-way. And guess what the universe will do with that doorway? It will rush in—God will rush in—and fill you with more love than you ever dreamed. So stop using David to block that door. Let it go."
“那就想念他。每次想起他，给他爱和光，然后就算了。你只是担心放掉最后的大卫，就真的变成孤伶伶一个人，小莉?吉尔伯特怕得要命，担心真的孤伶伶一个人的时候会发生什么事。但是，食品杂货，你得了解，假如你清除内心那块现在用来痴恋那家伙的空间，你心里将留下一个空白，一个开放的地方——一个门洞。你猜宇宙会怎么处理这个门洞？宇宙会迅速出动——神会迅速出动——让你的心装满超越想象的爱。因此，别再用大卫堵住这个门洞。放手吧。”

"But I wish me and David could—"
“可是我希望我和大卫可以——”

He cuts me off. "See, now that's your problem. You're wishin' too much, baby. You gotta stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone oughtta be."
他打断了我，“瞧，这是你的问题。你抱了太多的希望，孩子。别再把你的许愿骨戴在本来应当是脊椎骨的地方。”

This line gives me the first laugh of the day.
这句话使我发出当天的头一次笑声。

Then I ask Richard, "So how long will it be before all this grieving passes?"
接着我问理查：“让整个悲痛过去，还得花多少时间？”

"You want an exact date?"
“你要个确切日期？”

"Yes."
“是的。”