患病的士兵们坐在我的办公室里,怀疑我怎么会理解他们,怎么能帮助他们减轻痛苦。“你知道生活在恐惧中的感觉吗?”一位海军士兵问我。在一场战役中,他们整整一个排的战士都死了,当时悲惨的场面至今还折磨着他。
每当这个时候,我都会告诉他们我的故事,讲述那位上帝派来营救我的美国士兵。
我说:“我从来都不知道他的名字。但我记住了他的大恩大德。”然后,我会打开办公桌上一个装满美味巧克力的抽屉,拿出巧克力来请他们品尝。
■ 心灵小语
一个人的一生不会是一帆风顺的,必定会有一些曲曲折折、沟沟坎坎。不管你经历了惊涛骇浪,还是小小的考验,只要活下来就是幸运的,离幸福也只有一步之遥。带着一颗感恩的心,去生活、去与人交往,坚持自己心中的梦想与承诺,就定能为他人带去一点快乐、给自己心灵一丝安慰、体现自身的一种独特价值。
A Promise Kept
Ed Cook
I had my first chocolate bar at five years old。 I’ll never forget the delicious; forting taste。 But the circumstances were anything but sweet。 It was World War Ⅱ。 I lived with my family in the Lithuanian town of Taurage when the Russian army swept west toward Nazi Germany。 Many people in our village fled in panic1。
In the confusion; I stood with my twelve…year…old sister Elyte; and my three…year…old brother Joseph; near the railroad station; where a train bound for Germany waited。 。。
信守诺言(2)
Only families were allowed to board the train。 Just before departure; a woman traveling alone approached us。 “I’ll take care of him;” she told Elyte; and pulled me onto the train as it left the station。 The entire trip I cried for my Motina; my mother。
We arrived in Hamburg。 Corpses littered the bombed…out streets。 Now that the woman had escaped Taurage she had no more use for me。 I lived on the streets; like thousands of other children in that war…torn city。 I survived by stealing food。 Still; there was never enough。 I was skin and bones; close to starving。
Then the American occupation troops arrived。 They looked so big and healthy。 Filching food from them was a cinch2。 I’d slip into the mess hall; hide under a table and make off with loaves of fresh bread。
One afternoon as I lurked around a mess tent in search of food; a huge hand lifted me up by the collar。 An American soldier。 “Got ya!” He shouted。
I was scared; and I could see it upset him。 “It’s okay; kid;” he said。 He reached into his fatigue jacket and handed me a chocolate bar。 “Here; have some of this。” I unwrapped it and took a small bite。 I thought I’d gone to heaven。
The soldier took me and some other homeless children to an orphanage3 run by the Red Cross。 Four years later I was transferred to an orphanage in America。 Soon after; a family who lived in Donaldson; Pennsylvania; adopted me。 Again; as with that first taste of chocolate; it was as if I’d gone to heaven。 Later; I joined the Army; then attended college under the GI Bill。 Eventually I earned a master’s degree in clinical social work。 God; I want to pay back all the people who were so good to me; I prayed。
So in 1983 I went to work for the Department of Veteran Affairs as a clinical counselor; treating veterans who suffer from post…traumatic4 stress syndrome5。
The troubled soldiers sit in my office and wonder how I can possibly understand them or help ease their pain。 “What do you know about living with terror?” Asked one Marine; who still was tormented by the image of a platoon member being killed in a battle。
That is when I tell them my story; and about the GI god sent to save my life。
“I never did learn his name; but I remember his kindness;” I say。 And then I open a drawer in my desk that is always full and offer them some chocolate。
我爱您,妈妈(1)
詹尼弗?克拉克
“我爱您,妈妈。明天见。”每天在跟妈妈吻别的时候,我都会说这些话。我认识的大多数女孩在跟妈妈说再见的时候,都不会告诉妈妈自己爱她。可是,我不像她们。
还是个婴儿的时候,我就被一对有爱心的人收养了,他们愿意把我带到他们的家里。他们不仅成为了我的父母,也成为了我最好的朋友。当我渐渐长大,我知道了我的生母怀我的时候还很年轻,没有能力抚养我。我能理解这些,并且对这一切充满了感激。毕竟,我最终遇上了一对互敬互爱的人,而且他们爱我。3年后,这对夫妇又收养了另外一个孩子——洛里。
直到9岁,我才知道为什么我的父母没要一个他们自己的孩子。那时,爸爸解释说他们尝试过很多次,但是都没有成功。妈妈患有糖尿病是其中的一部分原因。那时我还很年轻,不能真正理解那意味着什么。我渐渐长大,看到妈妈为自己打针,我不明白为什么只有她一个人这样做。每天我看到的都是一个坚强、美丽、健康,一生都在帮助别人的女人。
我13岁的时候,一切都改变了。
首先是从妈妈脚趾上的一个小水疱开始的。或许,这看上去没什么大不了的,但是最终的结果却是妈妈失去了一个脚趾。不久之后,妈妈又得了中风,而就在她中风刚好时,她又不得不接受一条腿被切除的手术。
这一切仅仅在3年之内全部发生了。我们家为此付出的代价简直难以置信。妈妈在5家医院进进出出,每家医院都竭尽全力帮助她恢复健康。有时妈妈会在家里住上几个月,但是这期间总会有一些不妙的事情发生。假日里,爸爸、妹妹和我就在医院的病房里陪?
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