人生不如意之事十之八九,每個人都有痛苦與脆弱的時候。但無論身處何種逆境,來自朋友、家人、愛人的關(guān)愛總能讓我們充滿力量與希望。在這個冬去春來的暖日,請欣賞這篇震撼心靈的雋永故事:永遠(yuǎn)不要放棄你所愛的人,愛的力量遠(yuǎn)比你想象的更大!
Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling.
The new baby was going to be a girl, and day after day, night after night, Michael sang to his sister in Mommys tummy. He was building a bond of love with his little sister before he even met her.
The pregnancy progressed normally for Karen. In time, the labor pains came. Soon it was every five minutes, every three, every minute. But serious complications arose duringd elivery and Karen found herself in hours of labor.
Finally, after a long struggle, Michaels little sister was born. But she was in very serious condition. With a siren howling in the night, the ambulance rushed the infant to the neonatal Intensive Care Unit(ICU)at St. Marys Hospital, Knoxville, Tennessee.
The days inched by. The little girl got worse. The pediatrician had to tell the parents there was very little hope. Be prepared for the worst. Karen and her husband contacted a local cemetery about a burial plot. They had fixed up a special room in their house for their new baby they found themselves having to plan a funeral.
Michael, however, kept begging his parents to let him see his sister. “I want to sing to her, ”he kept saying.
Week two in Intensive Care looked as if a funeral would come before the week was over. Michael kept nagging about singing to his sister, but kids are never allowed in Intensive Care.
Karen decided to take Michael whether they liked it or not. If he didnt see his sister right then, he may never see her alive. She dressed him in an oversized scrub suit and marched him into ICU. He looked like a walking laundry basket.
The head nurse recognized him as a child and bellowed, “Get that kid out of here now. No children are allowed.”
The mother rose up strong in Karen and the usually mildmannered lady glared steel-eyed right into the head nurses eyes, her lips a firm line, “He is not leaving until he sings to his sister.”
Then Karen towed Michael to his sisters bedside. He gazed at the tiny infant losing the battle to live. After a moment, he began tossing. In the purehearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael sang:
“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray.”
Instantly the baby girl seemed to respond. The pulse rate began to calm down and became steady.
“Keep on singing, Michael, ”encouraged Karen with tears in her eyes.
“You never know, dear, how much I love you, please dont take my sunshine away.”
As Michael sang to his sister, the babys ragged, strained breathing became as smooth as a kittens purr.“Keep on singing, sweetheart.”
“The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms”.
Michaels little sister began to relax as rest, healing rest, seemed to sweep over her.“Keep singing, Michael.” Tears had now conquered the face of the bossy head nurse. Karen glowed.
“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please dont take my sunshine away…”
The next day, the very next day…the little girl was well enough to go home.
同所有稱職的媽媽一樣,當(dāng)卡倫發(fā)現(xiàn)自己又懷孕了,她竭盡所能幫助她三歲的兒子邁克爾準(zhǔn)備迎接一個小嬰兒的到來。
新生兒是個女孩兒,邁克爾日復(fù)一日,夜復(fù)一夜,對著媽媽肚子里的妹妹唱著歌。在見到妹妹前,他要建立起與她愛的紐帶。
卡倫的產(chǎn)期一天天近了,也還順利。隨著時間的推移,陣痛開始了。很快,陣痛的頻率變成每五分鐘一次,然后是三分鐘,最后是一分鐘。但在分娩時出現(xiàn)了嚴(yán)重并發(fā)癥,卡倫的分娩持續(xù)了數(shù)小時。
終于,經(jīng)過了漫長難耐的痛苦,邁克爾的小妹妹降生了。不過,她的情況危在旦夕。警笛呼嘯劃破夜空,救護車迅速將新生兒送到田納西州諾克斯維爾圣瑪麗醫(yī)院的重癥監(jiān)護病房。
日子一天天熬過去。小女兒的情況變得愈發(fā)糟。兒科醫(yī)生不得不告訴家長希望十分渺茫,讓大人們做最壞的準(zhǔn)備??▊惡退煞蚵?lián)系了當(dāng)?shù)毓埂1M管他們已經(jīng)在家里為新生兒準(zhǔn)備了一個特殊的房間,然而現(xiàn)在,他們發(fā)現(xiàn)自己不得不安排一個葬禮。
邁克爾不停地懇求父母讓他看看妹妹。他不停地哀求道,“我想唱歌給她聽?!?/p>
重癥監(jiān)護的第二周仿佛只是為等待葬禮的來臨。邁克爾不停地嘮叨著要給妹妹唱歌,可重癥監(jiān)護室不允許孩子進(jìn)入。
卡倫決定帶邁克爾進(jìn)去,哪怕院方不同意。如果他再不去看一眼自己的妹妹,恐怕今生亦無緣再見了。她給兒子穿了一件超大的消毒服,帶他進(jìn)了重癥監(jiān)護室。邁克爾看上去像一個行走的洗衣籃。
護士長發(fā)現(xiàn)他是個孩子,喝道:“把那小子帶出去。孩子不允許進(jìn)這里?!?/p>
卡倫內(nèi)心母性迸發(fā),平時溫文爾雅的淑女現(xiàn)在瞪著眼睛盯著護士長,她甩出強硬回答,“他不會離開,除非他給妹妹唱完歌?!?/p>
然后,卡倫拉著邁克爾來到他妹妹的床邊。邁克爾凝視著這個奄奄一息的小嬰兒。過了片刻,邁克爾清了清嗓子,用一副三歲童聲純真的嗓音唱道:
“你是我的陽光,我唯一的陽光,當(dāng)天空烏云密布,你讓我感受燦爛陽光?!?/p>
瞬間,女嬰似乎有了反應(yīng)。脈博開始鎮(zhèn)靜下來,并逐漸趨于穩(wěn)定。
“繼續(xù)唱,邁克爾。”卡倫眼噙熱淚鼓勵道。
“你永遠(yuǎn)不知道,親愛的,我多么愛你,請不要帶走我的陽光?!?/p>
邁克爾給妹妹唱歌的時候,小嬰兒原本刺耳、緊張的呼吸變得像小貓般輕輕的呼聲?!袄^續(xù)唱,甜心?!?/p>
“有一天晚上,親愛的,我進(jìn)入夢鄉(xiāng),我夢見,把你抱在懷中?!?/p>
邁克爾的小妹妹開始放松,安然入眠?!敖又~克爾?!痹緡?yán)厲的護士長現(xiàn)已淚流滿面??▊愌劾镆查W動著淚花。
“你是我的陽光,我唯一的陽光。請不要帶走我的陽光……
隔了一天,又隔了一天……這個小女孩已經(jīng)痊愈回家了。
刮個頭吧
Recently, a man walked into my barbershop asking how much for a haircut. “Eight dollars,” I answered. “And for a shave?” “Five dollars.” “All right,” he said, settling into the barber chair. “Shave my head.”
前些日子,有一男的來到我的理發(fā)店,問剪一個頭要多少錢。
“八美元,”我告訴他。
“那,刮次胡子呢?”
“五美元”。
“那行”,那男的邊說邊坐到了理發(fā)椅上,“來,給我刮刮頭吧”。