d the feeling she had always had to admire someone else’s flowers。
友好的报答（2）
“I’m enjoying every minute of this”； she said as though she had read my thoughts and was trying to reassure me。 “Wasn’t I the lucky one to get you for a roommate？”
I still felt unfortable； however。 If only there were some magic button I could push to take away the sadness in her eyes。 Well； I thought； at least I can see that she has some flowers。 When my mother and father came to see me that day； I asked them to send her some。
The flowers arrived just as Ann and I were finishing supper。
“Another bouquet for you；” she said； laughing。
“No； not this time；” I said； looking at the card。 “These are for you。”
Ann stared at the blossoms a long time； not saying anything。 She ran her fingers across the pale…blue ceramic2 bootee and lightly touched each of the sweetheart roses nestled inside as though trying to engrave them on her memory。
“How can I ever thank you？” she said softly。
I was almost embarrassed。 It was such a little kindness on my part。 The son born to my husband and me that day in 1956 turned out to be our only child。 For nearly 21 years he filled our lives with love and laughter； making us feel plete。 But on Easter morning in April 1977； after a long； painful battle with cancer； he died quietly in our arms。
At the funeral home I was alone with my son in a room filled with the scent of roses； when a delivery man brought in a tiny bouquet。 I didn’t read the card until later； as we rode to the cemetery。 “To W。 John Graves；” the card said； “from the boy who was born with you at Memorial Hospital； and his mother。”
Only then did I recognize the ceramic bootee I had given to a sad young woman so many years ago； now once again filled with roses。 Ann and I had 1ong since lost touch。 She had never known our son； never been aware of his illness。 She must have read the notice of his death in a newspaper。 I passed the card on to my mother sitting beside me。 She； too； remembered。
“A kindness returned；” Mother said。
A few days later； my husband and I； with several members of our family； went to the cemetery to clear John’s grave。 The bootee of roses sat at its foot； towered over by tall wreaths3 and sprays。
“How strange that anyone would send something like that to a funeral；” someone said。 “It seems more appropriate for a birth。”
“There was a birth；” said my husband quietly。 “John was born into Eternal Life。” I looked at him with surprise； knowing those words were difficult for a man who had never spoken openly about such matters。
He emptied out the flowers and handed me the ceramic bootee。 I held it and； just as Ann had done； I traced it with my fingers； thinking of all the messages it contained： the embers of friendship that glow through the years； gratitude remembered and； beneath it all； the promise of resurrection； which forts us now。
txt电子书分享平台
将爱放飞 令爱永存
佚名
从前，有个孤独的女孩非常渴望得到爱。一天，她在丛林中漫步，发现两只快要饿死的鸟儿。她把它们带回家，放进一个小鸟笼里。在她细心照顾下，鸟儿逐渐强壮起来。每天早晨，鸟儿都用美妙的歌声向她道早安。女孩不禁对这两只小鸟产生了深深的爱意。
一天，女孩把鸟笼的门打开了。那只又大又壮的鸟儿飞了出去。女孩很担心它会飞走，再也不回来了。于是当鸟儿飞近时，她拼命抓住它。她非常高兴，鸟儿终于又抓了回来。突然，她感觉鸟儿有些软弱无力。松开手，她诧异地发现鸟儿死在她的手中。是她极端的爱害死了鸟儿。
她发现另一只鸟儿在笼里扇动着翅膀扑来扑去。她感受得到它也十分向往自由，渴望飞向湛蓝的天空。她把它从笼中拿起，轻轻地抛向空中。鸟儿盘旋了好几圈，才肯离去。
看到鸟儿欢快的样子，女孩高兴极了。她的内心不再关心自己的得失。她希望鸟儿幸福。突然，鸟儿飞近了，轻轻落在她的肩头，鸣唱起她从没听过的动人曲调。
牢牢地将爱握于手心只会更快地失去爱；赋予爱一双翅膀，将它放飞，才会令爱永存！
■ 心灵小语
爱，并不代表紧紧地抓在手中，而是给予广阔的空间，让其自由地飞翔，快乐地歌唱。这样的爱才能带来真正的幸福，才能成为一道永恒的美丽景色！
Let Go Love
Anonymous
There was once a lonely girl who longed so much for love。 One day while she was walking in the woods she found two starving songbirds。 She took them home and put them in a small cage。 She cared them with love and the birds grew strong。 Every morning they greeted1 her with a wonderful song。 The girl felt great love for the birds。
One day the girl left the door to the cage open。 The larger and stronger of the two birds flew from the cage。 The girl was so frightened that he would fly away。 As he flew close； she grasped him wildly。 Her heart felt glad at her success in capturing2 him。 Suddenly she felt the bird go limp。 She opened her hand and stared in horror at the dead bird。 Her desperate love had killed him。
She noticed the other bird moving back and forth on the edge of the cage。 She could feel his great need for freedom。 He needed to soar into the clear； blue sky。 She lifted him from the cage and tossed him softly into the air。 The bird circled once； twice； three times。
The girl watched delightedly at the bird’s enjoyment。 Her heart was no longer concerned with her loss。 She wanted the bird to be happy。 Suddenly the bird flew closer and landed softly on her shoulder。 He sang the sweetest melody3 that she had ever heard。
The fastest way to lose love is to hold on it too tight； the best way to keep love is to give it wings！
嗨， 护士……谢谢你（1）
佚名
“嗨，护士！”
从254号病房传来一个男人高亢而粗犷的声音。刚结束特护区一天繁忙的工作，我抄近路从自动测量技术传导室经过。这些都不是我的病人，因此，我继续走我的路。
“嘿，金发女孩。”
我停住脚步，环顾一下四周。除了我，附近并没有其他护士。于是，我走到254号病房门口，往里看了一眼，发现一个高大的男人坐在床上，他有一张方方正正的脸，神色非常友善。我还没来得及开口，他就说道：“还记得我吗？在四楼病房里，你照顾过我。”
“先生，不好意思，我在特护区工作。您可能认错人了。”
我微笑着祝他下午愉快，然后转身要离开。他粗犷的声音再次让我停住脚步。
“等一下，”他打了个响指，“你叫……噢，让我想想……”
我转过身来，他正看着天花板，脸上带着浅浅的笑容。不一会儿，他转过头来看着我。
“你叫杰姬，对吧？扎着长长的马尾辫，金黄的头发，对不对？”
我愣了一下，很吃惊。
“你说得很对。”说着，我低头看了一眼胸前，看看姓名标牌取下了没有（已经摘下了）。我又用手摸了摸后脑勺，发辫已经挽成髻紧紧盘在脑后了。于是，我仔细地看着他的脸，想从中寻找某些显著特征勾起我的记忆。他有着一双蓝色的眼睛，冷静而明亮，花白的卷发勾勒出他的面部轮廓。
“对不起，我没在四楼工作，我印象中也没你这个人。”
“杰姬，不要紧。能再次见到你，我真的很开心。三个星期前，你来过我的病房。那时，我的心脏停止了跳动，你把那些控制手柄放在我胸口。我记得，当时你大叫着要每个人都做好准备，那些听起来好像是专业术语。后来，你拿起这些控制手柄电击我的胸口，我又活了过来。”
我突然想了起来。那天，我要取一个编码（至于什么编码，我忘记了），就来到他的病房。当时，他的病情十分危急——毫无知觉，瞳孔放大，脸色青紫。
“谁告诉你那天是我救了你呢？” 我的好奇心油然而生，又走进他的房间。
他笑了笑，又抬头看着天花板。
“没人告诉我。我是从天花板上看见的。所以，我知道你梳着长长的金色马尾辫。就在你转头看监控器时，我看到了你漂亮的脸蛋。能再次见到你，我真的很高兴。”
�