An Act of Kindness for a Broken Heart - 善行弥合破碎的心
更新：2015-07-16 15:45:35 | 分享：Candy ( V364 ) | 来源：转载 | 阅读：59
标签：善行
“I’m making a casserole for Mrs. Smith next door.” said her mother.
“妈妈，你在做什么？”苏西问道。
“我正在为隔壁的史密斯太太做砂锅菜。”母亲回答。
“Why?” asked Susie, who was only six years old.
“Because Mrs. Smith is very sad: she lost her daughter and she has a broken heart. We need to take care of her for a little while.”
“Why, Mommy?”
“You see. Susie, when someone is very ,very sad, they have trouble doing the little things like making dinner or other chores. Because we’re part of a community and Mrs. Smith is our neighbor, we need to do some things to help her. Mrs. Smith won’t ever be able to talk with her daughter or hug her or do all those wonderful things that mommies and daughters do together. You are a very smart girl, Susie, maybe you’ll think of some way to help take care of Mrs. Smith.”
“为什么？”苏西问，她只有六岁。
“因为史密斯太太现在非常难过：她失去了女儿，她的心都要碎了，我们得照顾她一阵子。”
“为什么，妈妈？”
“苏西，你知道的，当一个人非常非常难过的湿乎乎，即使连做饭或其他诸如此类琐事都是很难做到的。我们是社区的一分子，而史密斯太太又是我们的邻居，我们得帮帮她。史密斯太太再也不能同女儿说话或者拥抱了，也不能做哪些妈妈和女儿在一起做的事情了。苏西，你是个聪明的小姑娘，也许你会想出什么好办法来安慰史密斯太太。”
Susie thought seriously about this challenge and how she could do her part in caring for Mrs. Smith. A few minutes later, Susie knocked on her door. After a few moments, Mrs. Smith answered the knock with a “Hi. Susie.”
Susie noticed that Mrs. Smith didn’t have that familiar musical quality about her voice when she greeted someone.
Mrs. Smith also looked as though she might have been crying because her eyes were watery and swollen. “What can I do for you, Susie?” asked Mrs. Smith.
苏西认真地思考着这个问题，努力地考虑着怎样照顾史密斯太太。几分钟后。苏西敲响了史密斯太太的门。过了一会儿，史密斯太太才出来，“嗨，苏西！”
苏西注意到史密斯太太的声音里没有了昔日问候的熟悉的、悦耳的语气。
而且她看起来像哭了很久，因为她的眼睛肿得好厉害。“有什么事吗，苏西？”史密斯太太问。
“My mommy says that you lost your daughter and you’re very, very sad with a broken heart.” Susie held her hand out shyly. In it was a Band-Aid . “This is for your broken heart.” Mrs. Smith gasped, choking back her tears. She knelt down and hugged Susie. Through her tears she said, “Thank you, darling girl, this will help a lot.”
“我妈妈告诉我你失去了女儿，非常非常难过，心都碎了。”苏西害羞地伸出手来，手上有块邦迪创可贴。“这是给你那颗破碎的心的。”史密斯太太很惊讶，她屏住呼吸不让泪水留下来。接着她跪下身来，抱住了苏西。她眼含热泪地说：“谢谢你，亲爱的孩子，它会很管用的。”
Mrs. Smith accepted Susie’s act of kindness and took it one step further. She purchased a small key ring with a plexiglass picture - the ones designed to carry keys and proudly display a family portrait at the same time. Mrs. Smith placed Susie’s Band-Aid in the to remind herself to heal a little every time she sees it. She wisely knows that healing takes time and support. It has become her symbol for healing, while not forgetting the joy and love she experienced with her daughter.
史密斯太太接受了苏西的善意的行为，并将它进一步提升了。她买了一个带树脂玻璃相框的钥匙环——那是用来挂钥匙并同时展示家庭照片的。史密斯太太把苏西送给她的创可贴镶在相框里，用它来提醒自己，每次当她看到它时，自己的创伤就会愈合一些。聪明的她知道伤口的愈合需要时间与支持。创可贴已经成为她康复的象征，同时还有她和女儿拥有的那些快乐和爱的记忆。
chore [英][tʃɔ:(r)] [美][tʃɔ:r] n.零星的事务
watery [英][ˈwɔ:təri] [美][ˈwɑ:təri] a.含泪的
swollen [英][ˈswəʊlən] [美][ˈswolən] a.肿的
gasp [英][gɑ:sp] [美][gæsp] v.喘息
choke [英][tʃəʊk] [美][tʃoʊk] v.压制，塞住
——摘自《精彩英文晨读之触动心底的幸福》
王亚非 刘晓媛◎编译
