最好的遗产是爱
来源:高中英语教学交流
发布时间:2011-03-31 08:51:00
查看次数:
As a young man, Al was a skilled artist, a potter. He had a wife and two fine sons. One night, his oldest son developed a severe stomachache. Thinking it was only some common intestinal disorder, neither Al nor his wife took the condition very seriously. But the malady was actually acute appendicitis, and the boy died suddenly that night. Knowing the death could have been prevented if he had only realized the seriousness of the situation, Al's emotional health deteriorated under the enormous burden of his guilt. To make matters worse his wife left him a short time later, leaving him alone with his six-year-old younger son. The hurt and pain of the two situations were more than Al could handle, and he turned to alcohol to help him cope. In time Al became an alcoholic.
As the alcoholism progressed, Al began to lose everything he possessed - his home, his land, his art objects, everything. Eventually Al died alone in a San Francisco motel room. When I heard of Al's death, I reacted with the same disdain the world shows for one who ends his life with nothing material to show for it. "What a complete failure!" I thought. "What a totally wasted life!"
As time went by, I began to re-evaluate my earlier harsh judgment. You see, I knew Al's now adult son, Ernie. He is one of the kindest, most caring, most loving men I have ever known. I watched Ernie with his children and saw the free flow of love between them. I knew that kindness and caring had to come from somewhere. I hadn't heard Ernie talk much about his father. It is so hard to defend an alcoholic.
One day I worked up my courage to ask him. "I'm really puzzled by something," I said. "I know your father was basically the only one to raise you. What on earth did he do that you became such a special person?"
Ernie sat quietly and reflected for a few moments. Then he said, "From my earliest memories as a child until I left home at 18, Al came into my room every night, gave me a kiss and said, `I love you, son.'"
Tears came to my eyes as I realized what a fool I had been to judge Al as a failure. He had not left any material possessions behind. But he had been a kind loving father, and he left behind one of the finest, most giving men I have ever known.
- 相关文章
- ·央视新闻大改版 三档节目换新颜08-18·“你问我,我问谁”的英文怎么说?03-16·火星文时代——英文字母大改造01-08·Being grateful 感恩04-07·为何排队是一种折磨?07-12·2019支付宝年度账单英文词汇01-11·中国人最勤奋:是因生活所迫?12-20
- 最新文章
- ·100道中国美食的英文翻译10-31·“know a thing or two”别再翻10-30·天天点外卖,但“外卖”用英语怎么说?10-09·双语阅读+语法填空:奥运会场上的中国Z世代08-21·双语阅读-巴黎奥运会网球女单冠军郑钦文+语法填空08-12·沈腾马丽的爆款暑期档电影《抓娃娃》英文名为什么叫07-19·助力2024高考 | 高考决胜三十六计(双语版)05-13·五一劳动节!致敬每一位辛勤的劳动者!英语祝福语大05-01·“你问我,我问谁”的英文怎么说?03-16
- 阅读排行
- ·祖国60周年国庆庆祝大会全回顾10-02·26个字母的爱情04-23·莫言获诺贝尔文学奖演说 12-19·Twins Days Festival 08-26·2010上海世博五大主题展馆双语介绍05-20·用发展的眼光看中国05-26·Magicians popping up08-03·英语竞赛问答题110道04-12·70、80、90后趣味大对比09-02
点击这里识别二维码关注公众号