友情提醒：文章略長，但非常值得一讀，暫時讀不完的可以先收藏後面一點一點讀，相信您，讀完一定有所收穫！
My mouth felt dry as I followed my mother into the doctor's private office and sank into a padded chair next to hers. This doctor didn't carry a stethoscope. He had a room full of gadgets and gizmos to analyze the learning abilities of failing students. That day he had analyzed me.
我跟著媽媽走進醫生辦公室,一屁股坐到媽媽旁邊的一把軟椅子上,感覺口乾舌燥.醫生沒有戴聽診器,他的房間裡滿是小裝置和小玩意兒,那是用來分析成績不好的學生是否具有學習障礙的.那天,他給我作了全面檢查.
He shuffled papers and jabbed his wire frame glasses with a forefinger. "I'm sorry to tell you this, Mrs. Dow, but Peter has dyslexia. A fairly severe case."
醫生不緊不慢地翻看著病歷,然後用食指推了推金絲邊的眼鏡,說："我很遺憾地告訴你,杜夫人,彼得患的是閱讀障礙,比較嚴重."
I swallowed and tried to breathe. The doctor went on. "He'll never read above the fourth-grade level. Since he won't be able to complete high school requirements, I suggest you enroll him in a trade school where he can learn to work with his hands."
我侷促不安,幾乎要窒息了,並努力使自己的心情平靜下來.醫生接著說："他頂多能讀到四年級,既然無法上高中,我建議你還是讓他去上職業學校吧,那樣,他還能學到一些手藝."
I didn't want to go to trade school. I wanted to be a preacher, like my dad. My eyes were filled with tears, but I forced them back. A twelve-year-old was too big to cry.
我不要去職校,我還要像爸爸一樣當牧師呢.我熱淚盈眶,卻強忍住了,我十二歲了,已經是大孩子了,不能再哭了.
Mom stood up, so I jumped to my feet, too. "Thank you, Doctor," she said. "Come along, Peter."
媽媽站了起來,我也跟著從椅子上跳了起來."謝謝您,醫生!"她說,"走吧,彼得."
We drove home without saying much. I felt numb. Dyslexia? I'd never heard the word until last week. Sure, I was always the slowest kid in my class. During recess I had a special hiding place behind a shrub. There I would cry because I couldn't do my lessons no matter how hard I tried.
我們沒再說什麼,便開車回了家.我麻木了,閱讀障礙?直到上週我才聽說還有這麼一種病.的確,我總是班裡反應最慢的一個,課間休息時,我總會跑到灌木叢後邊去,那是我所擁有的藏身之處.我會躲在那裡,偷偷地流淚,因為無論我怎麼努力,成績總是不盡如人意.
Of course, I never told my mom about that part of school. I was too ashamed. I didn't want to worry her, either. She had enough on her mind with teaching school full-time and taking care of Dad, my two brothers, my sister and me.
當然了,我從未把這些事情告訴媽媽,我很羞愧.況且,我也不想讓她為我擔心,她在學校裡全天上課已夠心煩的了,而且她還要照顧爸爸和我們兄弟姐妹四人.
Mom and I arrived home before the rest of the family. I was glad. I wanted some time alone. With my chin almost touching my chest, I pulled off my coat and hung it in the closet. When I turned around my mother was standing right in front of me. She didn't say anything. She just stood there looking into my eyes with tears running down her cheeks. Seeing her cry was too much for me. Before I knew what was happening, I was in her arms bawling like a big baby. A few minutes later, she led me into the living room to the couch.
我和媽媽到家時,其他人都還沒回來.我很高興,我想一個人待一會兒.我垂頭喪氣地脫下外套,把它掛到壁櫥裡.當我轉身時,媽媽就站在我的面前,她一句話也沒說,只是站在那兒默默地看著我,眼淚簌簌地滑過她的臉.看到她哭得那麼傷心,我心裡難受極了.不知為什麼,我撲到她的懷裡像個寶寶似的大哭起來.幾分鐘後,她把我帶到客廳的沙發那兒.
"Sit down, honey. I want to talk to you."
"坐下吧,親愛的,我想和你聊聊."
I rubbed my eyes with my sleeve and waited, plucking at the crease in my trousers.
我用袖口抹了抹眼淚,等著她開口,我的手不由自主地擺弄著褲子上的皺褶.
"You heard what the doctor said about your not finishing school. I don't believe him."
"你都聽到了,醫生說你不能完成學業,但我不相信."
I stopped sniffling and looked at her. Her mild blue eyes smiled into mine. Behind them lay an iron will. "We'll have to work very hard, you and I, but I think we can do it. Now that I know what the problem is, we can try to overcome it. I'm going to hire a tutor who knows about dyslexia. I'll work with you myself evenings and weekends." Her eyebrows drew down as she peered at me. "Are you willing to work, Peter? Do you want to try?"
我停止了抽泣,盯著她看,她微笑著,那漂亮的藍眼睛溫柔地注視著我,在這溫柔的背後隱藏著她無比堅強的意志."我們必須齊心協力,我想我們一定能成功.既然我已經知道問題的癥結所在,我們可以努力克服它.我打算給你請一位懂得如何應對閱讀障礙的家庭教師,每天晚上和週末我來陪你一起學習."她凝視著我,說："彼得,你想努力學習嗎?你願意嘗試一下嗎?"
A ray of hope shone through the hazy future. "Yes, Mom. I really want to."
一道希望的曙光照亮了我那無法預知的未來生活."媽媽,我願意嘗試."
The next six years were an endurance run for both of us. I studied with a tutor twice a week until I could haltingly read my lessons. Each night, my mom and I sat at my little desk and rehearsed that day's schoolwork for at least two hours, sometimes until midnight. We drilled for tests until my head pounded and the print blurred before my eyes. At least twice a week, I wanted to quit. I had the strength of a kitten, but my mom's courage never wavered.
對我和媽媽來說,接下來的六年就像是漫長的耐力跑.家庭教師一週教我兩次,直到我能結結巴巴地讀出所學的課文.媽媽每晚陪我坐在小書桌旁,複習當天學校裡學的課業,每晚至少要兩個小時,有時甚至會到半夜.我們反覆地做試卷上的習題,最後我頭昏得都看不清卷子和書上的字了.每週至少兩次,我都想中途放棄了.我的意志時而堅強時而脆弱,而母親從未動搖過.
She'd rise early to pray over my school day. A thousand times I heard her say, "Lord, open Peter's mind today. Help him remember the things we studied."
每天她都早早起床,為我的學業祈禱.我千萬次地聽到她說："仁慈的上帝啊,開動彼得的腦筋,讓他記住我們學過的所有知識吧."
Her vision reached beyond the three R's. Twice I won at statewide speech competitions. I participated in school programs and earned a license to work as an announcer on a local radio station.
她對我的要求遠遠超出了學校所要求的讀、寫、算的三項基本技能.在州里舉辦的演講比賽中,我兩次獲獎.我參加了學校的活動,並獲得了地方電臺播音員資格證書.
Then my mother developed chronic migraines during my senior year. She blamed the headaches on stress. Some days the intense pain kept her in bed. Still she'd come to my room in the evening, wearing her robe, an ice pack in her hand, to study with me.
我上高三時,媽媽患上了慢性偏頭痛,她說是壓力過大所致.有時頭疼得厲害,她不得不臥床休息,晚上她還是照舊穿著睡袍來到我的房間,手上攥著一包冰塊,陪我學習.
We laughed and cried when I passed my senior finals. Two days before graduation I talked to my mother and father about Bible college. I wanted to go, but I was afraid.
我順利地通過了高中畢業考試,我們激動得又哭又笑.畢業前兩天,我向父母提到想去基督教神學院,我說我想去那所學院讀書,可又怕進不去.
Mom said, "Apply at the Bible Institute in our town. You can live at home, and I'll help you."
媽媽說："申請我們鎮裡那所神學院吧,你還可以住家裡,我仍能陪你一起學習."
I put my arms around her and hugged her close, a baseball-sized lump in my throat.
我激動得說不出話來,緊緊地擁抱了她.
A week after graduation, my mom felt a stabbing pain in her head. She became disoriented for just a moment, but seemed to be all right. It was another migraine, she thought, so she went to bed. That night Dad tried to wake her. She was unconscious.
畢業後的一星期,媽媽的頭疼得更厲害了,如刀割一般.有一小會兒她有些失常,但似乎不是什麼大問題,她以為是偏頭痛又發作,就上床休息了.那天晚上,爸爸努力想把她喚醒,她卻完全失去了知覺.
A few hours later, a white-coated doctor told us Mom had an aneurysm that had burst. A massive hemorrhage left us no hope. She died two days later.
幾個小時後,一位穿白大褂的醫生對我們說,媽媽是動脈瘤惡化,造成了大出血.我們已經無法挽回她的生命,兩天後,媽媽便去世了.
My grief almost drowned me. For weeks I walked the floor all night, sometimes weeping, sometimes staring at nothing. Did I have a future without my mother? She was my eyes, my understanding, my life. Should I still enroll in Bible school? The thought of going on alone filled me with terror. But, deep inside, I knew I had to move on to the next step, for her.
我幾乎難以承受失去媽媽的巨大悲痛,接連幾個星期,我整夜在地板上踱來踱去,時而哭泣,時而發呆.沒有了媽媽,我的未來將會怎樣?她是我的雙眼、我的生命,是我最知心的人.我是否還要去神學院呢?一想到未來的一切都要靠我自己,一種莫名的恐懼襲上心頭.但是,在我的內心深處,我堅定了要走好下一步的信念,為了我的媽媽,我要走下去.
When I brought home the first semester's books and course outlines, I sat in the chair at my little desk. With trembling fingers, I opened my history book and began to read the first chapter. Suddenly, I looked over at the chair she used to sit in. It was empty, but my heart was full.
我把第一學期的教材和大綱帶回了家,坐在小書桌前,我用顫抖的雙手打開歷史課本,開始讀第一課.突然,我看了一眼媽媽常坐的那把椅子,上面空空的,我的心卻十分踏實.
Mom's prayers still followed me. I could feel her presence. I could sense her faith.
媽媽的祈禱時刻伴隨著我.我能感覺到她就在我左右,並能感受到她對我的信心.
In my graduation testimony I said, "Many people had a part in making Bible college a success for me. The person who helped me most is watching from Heaven tonight. To her I say, 'Thank you, Mom, for having faith in God and faith in me. You will always be with me.'"
在大學畢業典禮發言時,我講道："在神學院的求學生涯中,我得到過許多人的幫助,得以順利地讀完大學.對我給予幫助和鼓勵最大的人此刻正在天堂遙望著我,我要對她說：‘感謝您,媽媽!是您對上帝的信仰和對我的信心,才使我能有今天的成就.您將永遠駐留在我的心間.'"
閱讀更多 英語學習閣 的文章
