爱的赠礼 第5期

“Can I see my baby?” the happy new mother asked. When the bundle was nestled in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his little face, she was stunned. The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears. Time proved that the baby’s hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was marred. When he rushed home from school one day and flung himself into his mother’s arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be a tragic one.

He suddenly came out with the tragedy. “A boy, a big boy… called me a freak.” He grew up. He is a favorite with his classmates. He might have been class president if he had a normal appearance. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music. “But you might mingle with other young people,” his mother sometimes reproved him, but felt a kindness in her heart.

The boy’s father had a meeting with their family doctor. Could nothing be done? “I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears, if it’s possible to get them.” the doctor said. The search began but it was difficult—where to find a person who would make such a sacrifice for a young man? Two years went by. Then, “You are going to the hospital, son. Mother and I found someone who could donate the ears you need. But it’s a secret.” said the father.

The operation was a success, and a new person was born. His talents blossomed into genius, and school and college became a series of triumphs. Later he got married and entered the diplomatic service. “But I must know!” He urged his father. “Who gave so much to me? I could never do enough for him.”

“I do not believe you could,” said the father, “but the agreement was that you are not to know… not yet.” The years kept their secret, but the day finally came… one of the darkest days that ever passed through a son. He stood with his father over his mother’s coffin. Slowly and tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to show… that the mother had no outer ears.

“Mother said she was glad that she never let her hair be cut,” he said very quietly, “and nobody ever thought mother less beautiful, did they?”

Real beauty lies not in the physical appearance, but in the heart. Real treasure lies not in what can be seen, but what cannot be seen. Real love lies not in what is done and known, but in what is done but not known.

“我可以看看我的孩子吗?”刚当上妈妈的她幸福地问道。襁褓被递到她怀里。她把一层层的布拨开，看到孩子小小的脸蛋儿时，她呆住了。医生迅速地转过身，从医院高大的窗往外看。这孩子生下来就没有耳朵。但随着时间的流逝，这孩子的听力被证实是十分正常的，只是他的外貌上因此有了瑕疵。有一天，他突然从学校奔回家，一下子冲到妈妈的怀抱里。她叹了口气，深知他的一生将是悲惨的。

他说出了这个悲剧。“有个男孩，一个大男孩……他叫我怪胎。”他长大了。他在同学中很受欢迎。如果他相貌如常人一样的话，他可能早就当选为班长了。他在文学和音乐方面特别有天赋。“但你也该学着去和其他年轻人沟通呀。”母亲有时会这样责备他，心里却还是满溢着一股慈爱之情。

孩子的父亲约见了他们的家庭医生。难道就无计可施吗?“如果可以顺利找到一对外耳的话，我认为可以给他进行移植。”医生说。于是，他们便开始到处寻找一对合适的耳朵，但谈何容易——到哪里可以找到愿意为一个年轻人作如此牺牲的人呢?两年就这么过去了。然后有一天父亲说：“孩子，你要去一趟医院。你妈妈和我终于找到了一个人，他愿意捐一对耳朵给你。但至于是谁，这是个秘密。”

手术很成功，造就了一个崭新的人生。他的才华很快绽放，成为众人眼中的天才，中学和大学的学业一路春风得意。后来，他结了婚，进了外交部门。“可是我得知道！”他催促父亲告诉他捐给他耳朵的人是谁。“到底是谁把这一切带给我的?我对这个人永远都感激不尽，无论我做多少都无以为报。”

“我相信这样的恩惠是你永远无法回报的。”他父亲说道，“但我们早就说好了，不可以让你知道那个人是谁……至少现在还不是时候。”于是岁月继续为他们保守着这个秘密。但那一天终于还是到来了。那是对儿子来说一生最难过的日子。他与他的父亲站在母亲的棺椁前。父亲慢慢地、轻轻地伸出手，拨开妻子一头浓密的红棕色头发……那一头秀发下，他们看到，她没有耳朵。

“妈妈说过，她很高兴自己从不把头发剪掉。”他平静地说。“也从来没有人觉得妈妈没有以前那么美丽了，不是吗?”

真正的美丽不在身形外貌，而是在心。真正的宝藏不在于所见，而在于所不见。真正的爱不在于为人所知的所作所为，而在于不为人知的默默付出。