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My mother used to ask me what is the most impor－tant part of the body. Through the years I would take a guess at what I thought was the cor－rect answer.
When I was younger, I thought sound was very impor－tant to us as humans, so I said, “My ears, Mommy.” She said, “No. Many people are deaf1. But you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again soon.”
Several years passed before she asked me again. Since making my first attempt2, I had contemplated3 the correct an－swer. So this time I told her, “Mommy, sight is very impor－tant to everybody, so it must be our eyes.”
She looked at me and told me, “You are learning fast, but the answer is not correct, be－cause there are many people who are blind.”
Stumped4 again, I contin－ued my quest for knowledge5 and over the years, Mother asked me a couple more times and always her answer was， “No, but you are getting smarter6 every year, my child.”
Then last year, my Grandpa died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. Even my father cried. My Mom looked at me when it was our turn to say our final good-bye to Grandpa. She asked me, “Do you know the most important body part yet, my dear?”
I was shocked7 when she asked me this now. I always thought this was a game be－tween her and me. She saw the confusion8 on my face and told me. “This question is very im－portant. It shows that you have really lived your life. For every body part you gave me in the past, I have told you was wrong and I have given you an example why. But today is the day you need to learn this im－portant lesson. ”
She looked down at me as only a mother can. I saw her eyes well up with tears. She said, “My dear, the most impor－tant body part is your shoulder.”
I asked, “Is it because it holds up your head?” She replied, “No, it is because it can hold the head of a friend or loved one when they cry. Everybody need a shoulder to cry on sometime in life, my dear. I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will have a shoulder to cry on when you need it.”
Then and there I knew the most important body part is not a selfish9 one. It is sympathetic10 to the pain of others.
母亲过去总是问我什么是身体最重要的部分。多年来，我凭空臆想着所谓正确的答案。
在我还小的时候，我认为声音对我们人来说非常重要，于是我说：“耳朵，妈妈。”她说：“不，有许多人是聋子。但你可以继续想，不久我会再问你的。”
几年后，她才再次开口问我。鉴于第一次尝试的失败，我一直思考着正确的答案。于是这次我对她说：“妈妈，视力对每个人来说都是至关重要的。所以答案一定是眼睛。”
她注视着我，对我说：“你进步得很快，但答案不对，因为有许多人是看不见的。”
再一次被难倒后，我继续求知若渴，在随后的几年中，妈妈又问过我几次，但她的回答总是：“不，但你一年比一年更聪明了，我的孩子。”
最后一年，我祖父去世了。所有人都很伤心。每个人都在哭泣。甚至我的父亲也失声痛哭。当轮到我们最后向祖父告别的时候，妈妈凝视着我。她问我：“你现在知道身体最重要的部分是什么了吗，我亲爱的？”
我大吃一惊，她竟然在这个时候问我这个问题。我总以为这不过是她与我之间的一个游戏。她看着我脸上的困惑表情，对我说：“这个问题是非常重要的。它表明你拥有真正的生活。在过去你对我提到的身体的每个部分，我都告诉你是错的，并向你举例说明那是为什么。但今天你需要学习这重要的一课。”
她低头看着我的模样，惟有母亲才能如此。我看见她的眼中渐渐地涌出了泪水。她说：“我亲爱的，身体最重要的部分是你的肩膀。”
我问：“是因为它支撑着你的头吗？”她回答：“不，是因为它能支撑住一位哭泣中的朋友或你爱的人的头。每个人在生命中的某些时候都需要一个肩膀来哭泣，我亲爱的。我只希望你有足够的爱和朋友能在你需要的时候有一个肩膀来哭泣。”
那一刻也是在那里我终于知道身体最重要的部分不是属于自身的。它是对他人痛苦的同情。
萧善匀 摘译自Parents & Children
When I was younger, I thought sound was very impor－tant to us as humans, so I said, “My ears, Mommy.” She said, “No. Many people are deaf1. But you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again soon.”
Several years passed before she asked me again. Since making my first attempt2, I had contemplated3 the correct an－swer. So this time I told her, “Mommy, sight is very impor－tant to everybody, so it must be our eyes.”
She looked at me and told me, “You are learning fast, but the answer is not correct, be－cause there are many people who are blind.”
Stumped4 again, I contin－ued my quest for knowledge5 and over the years, Mother asked me a couple more times and always her answer was， “No, but you are getting smarter6 every year, my child.”
Then last year, my Grandpa died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. Even my father cried. My Mom looked at me when it was our turn to say our final good-bye to Grandpa. She asked me, “Do you know the most important body part yet, my dear?”
I was shocked7 when she asked me this now. I always thought this was a game be－tween her and me. She saw the confusion8 on my face and told me. “This question is very im－portant. It shows that you have really lived your life. For every body part you gave me in the past, I have told you was wrong and I have given you an example why. But today is the day you need to learn this im－portant lesson. ”
She looked down at me as only a mother can. I saw her eyes well up with tears. She said, “My dear, the most impor－tant body part is your shoulder.”
I asked, “Is it because it holds up your head?” She replied, “No, it is because it can hold the head of a friend or loved one when they cry. Everybody need a shoulder to cry on sometime in life, my dear. I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will have a shoulder to cry on when you need it.”
Then and there I knew the most important body part is not a selfish9 one. It is sympathetic10 to the pain of others.
母亲过去总是问我什么是身体最重要的部分。多年来，我凭空臆想着所谓正确的答案。
在我还小的时候，我认为声音对我们人来说非常重要，于是我说：“耳朵，妈妈。”她说：“不，有许多人是聋子。但你可以继续想，不久我会再问你的。”
几年后，她才再次开口问我。鉴于第一次尝试的失败，我一直思考着正确的答案。于是这次我对她说：“妈妈，视力对每个人来说都是至关重要的。所以答案一定是眼睛。”
她注视着我，对我说：“你进步得很快，但答案不对，因为有许多人是看不见的。”
再一次被难倒后，我继续求知若渴，在随后的几年中，妈妈又问过我几次，但她的回答总是：“不，但你一年比一年更聪明了，我的孩子。”
最后一年，我祖父去世了。所有人都很伤心。每个人都在哭泣。甚至我的父亲也失声痛哭。当轮到我们最后向祖父告别的时候，妈妈凝视着我。她问我：“你现在知道身体最重要的部分是什么了吗，我亲爱的？”
我大吃一惊，她竟然在这个时候问我这个问题。我总以为这不过是她与我之间的一个游戏。她看着我脸上的困惑表情，对我说：“这个问题是非常重要的。它表明你拥有真正的生活。在过去你对我提到的身体的每个部分，我都告诉你是错的，并向你举例说明那是为什么。但今天你需要学习这重要的一课。”
她低头看着我的模样，惟有母亲才能如此。我看见她的眼中渐渐地涌出了泪水。她说：“我亲爱的，身体最重要的部分是你的肩膀。”
我问：“是因为它支撑着你的头吗？”她回答：“不，是因为它能支撑住一位哭泣中的朋友或你爱的人的头。每个人在生命中的某些时候都需要一个肩膀来哭泣，我亲爱的。我只希望你有足够的爱和朋友能在你需要的时候有一个肩膀来哭泣。”
那一刻也是在那里我终于知道身体最重要的部分不是属于自身的。它是对他人痛苦的同情。
萧善匀 摘译自Parents & Children