小说园

第14部分（第2页）

■　心灵小语

命运作弄，人的生活也不会总是一帆风顺。除了甜甜蜜蜜的爱情，婚姻中的男女更多的是相互扶持的两个紧紧相连的个体。年轻时的花前月下、卿卿我我，远不如灾难中的相依相偎更真实。婚姻，不需要什么海誓山盟，只要在阴郁的日子里默默地付出就够了。

The　Bus　Passenger

Anonymous

The　passengers　on　the　bus　watched　sympathetically　as　the　attractive　young　woman　with　the　white　cane　made　her　way　carefully　up　the　steps。　She　paid　the　driver　and；　using　her　hands　to　feel　the　location　of　the　seats；　walked　down　the　aisle　and　found　the　seat　he’d　told　her　was　empty。　Then　she　settled　in；　placed　her　briefcase　on　her　lap　and　rested　her　cane　against　her　leg。

It　had　been　a　year　since　Susan；　thirty…four；　became　blind。　Due　to　a　medical　misdiagnosis1　she　had　been　rendered　sightless；　and　she　was　suddenly　thrown　into　a　world　of　darkness；　anger；　frustration　and　self…pity。　Once　a　fiercely　independent　woman；　Susan　now　felt　condemned　by　this　terrible　twist　of　fate　to　bee　a　powerless；　helpless　burden　on　everyone　around　her。　“How　could　this　have　happened　to　me？”　she　would　plead；　her　heart　knotted　with　anger。

But　no　matter　how　much　she　cried　or　ranted　or　prayed；　she　knew　the　painful　truth　her　sight　was　never　going　to　return。　A　cloud　of　depression　hung　over　Susan’s　once　optimistic　spirit。　Just　getting　through　each　day　was　an　exercise　in　frustration　and　exhaustion。　And　all　she　had　to　cling　to　was　her　husband　Mark。

Mark　was　an　Air　Force　officer　and　he　loved　Susan　with　all　of　his　heart。　When　she　first　lost　her　sight；　he　watched　her　sink　into　despair　and　was　determined　to　help　his　wife　gain　the　strength　and　confidence　she　needed　to　bee　independent　again。　Mark’s　military　background　had　trained　him　well　to　deal　with　sensitive　situations；　and　yet　he　knew　this　was　the　most　difficult　battle　he　would　ever　face。

Finally；　Susan　felt　ready　to　return　to　her　job；　but　how　would　she　get　there？　She　used　to　take　the　bus；　but　was　now　too　frightened　to　get　around　the　city　by　herself。　Mark　volunteered　to　drive　her　to　work　each　day；　even　though　they　worked　at　opposite　ends　of　the　city。

At　first；　this　forted　Susan　and　fulfilled　Mark’s　need　to　protect　his　sightless　wife　who　was　so　insecure　about　performing　the　slightest　task。　Soon；　however；　Mark　realized　that　this　arrangement　wasn’t　working—it　was　hectic2；　and　costly。　Susan　is　going　to　have　to　start　taking　the　bus　again；　he　admitted　to　himself。　But　just　the　thought　of　mentioning　it　to　her　made　him　cringe。　She　was　still　so　fragile；　so　angry。　How　would　she　react？txt电子书分享平台

公共汽车上的乘客（3）

Just　as　Mark　predicted；　Susan　was　horrified　at　the　idea　of　taking　the　bus　again。　“I’m　blind！”　she　responded　bitterly。　“How　am　I　supposed　to　know　where　I’m　going？　I　feel　like　you’re　abandoning　me。”

Mark’s　heart　broke　to　hear　these　words；　but　he　knew　what　had　to　be　done。　He　promised　Susan　that　each　morning　and　evening　he　would　ride　the　bus　with　her；　for　as　long　as　it　took；　until　she　got　the　hang　of　it。　And　that　is　exactly　what　happened。

For　two　solid　weeks；　Mark；　military　uniform　and　all；　acpanied　Susan　to　and　from　work　each　day。　He　taught　her　how　to　rely　on　her　other　senses；　specifically　her　hearing；　to　determine　where　she　was　and　how　to　adapt　to3　her　new　environment。　He　helped　her　be…friend　the　bus　drivers　who　could　watch　out　for　her；　and　save　her　a　seat。　He　made　her　laugh；　even　on　those　not…so…good　days　when　she　would　trip　exiting　the　bus；　or　drop　her　briefcase。

Each　morning　they　made　the　journey　together；　and　Mark　would　take　a　cab　back　to　his　office。　Although　this　routine　was　even　more　costly　and　exhausting　than　the　previous　one；　Mark　knew　it　was　only　a　matter　of　time　before　Susan　would　be　able　to　ride　the　bus　on　her　own。　He　believed　in　her；　in　the　Susan　he　used　to　know　before　she’d　lost　her　sight；　who　wasn’t　afraid　of　any　challenge　and　who　would　never；　ever　quit。

Finally；　Susan　decided　that　she　was　ready　to　try　the　trip　on　her　own。　Monday　morning　arrived；　and　before　she　left；　she　threw　her　arms　around　Mark；　her　temporary　bus　riding　panion；　her　husband；　and　her　best　friend。

Her　eyes　filled　with　tears　of　gratitude　for　his　loyalty4；　his　patience；　and　his　love。　She　said　good…bye；　and　for　the　first　time；　they　went　their　separate　ways。　Monday；　Tuesday；　Wednesday；　Thursday。。。　Each　day　on　her　own　went　perfectly；　and　Susan　had　never　felt　better。　She　was　doing　it！　She　was　going　to　work　all　by　herself！

On　Friday　morning；　Susan　took　the　bus　to　work　as　usual。　As　she　was　paying　for　her　fare　to　exit　the　bus；　the　driver　said；　“Boy；　I　sure　envy　you。”　Susan　wasn’t　sure　if　the　driver　was　speaking　to　her　or　not。　After　all；　who　on　earth　would　ever　envy　a　blind　woman　who　had　struggled　just　to　find　the　courage　to　live　for　the　past　year？

Curious；　she　asked　the　driver；“Why　do　you　say　that　you　envy　me？”　The　driver　responded；　“It　must　feel　so　good　to　be　taken　care　of　and　protected　like　you　are。”　Susan　had　no　idea　what　the　driver　was　talking　about；　and　asked　again；　“What　do　you　mean？”

The　driver　answered；　“You　know；　every　morning　for　the　past　week；　a　fine　looking　gentleman　in　a　military　uniform　has　been　standing　across　the　corner　watching　you　when　you　get　off　the　bus。　He　makes　sure　you　cross　the　street　safely　and　he　watches　you　until　you　enter　your　office　building。　Then　he　blows　you　a　kiss；　gives　you　a　little　salute5　and　walks　away。　You　are　one　lucky　lady。”

Tears　of　happiness　poured　down　Susan’s　cheeks。　For　although　she　couldn’t　physically　see　him；　she　had　always　felt　Mark’s　presence。　She　was　lucky；　so　lucky；　for　he　had　given　her　a　gift　more　powerful　than　sight；　a　gift　she　didn’t　need　to　see　to　believe—the　gift　of　love　that　can　bring　light　where　there　is　darkness。

爱的港湾（1）

佚名

爱的羽翼会在何处驻足，无人知晓。偶尔，她可能会出现在最不寻常的地方。令人难以置信的是，她突然降临在洛杉矶郊区的一家康复医院，这里的大多数病人都丧失了最基本的身体机能。

医院的工作人员听到这个消息时，一些护士哭了，院长哈利震惊了。但从那?