爱只是一根线Love Is Just a Thread

Sometimes I really doubt whether there is love between my parents. Every day they are very busy trying to earn money in order to pay the high tuition for my brother and me. They dont act in the romantic ways that I read in books or I see on TV. In their opinion， “I love you” is too luxurious for them to say. Sending flowers to each other on Valentines Day is even more out of the question. My father has a bad temper. When hes very tired from the hard work， it is easy for him to lose his temper.

One day， my mother was sewing a quilt. I silently sat down beside her and looked at her.

“Mom， I have a question to ask you，” I said after a while.

“What？” she replied， still doing her work.

“Is there love between you and Dad？” I asked her in a very low voice.

My mother stopped her work and raised her head with surprise in her eyes. She didnt answer immediately. Then she bowed her head and continued to sew the quilt.

I was very worried because I thought I had hurt her. I was in a great embarrassment and I didnt know what I should do. But at last I heard my mother say the following words：

“Susan， look at this thread. Sometimes it appears， but most of it disappears in the quilt. The thread really makes the quilt strong and durable. If life is a quilt， then love should be a thread. It can hardly be seen anywhere or anytime， but its really there. Love is inside.”

I listened carefully but I couldnt understand her until the next spring. At that time， my father suddenly got sick seriously. My mother had stayed with him in the hospital for a month. When they returned from the hospital， they both looked very pale. It seemed both of them had had a serious illness.

After they were back， every day in the morning and dusk， my mother helped my father walk slowly on the country road. My father had never been so gentle. It seemed they were the most harmonious couple. Along the country road， there were many beautiful flowers， green grass and trees. The sun gently glistened through the leaves. All of these made up the most beautiful picture in the world.

The doctor had said my father would recover in two months. But after two months he still couldnt walk by himself. All of us were worried about him.

“Dad， how are you feeling now？” I asked him one day.

“Susan， dont worry about me.” he said gently. “To tell you the truth， I just like walking with your mom. I like this kind of life.” Reading his eyes， I know he loves my mother deeply.

Once I thought love meant flowers， gifts and sweet kisses. But from this experience， I understand that love is just a thread in the quilt of our life. Love is inside， making life strong and warm.

有时候我真的怀疑我父母之间是否有真爱。他们天天忙于赚钱，为我和弟弟支付学费。他们从未像我在书中读到、或在电视中看到的那样浪漫。在他们看来，“我爱你”太奢侈，很难说出口，更不用说在情人节相互送花这样的事了。我父亲的脾气非常坏，经过一天的劳累之后，他经常会发脾气。

一天，母亲正在缝被子，我静静地坐在她旁边看着她。

过了一会，我说：“妈妈，我想问你一个问题。”

“什么问题？”她一边继续缝着，一边回答道。

我低声地问道：“你和爸爸之间有没有爱情啊？”

母亲停下了手中的活，满眼诧异地抬起头。她没有立即作答，随后低下头，继续缝被子。

我非常担心，因为我觉得我伤害了她。我非常尴尬，不知道该怎么办。不过后来我听见母亲说了下面的话语：

“苏珊，看看这些线。有时候它们看得见，但是大多数都隐藏在被子里。这些线使被子坚固耐用。如果生活就像一床被子，那么爱就是其中的一根线。你不可能随时随地看到它，但是它却实实在在地存在着。爱就在里面。”

我仔细地听着，却直到来年的春天才明白了她的话。那时候，父亲突然得了重病。母亲在医院里陪了他一个月。当他们从医院回来的时候，都显得非常苍白。就像他们都得了场重病一样。

他们回来之后，每天的清晨或黄昏，母亲都会搀扶着父亲在乡村的小路上漫步。父亲从未如此温和过。他们就像是天作之合。在乡间小路旁，有许多美丽的鲜花、绿草和树木。阳光穿过树叶的缝隙，温柔地照射在地面上。这一切形成了一幅世间最美好的画卷。

医生说父亲将在两个月后康复。但是两个月之后他仍然无法独立行走。我们都很为他担心。

有一天我问他：“爸爸，你现在感觉怎么样？”

他温和地说：“苏珊，不用为我担心。说句实话，我只是喜欢与你妈妈一块儿散步。我喜欢这种生活。”从他的眼神里，我看得出他对母亲的爱之深刻。

我曾经认为爱就是鲜花、礼物和甜蜜的亲吻。但是从这件事起，我明白了爱只是生活中被子里的一根线。爱就在里面，使生活变得坚固而温暖。