记忆的盒子

After having been settled in our new home for almost a year， I decided to finish unpacking the last few boxes. Hidden low in the stack was a box simply marked “Nick”. Excitement jolted my empty-nest heart upon seeing the name of my eldest son， who now lives eleven hundred miles away.

Delighted， I spent hours poring through the artwork， awards and report cards that propped my memory door wide open and let the days of his childhood come home.

I found his soccer “trading card” at age six and a Mothers Day card from the year he was nine with coupons for extra chores， neck rubs， and breakfast in bed. I found an award Nick won in second grade for top sales in a school fundraiser. First place in the entire elementary school. Even at the age of seven， he had a way with people. Next I found an envelope addressed to Nick in my own handwriting.

“For Nick to read when he is grown，” the envelope said. This particular letter was dated Mothers Day fifteen years ago. He had been in kindergarten， and reading it brought back memories of a day I realized what a truly selfless， kind child I had been blessed with.

Dear Nicholas，

Today was Mothers Day. As I watch your beautiful sleeping face， I wanted to write this letter to give you later so you will always know how much joy you bring me.

You gave me the best present Ive ever received today！ It has a little story behind it that I will treasure forever. You have been diligently saving your allowance for weeks to buy some material for Grandma to make a teepee for you. You had $7.00 saved last week， but you asked me to take you to a nearby boutique where handmade crafts （which I love！） were sold. You were so cute， watching me as I looked at things， and if I liked something， you would ask how much it cost. We found an adorable little teddy bear with an antique lace collar and a ribbon tied around its neck and a ring attached. You pretended you loved it and even tried on the ring. You were very sneaky for a five-year-old！ You bought the bear all by yourself and said you were sorry， but you spent all your money and would just make me something for Mothers Day.

This morning you woke me up with a big grin and a package wrapped in paper towels and duct tape. You were so proud and excited！ There inside was the little bear that I will always treasure. You sacrificed your teepee for me.

I am so proud of your sweet， generous spirit and the many ways every single day that you bring me joy. You are truly special and I am honored to be your mom.endprint

Love，

Mom

I still have the bear and the little ring. And Nick did get his teepee. I smile at the memories and place my letter for Nick in an envelope to mail to him. I hope reading it will remind him what a miracle he is and how blessed I feel to be his mother.

Also tucked inside the “Nick” box was a little zip-lock bag with a tiny baby tooth. “Nicks first tooth” was written in marker on the bag， and a folded piece of lined grade-school handwriting paper was stapled to the bag. I carefully removed the paper and read the note in his awkward， just-learning-how-to-write printing.

Dear Tooth Fairy，

I love you. Please leave me a lot of money.

From your best friend，

Nick

P.S. Dont keep my tooth.

I laughed until I cried. How I missed my little guy！Now twenty-one， Nick has his own life and a fiancée.

This unexpected trip down memory lane was the best way I could think of to spend my Saturday. This is one box I will never unpack and put away. Its definitely one to keep close by and on days when my heart longs for my first-born， I will dig it out， open a box of tissues， and let the memories come home again.

搬到新房子快一年了，我决定整理一下带过来的最后那几个盒子。在这堆盒子底下不起眼的地方，有一个盒子，上面只标注了两个字：尼克。尼克是我的大儿子，这会儿突然看见他的名字，本来空落落的心顿时为之一振：尼克现在可住在离我1 700多公里远的地方啊。

在接下来的几个小时里，我带着愉悦的心情细细地翻看着盒子里的那些画儿、奖状和成绩报告单。记忆的大门就此打开，尼克儿时的场景又回到家中，一幕幕在我眼前浮现。

我找到了他六岁时收藏的足球球星“交换卡”，还有他九岁时送给我的母亲节贺卡，上面还画了很多“优惠券”，表示他可以额外提供做家务、按摩脖子、送早餐到床边等服务。我还找到了尼克上二年级时得到的一张奖状，奖励他在学校的筹集善款活动中卖东西最多——在整个小学里排名第一。当时他只有七岁，但向人推销起东西来很有一套。接着，我又找到了一个信封，信是写给尼克的，信封上的笔迹是我的。

信封上写着“致长大后的尼克”。信上的日期是15年前的母亲节。那会儿他还在上幼儿园。读着这封信，我渐渐回想起那天发生的点点滴滴，正是在那一天，我意识到上帝赐给了我一个多么无私、善良的孩子。

亲爱的尼古拉斯：

今天是母亲节。看着你睡梦中漂亮的小脸，我突然很想给你写这封信，等你长大后交给你。这样，你就会知道，你给我带来了多少欢乐。

今天，你送给了我一份礼物，这是我收到过的最好的礼物！这份礼物的背后有一个小故事，我将会把它永远珍藏于心。这几个星期以来，你一直在辛苦地积攒零花钱，为的是买些布料让奶奶给你缝一个帐篷。上周，你终于攒够了7美元，你却让我带你去附近的一个精品店转转，那儿专卖一些手工艺品（是我的最爱！）。你真的好可爱，我看东西的时候，你就在一边观察我，要是看见我喜欢什么，你就会问这东西多少钱。我们发现了一个非常可爱的小泰迪熊：古典的蕾丝领口，脖子上围了一条丝带，泰迪熊附着在一枚戒指上。你假装很喜欢，并且还试了试那枚戒指。对于一个只有五岁的孩子来说，你还真挺狡猾的呢！你用自己的钱买下了这只小熊，还跟我说你很抱歉，因为你把自己所有的钱都花了，母亲节就只能自己做个礼物送我了。

今天早晨，你把我叫醒，脸上是灿烂的笑容，手里拿着一个用纸巾和胶带包好的盒子。你看上去既自豪又兴奋！盒子里装的正是你买的那只小熊，它将是我永远珍藏的宝贝。为了我，你放弃了你的帐篷。

我为你的贴心与慷慨而自豪，也为你每一天带给我的快乐而骄傲。你真是一个特别的孩子，能做你的妈妈真是我的荣幸！

爱你的妈妈

我到现在还保留着那只小熊和那枚小小的戒指。尼克也终于得到了他的帐篷。想到这一段往事，我欣然微笑，然后把这封信装进一个信封，准备寄给尼克。我希望他读这封信时能够知晓，他是怎样的一个奇迹，而作为他的妈妈，我又何其有幸！

在这个“尼克”盒子里，还塞有一个小自封袋，里面是一颗小小的乳牙。袋子的标签上写着“尼克的第一颗牙”。还有一张折起来的纸和袋子订在一起，这是一张小学生练字用的横格纸。我小心地把纸取下来，这是尼克写的一张小条，字体有些笨拙，一看就是刚开始学写字的孩子写的。纸条上写着：

亲爱的牙齿仙女：

我爱你。请给我好多好多钱吧。

你最好的朋友，尼克

另：请把我的牙齿还给我吧。

我哈哈大笑，直到笑得泪流满面。我多么怀念我的小家伙啊！尼克现在21岁了，有了自己的生活，还有了未婚妻。

这次不经意间的往事重温是我能想到的度过这个周六的最好办法。这是一个我永远不会打开之后就束之高阁的盒子。这无疑是一个要放在身边的盒子，当我想念我的第一个孩子的时候，我会把它拿出来，再打开一盒纸巾，让记忆再次慢慢地涌上心头。endprint