爱的礼物

陈博

“Can I see my baby？” the new mother asked happily. When the baby was put into her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his little face， she gasped1. The doctor turned quickly and looked out of the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears. Time proved that the babys hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was marred2.

When he rushed home from school one day and threw himself into his mothers arms， she sighed3， knowing that his life was to be a succession4 of heartbreaks. He cried， “A boy， a big boy... called me a freak5.” He grew up， handsome for his misfortune. His fellow students all liked him and he might have been the monitor but for that. He developed a gift， a talent for art and music.

“But you might mingle6 with other young people，” his mother reproved7 him， but felt a kindness in her heart.

The boys father had a talk with the family physician. “Could nothing be done？” “I believe I could graft8 on a pair of outer ears， if they could be gotten，” the doctor decided. So the search began for a person who would give the ears to the young man.

Two years went by. One day， his father said to the son， “Youre going to the hospital， son. Mother and I have someone who will give the ears you need. But its a secret.”

The operation was a great success， and a new man appeared in front of the people. He displayed his talents， and his school and college became a series of triumphs9.

Later he got married and one day he asked his father， “Who gave me the ears？ Who gave me so much？ I could never do enough for him or her.”

“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 did come. One of the darkest days that ever pass through a son. He stood with his father over his mothers casket10. Slowly， gently， the father held out a hand and raised the thick， reddish brown hair to tell him his mother had no outer ears.

“Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut，” his father said gently， “and nobody ever thought mother less beautiful， did they？”

Remember： 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 that is done but not known.

“我能看看我的孩子吗？”刚生完孩子的妈妈幸福地问道。当婴儿被放到她怀里，她打开围布看他那小脸蛋时，不禁倒吸了一口气。医生急忙转过身，透过医院高高的窗户朝外望去。孩子生下来就没有耳朵。时间证明孩子的听力没有任何问题，只是相貌受损。

一天，他从学校跑回家，一头扑到她的怀里，她叹了口气，知道他的生活会是接连不断的悲伤。他痛哭道：“一个男孩，一个大男孩……叫我怪物。”他长大了，尽管有不幸的残疾，长得还算相貌英俊。他的同学都喜欢他，要不是他的先天缺陷，他会被选为班长。他逐渐显露出在文学和音乐方面的才华。

“你要和其他孩子打交道呀，”母亲嘴上责备他，心中却满是柔情。

男孩的父亲和家庭医生谈了一次。“难道什么也做不了？”“我相信我能够移植外耳，只要能够找到适合他的耳朵，”医生拿定主意说。于是他们开始寻找一位愿意为年轻人献出耳朵的人。

两年过去了。有一天，父亲说：“儿子，你可以去医院移植耳朵啦。你妈和我找到了愿意为你捐献耳朵的人，但这个人是谁还是个秘密。”

手术非常成功，一个全新的人出现在人们面前。他尽情施展着自己的才华，从中学到大学都是一帆风顺，风光无比。

后来他结婚了。一天，他问他的父亲，“是谁给了我这对耳朵？是谁对我如此慷慨？我对他（她）是永远报答不尽的。”

“我想你是报答不尽的，”父亲说，“但是协议是你不能知道……现在还不能告诉你。”这个秘密被岁月尘封，但那一天最终还是到来了……那是一个儿子经历的最黑暗的一天。他和父亲站在母亲的棺材前。慢慢地，轻轻地，父亲伸过一只手，撩起母亲厚厚的棕红色头发——母亲没有了外耳。

“母亲说她乐意永远不剪她的头发，”他轻声说，“也从来没有人认为母亲不那么漂亮了，是不是？”

请记住：真正的美不在外表，而在内心。真正的宝藏不在被人看见的地方，而在不被人看见的地方。真正的爱不在让人知道做了什么，而在做了什么却不为人知。