“但你可能会和其他年轻人一样。”母亲责备地说，但从心底里觉得很欣慰。
男孩的父亲与家庭医生商量……“难道真无法补救吗？”
“我认为可以移植一双外耳，如果能够找到的话。”医生做了决定，于是他们开始寻求一个愿意为这个年轻人做出牺牲的人。
两年过去了。一天，父亲对儿子说，“孩子，你要住院了。我和你妈找到愿意为你捐献耳朵的人了。但要求保密。”
手术获得了巨大成功，一个新人诞生了。他的潜力发展成一个天才，在中学和大学都取得了一连串的成功。
后来他结婚了，进入外交行业工作。一天，他问父亲：“是谁给我的耳朵？谁给了我那么多？我做多少都无法报答他/她。”
“我也这样认为，”父亲说，“但是协议上说你不能知道……还不到时候。”
他们的秘密遵守了很多年，但这天终于来了，这也是儿子度过的最黑暗的日子。他和父亲站在母亲的棺材前，慢慢地，轻柔地，父亲向前伸出一只手，掀开母亲浓密的、红褐色的头发：母亲竟然没有耳朵！
“你母亲说过她很高兴，她从不理发，”父亲轻柔地低声说，“但没人觉得母亲没以前美丽，是吧？”
Scar of love
爱的伤痕
Some years ago on a hot summer day in south Florida a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house.
In a hurry to dive into the cool water， he ran out the back door， leaving behind shoes， socks， and shirt as he went. He flew into the water， not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake， an alligator was swimming toward the shore. His mother - in the house was looking out the window - saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear， she ran toward the water， yelling to her son as loudly as she could.
Hearing her voice， the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his mother. It was too late. Just as he reached her， the alligator reached him.
From the dock，the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother，but the mother was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by， heard her screams，raced from his truck，took aim and shot the alligator.
Remarkably，after weeks and weeks in the hospital，the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal and，on his arms，were deep scratches where his mother"s fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.
The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma，asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then， with obvious pride， he said to the reporter；But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms，too. I have them because my mom wouldn"t let go.
You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars，too. No， not from an alligator， or anything quite so dramatic. But，the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret.
But，some wounds，my friend，are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle，He"s been there holding on to you.
The Scripture teaches that God loves you.
If you have Christ in your life，you have become a child of God.
He wants to protect you and provide for you in everyway.
But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril - and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That"s when the tug-of-war begins - and if you have the scars of His love on your arms be very，very grateful.
He did not - and will not - let you go.
几年前的一个炎炎夏日，在美国佛罗里达州南部，有个小男孩为贪图凉快，决定去自家房子后面一个形成已久的深水潭中游泳。
因为迫不及待地想投入到清凉的水中，他飞快地从后门跑了出去，边跑边脱掉鞋子，袜子和衬衣，把它们随手抛在了身后。他一头扎进了水里，丝毫没有意识到自己游往潭中心的同时，一只美洲鳄也正在朝岸边游来。
小男孩的母亲当时在屋子里透过窗子向外看着，发现那只美洲鳄正向她的孩子步步逼近。她极度惊恐起来，一边迅速奔向水潭，一边声嘶力竭地朝自己的孩子呼喊着。
听到她的呼喊，小男孩才猛然意识到了危险，立即掉头向岸边的母亲游去。可这时已经无济于事。他的手勉强刚够到他的母亲，鳄鱼也已经接触到了他。
母亲在岸上拼命地拽紧儿子的手臂，而此时美洲鳄也死死地咬住孩子的腿不放。为了争夺小男孩，母亲和鳄鱼之间俨然展开了一场让人难以置信的拔河较量。美洲鳄的力气显然要比母亲强大得多，但是母亲挽救儿子的坚定信念让她无论如何也绝不放手。就在这万分危急的关头，一位农夫恰巧驾车经过，一听到孩子母亲的尖叫便飞速从卡车上跳下，瞄准鳄鱼并开枪将其射杀。
值得庆幸的是，经过在医院数周的抢救治疗，小男孩居然存活了下来。鳄鱼凶残的袭击在他的腿上刻下了触目惊心的伤痕。不仅如此，他的双臂上也留下了深深的抓痕，那是在生死关头母亲为了牢牢抓住挚爱的儿子，以至于手指甲都掐入了儿子的肉中所留下的。
事后，这位死里逃生的小男孩接受了一位报社记者的采访。当记者问他是否愿意让大家看看他身上的伤疤时，小男孩挽起了自己的裤腿，腿上深深的疤痕暴露无遗。紧接着，他满脸自豪地告诉记者，“大家还是看看我的手臂吧，我的手臂上也有好多伤疤呢。这是妈妈不放开我，在救我的时候留下的。”
看了这个小男孩的故事后，人们都能感同身受。其实我们每个人身上都有伤疤。只不过并不是被鳄鱼咬的，或任何如此戏剧性事件所造成，而是过往的痛苦经历所留下的。那些伤疤是如此难看，让人深感懊悔。但是，我的朋友，你可曾想过有些伤口是一些不想放弃你的人造成的。在你挣扎的过程中，那些爱你的人为了拉住你，才在你身上留下了这些伤疤。
在人生之路上，有时我们会愚蠢地步入危险的境地，全然不知前方是什么情况。生活的水潭危机四伏--而我们总忘了潜在的敌人在伺机而动。当较量开始的时候--如果你的手臂上有爱的伤疤，你应该心怀感激，因为在你的生命中有人不曾也永远不会放弃你。
Happiness is goodness
幸福快乐就好
We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I d know better.
I"d really like for them to know about hand-me-down clothes and home-made ice cream and leftover meatloaf. I really would.
My cherished grandson, I hope you learn humility by surviving failure and that you learn to be honest even when no one is looking.
I hope you learn to make your bed and mow the lawn and wash the car-and I hope nobody gives you a brand-new car when you are sixteen.
It will be good if at least one time you can see a baby calf born, and you have a good friend to be with you if you ever have to put your old dog to sleep.
I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.
I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother. And it is all right to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he s scared, I hope you ll let him.
And when you want to see a Disney movie and your kid brother wants to tag along, I hope you take him.
I hope you have to walk uphill with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.
If you want a slingshot, I hope your father teaches you how to make one instead of buying one. I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books, and when you learn to use computers, you also learn how to add and subtract in your head.
I hope you get razzed by friends when you have your first crush on a girl, and that when you talk back to your mother you learn what Ivory soap tastes like.
May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on the stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.
I hope you get sick when someone blows smoke in your face. I don t care if you try beer once, but I hope you won t like it. And if a friend offers you a joint or any drugs, I hope you are smart enough to realize that person is not your friend.
I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your grandpa or go fishing with your uncle.
I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through a neighbor s window, and that she hugs you and kisses you when you give her a plaster of pared mold of your hand.
These things I wish for you-tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness.
