Endless Love
“Can I see my baby？”the happy new mother asked.
When the bundle was nestled in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face，she gasped.The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window.The baby had been born without ears.
Time proved that the baby’s hearing was perfect.It was only his appearance that was marred.When he rushed home from school one day and flung himself into his mother’s arms，she sighed，knowing that his life was to be a succession of heartbreaks.
He blurted out the tragedy.“A boy，a big boy...called me a freak.”
He grew up，handsome for his misfortune.A favorite with his fellow students，he might have been class president，but for that.He developed a gift，a talent for literature and music.
“But you might mingle with other young people，”his mother reproved him，but felt a kindness in her heart.
The boy’s father had a session with the family physician...“Could nothing be done？”
“I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears，if they could be procured，”the doctor decided.Whereupon the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice for a young man.
Two years went by.One day，his father said to the son，“You’re going to the hospital，son.Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need.But it’s a secret.”
The operation was a brilliant success，and a new person emerged.His talents blossomed into genius，and school and college became a series of triumphs.
Later he married and entered the diplomatic service.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 profound secret，but the day did come.One of the darkest days that ever pass through a son.He stood with his father over his mother’s casket.Slowly，tenderly，the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick，reddish brown hair to reveal the mother had no outer ears.
“Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut，”his father whispered gently，“and nobody ever thought mother less beautiful，did they？”
无尽的爱
“我可以看看我的宝宝吗？”初为人母的她开心地问道。
当裹着的婴儿放到她臂弯里，她掀开裹着婴儿的布，在看到他的小脸时，她不禁倒吸了一口气。医生快速地转过身，透过医院的高层窗户向外看去。婴儿生下来就没有耳朵。
时间证明婴儿的听力毫无问题，只是有损他的相貌。一天，当他匆匆从学校跑回家，扑向母亲的怀抱时，她叹了口气，意识到他的生活注定会受到一连串的打击。
他脱口诉说遭到的不幸：“一个男孩，一个大个子男孩……他喊我怪胎。”
他长大了，虽然不幸但还是长得挺帅。颇受同学的欢迎，要不是有缺陷，他很可能当了班长。他对文学和音乐很有天赋和潜质。
“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？”
The Best Way to Keep Love
There was once a lonely girl who longed so much for love.One day while she was walking in the woods she found two starving songbirds.She took them home and put them in a small cage.She cared them with love and the birds grew strong.Every morning they greeted her with a wonderful song.The girl felt great love for the birds.
One day the girl left the door to the cage open.The larger and stronger of the two birds flew from the cage.The girl was so frightened that he would fly away.As he flew close，she grasped him wildly.Her heart felt glad at her success in capturing him.Suddenly she felt the bird go limp.She opened her hand and stared in horror at the dead bird.Her desperate love had killed him.
She noticed the other bird moving back and forth on the edge of the cage.She could feel his great need for freedom.He needed to soar into the clear，blue sky.She lifted him from the cage and tossed him softly into the air.The bird circled once，twice，three times.
The girl watched delightedly at the bird’s enjoyment.Her heart was no longer concerned with her loss.She wanted the bird to be happy.Suddenly the bird flew closer and landed softly on her shoulder.It sang the sweetest melody that she had ever heard.
The fastest way to lose love is to hold on it too tight，the best way to keep love is to give it WINGS！
让爱永驻
从前，有个寂寞的女孩非常渴望爱。一天，她走在丛林中，发现两只快要饿死的小鸟。她把它们带回家，放入一个小笼子。经她悉心照料，鸟儿一天天强壮起来。每天早晨，鸟儿都要用美妙的歌声向她表示问候。女孩不由得爱上了这两只小鸟。
一天，女孩敞开了鸟笼的小门。那只较大较壮的鸟儿飞出了鸟笼。女孩非常害怕鸟儿会飞走。鸟儿飞近时，她死命将它抓住。她十分高兴，终于又把它捉了回来。突然间，她感觉到鸟儿四肢无力。她张开手，惊恐地盯着手中的死鸟。她不顾一切的爱害死了鸟儿。
她注意到另一只鸟儿在笼边扑闪着翅膀。她可以感觉到它对自由的无限向往。它渴望冲向明净的蓝天。她将它举起，轻轻抛向空中。鸟儿盘旋了一圈、两圈、三圈。
看到鸟儿快乐的样子，女孩很高兴。她的内心不再计较自己的得失。她希望鸟儿幸福。突然，鸟儿飞近了，轻轻落在她的肩上，唱起了她从未听过的最动人的歌。
失去爱的方法，最快莫过于将其牢牢地抓在手心；令爱长驻的方法，最好莫过于赋予它一双翅膀——将爱放飞！
Memories in the Woods
I was puzzled！Why was this old woman making such a fuss about an old copse which was of no use to anybody？She had written letters to the local papers even to a national，protesting about a projected bypass to her village，and，looking at a map，the route was nowhere near where she lived and it wasn’t as if the area was attractive.I was more than puzzled，and I was intrigued.
The enquiry into the route of the new bypass to the village was due to take place shortly，and I wanted to know what it was that motivated her.So it was that I found myself knocking on a cottage door，being received by Mary Smith and then being taken for a walk to the woods.
“I’ve always loved this place，”she said，“it has a lot of memories for me，and for others.We all used it.They called it ‘Lovers’lane’.It’s not much of a lane，and it doesn’t go anywhere important，but that’s why we all came here.To be away from people，to be by ourselves.”she added.
