蘇珊·B.威爾遜/Susan B.Wilson
Understand these new words before you read this article.
1.hesitate ['heziteit] v.猶豫，躊躇
2.contemplation [,k?nt?m'ple???n] n.沉思，冥想
3.agony ['?ɡ?ni] n.極大的痛苦
My mother and I are deeply connected by our uncanny ability to silently communicate with each other.
Fourteen years ago, I was living in Evansville, Indiana, 800 miles away from my mother—my confidante, my best friend.One morning, while in a quiet state of contemplation, I suddenly felt an urgent need to call Mother and ask if she was all right.At first I hesitated.Since my mother taught fourth grade, calling her at 7:15 A.M.could interrupt her routine and made her late for work.But something compelled me to go ahead and call her.We spoke for three minutes, and she assured me that she was safe and fine.
Later that day, the telephone rang.It was Mother, reporting that my morning phone call had probably saved her life.Had she left the house three minutes earlier, it’s likely that she would have been part of a major interstate accident that killed several people and injured many more.
Eight years ago, I discovered that I was pregnant with my first child.The due date was March 15.I told the doctor that was just too soon.The baby’s due date had to fall between March 29 and April 3 because that was when my mother had her spring break from teaching.And of course I wanted her with me.The doctor still insisted that the due date was mid-March.I just smiled.Reid arrived on March 30.Mother arrived on March 31.
Six years ago, I was expecting again.The doctor said the due date was toward the end of March.I said it would have to be earlier this time because—you guessed it—Mother’s school break was near the beginning of March.The doctor and I both smiled.Breanne made her entry onMarch 8.
Two-and-a-half years ago, Mother was fighting cancer.Over time, she lost her energy, her appetite, her ability to speak.After a weekend with her in North Carolina, I had to prepare for my flight back to the Midwest.I knelt at Mother’s bedside and took her hand.“Mother, if I can, do you want me to come back?”Her eyes widened as she tried to nod.
Two days later, I had a call from my stepfather.My mother was dying.Family members were gathered for last rites.They put me on a speakerphone to hear the service.
That night, I tried my best to send a loving goodbye to Mother over the miles.The next morning, however, the telephone rang.Mother was still alive, but in a coma and expected to die any minute.But she didn’t.Not that day, or the next.Every morning, I’d get the same call:She could die any minute.But she didn’t.And every day, my pain and sadness were compounded.
After long weeks passed, it finally dawned on me:Mother was waiting for me.She had communicated that she wanted me to come back if I could.I hadn’t been able to before, but now I could.I made reservation immediately.
By 5:00 that afternoon, I was lying in her bed with my arms around her.She was still in a coma, but I whispered,“I’m here, Mother.You can let go.Thank you for waiting.You can let go.”She died just a few hours later.
I think when a connection is that deep and powerful, it lives forever in a place far beyond words and is indescribably beautiful.For all the agony of my loss, I would not trade the beauty and power of that connection for anything.
因為我們所擁有的非凡默契和感知能力，我和母親之間存在著深厚的母女情結。
14年前，我住在印第安納州的埃文斯維爾市，那裏距離我的母親——我的知己、我最好的朋友有八百英裏。一天早上，沉思中的我突然覺得急需給母親打個電話，問問她身體是否還好。起初，我猶豫了。因為母親是四年級的老師，7:15打電話給她會打亂她的日常規律，使她上班遲到。但是，還是有某種力量驅使著我放下一切顧慮打給了她。我們聊了三分鍾，她向我保證自己很安全、很健康。
那天晚些時候，我的電話鈴聲響起。是母親打來的，她告訴我說，可能是我早上打給她的電話讓她逃過了一劫。如果她早三分鍾出門的話，她就很可能是州際公路上交通事故中的一名受害者。在那場事故中，數人死亡，多人受傷。
八年前，我發現我懷上了我的第一個孩子。預產期是3月15日。我對醫生說，推算的這個預產期太提前了，孩子會推遲到3月29日至4月3日之間出生，因為母親在那個時候剛好可以休春假。當然，我希望寶寶出生的時候母親在我身邊。醫生仍然堅持說預產期是在3月中旬，而我隻是笑笑。最後，裏德在3月30日出生，母親在3月31日到達了。
六年前，我又懷孕了。醫生說預產期是在3月底。我說這次孩子會提前出生，你可以猜到，那是因為母親所在的學校在3月初放假。醫生和我都笑了。結果，布雷妮在3月8日出世。
兩年半前，母親正與癌症作鬥爭。一段時間後，她精疲力竭，失去了食欲和講話的能力。陪她在北卡羅來納州度過一個周末後，我不得不準備乘飛機返回美國的中西部地區。我跪在母親床邊，握著她的手說：“媽媽，如果我能趕回來，您願意等我嗎？”母親一邊睜大雙眼，一邊努力地點點頭。
兩天後，我接到繼父打來的電話。母親的生命危在旦夕，家庭中的所有成員都聚到了一起，向她作最後的告別。他們打開揚聲器，以便我能聽到那邊的儀式。
在那個晚上，我遠隔數千裏，盡力用自己最有愛意的聲音跟母親說了再見。然而，第二天清晨，電話裏傳來的消息卻是：母親還活著，不過一直處於昏迷之中，隨時都有可能辭世。可是她沒有。不僅那天沒有，第二天也沒有。每天早上，我都能得到相同的電話消息：她隨時都有可能撒手人寰，但是她沒有。我的心痛和悲傷在每日裏沉積。
漫長的數周過去了，我才終於明白：母親是在等我。母親曾向我表示，如果我能趕回來，她會等我。之前我不能趕回去，可是現在我能了。於是，我立即訂購了機票。
到那天下午5點時，我已摟著母親躺在她的**了。母親還在昏迷中，但是我還是輕聲對她說：“媽媽，我在您身邊了。您可以放心地走了。謝謝您等我，您可以放心地走了。”幾個小時後，母親離我們而去。
我想，當一種情結很深厚、很強大時，它會在言語無法表達的地方永存，它具有難以言表的美麗。盡管失去母親帶給我很深的傷痛，但母女情結的美麗和力量是任何東西都無法從我這裏換取的。
(1) uncanny a.a female confidant
(2) confidante b.book a ticket
(3) compound c.being beyond what is normal or expected
(4) reservation d.to become joined
Write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
_______(1) The mother accompanied her daughter when she was pregnant.
_______(2) The mother who had cancer died until her daughter came back to see her.
_______(3) The mother and her daughter had a deep affection.
1.My mother and I are deeply connected by our uncanny ability to silently_______ .
因為我們所具有的非凡的默契和感知能力，我和母親之間存在著深厚的母女情結。
2.That night, I_____to send a loving goodbye to Mother over the miles.在那個晚上，我遠隔數千裏，盡力用自己最有愛意的聲音跟母親說了再見。
3.When a connection is that deep and powerful, it lives forever in a place_______ and is indescribably beautiful.
當一種情結很深厚、很強大時，它會在言語無法表達的地方永存，它具有難以言表的美麗。