t instead of5 sugar。
It was hard for me to ask for a change； so I just went ahead。 I never thought that we would hit it off。 Many times； I tried to tell you the truth； but I was afraid that it would ruin everything。
Sweetheart； I don’t exactly like salty coffee。 But as it mattered so much to you； I’ve learnt to enjoy it。 Having you with me was my greatest happiness。 If I could live a second time； I hope we can be together again； even if it means that I have to drink salty coffee for the rest of my life。
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蝶吻（1）
佚名
“你今天真漂亮。”每天早晨，新婚的丈夫都会对我说这句话。
只要照一下镜子就知道这句话与事实有多大差距。
镜中笑吟吟的我瘦瘦的，头发杂乱，没有化妆；而且我还感到自己早晨的口气很不好。
“骗人。”我大声地喊道，笑了。
我通常都是这样的反应。母亲的第一个丈夫不是个好人，他常常伤害、虐待母亲。最终，家庭暴力使母亲和她的两个孩子不得不离开，去寻找一个安全的地方。一天，这个男人拿着玫瑰花来到母亲家门前。进门后，却用玫瑰花殴打她，并占了她的便宜。9个月后，母亲生下一个重9英镑13盎司的女婴，那就是我。
从小到大，听到的那些刻薄言语在我心中扎了根，因此我很难把自己看成是一个有用的人。结婚两年后，我感到很意外，丈夫拥抱着我，说我很漂亮。
我说：“谢谢你。”
镜中的我同样是那个瘦瘦的、有着黑褐色头发的女孩，但不管怎样，最终那句温暖的话语在我心中开了花。
多年过去了，丈夫的头发已变得灰白，我也不再那么瘦弱。上星期的一个早晨，醒来时我发现丈夫的脸离我很近，不过几英寸。
我问道：“你在干什么？”
我把嘴捂住，不想对着他呼吸，因为早晨口气很重。他低下头吻了我的脸。
“做我每天都做的事。”他回答说。
每天早晨我还在睡觉的时候，丈夫就要离开家，所以我们早晨没有时间交谈。我从不知道他每天早晨都告诉我他爱我，即使当时我在睡觉也会如此。他走后，我打了个滚儿，抱着枕头，想象着自己张着嘴轻轻打鼾的样子，忍不住笑了。
这样一个男人！他了解我的过去，并一直陪在我身边，看着我从一个自卑的女孩成长为一个自信的女人、一位母亲，同时也是一位成功的演说家和作家。
我不知道他是否清楚在我一系列的蜕变中，他所起的作用。从小到大，那些刻薄的话曾深深刺痛我的灵魂，而他的话对我的触动更大。
我打算今年的结婚纪念日早点起床，告诉理查德我有多爱他。他可能会在照镜子时，发现自己又重了一磅或两磅，或是希望某天他的头发又可以变黑变卷；而我所看到的他，永远是那个能看出连我自己都无法看到自身优点的人，是那个甚至在结婚23年后每天依然给我蝶吻的人。
■ 心灵小语 心灵小语
相爱的两个人要懂得珍惜，不仅是珍惜两人之间的爱情，更要珍惜彼此拥有的生活。爱一个人，就是要接受她的全部。即便她并不美丽，并不优秀，但是她成为了你生命中的另一半，你就要悉心地发现她的美，发现她的独特之处。只有彼此发现优点，相互珍惜，生活才会幸福，爱情才会更美好。
Butterfly Kisses
Anonymous
My newlywed husband said the same thing every morning， “You’re beautiful today。”
One glance in the mirror revealed1 that it was far from the truth。
A skinny girl with mashed hair on one side of her head and no makeup smiled back at me。 I could feel my sticky2 morning breath。
“Liar；” I shot back with a grin。
It was my usual response。 My mother’s first husband was not a kind man and his verbal3 and physical abuse forced her and her two children to find a safe place。 He showed up on her doorstep one day with roses。 She let him in and he beat her with those roses and took advantage of her。 Nine months later she gave birth to a 9 lb。 13 oz。 baby girl—me。
The harsh4 words we heard growing up took root。 I had trouble seeing myself as someone of value。 I had been married two years when I surprised myself。 My husband wrapped his arms around me and told me I was beautiful。
蝶吻（2）
“Thank you；” I said。
The same thin girl with the mousy5 brown hair still stared back at me in the mirror； but somehow the words had finally blossomed in my heart。
A lot of years have passed。 My husband has grey in his hair。 I’m no longer skinny。 Last week I woke up and my husband’s face was inches from mine。
“What are you doing？” I asked。
I covered my mouth； trying to hide my morning breath。 He reached down and kissed my face。
“What I do every morning；” he said。
He leaves in the early hours of the morning while I sleep。 I miss our morning conversations； but I had not realized that he continued to tell me that he loved me even while I slept。 When he left； I rolled over and hugged my pillow。 I envisioned6 the picture of me lightly snoring with my mouth open and giggled。
What a man！ My husband understands my past。 He’s been beside me as I’ve grown from an unsure young girl to a confident woman； mother； speaker and author。
But I’m not sure that he understands the part he played in that transition。 The words I heard growing up pierced my soul； yet his words pierced7 even deeper。
This Anniversary Day I plan to wake early。 I wants to tell Richard how much I love him。 He may look in the mirror and see an extra pound or two； or wish for the day when his hair was dark and curly； but all I’ll see is the man who saw something in me when I couldn’t see it myself； and who leaves butterfly kisses； even after twenty…three years of marriage。
。。
爱如丝线（1）
佚名
有时我怀疑；父母之间是否存在着真爱。他们每天都疲于奔命，为我和弟弟赚学费。我从没见他们像我在书中或电视中看到的那样浪漫。在他们看来，将“我爱你”这句话说出口都太奢侈，更别说在情人节互赠鲜花了。父亲脾气很糟，特别是经过了一天工作的劳累之后，糟糕的脾气更容易发作。
有一天，妈妈正在缝被子，我安静地坐在旁边看着她。
“妈妈，我有个问题想问你。”过了一会儿我说。
“什么问题啊？”她答道，而手里的活儿却没停下。
“你和爸爸之间有爱情吗？”我压低声音问道。
母亲停下手里的活儿，抬起头诧异地看着我，并未马上回答，然后又低下头，继续缝被子。
我担心这个问题会伤她的心。我很尴尬，不知所措。但接下来却听见母亲这样说：
“苏珊，”她若有所思地说，“你看这线。有时我们看得见它，但更多时侯它却藏在被子中，我们看不见。这些线确实使被子结实耐用。如果将生活比做被子，那么爱就是丝线。你不可能时刻都看得到它，但是它却真实地存在着。爱是内在的东西。”
我仔细听着，但是直到第二年春天才真正明白她所说的话。当时，父亲病重，母亲在医院里照顾他，一个月后，父亲出院回到家时，两个人看起来都面色苍白，就像他们得过同样的重病似的。
他们回家后，每到黎明和黄昏，母亲总会搀扶着父亲在乡间小路上散步。父亲从没有那样温和过。他们看起来是那样和谐。路旁有许多漂亮的鲜花、绿草和树木，阳光透过叶子的缝隙温柔地照射在上面，所有这一切勾勒出世间最美的画面。
医生说，两个月后父亲就能病愈。可两个月后他还是不能独立行走，我们都很担心。
“你感觉如何，爸爸？”有一天我问他。
“苏珊，不要担心我。”父亲慢慢地说，“不瞒你说，我就是喜欢和你妈妈一起散步的感觉。我喜欢这样的生活。”从他的眼神中，我读出了他对母亲那深深的爱恋。
曾经以为爱情是与鲜花、礼物和香甜的热吻这些美好的事物分不开的。经历了这些后，使我明白了：爱情就如同我们生活中被子里的丝线一样，是内在的、坚固的和温暖生活的东西。
Love Is Just ａ Thread
Anonymous
Sometimes I really doubt whether there is love between my parents。 Every day they are very busy trying to earn money in order to pay the high tuition for my brother and me。 They don’t act in the romantic ways that I read in books or I see on TV。 In their opinion； “I love you”is too luxurious1 for them to say。 Sending flowers to each other on Valentine’s Day is even more out of the question。 Finally my father has a bad temper。 When he’s very tired from the hard work； it is easy for him to lose his temper。
One day； my mother was sewing a quilt。 I silently sat down beside her and looked at her。
“Mom； I have a question to ask you，” I said after a while。
“What？”she replied； still doing her work。
“Is there love between you and Dad？” I asked her in a very low voice。
My mother stopped her work and raised her head with surprise in her eyes。 She didn’t answer immediately。 Then she bowed her head and continued to sew the quilt。
I was very worried because I thought I had hurt her。 I was in a great embarrassment2 and I didn’t know what I should do。 But at last I heard my mother say the following words：书 包 网 txt小说上传分享
爱如丝线（2）
“Susan；” she said thoughtfully； “look at this thread。 Sometimes it appears； but most of it disappears in the quilt。 The thread really makes the quilt strong and durable3。 If life is a quilt； then love should be a thread。 It can hardly be seen anywhere or anytime； but it’s really there。 Love is inside。”
I listened carefully but I couldn’t understand her until the next spring。 At that time； my father suddenly got sick seriously。 My mother had to stay with him in the hospital for a month。 When they returned from the hospital； they both looked very pale。 It seemed both of them had had a serious illness。
After they were back； every day in the morning and dusk； my mother helped my father walk slowly on the country road。 My father had never been so gentle。 It seemed they were the most harmonious4 couple。 Along the country road； there were many beautiful flowers； green grass and trees。 The sun gently glistened5 through the leaves。 All of these made up the most beautiful picture in the world。
The doctor had said my father would recover in two months。 But after two months he still couldn’t walk by himself。 All of us were worried about him。
“Dad； how are you feeling now？” I asked him one day。
“Susan； don’t worry about me。” he said gently；“To tell you the truth； I just like walking with your mom。 I like this kind of life。” Reading his eyes； I know he loves my mother deeply。
Once I thought love meant flowers； gifts and sweet kisses。 But from this experience； I understand that love is just a thread in the quilt of our life。 Love is inside； making life strong and warm。
让爱重温的小港
卡伦？斯卡尔？莉娜蒙
加利福尼亚的12月里，我们从得克萨斯州乘飞机来到这里，与家人们一起过圣诞节。从我们到达的那天起，直到圣诞节前夜，我们的时间被名目繁多的岁末活动挤得满满的。
一天晚上，我们挤上车，去一位朋友家参加圣诞聚会。因为妈妈、姐姐和我在附近的商场疯狂购物一天，不停地填支票、签交费单，很晚才回家，所以我们出发的时候，已经比计划的时间晚了。
妈妈看着前排开车的爸爸说：“哎呀！忙碌了一天啊！我感觉有一个星期都没见你了！”
爸爸嘴里咕哝了几句，一边看着后视镜一边换车道，车速几乎接近光速了。
妈妈伸出手用手指缠绕着爸爸的一绺头发说：“我知道了！我们相互注视一下吧。就一会儿，看对方的眼睛。”
这次爸爸说话了，他咕哝道：“亲爱的，我在开车呢。”
“就10秒钟！5秒钟！我一整天都没看见你了，我要好好看看你的眼睛。准备好了吗？”
爸爸摇着头说：“我现在不能看你，否则我们会撞车的！”
“那等下一个红灯的时候吧。”
车子飞快地行驶着，没过多久我们就赶上了红灯。果然，父亲转过身，隔着前座与母亲手握着手，相互注视着对方的双眼。“嗨，”妈妈说。“嗨，”爸爸热情地回应道。
这时，绿灯亮了，油门踩到底，赛跑又开始了。好像什么都没有改变，可一切好像又都变了。最重要的是，刚才亲眼见证的一幕悄悄地打动了我：在这手忙脚乱、焦头烂额的日子里，居然有这样一站让爱重温的小港湾。
A Small Harbor of Reconnection
Karen Scalf Linamen
It was December in California； and we had flown in from Texas to visit our families for the holidays。 The days between our arrival and Christmas Eve brimmed with a flurry of last minute activities。
One evening we all hustled into the car to drive to a Christmas party at the home of family friends。 We were a little behind schedule because my mom； sister； and I had gotten home late