友好的回報 a kdne returned (第2/7頁)

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Iwasalmostembarrassed.Itwassuchalittlekindnessonmyart.Thesonborntomyhusbandandmethatdayin1956turnedouttobeouronlychild.Fornearly21yearshefilledourliveswithloveandlaughter，makingusfeelcomlete.ButonEastermorninginAril1977，afteralong，ainfulbattlewithcancer，hediedquietlyinourarms.

AtthefuneralhomeIwasalonewithmysoninaroomfilledwiththescentofroses，whenadeliverymanbroughtinatinybouquet.Ididntreadthecarduntillater，aswerodetothecemetery.“ToW.JohnGraves，”thecardsaid，“fromtheboywhowasbornwithyouatMemorialHosital，andhismother.”

OnlythendidIrecognizetheceramicbooteeIhadgiventoasadyoungwomansomanyyearsago，nowonceagainfilledwithroses.AnnandIhadlongsincewelosttouch.Shehadneverknownourson，neverbeenawareofhisillness.Shemusthavereadthenoticeofhisdeathinanewsaer.Iassedthecardontomymothersittingbesideme.She，too，remembered.

“Akindnessreturned，”Mothersaid.

Afewdayslater，myhusbandandI，withseveralmembersofourfamily，wenttothecemeterytoclearJohnsgrave.Thebooteeofrosessatatitsfoot，toweredoverbytallwreathsandsrays.

“Howstrangethatanyonewouldsendsomethinglikethattoafuneral，”someonesaid.“Itseemsmorearoriateforabirth.”

“Therewasabirth，”saidmyhusbandquietly.“JohnwasbornintoEternalLife.”Ilookedathimwithsurrise，knowingthosewordsweredifficultforamanwhohadneversokenoenlyaboutsuchmatters.

Heemtiedouttheflowersandhandedmetheceramicbootee.Ihelditand，justasAnnhaddone，Itraceditwithmyfingers，thinkingofallthemessagesitcontained:theembersoffriendshithatglowthroughtheyears，gratituderememberedand，beneathitall，theromiseofResurrection，whichcomfortsusnow.

1956年兒子出生時，我與一位年輕女子共住一間病房，那天，她也生了一個兒子。也許是因爲我的父母開花店吧，我們的病房很快就充滿了玫瑰花的馨香。