My mother used to ask me what is the most important part of the body. Through the years I would guess at what I thought was the correct answer.
When I was younger, I thought sound was very important to us humans, so I said, “My ears, Mommy.”
She said, “No. Many people are deaf. But you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again soon.”
Several years passed before she asked me again. Since making my first attempt, I had contemplated the correct answer.
So this time I told her, “Mommy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes.”
She looked at me and told me, “You are learning fast, but the answer is not correct because there are many people who are blind.”
Over the years, Mother asked me a couple more times and always her answer was, “No, but you are getting smarter every year, my child.”
Then last year, my Grandpa died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. My Mom looked at me when it was our turn to say our final good-bye to Grandpa. She asked me, “Do you know the most important body part yet, my dear?”
I was shocked when she asked me this now. I always thought this was a game between her and me. She saw the confusion on my face and told me, “This question is very important. It shows that you have really lived your life.” I saw her eyes well up with tears. She said, “My dear, the most important body part is your shoulder.”
I asked, “Is it because it holds up your head?”
She replied, “No, it is because it can hold the head of a friend or loved one when they cry. Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on sometimes in life, my dear. I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will have a shoulder to cry on when you need it.”
Then and there I knew the most important body part is not a selfish one. It is sympathetic to the pain of others.
【日积月累】
-contemplate v. 注视，打算，沉思
-sympathetic adj. 有同情心的
【参考译文】
身体最重要的部位
我妈妈以前问过我身体里最重要的部位是哪。一年又一年过去了，我老是在想正确的答案。
当我还小，我觉得听觉对于人类很重要，所以我说：“我的耳朵，妈妈。”
她说：“不对，很多人耳聋。你再想想，以后再问你。”
几年过去后她又问我。自第一次尝试后，我一直在思考正确答案。
所以这次我告诉她：“妈妈，视力对每个人都很重要，所以答案肯定是我们的眼睛。”
她看着我说：“你学得很快，但是答案不对，因为失眠的人大有人在。”
接下来几年，妈妈又问过我几次，但是她的回答总是：“不对，但是你越来越聪明了，我的孩子。”
去年我爷爷去世。每个人都很伤心，都在哭泣。轮到我们去给爷爷做最后的道别时妈妈看着我。她问：“亲爱的，你知道身体里什么部位最重要吗？”
她这时候问我，让我很惊讶。我以前以为这只是我和她之间的一个游戏。她看到我脸上的疑惑，对我说：“这个问题很重要。它告诉你你是不是真正地活过。”我看见她眼里的泪水开始洋溢。她说：“亲爱的，身体里最重要的部位是你的肩膀。”
我问：“是因为它支起你的脑袋吗？”
她回答：“不是，是因为当你的朋友或深爱的人哭泣时它能支起他们的脑袋。亲爱的，每个人的一生中有时需要依偎在一个肩膀上哭泣。我只希望你得到足够的爱，足够的朋友，当你需要的时候，能找到一个肩膀趴在上面哭泣。”
此时此刻我才明白身体最重要的部位是无私的一个部位。它能怜悯他人的苦痛。
【人生启迪】
内心麻木的人，世界在他眼里只是一个坚硬冰冷的星球。只有怀着一颗怜悯之心的人，世界才是一个丰富多彩温暖动人的地方。因为富有同情心的人愿意主动付出，体会他人的痛处，所以当他受伤的时候总有肩膀来疗伤。而麻木不仁的人不理会他人的伤痛，当自己受伤时，只能自个儿舔吸伤口。