小鸟为你带来快乐(A Sandpiper To Bring You Joy)

时间:2021-12-16 08:41:41 英语六级作文

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shewassixyearsoldwhenifirstmetheronthebeachnearwhereilive.idrivetothisbeach,adistanceofthreeorfourmiles,whenevertheworldbeginstocloseinonme.shewasbuildingasandcastleorsomethingandlookedup,hereyesasblueasthesea.

"hello,"shesaid.iansweredwithanod,notreallyinthemoodtobotherwithasmallchild."i'mbuilding,"shesaid.

"iseethat.whatisit?"iasked,notcaring.

"oh,idon'tknow,ijustlikethefeelofsand.

"thatsoundsgood,ithought,andslippedoffmyshoes.asandpiperglidedby.

"that'sajoy,"thechildsaid.

"it'sawhat?"

"it'sajoy.mymamasayssandpiperscometobringusjoy."thebirdwentglissadingdownthebeach."good-byejoy,"imutteredtomyself,"hellopain,"andturnedtowalkon.iwasdepressed;mylifeseemedcompletelyoutofbalance.

"what'syourname?"shewouldn'tgiveup.

"ruth,"ianswered."i'mruthpeterson."

"mine'swendy...i'msix."

"hi,wendy."

shegiggled."you'refunny,"shesaid.inspiteofmygloomilaughedtooandwalkedon.hermusicalgigglefollowedme.

"comeagain,mrs.p,"shecalled."we'llhaveanotherhappyday."

thedaysandweeksthatfollowedbelongtoothers:agroupofunrulyboyscouts,ptameetings,andailingmother.thesunwasshiningonemorningasitookmyhandsoutofthedishwater."ineedasandpiper,"isaidtomyself,gatheringupmycoat.theever-changingbalmoftheseashoreawaitedme.

thebreezewaschilly,butistrodealong,tryingtorecapturetheserenityineeded.ihadforgottenthechildandwasstartledwhensheappeared.

"hello,mrs.p,"shesaid."doyouwanttoplay?"

"whatdidyouhaveinmind?"iasked,withatwingeofannoyance.

"idon'tknow,yousay."

"howaboutcharades?"iaskedsarcastically.

thetinklinglaughterburstforthagain."idon'tknowwhatthatis."

"thenlet'sjustwalk."lookingather,inoticedthedelicatefairness

ofherface."wheredoyoulive?"iasked.

"overthere."shepointedtowardarowofsummercottages.strange,ithought,inwinter.

"wheredoyougotoschool?"

"idon'tgotoschool.mommysayswe'reonvacation."shechatteredlittlegirltalkaswestrolledupthebeach,butmymindwasonotherthings.whenileftforhome,wendysaidithadbeenahappyday.

feelingsurprisinglybetter,ismiledatherandagreed.threeweekslater,irushedtomybeachinastateofnearpanic.iwasinnomoodtoevengreetwendy.ithoughtisawhermotherontheporchandfeltlikedemandingshekeepherchildathome.

"look,ifyoudon'tmind,"isaidcrosslywhenwendycaughtupwithme,"i'dratherbealonetoday."

sheseemsunusuallypaleandoutofbreath.

"why?"sheasked.

iturnedtoherandshouted,"becausemymotherdied!"andthought,mygod,whywasisayingthistoalittlechild?

"oh,"shesaidquietly,"thenthisisabadday."

"yes,andyesterdayandthedaybeforeand-oh,goaway!"

"didithurt?"

"didwhathurt?"iwasexasperatedwithher,withmyself.

"whenshedied?""ofcourseithurt!"isnapped,misunderstanding,wrappedupinmyself.istrodeoff.

amonthorsoafterthat,wheninextwenttothebeach,shewasn'tthere.feelingguilty,ashamedandadmittingtomyselfimissedher,iwentuptothecottageaftermywalkandknockedatthedoor.adrawnlookingyoungwomanwithhoney-coloredhairopenedthedoor.

"hello,"isaid."i'mruthpeterson.imissedyourlittlegirltodayandwonderedwhereshewas."

"ohyes,mrs.peterson,pleasecomein""wendytalkedofyousomuch.

i'mafraidiallowedhertobotheryou.ifshewasanuisance,please,acceptmyapologies."

"notatall-she'sadelightfulchild,"isaid,suddenlyrealizingthatimeantit."whereisshe?"

"wendydiedlastweek,mrs.peterson.shehadleukemia.maybeshedidn'ttellyou."struckdumb,igropedforachair.mybreathcaught.

"shelovedthisbeach;sowhensheaskedtocome,wecouldn'tsayno.

sheseemedsomuchbetterhereandhadalotofwhatshecalledhappydays.butthelastfewweeks,shedeclinedrapidly..."hervoicefaltered.

"sheleftsomethingforyou...ifonlyicanfindit.couldyouwaitamomentwhileilook?"

inoddedstupidly,mymindracingforsomething,anything,tosaytothislovelyyoungwoman.shehandedmeasmearedenvelope,withmrs.pprintedinbold,childishletters.insidewasadrawinginbrightcrayonhues-ayellowbeach,abluesea,andabrownbird.underneathwascarefullyprinted:asandpipertobringyoujoy

tearswelledupinmyeyes,andaheartthathadalmostforgottentoloveopenedwide.itookwendy'smotherinmyarms."i'msosorry,i'msorry,i'msosorry,"imutteredoverandover,andwewepttogether.

thepreciouslittlepictureisframednowandhangsinmystudy.sixwords-oneforeachyearofherlife-thatspeaktomeofharmony,courage,undemandinglove.agiftfromachildwithsea-blueeyesandhairthecolorsand---whotaughtmethegiftoflove.