第20部分(第2/6 页)

　guys。　And　he　understands　why；　once　a　year；　I　must　get　away　from　the　house；　the　kids—and　even　him—to　meet　my　sisters　for　a　few　days　of　nonstop　talking　and　laughing。

There　is　sharing。　Not　only　do　we　share　household　worries　and　parental　burdens—we　also　share　ideas。　Scott　came　home　from　a　convention　last　month　and　presented　me　with　a　thick　historical　novel。　Though　he　prefers　thrillers　and　science　fiction3；　he　had　read　the　novel　on　the　plane。　He　touched　my　heart　when　he　explained　it　was　because　he　wanted　to　be　able　to　exchange　ideas　about　the　book　after　I’d　read　it。

天底下最真挚的爱情（3）

There　is　forgiveness。　When　I’m　embarrassingly　loud　and　crazy　at　parties；　Scott　forgives　me。　When　he　confessed　losing　some　of　our　savings　in　the　stock　market；　I　gave　him　a　hug　and　said；　“It’s　okay。　It’s　only　money。”

There　is　sensitivity。　Last　week　he　walked　through　the　door　with　that　look　that　tells　me　it’s　been　a　tough　day。　After　he　spent　some　time　with　the　kids；　I　asked　him　what　happened。　He　told　me　about　a　60…year…old　woman　who’d　had　a　stroke。　He　wept　as　he　recalled　the　woman’s　husband　standing　beside　her　bed；　caressing　her　hand。　How　was　he　going　to　tell　this　husband　of　40　years　that　his　wife　would　probably　never　recover？　I　shed　a　few　tears　myself。　Because　of　the　medical　crisis。　Because　there　were　still　people　who　have　been　married　40　years。　Because　my　husband　is　still　moved　and　concerned　after　years　of　hospital　rooms　and　dying　patients。

There　is　faith。　Last　Tuesday　a　friend　came　over　and　confessed　her　fear　that　her　husband　is　losing　his　courageous　battle　with　cancer。　On　Wednesday　I　went　to　lunch　with　a　friend　who　is　struggling　to　reshape　her　life　after　divorce。　On　Thursday　a　neighbor　called　to　talk　about　the　frightening　effects　of　Alzheimer’s　disease　on　her　fath