Many say their most painful moments are saying good-bye to those they love. After watching Cheryl, my daughter-in-law, through the six long months her mother suffered towards death, I think the most painful moments can be in the waiting to say good-bye. Cheryl made the two-hour trip over and over to be with her mother. They spent the long afternoons praying, soothing（抚慰的） , comforting, and retelling their shared memories.
As her mother's pain intensified and more medication was needed to ease her into sedation（镇静） , Cheryl sat for hours of silent vigil by her mother's bed.
Each time she kissed her mother before leaving, her mother would tear up and say, "I'm sorry you drove so far and sat for so long and I didn't even wake up to talk with you."
Cheryl would tell her not to worry, it didn't matter, still her mother felt she had let her down and apologized at each good-bye until the day Cheryl found a way to give her mother the same reassurance her mother had given to her so many times.
"Mom, do you remember when I made the high school basketball team?" Cheryl's mother nodded. "You'd drive so far and sit for so long and I never even left the bench to play. You waited for me after every game and each time I felt bad and apologized to you for wasting your time." Cheryl gently took her mother's hand.
"Do you remember what you would say to me?"
"I would say I didn't come to see you play, I came to see you."
"And you meant those words, didn't you."
"Yes, I really did."
"Well, now I say the same words to you. I didn't come to see you talk, I came to see you."
Her mother understood and smiled as she floated back into sleep.
Their afternoons together passed quietly into days, weeks, and months. Their love filled the spaces between their words. To the last day they ministered to each other in the stillness, love given and received just by seeing each other.
A love so strong that, even in this deepened silence that followed their last good-bye, Cheryl can still hear her mother's love.
相关单词：soothing
soothing解释：adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的
soothing例句：
Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。
His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。
相关单词：intensified
intensified解释：v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )
intensified例句：
Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
相关单词：ease
ease解释：n. 安乐,安逸,悠闲; v. 使...安乐,使...安心,减轻,放松
ease例句：
His mind was at ease and he felt confident in the future. 他心情舒畅,对前途很有信心。
You should ease up on the child and stop scolding her. 你应该对那个孩子宽松些,不要再骂她了。
相关单词：silent
silent解释：adj.安静的，不吵闹的，沉默的，无言的；n.(复数)默剧
silent例句：
Immediately on his beginning to speak,everyone was silent.他一讲话，大家顿时安静下来。
The boys looked at the conjuror in silent wonder. 孩子们目瞪口呆地看着那魔术师。
相关单词：drove
drove解释：vbl.驾驶，drive的过去式；n.畜群
drove例句：
He drove at a speed of sixty miles per hour.他以每小时60英里的速度开车。
They drove foreign goods out of the market.他们把外国货驱逐出市场。
相关单词：reassurance
reassurance解释：n.使放心，使消除疑虑
reassurance例句：
He drew reassurance from the enthusiastic applause.热烈的掌声使他获得了信心。
Reassurance is especially critical when it comes to military activities.消除疑虑在军事活动方面尤为关键。
相关单词：deepened
deepened解释：v.变深，加深( deepen的过去式和过去分词 )；加浓
deepened例句：
Their friendship soon deepened into love. 他们的友谊很快发展成为爱情。
The gloom deepened as the election results came in. 选举结果陆续传来，失败的情绪越来越重。
