Sometimes I really doubt whether there is love between my parents. Every day they are very busy trying to earn money in order to pay the high tuition for my brother and me. They don't act in the romantic ways that I read in books or I see on TV. In their opinion, "I love you" is too luxurious for them to say. Sending flowers to each other on Valentine's Day is even more out of the question. Finally my father has a bad temper. When he's very tired from the hard work, it is easy for him to lose his temper.
One day, my mother was sewing a quilt. I silently sat down beside her and looked at her.
"Mom, I have a question to ask you," I said after a while.
"What?" she replied, still doing her work.
"Is there love between you and Dad?" I asked her in a very low voice.
My mother stopped her work and raised her head with surprise in her eyes. She didn't answer immediately. Then she bowed her head and continued to sew the quilt.
I was very worried because I thought I had hurt her. I was in a great embarrassment and I didn't know what I should do. But at last I heard my mother say the following words:
"Susan," she said thoughtfully, "Look at this thread. Sometimes it appears, but most of it disappears in the quilt. The thread really makes the quilt strong and durable. If life is a quilt, then love should be a thread. It can hardly be seen anywhere or anytime, but it's really there. Love is inside."
I listened carefully but I couldn't understand her until the next spring. At that time, my father suddenly got sick seriously. My mother had to stay with him in the hospital for a month. When they returned from the hospital, they both looked very pale. It seemed both of them had had a serious illness.
After they were back, every day in the morning and dusk, my mother helped my father walk slowly on the country road. My father had never been so gentle. It seemed they were the most harmonious couple. Along the country road, there were many beautiful flowers, green grass and trees. The sun gently glistened through the leaves. All of these made up the most beautiful picture in the world.
The doctor had said my father would recover in two months. But after two months he still couldn't walk by himself. All of us were worried
"Dad, how are you feeling now?" I asked him one day.
"Susan, don't worry
Once I thought love meant flowers, gifts and sweet kisses. But from this experience, I understand that love is just a thread in the quilt of our life. Love is inside, making life strong and warm.
……
注：
“我曾经认为爱情就是鲜花、礼物和甜蜜的亲吻。但从那一刻起，我明白了，爱情就像是生活中被子里的一根线。爱情就在里面，使生活变得坚固而温暖。”
相关单词：tuition
tuition解释：n.（某一学科的）教学，讲授，指导，学费
tuition例句：
Students can apply for individual tuition.学生可以申请个别指导。
Is this money enough for the tuition fee?这些钱交学费够吗？
相关单词：romantic
romantic解释：adj.浪漫的，风流的，传奇性的，夸大的，想象的，浪漫派的
romantic例句：
She thinks it will be romantic to be an actress.她认为当个女演员会很浪漫。
Her husband is very romantic.她丈夫非常浪漫。
相关单词：luxurious
luxurious解释：adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的
luxurious例句：
This is a luxurious car complete with air conditioning and telephone.这是一辆附有空调设备和电话的豪华轿车。
The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。
相关单词：temper
temper解释：n.恶劣的心情，心绪焦躁；性情，脾气
temper例句：
The man lost his temper and struck out wildly.那人因发怒而大打出手。
One day the man flew at me in a temper.一天,那个人冲着我大发脾气。
相关单词：silently
silently解释：adv.沉默地，无声地
silently例句：
She sat in the car,silently fuming at the traffic jam.她坐在汽车里，心中对交通堵塞感到十分恼火。
He didn't shout,he just glared at me silently.他没有喊叫，只是默默地怒视着我。
相关单词：embarrassment
embarrassment解释：n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫
embarrassment例句：
She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。
相关单词：thoughtfully
thoughtfully解释：ad.考虑周到地
thoughtfully例句：
She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. 她若有所思地抚摩着下巴。
The man pulled thoughtfully at his pipe before commenting on our proposal. 那人若有所思地吸了口烟，然后就我们的建议发表自己的见解。
相关单词：durable
durable解释：adj.持久的，耐久的
durable例句：
This raincoat is made of very durable material.这件雨衣是用非常耐用的料子做的。
They frequently require more major durable purchases.他们经常需要购买耐用消费品。
相关单词：dusk
dusk解释：n.薄暮，黄昏，幽暗
dusk例句：
The park closes at dusk.公园在黄昏时关闭。
At dusk bats appear in vast numbers.蝙蝠于傍晚时分大批出现。
相关单词：harmonious
harmonious解释：adj.和睦的，调和的，和谐的，协调的
harmonious例句：
Their harmonious relationship resulted in part from their similar goals.他们关系融洽的部分原因是他们有着相似的目标。
The room was painted in harmonious colors.房间油漆得色彩调和。
相关单词：glistened
glistened解释：v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 )
glistened例句：
Pearls of dew glistened on the grass. 草地上珠露晶莹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
Her eyes glistened with tears. 她的眼里闪着泪花。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
相关单词：deeply
deeply解释：adv.深刻地，在深处，深沉地
deeply例句：
I do feel deeply the strength of the collective.我确实深深地感到了集体的力量。
We're deeply honoured that you should agree to join us.您能同意加入我们，我们感到很荣幸。
