TheysayacathasninelivesandIthinkthatpossiblesinceIamnowlivingmythirdlifeandI’mnotevenacat.MyfatherdiedwhenIwas15andwehadahardstruggletomakealiving.Andmy
TheysayacathasninelivesandIthinkthatpossiblesinceIamnowlivingmythirdlifeandI’mnotevenacat.MyfatherdiedwhenIwas15andwehadahardstruggletomakealiving.Andmymotherwhowasseriouslyillinherlastyearsdiedwhilestillinher60s.MysistermarriedsoonafterandIfollowedherexamplewithintheyear.
ThiswaswhenIbegantoenjoymyfirstlife.Iwasveryhappyinexcellenthealth.IhadagoodjobinSanJoseandabeautifulhomeupthepeninsula(半岛)inSanCarlos.Lifewasapleasantdream.Thenthedreamended.Ibecameafflicted(使苦恼)withaslowlyprogressivediseaseofthemotornervesaffectingfirstmyrightarmandlegandthenmyotherside.Thusbeganmysecondlife….
InspiteofmydiseaseIstilldrovetoandfromworkeachdaywiththeaidofspecialequipmentinstalledinmycar.AndImanagedtokeepmyhealthandoptimism(乐观)toadegreebecauseof14steps.Crazy?Notatall.Ourhomewasanaffairwith14stepsleadingupfromthegaragetothekitchendoor.Thosestepswereastandardmeasureoflife.Theyweremyyardstickmychallengetocontinueliving.IfeltthatifthedayarrivedwhenIwasunabletoliftonefootuponestepandthendragtheotherpainfullyafterit---repeatingtheprocess14timesIwouldbethrough---Icouldthenadmitdefeatandliedownanddie.
ThenonadarknightinAugust1971Ibeganmythirdlife.ItwasrainingwhenIstartedhomethatnight;strongwindsandslashingrainbeatdownonthecarasIdroveslowlydownoneoftheless-traveledroads.Suddenlythesteeringwheeljerked(猝然一动).InthesameinstantIheardthebangofablowout.Itwasimpossibleformetochangethattire!Utterlyimpossible!
IstartedtheengineandthumpedslowlyalongkeepingwelloverontheshoulderuntilIcametothedirtroadwhereIturnedinandwhereIfoundlightedwindowswelcomedmetoahouseandpulledintothedrivewayandhonkedthehorn.
Thedooropenedandalittlegirlstoodthere.Whensheknewwhathappenedtomeshewentintothehouseandamomentlatercameoutfollowedbyamanwhocalledacheerfulgreeting.Isattherecomfortableanddryandfeltabitsorryforthemanandthelittlegirlworkingsohardinthestorm.
Aboutanhourlatertheman’svoicewasheard“Thisisabadnightforcartroublebutyou’reallsetnow.”“Thanks”Isaid.“HowmuchdoI