Miraculously, there did come a day when the doctor told me I would be discharged the following morning. That night I told my friend. The next m orning he came to my room. I had been up and dressed since dawn. My bright yellow dress gave me hope, and I almost looked human. We talked a bit. I told him I would pray for his son. He thanked me but shrugged his shoulders indicating the hopelessness. We knew we would never see each other again, in this world. This man in his sorrow was so happy for me. I felt his love. He took my hand and said, “You are my sister.” I answered back and said, “You are my brother”. He turned and left the room.

　　就像奇迹一般，终于有一天医生告诉我说，第二天我就可以出院了。那晚，我把这个消息告诉了我的朋友。第二天一早，他来到我的房间。那天，我早早地就起床了，并换好了衣服。我那鲜黄色的衣服给了我希望。我总算看起来又像个人了。我们俩谈了一会儿。我对他说，我会为他的儿子祈祷的。他在感谢我的同时，耸了耸肩，流露出失望之情。我们都知道在这个世界上，我们再也不会见面了。这个忧伤的人很为我感到高兴，我能感受到他对我的关爱。他握着我的手说：“你就是我的妹妹。”我回答道：“你就是我的哥哥。”说完，他转过身，走出了房间。

　　My family came to 9)retrieve me. Doctors and nurses, to say their goodbyes and give orders. All business had been taken care of. After seven and a half weeks I was leaving the hospital room I had walked into with so much trepidation.

　　我的家人来接我了。医生和护士向我道别，嘱咐我出院后该怎么做。所有事情都安排得妥妥当当。在我怀着忐忑不安的心情走进医院的七个半星期后，我终于要离开我的病房了。

　　As I turned to walk down the corridor to the elevator, my brother stood in the doorway, smiling, nodding and giving his blessing.

　　就在我沿着走廊向电梯走去时，我哥哥站在他的病房门口，冲我微笑点头，传递着他的祝福。

　　It was 14 years ago today on March 17th 1990 that I entered that operating room and much has happened to the world since my brother and I said our last farewell. Yet I think of him often and he is always in my heart as I feel I am in his. I remember his 10)intense, dark brown eyes as we pledged ourselves as brother and sister. At that moment, I kne w without a doubt that the Spirit of God hovered over us smiling, nodding and blessing us with the knowledge that we are all one.

　　我进手术室的那天，也就是14年前的今天，1990年3月17日。自从我与我哥哥告别后，这个世界发生了很大的变化。但我还是经常会想起他，他一直都在我的心里，而我相信我也一直在他心中。我记得我们互称兄妹时，他那双真诚的深褐色的眼睛。在那一刻，我知道上帝正在天堂微笑地看着我们，向我们点头，为我们祝福。因为他知道，我们不分彼此。

　　Many times I have pondered over the years why we humans meet our dearest friends or bond so deeply with another person when we are most 11)vulnerable. I think it is because when we face a life threatening illness, job loss, whatever the catastrophe may be; we are left completely without any pretension and our hearts and souls are open to those around us and we are able to accept the love and kindnesses of others, almost freely and thankfully as children accept love. This kind of love is blind to race, c olor and creed and leads to a pair of dark brown eyes seeking a pair of very blue eyes and pledging a love that will last through time.

　　在过去的岁月里，我不止一 次在想，为什么人会在最脆弱的时候认识我们生命中最亲密的朋友，与另一个人结成最紧密的纽带也在这时结成。我认为，这是因为在我们面对危及生命的疾病、失业，或者其它灾难时，我们所有的伪装都会褪去，我们的心灵都会向周围的人敞开，接受来自他人的关爱和好意，差不多就像孩童那样，毫无芥蒂并心存感激承接爱。这种爱与种族、肤色、信仰无关，也正是这种爱，让那双深褐色的眼睛和那双深蓝色眼睛相遇，并发誓永远彼此关爱。