My mother used to ask me what is the most important part of the body. Through the years I would guess at what I thought was the correct answer.

从前我母亲经常问我，身体最重要的部位是什么。许多年来，我一直以为自己所想的是正确答案。

When I was younger, I thought sound was very important to us as humans, so I said, "My ears, Mommy."当我很小的时候，我认为对人类而言，声音很重要，因此回答：“妈咪，是耳朵。”

She said, "No. Many people are deaf. But you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again soon."她说：“不对，有许多人是聋人。但是你继续想，不久我会再问你。”

Several years passed before she asked me again. Since making my first attempt, I had contemplated¹ the correct answer. So this time I told her, "Mommy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes."当她再度问我时，已经是好几年后了。自从第一次回答之后，我就一直仔细的思考正确答案。所以这次我对她说：“妈咪，视觉对每个人都很重要，所以应该是我们的眼睛。”

She looked at me and told me, "You are learning² fast, but the answer is not correct because there are many people who are blind."她看着我，对我说：“你学的很快，但还是不对，因为有许多人是盲人。”

Over the years, Mother asked me a couple more times and always her answer was, "No, butyou are getting smarter every year, my child."往后的年日里她又问了我几次，但她总是回答：“不对，可是孩子啊，你每年都有进步喔。”

Then last year, my Grandpa died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. My Mom looked at me when it was our turn to say our final good-bye to Grandpa. She asked me, "Do you know the most important body part yet, my dear?"去年我祖父去世，每个人都很伤心，大家都哭了。轮到我们向爷爷做最后的告别时，妈妈看着我，问我：“宝贝，你知道身体最重要的部位了吗？”

I was shocked when she asked me this now. I always thought this was a game between her and me. She saw the confusion³ on my face and told me, "This question is very important. It shows that you have really lived your life." I saw her eyes well up with tears. She said, "My dear, the most important body part is your shoulder."她在这时候问我这个问题，令我吓了一大跳。我一直以为这只是我和她之间的游戏。她看我一脸迷惑的样子，对我说：“这问题很重要，它是你真正理解生活的标志。”我看她眼睛里充盈着泪水，她说：“宝贝，最重要的部位是你的肩膀。”

I asked, "Is it because it holds up your head?"我问：“是因为它能支撑脑袋吗？”

She replied, "No, it is because it can hold the head of a friend or loved one when they cry. Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on sometime⁴ in life, my dear. I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will have a shoulder to cry on when you need it."她回答说：“不，是因为让我们的朋友、我们所爱的人哭泣的时候，它可以给予依靠。宝贝，每个人在一生中都会有需要一个可以靠着哭泣的肩膀的时候。我只是希望当你需要时，会有足够的爱人和朋友，给你一个可倚靠哭泣的肩膀。”

Then and there I knew the most important body part is not a selfish⁵ one. It is sympathetic⁶ to the pain of others.

从那时起，我知道身体最重要的部位不是利己的部位，而是对别人的痛苦能感同身受的部位。