A Cup of Coffee的英語美文
A Cup of Coffee
I heated up a cup of coffee today in the microwave. I wasn"t sure if I should laugh or cry as I stood there holding the steaming cup for the second time this morning. My son woke up crying, and it took nearly an hour of singing, consoling and rocking to get him back to sleep. In the meantime, my coffee got cold. So, I heated it up in the microwave.
I grew up vowing never to be like my mother. She is a wonderful, strong woman, and anyone would be proud to be like her. But I wasn"t going to be. No one in town seemed to know her name. To the teachers and students at the various schools her children attended, she was simply known as ____"s mom (fill in the blank with any one of her five children"s names). At the grocery stores and around the auto parts stores and hardware places, they affectionately called her "Mrs. Dale" after my father"s first name; and the folks at the bank, utility companies and other such important places addressed her with Dad"s last name, as Mrs. Keffer. Mom answered to all of these with a smile and kind words.
I, on the other hand, was never as gracious about it. Often, I would tell the bagger at the grocery store, "Her name is Joyce, by the way," as he handed her the bag and told her to have a nice day using one of the aforementioned names. Mom would always smile and say, "You have a good day, too," as she shot me the mind-your-manners-I-taught-you-better-than-that look. When we would then get to the car, I would bicker at her for not standing up for herself. "You are your own person," I would retort. "You"re not just an extension of Dad."
"I could be called a lot worse," she would always reply. "Besides, everyone knows your dad."
Everyone in this small town did know my dad. He was a friendly, hard-working man who liked to flirt with the checkout girls and give car advice to anyone who needed it. He could charm his way out of a speeding ticket and talk his way into a better deal with ease. He would not think twice about fixing a broken part on one of the neighbor kid"s bikes. Or leaving in the middle of a cold winter night to change a frightened teen"s flat tire.
But everyone knew my mom, too. While Dad was a great man in the community, Mom was equally special. She had her own way of talking herself into a good deal, and she loved to give friendly advice to people she met. When she would wake up on cold, snowy mornings to a house full of college kids who had been stranded in town, she would weave her way through the sleeping bodies and fix enough pancakes for all. If anyone was in need, my mom was right in the thick of the fight to help. She would collect items for a family who lost all in a house fire, canned goods for the church pantry, and clothes for a teen mother"s baby when no one else would help.
As a teen, I never understood my mom. How could someone with so much to offer the world be content to stay home and be known as an adjunct to her husband or as someone"s mother? Why wasn"t she proud of who she was? Once upon a time, she wanted to be a nurse and join the Peace Corps. How could anyone give up her dreams for washing out dirty diapers and packing my father"s bologna sandwiches?
All I knew was that this was not going to happen to me. I had big dreams of making a difference in the world - but with a bang, not a whimper. People would know me. I planned on working my way up through the ranks of the YMCA with a busy writing career on the side. My husband, if there was one, would be right behind me and, as for children, they would be cute and at their nanny"s side. I would not be like my mother - I would be me. And people would know me as someone important.
Now here I was heating up my cup of coffee in the microwave for the second time. Just as I had watched her do a million times after setting it down to pack a lunch, feed the cats, tie a shoe, retrieve a towel from the dryer, find a paper that needed returning to school, answer the phone and a million other possible interruptions. I dreamed of downing a good cafe latte for breakfast before another busy day at the office, and here I was drinking instant mocha from a "Happy Birthday" mug with colored balloons all over it.
I understand now. I understood eight months ago as I held my son for the first time. I understood when his tiny little hand wrapped around my finger and his big blue eyes looked into mine as he drifted off to sleep. I understood when the love I have for my husband tripled as I first saw the little body cuddled in his big, strong arms and saw the tears streak down his face. I understood it all instantly.
I look forward to the day that I will be known as Andrew"s mom to the people in town and the children at school. Every day, as my husband returns home from work and his face lights up as his son holds out his hands, I am proud to be Mrs. Frank Huff. Just like my mom is proud to be called Mrs. Dale Keffer. Just like my mom. Those are four words that I thought I would never say proudly.
By the way, if you see her, her name is Joyce.
And now I need to heat up my coffee again.
-
【必備】人生愛情句子合集80條
往後餘生,唯你一人。從相識到相愛,到願相伴一生。下面是小編為大家提供的人生愛情句子80條,歡迎閱讀,希望大家能夠喜歡。1、一夜春雨沁潤,滿地落紅,溼意濃濃,昨宵三更不能寐,心如殘花碎。晨夢醒朦朧,緩起開窗,碧水茫茫,思憶往事三兩重,彷彿昨日中。2、紅塵中,等你千年萬載,...
-
如果個性心語大全100句精選
如果只看到星星隕落,你就不能發現流星雨的浩瀚。以下這篇是小編為各位讀者準備的如果個性心語,歡迎閱讀與收藏。1、如果不曾遇見你,兩兩相互不認識,就不會糾結。不糾結於相逢的喜悅、不糾結於相識的天真浪漫、更不糾結於這種無結果的愛。假如不認識你那該多好,我就...
-
常用愛情精美句子摘錄99句
思念就像是隔岸觀火,你能想象到心裡的火熱。以下是小編為大家整理的愛情精美句子99句,歡迎閱讀與收藏。1、總以為愛情深似海,濺起了你我情懷。2、不懂得愛情的時候,很多人拼命的愛。3、我喜歡音樂,就像我向往美好愛情一樣。4、幸福就是,陪你走一條叫一輩子的路。也...
-
2023年簡潔的愛情文藝句子合集39條
你覺得世上不存在愛情,那是因為你起得不夠早,無法遇上它,而它每天早晨都在,從不遲到。下面是小編幫大家整理的愛情文藝句子39條,歡迎參考。1、為了你,我刪除了雜念,載入了思念,貼上了想念,複製了掛念,填滿了痴念,寫滿了牽念;要愛你成了我最快樂的叨唸!2、失望也罷失望也罷,...
相關文章
- The Bad Effects of Fake Diplomas英語作文
- WPS Office和Microsoft Office的區別是什麼
- 英語作文:The Importance of Self-confidence
- The place of Science and Technology in Modern Life英語作文
- OFFICE2007每次開啟word時都顯示配置microsoft office professio
- 優秀英語作文My Experience to Eat Buffet
- My favorite place of school 的優秀英語作文及其譯文
- 英語作文introduce a few favorite books
- 英語作文The Importance of Self-confidence
- 英語閱讀:Life is inevitable consequence of physics