MyMostUableCharacter
佚名/Anonyo
Maa’sfacewasradiantwithpride.Ikhateverythgwehadachievedorwouldachievewasbecaeofyparents.
Whenwewereyoungchildren,yotherwas,especially,ourntor.NotuntilIbeadultdidIrealizehowspecialshewas.
DelightDevotion.MyotherwasbornasalltownnorthernItaly.Shewasthreewhenherparentsiigratedtothisuntry1926.TheylivedonChicago’sSouthSide,whereygrandfatherworkedakgicecrea.
Maathrivedthehecticurbanenvironnt.At16,shegraduatedfirstherhigh-sretaryforarailroadpany.
Shewasbeautifultoo.Whenalocalphotographeredherpictureshisonthlydowdispy,shewasfttered.HerfavoriteportraitshowedhersittgbyLakeMichigan,herhairdblown,hergazereachgtowardthehorizon.Myotheralwaysedtosaythatwhenyoudied,Godgaveyoubackyour“bestself.”She’dshowthatpictureandsay,“ThisiswhatI’gogtolooklikeheaven.”
Myparentswerearried1944.Dadwasaquietandtelligentanwhowas17whenheleftItaly.Soonafter,ahit-and-runaidehiwithaperalip.DadworkedhardsellgdytoChicagoofficeworkersontheirbreak.Hehadlittleforalschoolg.HisEnglishwasself-taught.Yetheeventuallybuiltasall,suessfulwholesaledybess.Dadwasgenero,handsoanddeeplyreligio.Maawasdevotedtohi.
Aftershearried,yotherquitherjobandgaveherselftoherfaily.In1950,withthreechildren,Dadovedthefailytoafar40ilesfroChicago.Heworkedthendandutedtothecitytorunhisbess.Maasaidgood-bytoherparentsandfriendsandtradedherbyhildren,andMaawasdelighted.
ThkBig.Myotherudiedbooksonparentg.Yetsheknewhowtoraisechildren.Sheheightenedourself-esteeandhelpedreachourpotential.
Onefallday,IsatatthekittablewhileMaapeeledpotatoes.ShespiedDadoutthedowonhistractorandsiled.“Yourfatherhasaoplishedsouch.”shesaidproudly.“Hereallyissobody.”
Myotherwantedeachoftobesobodytoo.“Yourchallengeistobeeverythgyou.Meistohelp.”shealwayssaid.
Shereadtoeverydayandedhoadefshcardstoteachphoics.Shebolsteredournfidenid.“Jtwhatweneed.”Sheeditforanyyears.
Inthedgrooareopat-by-nuberpicturesthatysisterGloriaandbrotherLeodidaskids.Severalyearsago,Leohatthepicturesweren’tverygoodandofferedtotakethedown.ButMaawouldn’thearofit.“Theyaretheretoredyouhowuchyouuldaoplishevenaschildren.”shesaid.
Frotheverybegng,sheurgedtothkbig.Oneday,aftervisitgrandparentsontheSouthSide,sheadeDaddetourpastthePrudentialBuildgnstrusite.Maaexpedthatwhenfished,the41-storybuildgwouldbeChicago’stallest.“Maybesodayoneofyoudesignabuildglikethis.”shesaid.
Hernfidencewasfectio.WhenysisterCarwas12,sheannouncedshewasgogtobeawyer.
“Youdothat.”Maasaid.“Youdoanythgyouputyourdto.”
Tuide.ToMaa,educationwasakeypartofherbeprtforsuess.Fourofwenttoanearby,one-rooschool-hoe.Myotheradeupforitsshsbygettgeducationaltoys,talkgtoabouthistory,politidcurres,andhelpgwithho-work.Thebestpartofgettgagoodreportcardwasherunsttgpraise.
WhenIwasthethirdgrade,sheurgedourteachertoanizeafieldtriptoChiyotherhelpedtheteacherrentabandprip.Sheevenservedastuide,potgoutndarksaglocalhistory.
Whenitcatitothkaboutllege,therewasneveraquestionthatwe’dallgo.Inspiredbyourparents’sacrifice,westudiedhardtoearnschorships,andappliedfrantsandfancialaid.Wealsotookjobstoearnoneyforschool.Wagrocerystore,Ilearhevaeofadolr.“Workisablessg.”Maaalwaysreded.
Sheneveraskedforanythgforherself.“Youdon’thavetobuyabirthdaypresent.”shesaidoi.“Insteadwritealetteraboutyourself.Tellaboutyourlife.Isanythgwyou?Areyouhappy?”...
妈妈的脸上洋溢着骄傲的光芒。我知道，我们所取得的和将要取得的每一点成就，都是我们的父母所赐。
在我们还是小孩子的时候，妈妈便是我们的良师益友。直到我长大成人，才意识到她是多么不平凡。