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.

從前我母親經常問我，身體最重要的部位是什么。許多年來，我一直以為自己所想的是正確答案。

When I was younger, I thought sound was very important to us as humans, so I said, "My ears, Mommy."

當我很小的時候，我認為對人類而言，聲音很重要，因此回答：“媽咪，是耳朵。”

She said, "No. Many people are deaf. But you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again soon."

她說：“不對，有許多人是聾人。但是你繼續想，不久我會再問你。”

Several years passed before she asked me again. Since making my first attempt, I had contemplated the correct answer. So this time I told her, "Mommy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes."

當她再度問我時，已經是好幾年后了。自從第一次回答之后，我就一直仔細的思考正確答案。所以這次我對她說：“媽咪，視覺對每個人都很重要，所以應該是我們的眼睛。”

She looked at me and told me, "You are learning fast, but the answer is not correct because there are many people who are blind."

她看著我，對我說：“你學的很快，但還是不對，因為有許多人是盲人。”

Over the years, Mother asked me a couple more times and always her answer was, "No, but you are getting smarter every year, my child."

往后的年日里她又問了我幾次，但她總是回答：“不對，可是孩子啊，你每年都有進步喔。”

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，每個人都很傷心，大家都哭了。輪到我們向爺爺做最后的告別時，媽媽看著我，問我：“寶貝，你知道身體最重要的部位了嗎?”

I was shocked when she asked me this now. I always thought this was a game between her and me. She saw the confusion 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."

她在這時候問我這個問題，令我嚇了一大跳。我一直以為這只是我和她之間的游戲。她看我一臉迷惑的樣子，對我說：“這問題很重要，它是你真正理解生活的標志。”我看她眼睛里充盈著淚水，她說：“寶貝，最重要的部位是你的肩膀。”

I asked, "Is it because it holds up your head?"

我問：“是因為它能支撐腦袋嗎?”

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 sometime 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."

她回答說：“不，是因為讓我們的朋友、我們所愛的人哭泣的時候，它可以給予依靠。寶貝，每個人在一生中都會有需要一個可以靠著哭泣的肩膀的時候。我只是希望當你需要時，會有足夠的愛人和朋友，給你一個可倚靠哭泣的肩膀。”

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

從那時起，我知道身體最重要的部位不是利己的部位，而是對別人的痛苦能感同身受的部位。