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 may have been the correct answer.

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

She said， “No. Many people are deaf， but you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again in the future.”

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.”

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

Over the years， Mother asked me the same question and her answer was always the same， “No， but you are getting smarter every year， my child.”

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 goodbye to Grandpa. She asked me， “Do you know the most important body part yet， my dear？”

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.”

I asked， “Is it because it holds up my head？”

She replied， “No， it is because it can hold the head of a friend or a loved one when they cry. Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on sometimes 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.”

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

我的母親以前常常問我：“身體中什么部位最重要？”許多年來，我一直在猜測我所認為正確的答案。

在我很小的時候，我認為聲音對人類而言很重要，因此回答：“是耳朵，媽媽?！?/p>

她說：“不對，世界上有許多人是聾人。不過你還要繼續(xù)想這個問題，以后我再問你?！?/p>

當她再次問我時，已經是好幾年以后了。自從第一次沒有回答正確之后，我就一直在琢磨答案。

于是，這次我對她說：“媽媽，視覺對每個人都很重要，所以應該是眼睛。”

她看著我，說：“你學得很快，但答案還是不對，因為有很多人是盲人?！?/p>

以后的幾年里，她又問了我?guī)状?，但她總是回答：“不對。不過，孩子，你一年比一年聰明了。”

去年我的祖父去世了，每個人都很傷心，大家都哭了。輪到我們向祖父做最后的告別時，媽媽看著我，問我：“孩子，你知道身體最重要的部位了嗎？”

她在這時候問我這個問題，嚇了我一大跳。我一直以為這是我和她之間的小游戲。她看我一臉迷惑，對我說：“這個問題很重要，它是你真正開始生活的標志?！蔽铱此裏釡I盈眶。她說：“親愛的，你身體最重要的部位是你的肩膀?！?/p>

我問道：“是因為它能支撐頭嗎？”

她回答：“不，是因為當我們的朋友和親人哭泣的時候，它可以提供依靠。親愛的，每個人在一生中都需要一個可以靠著哭泣的肩膀。我只是希望你有足夠的愛心和朋友，這樣在你需要的時候，總有一個肩膀可以依靠?！?/p>

從那時起，我知道身體最重要的部位并不是自身身體的某個部位，而是對他人痛苦的同情和感同身受。