【英文原文】
摘要:一个男人有一个小女儿,那是唯一的孩子,他深深地爱着她,为她而活,她就是他的生命。所以,当女儿生病时,他像疯了一般竭尽全力想让她恢复健康。
A man had a little daughter—an only and much-loved child. He lived for her—she was his life. So when she became ill, he became like a man possessed, moving heaven and earth to bring about her restoration to health.
His best efforts, however, proved unavailing and the child died. The father became a bitter recluse, shutting himself away from his many friends and refusing every activity that might restore his poise and bring him back to his normal self. But one night he had a dream.
He was in heaven, witnessing a grand pageant of all the little child angels. They were marching in a line passing by the Great White Throne. Every white-robed angelic child carried a candle. He noticed that one child’s candle was not lighted. Then he saw that the child with the dark candle was his own little girl. Rushing to her, he seized her in his arms, caressed her tenderly, and then asked, “How is it, darling, that your candle alone is unlighted?” “Daddy, they often relight it, but your tears always put it out.”
Just then he awoke from his dream. The lesson was crystal clear, and its effects were immediate. From that hour on he was not a recluse, but mingled freely and cheerfully with his former friends and associates. No longer would his darling’s candle be extinguished by his useless tears.