Now， years later， when I walk by a piano， I smile and think of Grandma. She is tearing up the ivories in heaven， I am sure.
Piano Music
Daneen Kaufman Wedelzind
There are advantages and disadvantages to coming from a large family. Make that a large family with a single parent， and they double. The disadvantages are never so apparent as when someone wants to go off to college. Parents have cashed in life insurance policies to cover the cost of one year.
直到现在，很多年已经过去了，每当从钢琴旁边走过的时候，我总会微笑着想起祖母。我敢打赌，她正在天堂里弹着钢琴呢。
钢琴曲
丹宁·考夫曼·温德凯
出生在大家庭有利有弊。而在单亲大家庭，好坏都会放大双倍。而当孩子离家去大学读书，这些坏处尤为明显。为了支付一年的开销，父母只得将寿险兑换成现金。
My mother knew that she could not send me to college and pay for it. She worked in a retail store and made just enough to pay the bills and take care of the other children at home. If I wanted to go to college， it was up to me to find out how to get there.
I found that I qualified for some grants because of the size of our family， my moms income and my SAT scores. There was enough to cover school and books， but not enough for room and board. I accepted a job as part of a workstudy program. While not glamorous， it was one I could do. I washed dishes in the school cafeteria.
To help myself study， I made flash cards that fit perfectly on the large metal dishwasherdishwasher n.洗碗机， 洗碗的人 . After I loaded the racks， I stood there and flipped cards， learning the makeup of atoms while water and steam broke them down all around me.
母亲很早就知道她无力支付我上大学的费用。她在零售店工作挣的钱刚够养家糊口。我们家孩子比较多，如果我想上大学，就得自食其力。
我了解到自己的家庭状况、妈妈的经济收入以及我的学习成绩符合拿助学金的标准。但即便如此，那也只够用来交学费和买书，食宿还没有着落。于是我决定边工作边学习。我在学校饭堂里找到了一份洗碗的工作，虽然这不是我喜欢的工作，可那是我力所能及的事情。
为了帮助学习，我做了一副学习卡，它恰好能装在大金属洗碗机上。这样一来，当把碗碟放在架子上之后，我就可以站在那儿翻卡片。四周弥漫着水汽，而我在学习原子的构成。
I learned how to make y equal to z while placing dishes in stacks. My wrinkled fingers flipped many a card， and many times my tired brain drifted off， and a glass would crashcrash v.碰撞， 坠落， 坠毁， (指商业公司， 政府等)破产， 垮台 to the floor.
My grades went up and down. It was the hardest work I had ever done.
Just when I thought the bottom was going to drop out ofdrop out of 不参与，退出 my college career， an angel appeared. Well， one of those that are on earth， without wings.
“I heard that you need some help，” he said.
“What do you mean？” I asked， trying to figure out which area of my life he meant.
“Financiallyfinancially adv.财政上， 金融上， to stay in school.”
“Well， I make it okay. I just have trouble working all these hours and finding time to study.”
我学会了在整理碟子的时候背下方程式。我的手指起皱了，同时我也翻过许多卡片。我经常感觉很疲倦，大脑也恍恍惚惚的，从而导致玻璃杯时常被摔破到地上。
我的成绩很不稳定。那是我最艰难的一段时间。
我感觉自己的大学学业快进行不下去了。这时候，天使出现了。他来自地球，没有翅膀。
“我得知你需要帮助，”他说。
“你说什么？”我问道，并竭力想知道他指的是哪些方面。
“经济上的，继续读书。”
“这个，还好。就是工作时间太长了，没什么看书的时间。”
“Well， I think I have a way to help you out.”
He went on to explain that his grandparents needed help on the weekends. All that was required of me was cooking meals and helping them get in and out of bed in the morning and evening. The job paid four hundred dollars a month， twice the money I was making washing dishes.
Now I would have time to study. I went to meet his grandparents and accepted the job.
My first discovery was his grandmothers great love of music. She spent hours playing her old， offkey piano. One day， she told me I didnt have enough fun in my life and took it upon herself to teach me the art.
Grandma was impressed with my ability and encouraged me to continue. Weekends in their house became more than just books and cooking； they were filled with the wonderful sounds of the outoftune piano and two very outoftune singers.
“哦，我想我可以给你些帮助。”
接下来他说道，他的祖父母周末时需要陪护。我所要做的只是做做饭和早晚帮他们上下床。报酬是每月四百美元，是我洗碗工资的两倍。
这样一来我就有学习的时间了。我去与他的祖父母见面并接下了工作。
我发现他的祖母非常热爱音乐。她把大量的时间花在弹奏那架又旧又走调的钢琴。有一天，她说我的生活过于单调，非要教我学习音乐。
祖母非常欣赏我，时常鼓励我坚持学下去。在他们家的周末非常愉快，除了看书和做饭，我和祖母弹奏着走调的钢琴曲唱着欢乐的歌曲。
When Christmas break came， Grandma got a chest cold， and I was afraid to leave her. I hadnt been home since Labor Day， and my family was anxious anxious adj.观念的， 担忧的， 渴望的， 盼望的 to see me. I agreed to come home， but for two weeks instead of four， so I could return to Grandma and Grandpa. I said my goodbyes， arranged for their temporary temporary adj.暂时的， 临时的， 临时性 care and return home.
As I was loading my car to go back to school， the phone rang.
“Daneen， dont rush back，” he said.
“Why？ Whats wrong？” I asked， panic rising.
“Grandma died last night， and we have decided to put Grandpa in a retirement retirement n.退休， 引退， 退却， 撤退 home. Im sorry.”
I hung up the phone feeling like my world had ended. I had lost my friend， and that was far worse than knowing I would have to return to dishwashing.
圣诞节到来时，祖母得病了，她的胸口发冷，我很舍不得离开她。可家人都很想见我，因为从劳动节至今我还没有回家。所以我最后还是决定回家，但四周的假期我只会在家待两周，然后就会赶回来的。我道了别，安排好他俩的暂时看护后就回家去了。
等我装车要返校的时候，电话响了。
“丹宁，别赶回来了，”他说。
“怎么了？出什么事了？”我心急火燎地问。
“祖母昨晚去世了，我们决定让祖父搬到老年人之家去。很抱歉。”
我挂上电话，感觉到了世界末日。我失去了好朋友，这远比回学校继续洗碗要糟糕得多。
I went back at the end of four weeks， asking to begin the workstudy program again. The financial aid advisor looked at me as if I had lost my mind. I explained my position， then he smiled and slid me an envelope envelope n.信封， 封套， 封袋， ［天］包层， ［数］包迹， ［生］包膜 . “This is for you，” he said.
It was from grandma. She had known how sick she was. In the envelope was enough money to pay for the rest of my school year and a request that I take piano lessons in her memory.
I dont think The Old Grey Mare was even played with more feeling than it was my second year in college. Now， years later， when I walk by a piano， I smile and think of Grandma. She is tearing up the ivories ivory n.象牙 in heaven， I am sure.
四周后返校，我申请再次加入半工半读计划。奖助学金顾问很好奇地看着我，好像我是一个怪人。当我解释了自己的情况后，他微笑着递给我一个信封。“给你的，”他说。
是祖母留下的信。她很清楚自己病情的严重性。信封里还有一些钱，足够我支付未来几年的学费，同时她希望我去上她喜欢的钢琴课。
《那匹老灰马》似乎没有大二时我弹奏的那般深情。直到现在，很多年已经过去了，每当从钢琴旁边走过的时候，我总会微笑着想起祖母。我敢打赌，她正在天堂里弹着钢琴呢。
我们微笑着面对生活，微笑着面对生命，任何时刻都不要失去生活的热情和乐趣。在失去和得到之间，我们虽做不到一种平衡，但会懂得生活中意义。一位知道自己病情严重的老人，依然能够积极地生活，直到生命的终结。这样一种伟大的精神，是对生命最有力的主宰。而她的乐观与豁达，也必将感染着身边的人，继续将生活的美好乐章谱写。