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第21章 我最思念的人y t unfrttable charater2（第1页）

Mama’sfacewasradiantwithride。Iknewthateverythingwehadachievedorwouldachievewasbecauseofmyarents。Whenwewereyoungchildren，mymotherwas，esecially，ourmentor。NotuntilIbecameanadultdidIrealizehowsecialshewas。DelightinDevotion。MymotherwasborninasmalltowninnorthernItaly。Shewasthreewhenherarentsimmigratedtothiscountryin1926。TheylivedonChicago’sSouthSide，wheremygrandfatherworkedmakingicecream。Mamathrivedinthehecticurbanenvironment。At16，shegraduatedfirstinherhigh-schoolclass，wentontosecretarialschool，andfinallyworkedasanexecutivesecretaryforarailroadcomany。Shewasbeautifultoo。Whenalocalhotograherusedhericturesinhismonthlywindowdislay，shewasflattered。HerfavoriteortraitshowedhersittingbyLakeMichigan，herhairwindblown，hergazereachingtowardthehorizon。Mymotheralwaysusedtosaythatwhenyoudied，Godgaveyoubackyour“bestself”。She’dshowusthatictureandsay，“ThisiswhatI’mgoingtolooklikeinheaven。”Myarentsweremarriedin1944。Dadwasaquietandintelligentmanwhowas17whenheleftItaly。Soonafter，ahit-and-runaccidentlefthimwithaermanentlim。DadworkedhardsellingcandytoChicagoofficeworkersontheirbreak。Hehadlittleformalschooling。HisEnglishwasself-taught。Yetheeventuallybuiltasmall，successfulwholesalecandybusiness。Dadwasgenerous，handsomeanddeelyreligious。Mamawasdevotedtohim。Aftershemarried，mymotherquitherjobandgaveherselftoherfamily。

In1950，withthreechildren，Dadmovedthefamilytoafarm40milesfromChicago。Heworkedthelandandcommutedtothecitytorunhisbusiness。Mamasaidgoodbyetoherarentsandfriendsandtradedherbusycityneighborhoodforamoreisolatedlife。Butshenevercomlained。By1958，ourmodestwhitefarmhousewasfilledwithsixchildren，andMamawasdelighted。ThinkBig。Mymotherneverstudiedbooksonarenting。Yetsheknewhowtoraisechildren。Sheheightenedourself-esteemandheledusreachourotential。Onefallday，IsatatthekitchentablewhileMamaeeledotatoes。ShesiedDadoutthewindowonhistractorandsmiled。“Yourfatherhasaccomlishedsomuch。”shesaidroudly，“Hereallyissomebody。”Mymotherwantedeachofustobesomebodytoo。“Yourchallengeistobeeverythingyoucan。Mineistohel。”shealwayssaid。Shereadtouseverydayandusedhomemadeflashcardstoteachushonetics。Shebolsteredourconfidence，raisingevenourmostordinaryaccomlishments。WhenIwasten，Iaintedastackofwoodencrateswhiteandnailedthemtogethertomakeawobblybookcase。“It’swonderful!”Mamaexclaimed。“Justwhatweneed。”Sheuseditformanyyears。Inthediningroomaretwoaint-by-numbericturesthatmysisterGloriaandbrotherLeodidaskids。Severalyearsago，Leocommentedthattheicturesweren’tverygoodandofferedtotakethemdown。

ButMamawouldn’thearofit。“Theyaretheretoremindyouhowmuchyoucouldaccomlishevenaschildren。”shesaid。Fromtheverybeginning，sheurgedustothinkbig。Oneday，aftervisitingourgrandarentsontheSouthSide，shemadeDaddetourastthePrudentialBuildingconstructionsite。Mamaexlainedthatwhenfinished，the41-storybuildingwouldbeChicago’stallest。“Maybesomedayoneofyoucandesignabuildinglikethis。”shesaid。Herconfidenceinuswasinfectious。WhenmysisterCarlawas12，sheannouncedshewasgoingtobealawyer。“Youcandothat。”Mamasaid。“Youcandoanythingyouutyourmindto。”TourGuide。ToMama，educationwasakeyartofherbluerintforsuccess。Fourofuswenttoanearby，one-roomschool-house。Mymothermadeuforitsshortcomingsbygettinguseducationaltoys，talkingtousabouthistory，oliticsandcurrentevents，andhelingwithhomework。Thebestartofgettingagoodreortcardwasherunstintingraise。WhenIwasinthethirdgrade，sheurgedourteachertoorganizeafieldtritoChicagomuseums。Mymotherheledtheteacherrentabusandlanthetri。Sheevenservedastourguide，ointingoutlandmarksandrecountinglocalhistory。Whenitcametimetothinkaboutcollege，therewasneveraquestionthatwe’dallgo。Insiredbyourarents’sacrifice，westudiedhardtoearnscholarshis，andaliedforgrantsandfinancialaid。Wealsotookjobstoearnmoneyforschool。Workinginagrocerystore，Ilearnedthevalueofadollar。“Workisablessing。”Mamaalwaysremindedus。Sheneveraskedforanythingforherself。“Youdon’thavetobuymeabirthdayresent。”shesaidonetime，“Insteadwritemealetteraboutyourself。”Tellmeaboutyourlife。Isanythingworryingyou?Areyouhay?”