◎ Christie A. Hansen
It all began as we were standing in front of the bathroom mirror, me fixing Amanda's blonde hair. I said, “I love you, Amanda.” “And, I love you,” she replied. “Oh, yeah,” I taunted. “Well, I love you more.” Her eyes lit up as she recognized the cue for the start of another “I love you more” match.
事情發(fā)生時,我們倆正站在浴室的鏡子前,我替阿曼達梳理她的一頭金發(fā)。我說:“我愛你,阿曼達?!薄拔乙矏勰??!彼卮稹!班蓿堑??!蔽页芭??!昂冒桑覑勰愀?。”當她意識到另一場關(guān)于“我愛你”的口舌之爭拉開帷幕時,她的眼睛閃閃發(fā)亮。
“Nuh-uh,” she laughed, “I love you the most.” “I love you bigger than a volcano!” I countered—a favorite family phrase in these battles of love. “But, Mom, I love you from here to China.” A country she's learning about from our new neighbors up the street. We volleyed back and forth a few favorite lines. “I love you more than peanut butter.” “Well, I love you more than television.” “I even love you more than bubble gum.” It was my turn again, and I made the move that usually brings victory. “I love you bigger than the universe!” On this day, however, Amanda was not going to give up. I could see she was thinking. “Mom,” she said in a quiet voice, “I love you more than myself.” I stopped. Dumbfounded, overwhelmed by her sincerity. Here I thought I knew more than she did. I thought I knew at least everything that she knew. However, my four-year-old daughter knows more about love than her 28-year-old mom .
“吶,”她大笑著說,“我最愛你?!蔽一鼐吹溃骸拔覍δ愕膼郾纫蛔鹕竭€要大!”這句話是我們愛的爭奪戰(zhàn)中最受歡迎的家庭用語?!翱?,媽媽,我對你的愛從這里一直延伸到中國?!边@是她從我們街那頭新來的鄰居那兒學到的國家名稱。我們用這些美言你來我往地斗了幾個回合。“我愛你勝過愛花生醬。”“噢,我愛你勝過愛電視機。”“我愛你甚至超過愛泡泡糖。”又輪到我了,我決定使出殺手锏:“我對你的愛超越整個宇宙!”每次用這招都會勝出的。可今天,阿曼達不打算“善罷甘休”。我看得出她正絞盡腦汁。“媽媽,”她平靜地說,“我愛你勝過愛我自己?!蔽翌D時無言以對,目瞪口呆。女兒的真誠讓我折服。我原以為,我比她懂得更多。我以為,至少她知道的事情我都知道。可是,我那4歲的寶貝女兒,比她28歲的媽媽更懂得愛。