英语报刊选读读者文摘原文版INSPIRING STORIES 4.docx

英语报刊选读读者文摘原文版INSPIRING STORIES 4.docx

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英语报刊选读读者文摘原文版INSPIRINGSTORIES4

INSPIRINGSTORIES3

ASailor’sSavior

WhenworriedmotherMarianneNaslundsawher16-year-oldneighborAndyLivasywasintrouble,sheopenedupherheartandhometohim.

TheblisteringfightsthateruptedfromthehousedownthestreetwerelegendaryinMarianneandKevinNaslund’sneighborhood.“Theyechoedoffthehillside,”saysMarianne.“Everyonegottoheartheyelling.”DuringoneparticularlynastyfightinFebruary2008,theneighbors’16-year-oldson,AndyLivasy,washitbyhisstepfather.Watchingpolicecarsswarmthestreet,MariannerealizedthatshehadtohelpAndybeforeheranawayor“becameanangrypersonwhoturnedtodrugsandalcohol”forcomfort.

Afewdayslater,sheofferedAndyaspotontheNaslunds’livingroomcouch.Overhisparents’objections,Andy,whoknewMarianne’ssons,Nick,then15,andJake,then13,accepted.NooneunderstoodwhyMarianne,adynamowhosatontheSultancitycouncilandcoachesthehighschoolcheerleadingsquad,wouldtakeinatroubledteenlikeAndy.

Thenahighschoolsophomore,AndyscowledattheworldfrombeneathamessofshaggyblondhairandpickedfightswithNickandJake.Atthelocalhighschool,heeithersleptthroughclassesormadethemanightmareforteachers.

ButMariannesawherselfinAndy.She,too,hadgrownupinanunsettledhousehold,“withalotofyellingandnotalotoflove.”Nomatterwhat,shetoldpeople,“kidsarenotdisposable.”Surprisingly,herchildrenunderstood.“SometimesAndycouldbeadownrightbullytome,”saysJake,“butwhenIthoughtaboutthefutureAndywouldfaceifweturnedhimaway,Ijustcouldn’tletmyselfbeapartofthat.”

Itwasn’teasy.ForAndy,movinginwiththeNaslundswaslikeenteringaforeigncountryofchoresandconsequencesandfamilydinners—afteryearsofeatingmostmealsalone.“IwasusedtogettingscreamedatifIevermessedup,soIwaskindofwaitingforthat,”saysAndy.Butthedayhewassuspendedfromhighschoolforfighting,thescreamingandepithetsnevermaterialized.Instead,Mariannecalmlyaskedwhyhedidit,listenedtoAndy’sexplanation,anddeclaredcomputersandTVoff-limitsforthedurationofthesuspension.

“Mariannediditsothatinsteadoffearingapunishment,Ididn’twanttoletherdown,”saysAndy.“Ididn’tgetintoanotherfightfortherestofhighschool.”

Withhisbiologicalfamily,Andyhadyelledhimselfintoregularmigraines.WiththeNaslunds,hisheadachesdisappeared,alongwithmostofhisangrymeltdowns.Aftersixmonths,heaskedKevintocuthishair.Twoyearslater,hevolunteeredtocoachyouthsoccer.Andthoughfewadultsexpecteditfromtheboywiththegrade-Fmouth,in2010hegraduatedontimefromSultan’salternativehighschool.

“IfIhadn’tmovedinwiththeNaslunds,Iprobablywouldhavedroppedout,”Andysays.

Afterfouryears,MariannecallsAndyherthirdson,and“ifsomeoneasksaboutmyfamily,Isaythathe’soneofmybrothers,”saysJake.Andyhashadnocontactwithhismomandstepdadsincemovingout,eventhoughtheystillliveintheneighborhoodandsaythey’repleasedwithhowtheirsonhasturnedout.AndAndy,whorecentlyjoinedtheNavy,atage19,knowswherehe’sheadingwhenhecomeshomeonleave.

SaysAndy,“Whatwerethechancesofmylivingacrossthestreetfromsomeonewhohadasimilarchildhood,likeMarianne,whowouldtakemeinandexplain,‘Youcanchangeyourlifearound’?

”

HowaRwandanTeenOvercameaLegacyofGenocide

Farfromhome,inawar-tornland,acharityworkermetachildwhohadeveryreasontohate—andyettaughtvolumesaboutlove.

Heworkswiththeenergyandintensity,ifnottheskill,ofamechanictwicehisage.Hekeepshisheaddown,focusingonhistask,talkingtohimself—threadinggreasedpedalsontooneof120sturdyblackbikeswe’reheretobuildanddonatetoaRwandancharitysopeoplecanridetowork,toschool,toawellwithcleanwater.Helookstobethesameageasmythird-gradetwins.We’vebeenworkingtogetherforanhourinasmallauditoriuminawalledcompoundoutsideKigali.Achoirpracticessomewhereoutside,theetherealmusicblendingwiththecloudsthatdescenddownthegreenravinesofthehillsthatdefineRwanda.AlthoughhespeaksnoEnglishandInoKinyarwanda,weusetheuniversalsignsofthumbs-ups,headnods,and“noproblem.”Weworkasateam.

Andwesmile.Alot.ThekidhasasmilelikenootherI’veseeninmorethansixyearsofworkingwithAfricanreliefagenciestobuildanddonatebikestocharitablegroups.I’veseenlotsofhardworkers.Lotsofincrediblepeople.Butthere’ssomethingaboutthisonethathasahold,quiteunexpectedly,ofmyheart,moresothantheotherkidsworkingwithvolunteersaroundthecompound.

Maybebecausehe’saboutthesameageasmyownthreechildren,aworldawayinanAmericansuburb.Maybeit