别轻易被光鲜的外表所迷惑

很多时候我们觉得自己不够完美，自己的生活也没别人幸福。蓦然回首之时才发现其实自己拥有的已经足够。

Most teens can't wait to learn to drive. Not so with me. Driving made me nervous. I didn't get a license until I turned 24 years old. As a result, when I first married, we only had one car and car pooled to work. My husband's hours were different from mine by one hour. I worked earlier. So he dropped me off and went to the diner to drink coffee until work time.

Then, in the afternoons, I leisurely walked the three miles to his work place where I waited in his car, reading a book.

One day while waiting for him, I noticed the most beautiful Cadillac pull in the lot. It was powder blue and sleek[1] looking. The kind of car you dream about. I was busily admiring the car, when I noticed the driver. Honestly, she was probably the prettiest woman I had ever seen off the movie screen.

She pulled into the spot beside our car and it was all I could do not to stare. There was a striking resemblance[2] to Liz Taylor[3]. Jet black[4] hair and alabaster[5] skin. Our eyes made contact and she smiled at me. Her eyes were as blue as the sea, and teeth like an even row of pearls. She was wearing a light blue shirt that just matched her car. Peeking through her long, softly curled hair I could see gold hoop earrings. They had to be gold to shine like that.

A couple of minutes later, a nice looking man came out the building, entered her car, leaned over and kissed her and she drove away.

Sitting there in my jeans, shirt and hair in a pony tail, I wanted to cry. How could some people have it all?

Maybe I would have forgotten about her, but the following week, I saw her again. Then it became almost routine to see her about once a week. She seemed friendly and always waved, flashing a big smile. My envy lingered[6] long after she drove away.

Many nights when sleep evaded[7] me, I would think about the beautiful lady. I wondered if she and her husband ate out, and where they dined, and what she was wearing. I wanted her to get out of the car and let me see her full length. Did she wear really high heeled shoes and pants, or a skirt.

I would get my answers in a couple of weeks.

Sitting in our usual parking lot, I was holding my book, watching her over the top of it. She was waiting and when her husband came to the car, she called to him. They spoke a few words and he opened the car door for her to step out. He took her arm and helped her out of the car. I could see very well as she moved to get out. She was wearing a skirt.

She haltingly[8] walked around to the passenger side[9] very slowly, leaning on a walking cane[10]. Sitting sideways in the car, she lifted one leg with her hands and then the other one. The beautiful lady had a prosthesis[11] on the left leg and a brace[12] on the right leg.

I couldn't watch them drive away as the tears were blinding me.

For weeks I had envied this woman and her way of life, while I had been able to walk three miles to our car!

When my husband arrived and found me crying, he immediately asked what was wrong. Through my tears, I told him about the beautiful lady. He said he knew her husband and also knew the story. The beautiful lady and her parents were in a car that either stalled[13] or got caught on the railroad tracks and was hit by a train. Both parents were killed and she was severely injured. She was only 12 years old.

The railroad made a large settlement[14] with her because the crossing had no signals. He explained her car was specially built for her needs as well as the home.

I prayed for forgiveness all the way home. The lady I thought had everything, didn't. I realized how lucky I was to have my parents, the ability to walk, run or dance through life and many wonderful things money can't buy. I would not have traded places with the beautiful lady for anything

When you meet a person who seems to be much better off than you, don't be fooled.

大多数青少年都迫不及待地学开车，但我没有。开车让我很紧张，因此直到24岁我才拿到驾照。因此，我刚结婚的时候我们只有一辆车，还是上班用的。我和先生的上班时间相差一小时。我上班时间更早，于是每次他都将我送到单位后再去吃早餐喝咖啡，等着上班。

下午，我下班后会悠闲地步行三英里到他工作的地方，在他的车里边读书边等他。

一天，我正等他下班，看到一辆堪称极品的凯迪拉克驶进停车场。粉蓝色的车身闪着光芒，绝对是人们梦寐以求的车。我不住地羡慕那辆车，此时我看到了车主。老实说，她应该是我在现实中曾见到的最美丽的女子了。

她将车停在我旁边的车位上，我尽力克制着不一直盯着她。她长得和伊丽莎白•泰勒惊人地相似。尤其是那乌黑的头发和雪白的皮肤。我们目光相接时，她冲我微笑。她的眼睛很蓝，像极了海水的颜色，而她的牙齿恰似排列整齐的珍珠。她身着一件浅蓝色的衬衫，和她的车颜色很搭调。透过她长长的，轻柔的卷发，我看到了她的金耳环。只有金子才会如此闪耀。

过了一会儿，一个仪表堂堂的男人走出楼来，上了她的车，侧过身去吻她，接着她开车离去。

我穿着牛仔裤、衬衫，扎着马尾辫坐在那里，突然有想哭的冲动。为什么有人竟如此完美?

我差点就将她忘了，但是接下来的那周，我又见到了她。之后，我几乎每周都能见到她。她看起来很友好，每次都笑容满面地冲我招手。她开车走后我总会羡慕很久。

很多个无法入眠的夜晚，我都会想起那个美丽女子。我想知道她和丈夫是否出去吃饭了，就餐的地点和她的穿衣打扮。我很期待她能够从车里出来，这样我就可以看到她的全貌了。她会穿很高的高跟鞋吗?她会穿裤子还是短裙?

几周后，我得到了答案。

我们像往常一样在那个停车场里坐着，我拿了本书，从书的上边向她望去。她静静地等着，当她丈夫过来的时候，她叫住了他。他们说了几句话，然后他为她打开车门。他搀着她的胳膊，帮她从车里出来。她下车的时候，我看得很清楚—她穿的是短裙。

她脚有些跛，拄着手杖，慢慢地绕到车的副驾驶座这边来。她侧身坐到座位上，用手将一条腿抬起放进车里，之后又抬起了另一条腿。她的左腿是假肢，右腿上带着夹板。

泪水模糊了我的双眼，我无法看着他们开车远去。

我能够从三英里外走到车子这儿来，然而这几个星期以来我一直在妒忌这个女子，妒忌她的生活。

先生来的时候看到我在哭，赶忙问我怎么了。我流着泪告诉了他那个美丽女子的事情。先生说他认识女子的丈夫，也知道这其中的缘由。女子和她父母的车熄火了或是被卡到铁轨上动不了，被一辆火车撞翻。她的父母双双身亡，而她也受了重伤。那时，她只有12岁。

那个铁路道口没有信号灯，所以铁路方面给了她一大笔钱作为赔偿。先生解释说她的车和住所都是根据她的需要专门设计的。

回家的路上我一直在乞求原谅。我一直以为那个女子拥有世间一切，可是她没有。我意识到自己是多么的幸运。我的父母依然健在，我能走，能跑，能跳舞，还拥有很多无法用金钱购得的美好事物。我不会用我所拥有的东西去和那个美丽女子做任何交换。

当你遇见一个看起来比你生活境遇好很多的人时，不要想当然。