He was 9—in a Sunday school class of 8-year-olds. Eight-year-olds can be cruel.
The third-graders did not welcome Philip to their group. Not just because he was older. He was “different.” He suffered from Down’s syndrome and its obvious manifestations: facial characteristics, slow responses, symptoms of retardation.
One Sunday after Easter the Sunday school teacher gathered some of those plastic eggs that pull apart in the middle—the kind in which some ladies’ pantyhose are packaged.
The Sunday school teacher gave one of these plastic eggs to each child.
On that beautiful spring day each child was to go outdoors and discover for himself some symbol of “new life” and place that symbolic seed or leaf or whatever inside his egg.
They would then open their eggs one by one, and each youngster would explain how his find was a symbol of “new life.”
So …
The youngsters gathered 'round on the appointed day and put their eggs on a table, and the teacher began to open them.
One child had found a flower. All the children “oohed” and “aahed” at the lovely symbol of new life. In another was a butterfly. “Beautiful,” the girls said. And it’s not easy for an 8-year-old to say “beautiful.”
Another egg was opened to reveal a rock. Some of the children laughed. “That’s crazy!” one said. “How’s a rock supposed to be like a ‘new life’?”
Immediately the little boy spoke up and said, “That’s mine. I knew everybody would get flowers and leaves and butterflies and all that stuff, so I got a rock to be different.
Everyone laughed.
The teacher opened the last one, and there was nothing inside.
“That’s not fair,” someone said. “That’s stupid,” said another.
Teacher felt a tug on his shirt. It was Philip. Looking up he said, “It’s mine. I did do it. It’s empty. I have new life because the tomb is empty.”
The class fell silent.
From that day on Philip became part of the group. They welcomed him. Whatever had made him different was never mentioned again.
Philip’s family had known he would not live a long life; just too many things wrong with the tiny body. That summer, overcome with infection, Philip died.
On the day of his funeral nine 8-year-old boys and girls confronted the reality of death and marched up to the altar—not with flower. Nine children with their Sunday school teacher placed on the casket of their friend their gift of love—an empty egg.
Questions:
1. Why didn't the the third-graders like Philip?
2. What's the Philip's "new life" wish?
The answers of last week are:
1. It will die.
2. hold hands and stick together.
相关单词：syndrome
syndrome解释：n.综合病症；并存特性
syndrome例句：
The Institute says that an unidentified virus is to blame for the syndrome. 该研究所表示,引起这种综合症的是一种尚未确认的病毒。
Results indicated that 11 fetuses had Down syndrome. 结果表明有11个胎儿患有唐氏综合征。
相关单词：manifestation
manifestation解释：n.表现形式；表明；现象
manifestation例句：
Her smile is a manifestation of joy.她的微笑是她快乐的表现。
What we call mass is only another manifestation of energy.我们称之为质量的东西只是能量的另一种表现形态。
相关单词：manifestations
manifestations解释：n.表示，显示（manifestation的复数形式）
manifestations例句：
These were manifestations of the darker side of his character. 这些是他性格阴暗面的表现。 来自《简明英汉词典》
To be wordly-wise and play safe is one of the manifestations of liberalism. 明哲保身是自由主义的表现之一。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
相关单词：retardation
retardation解释：n.智力迟钝，精神发育迟缓
retardation例句：
Asbestos reinforcement confers excellent flame retardation properties on a composite. 石棉增强材料使复合材料具有优异的防火性能。
The theory confirms the increase in the retardation effect with decrease in particle size. 理论证实，随着颗粒尺寸的减小，这一减速效应将增大。
相关单词：symbolic
symbolic解释：adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的
symbolic例句：
It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。
相关单词：spoke
spoke解释：n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说
spoke例句：
They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
相关单词：tug
tug解释：v.用力拖(或拉)；苦干；n.拖；苦干；拖船
tug例句：
We need to tug the car round to the front.我们需要把那辆车拉到前面。
The tug is towing three barges.那只拖船正拖着三只驳船。
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