教育培训机构资料11 活着真幸运.pdfVIP

11.LuckytoBeAlive

Maria,agentle,soft-spokenwomanofseventy,hadalwaysmanagedtoviewthe

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worldwithachildssenseofwonderment.Shegreetedthedawnofeachnewday

withthebrightnessofthesunitselfandfoundjoyinthesmallestofthings:adove

perchedonherbirdfeeder,thefreshmorningdew,thesweetscentofjasmine2inher

garden.

Awidow,Marialivedaloneinarun-down3neighborhoodinDeerfieldBeach,

Florida.Onedaywhileouttendingthesmallgardeninfrontofhermodesthome,

Mariahadbeeninjuredinadrive-byshooting.Thebullethadpiercedthrough4her

skinwithaferocious5biteandlodgeditselfintheoldwomansrightthigh.Cryingout

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inagony,shehaddroppedtothesidewalk.Whenthemailmanfoundherunconscious

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nearlyanhourlater,herinjuredleghadbeenbleedingprofusely.Shedmadeittothe

hospitaljustintimeandlater,thedoctorhadtoldMariashewasluckytobealive.

Returninghome,Mariadidntfeelsolucky.Beforetheshooting,theelderly

womanhadalwaysbeengratefulthatshewashealthyforherage.Nowjustgetting

thedailymailrequiredaHerculean8effort.Inaddition,hermedicalbillswere

mountingalarmingly,straininghermeager9income.Andalthoughshehadwatched

theneighborhooddeteriorate10,somehowthingshadseemedsafeinthedaylight--but

notanymore.Forthefirsttimeinherlife,Mariafeltfrightened,aloneand

vulnerable11.

“Ifeeldefeated,”shehadtoldherfriendVera.“Imjustanoldwomanwith

nothingtodoandnowheretogo.”

WhenVeracametopickupMariaforhercheckupatthemedicalcenter,she

hardlyrecognizedheroldfriend.Mariassoftbrowneyesheldahauntingsadnessand

herfacewasgaunt12andhaggard13.Allthecurtainswered