Not long before, my daughter's shoes were scratched (划破) with a knife. She burst into tears. I took them to the shoemaker's.
The young apprentice (学徒) glanced at the 1and said, "Nothing I can do except2the upper." His master looked at them and said, "If you 3me, I will add more scratches on both the shoes.”
I was 4 and asked why.
He explained, "As if the openings were made 5 for a special style."
I didn't fully understand him, 6 I decided to leave the shoes.
Two days later I dropped by from work to 7 the shoes. I found more scratches on each shoe; all the openings were patched (缝补) by soft red leather; the stitches (针脚) were twisted into the appearance looking more 8 and interesting than ever. I couldn't help praising the master's 9.
Another time, my sister's blouse was tom, leaving a large opening. My wife checked it 10, and then said, "Let me take it home and 11 it."
Three days later, seeing it again, I was greatly 12: all the tom parts took on a look of ice crystal (水晶) ; attached to it was a snowman made of flowery rags. I sighed with 13, "It's amazing!"
"I was 14 by that shoemaker. Patches are considered to be 15, but a skillful craftsman can make it take on a kind of 16," replied my wife.
Her words inspired me more: perfection is impossible to achieve in 17; patches appear in the 18 of injury, disability or disease. Since you can't change the existence of the wound, you should not 19 people's sympathy by disclosing the wound, which is meaningless. Just sew the 20 by patches and produce a most beautiful flower on it, and that is the significance of life.
