It began years ago, after Mom had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. As her symptom 1, I often had a hard time figuring out what was real and what wasn't in her2. One day I was helping her find some pants that fitted, and she was 3 them on and looking in the mirror. Suddenly she turned and said,4 to her reflection in the mirror, “Well, I like her. She is always really nice to me.”

    It caught me so off guard. There we were doing 5 things, and suddenly she was talking about her reflection as if it were another person. How should I 6? I looked closely, as if there was going to be someone else in that mirror, saying, “Great. I am so glad she's 7to you.”

    Though still in 8 I knew there was no point bringing someone with Alzheimer's back to 9It wasn't, until later that I could 10 that the lady in the mirror was real to Mom.

    Another time I walked in, finding Mom 11 I was going to leave when Mom woke up. “Hi Mom, it's me, Molly, your daughter.” Since Mom may or may not 12 me when we meet, I always identify myself to her.

    That day she remembered me. She 13 my arm slightly and said, “Hi, honey. Come here, I want you to meet someone 14 she leaves.” And so I was reintroduced to the lady in the mirror. I 15 her as if someone were really there, and that was 16for Mom.

    I am glad she loves her17 because she sees herself as a kind being. This is yet another18 my mother has taught me: We should love ourselves and others with the kind of 19 my mom has for her lady in the mirror, even though she doesn't know she is seeing herself, my beautiful, loving, and 20 Mom.

匠心

李广

    ①乾隆二十八年，腊月初六清早，雪后初霁，玉雕师傅陈唯友推开大门，发现门楼下蜷卧着一个少年，伸手一探，气若游丝。忙唤徒弟们将人抬至屋内，加覆棉被，喂饮热汤，良久少年方才醒来。少年乃徽州人氏，年方十四，连年遭旱，家人皆饿死，少年流落到苏州城，恰逢连日风雪，饥寒交迫昏死在陈家门口。

    ②不几日，那少年气色缓和过来。再见之时，少年纳头便拜：“恩人在上，受程准一拜。”

    ③陈师傅急忙搀起：“孩子，世道艰难，焉能见死不救？不知今后作何打算？”

    ④那少年再次扑通一声跪倒在地：“请恩人念我手脚齐备，舍得下气力，收我为徒，他日学得一技之长，以报恩情之一二。”

    ⑤陈唯友沉吟了片刻。他心里清楚，玉雕乃大技艺，虽勤能补拙，但要成为良匠，无天资禀赋不能达。但转念一想，自己膝下无子女，眼下几个徒弟无出色之辈，如此下去，自己的一身绝技岂不失传？这孩子举手投足颇有气度，不如暂时将他留下。

    ⑥程准感激涕零，当下行了拜师大礼。不久陈唯友便发现，这程准不仅天资聪慧，悟性极高，而且踏实勤奋，肯下苦功，不出两年，竟学完了师兄们五年才学完的基本功，陈老先生为当初的决定感到庆幸。

    ⑦两年头上，陈唯友要徒弟们各尽所学，做一件作品相互鉴赏。程准连续几日闭门不出，最后用满是血泡的双手给师傅捧出了一件羊羔跪乳的玉件，虽稍显稚嫩，却已初见功力，苏州城内的几位先生看后皆赞赏有加，陈师傅点了点头，说了句：“留下吧！”

    ⑧自此，陈师傅手把手地把平生所学悉数传授于他。那程准也不负师望，技艺精进，未出五年，便在苏州城内声名鹊起。

    ⑨乾隆四十一年，朝廷征召玉雕贡品。程准精选上好玉料，下了整整半年功夫制作出一件作品，取名“丹凤朝阳”，寓意大统，业内人士皆称精品，程准也颇为自豪，对贡品头筹志在必得。未料陈师傅力阻程准将作品送往京城。坊间议论纷纷，但程准并未辩驳，默默地将玉雕收起，跟着师傅回了家。

    ⑩此后，程准更一心一意跟着师傅学习技艺，凡构思动工之前，必先同陈师傅商讨一番。陈师傅初不以为意，后多次看到程准抱臂犹豫，陈师傅大骇，嘱程准今后创作不要再来找他，按己意行事即可，但程准退缩之态并无改观。

    ⑪不久后的一日清晨，陈师傅忽称自己那把祖传的楠木刻刀被盗，一口咬定窃刀之人就是程准。程准大呼冤枉，但陈师傅不为所动。两天后，将程准逐出师门。程准不再申辩，向师傅磕了三个响头含泪离去。

    ⑫十年后的一个夜晚，已经名动海内的玉雕大师程准接到下人禀报：陈老先生病重，恐怕时日无多。程准星夜赶赴苏州。恩师榻前，程准再行师徒大礼。

    ⑬“那把刻刀并没有丢。当年为师只是要寻一个借口将你赶出去。那件‘丹凤朝阳’当入精品之列，但奉迎之意过浓，境界不高，此匠人之忌也。我对你百般阻挠，只为让你去除一些雕琢之气，然经此事，你信心大挫，却让为师没有料到。你的技艺已臻完美，只有把你赶出去，才能助你成为一代巨匠。实在是委屈你了。”

    ⑭程准早已泪如雨下。陈老先生吩咐将那把楠木刻刀取来，颤颤巍巍地交到程准手上，溘然长逝。

    ⑮乌黑油亮的刀柄上，深深地镌刻着八个小字：匠心独运，浑然天成。

（选自《小小说选刊》，有删改）