Most people have an inspiration1 in their life. Maybe it's a talk with someone you respect or an experience. Whatever the inspiration, it tends to make you look at life from a different perspective2. My inspiration came from my sister Vicki, a kind and caring person. She didn't care about accolades3 or being written about in newspapers. All she wanted was to share her love with the people she cared about, her family and friends.
The summer before my junior year of college, I received a phone call from my father saying that Vicki was rushed to the hospital. She had collapsed4 and the right side of her body was paralyzed5. The preliminary6 indications7 were that she suffered a stroke8. However, test results confirmed9 it was much more serious. There was a malignant10 brain tumor11 causing her paralysis12. Her doctors didn't give her more than three months to live. I remember wondering how this could happen. The day before Vicki was perfectly fine. Now, her life was coming to an end at such a young age.
After overcoming13 the initial14 shock and feeling of emptiness, I decided that Vicki needed hope and encouragement. She needed someone to make her believe that she would overcome this obstacle. I became Vicki's coach. Everyday we would visualize15 the tumor shrinking16 and everything that we talked about was positive17. I even posted a sign on her hospital room door that read, “If you have any negative thoughts, leave them at the door.” I was determined to help Vicki beat the tumor. She and I made a deal18 that was called 50-50. I would do 50% of the fighting and Vicki would do the other 50%.
The month of August arrived and it was time to begin my junior year of college 3,000 miles away. I was unsure whether I should leave or stay with Vicki. I made the mistake of telling her that I might not leave for school. She became angry and said not to worry because she would be fine. There was Vicki lying ill in a hospital bed telling me not to worry. I realized that if I stayed it might send a message that she was dying and I didn't want her believing that. Vicki needed to believe that she could win against the tumor.
Leaving that night feeling it might be the last time I would ever see Vicki alive was the most difficult thing I have ever done. While at school, I never stopped fighting my 50% for her. Every night before falling asleep I would talk to Vicki, hoping that there was some way she could hear me. I would say, “Vicki I'm fighting for you and I will never quit. As long as you never quit fighting we will beat this.”
A few months had passed and she was still holding on19. I was talking with an elderly friend and she asked about Vicki's situation. I told her that she was getting worse but that she wasn't quitting. My friend asked a question that really made me think. She said, “Do you think the reason she hasn't let go20 is because she doesn't want to let you down21?”
Maybe she was right? Maybe I was selfish for encouraging Vicki to keep fighting? That night before falling asleep, I said to her, “Vicki, I understand that you're in a lot of pain and that you might like to let go. If you do, then I want you to. We didn't lose because you never quit fighting. If you want to go on to a better place then I understand. We will be together again. I love you and I'll always be with you wherever you are.”
Early the next morning, my mother called to tell me that Vicki had passed away22.
大多数人一生中都会获得一次启发。也许是和你尊敬的人的一次交谈启发了你，也许是一次经历给你灵感。人也好，事也罢，反正都会让你换一种视角看待生活。给我以启发的人是我姐姐维基，她心地善良，懂得关心别人。她不在乎荣誉，也不在乎自己的事迹见报，一心只想跟她关心的人、家人和朋友分享自己的爱。
快上大三的那年夏天，我接到父亲的电话，说维基被紧急送往医院。她摔倒在地，右半身瘫痪了。初看起来是中风，但是化验结果证明病情严重得多。致使她瘫痪的是一个恶性脑瘤。医生说她最多也就能活3个月。真是的，这怎么可能呢？头一天维基还好好的。现在，年纪轻轻的，她的生命就行将结束了。
最初的震惊和空虚感消失之后，我认定维基需要人给她希望和鼓励。她需要有人让她相信自己能够攻克眼前的障碍。我当上了她的教练。我们每天想象肿瘤在缩小，我们谈的所有话题都是正面的。我甚至在她病房的门上贴了一张告示，上面写道，“所有负面想法请留在门外”。我决心已定，要帮助维基战胜肿瘤。我和她达成一项称为50对50的协议。我出50%的力，她也出50%的力。
八月到了，我该到3000英里之外的大学去上三年级了。我不知道是该去上学还是留下来陪维基。我犯了个错误，跟她说可能不去上学。她生气了，说不用担心，自己会好的。病中的维基就那样躺在病床上，叫我不用担心。我意识到如果留下来，可能会传递这样一个信息：她快要死了，而我不希望让她这么想。她需要想的是自己能够战胜肿瘤。
临别的那天晚上，我感到这一走可能是跟维基的永诀，撇下她是我这辈子最揪心的事。回到学校，我从未停止为她付出自己那50%的努力。每晚睡觉前，我都要跟维基说说话，希望她能够听见我的话。我说，“维基，我在为你战斗，决不放弃。只要你不放弃战斗，我们一定能打败病魔。”
几个月过去了，维基仍在坚持。一次跟一位年长的朋友谈话，她问到维基的病情。我说病情加重了，但是维基并未放弃。朋友问了个令我深思的问题。她说：“你想过吗，她坚持与病魔搏斗是因为她不想让你失望？”
也许她说得对？也许我鼓励维基坚持战斗是一种自私？那天晚上，临睡前我说，“维基，我知道你很痛苦，也许想一走了之。如果你这样想，那就走吧。我们没有失败，因为你从未放弃战斗。如果你想到一个更好的地方去，我也能理解。我们会再见面的。我爱你，无论你在哪里，我会始终和你在一起。”
第二天清晨，母亲打来电话，说维基去世了。
1. inspiration n． 灵感，启发
2． perspective n． 视角
3． accolade n． 荣誉，赞美
4． collapse v． 摔倒，跨掉
5． paralyze v． 使瘫痪
6． preliminary adj． 初步的
7． indication n． 迹象
8． stroke n． 中风
9． confirm v． 确认，证实
10． malignant adj． 恶性的
11． tumor n． 肿瘤
12． paralysis n． 瘫痪
13． overcome v． 战胜，克服
14． initial adj． 最初的，开始的
15． visualize v． 想象
16． shrink v． 缩小
17． positive adj． 正面的，积极的
18． make a deal 达成协议
19． hold on 坚持
20． let go 放弃
21． let sb． down 令某人失望
22． pass away （婉）去世