My mother, a nurse at Stony Brook University Hospital, worked at night so that she could come home in time to send me to school. She'd sleep during the day and be ready when we returned home before heading out again in the evening. This went on for 23 years. She never complained (抱怨). No matter how tired she was, she always had enough energy to be my mom.
She often had to work on holidays, even on New Year's Eve, which made me unhappy. However, before holidays she always decorated the inside and outside of our house. She'd also have cookies baking in the oven, a holidaythemed movie in the VCR, and music playing throughout our house for us. But when it was time to go to work, there was no room for debate. "Why do you have to work on this day of all days?" I'd ask sadly. "They need me, too, dear son," she'd say.
For a long time I didn't understand why she should care so much about those sick strangers. Recently, as my grandmother became ill, I found myself spending more time in the hospital. The scenes I saw in the hospital made me see the different side of my mother. The nurses checked the heart, blood and oxygen levels to make sure patients were comfortable. They lifted patients in and out of bed and helped them to the bathroom. Beyond their duties, the nurses showed consideration(体贴) for each patient.
What I saw helped me understand why my mother was devoted to her occupation (职业). I was filled with more admiration for my mother.
