Chapter five:

A Terrible Loss

Anne became very ill. Anne ứa 70 years old, and all the work she had done caused her to go blind again. However. Anne was not sad. She had seen Helen grow into a successful woman despite her disabilities. Anne had also seen new organizations and schools being established all over the country. She had much to satisfied with.

Helen sat by Anne’s sick bed for many months. She and Polly took care of her as best they could.

When Anne died, Helen was holding her hand. Helen felt almost as if she had been together for almost 50 years. Helen was the saddest she had ever been in her life.

“ A light has gone out that can never shine for me again,” she said.

A short time later, an oficer telegram came fromJapan. It ứa from the Japanese government. They wanted Helen to come toJapanand help them begin work for blind and deaf people there.

Going toJapanrequired a long trip across thePacific Ocean. But Helen decided to go away.

“There are amny blind and deaf  children inJapan,” she told Polly. “many of them have no teachers. We must help to build school for them, just as we are doing inAmerica.”

Helen and Polly received a very warm welcome inJapan. Also, enough money was raised to begin several new schools for blind and deaf Japanese children. The Emperor of Japan was so grateful that he sent a personal thank-you note to helen and Polly.

One afternoon, one of  Helen’s friends dropped by after a walk. She said, “I didn’t see anything interesting on my walk,”

Helen was surprised. It made her wish she could she, ecen if it were only for only a short time. There was so much that she would look at. This gave her an idea for an article it “If I Had Three Days to See.” This article was published in a magazine.

Helen wrote that first, she would want to see the faces of all the people she loved: her family and friends. Then she would look at her house, her books and her dogs. Finally, she would go for a long walk in the woods and look at all the new things there. She wrote that she wished she could see children playing. She would look at a sunset  and gaze at the moon and the stars. She also wanted to see a stage paly and a movie.

Helen kept thinking about Anne’s room next to hẻ ofice. She felt sad to be reminded of Anne all the time. So she and Polly decided to move. They got a new house inWrestport,Connecticut.

The second World War had started and this saddened Helen. She remembered her friends inJapan. That country was now consideredAmerica’s enemy.

Many soldiers inEuropeand the Pacific were blinded from their was wounds. President Roosevelt asked Helen is dhe would visit them. So, Helen went and comforted these men in hospitals all over the country. She told them that they could still work and be productive members of society.

“You can learn to read and to work again,” she told them. “You must learn to be a part of the world and not outside it.”

For many of these soldiers, Helen’s words brought  themn new hope and courage.

After many years, World War II finaaly ended. The year was 1945. Helen and Polly decided to go toEuropeto help the blind there.

One evening inRome, Polly told Helen some bad news. Their house inConnecticut  had burned down! All of their belongings had been destroyed. Worst of all, Helen’s book about her Teacher, Anne, was gone. Helen had been working on that book for several years, and it had been almost finished.

“The very first thing I will do when I get back is to start that book again,” said Helen.

When Helen and Polly returned to Wrestport, their friends helped them build a new house. When they moved to it,many large boxes arrived. Inside were gifts from friends all over the world! There were lamps, tables, and other furniture.

Helen found a carefully wrapped present formJapan. It was a tall incense burner. The Emperor had sent it asn a gift to Helen.

The day came when Helen could no longer travel. She was too old, but her spirit traveled the world through her books and the story of her life.

Helen always remembered that all the recognition, honors, and awards she received were because of her Teacher, Anne. Helen’s first light of understanding and awareness had come from Anne

When Helen finished her book about Anne’s life, it was one of the best books she had ever written. In it, Helen wrote a short poem:

Teacher – and that was all.

It will be my answer

In the dark

When death calls.

Loss (n) sự mất mát

Successful (adj) thành công

Despite ( = inspite of )  (prep) mặc dù

Establish (v) thành lập

Satisfy (adj) hài lòng

Go out (v) tắt (đèn, lửa…)

Sick (adj) bệnh

Shine (v) chiếu sáng

Offical (adj) chính thức

Telegram (n) bức điện tín

Require (v) yêu cầu

ThePacific Ocean(n) Thái Bình Dương

Welcome (n) sự chào đón

Emperor (n) hoàng đế

Thank-you note (n) thư cảm ơn

Drop by (v) ghé thăm

Walk (n) cuộc đi bộ

Wish (n) sự ước mong

Even if  dù có

Article (n) bài báo

Sunset (n) hoàng hôn

Gaze at (v) nhìn chằm chằm

Stage (n) sân khấu

Play (n) vở kịch

Office (n)  văn phòng làm việc

Remind of (v) làm cho ai nhớ

Sadden (v) làm cho ai buồn

Consider (v) xem như

Enemy (n) kẻ địch

Comfort (v) an ủi

Productive (adj) hữu ích

Society (n) xã hội

Courage (n) sự can đảm

Burn down (v) thiêu hủy

Belongings: (n) đồ dùng cá nhân

Destroy (v) phá hủy

Gone (adj) không còn nửa

Work on (v)  tiếp tục làm việc

Get back (v) trở lại

Build (v)  xây dựng

Gift (n) món quà

Furniture (n) đồ đạc

Wrap (v) gói bọc

Incense burner (n) nhang

Retire (v) thôi việc, về hưu

Make a speech (v) phát biểu trước công chúng

Old (adj) gài

At the age of : vào độ tuổi

Still (adv) vẫn còn

Overseas (adv) ở nước ngoài

Create (v) thành lập

International (adj) quốc tế

Award (n) phần thưởng

Give ( v) đưa cho

Achieve (v) đạt được

Outstanding (adj) nổi bật

Scholarship (n) học bổng

Spirit (n) tinh thần

Through (prep) xuyên qua

Recognition (n) sự nhận ra

Honor (n) danh dự

Light (n) ánh sáng

Answer (n) câu trả lời

Death (n) cái chết