真正的成长，从不取决于年龄_大学英语阅读

真正的成长，从不取决于年龄

The doctor had assured her the bleeding ulcers[11] weren’t too serious, but said someone should come be with him. “I’ll go,” I told her without hesitation. It simply made the most sense: she’d recently started a new job, my sister was in college, my brother had just visited Cleveland the week before and has a wife and kid to worry about; my only commitments[12] were a brunch I could cancel, some laundry I was happy to put off doing, and a job with a boss I hoped would be understanding. I booked a flight out for the first thing in the morning.

At 30, my mom was responsible for two young lives other than hers and her husband’s. At 30, my main obligation was purchasing toilet paper on time, and I had a very happy roommate indeed on the rare occasions I accomplished this. I’ve always been treated like the baby of the family, even though my sister is eight years my junior. My brother is the archetypal responsible oldest sibling, but even my sister has long adopted a maturity far beyond her years; both of them, along with my parents, tend to baby me.[13] Perhaps this dates back to the day I was born, when my parents got their first glimpse of my tiny body. “My goodness, she’s as small as a bean!” they declared, and thus, “Beany” was born—a nickname that sticks three decades later, and one that I seem to have lived up to with my diminutive 90-pound frame.[14] Even today, my dad does my taxes, my brother helps me move, my sister drives me to the mall, my mom administers backrubs when I’m sick.[15] I can’t say I offer much beyond jokes and wisecracks in return.[16] I’ve become adept at[17] taking, not giving.