為我的母親祈禱

Dear God，
親愛(ài)的上帝：

Now that I am no longer young，I have friends whose mothers have passed away．I have heard these sons and daughters say they never fully appreciated their mothers until it was too late to tell them．
如今我已不再年輕，一些朋友的母親已經(jīng)去世了。我曾聽(tīng)這些子女們說(shuō)過(guò)，他們從沒(méi)有向母親充分表示過(guò)他們的感激之情，而待到要告訴時(shí)為時(shí)已晚了。

I am blessed with the dear mother who is still alive．I appreciate her more each day．My mother does not change，but I do．As I grow older and wiser，I realize what an extraordinary person she is．How sad that I am unable to speak these words in her presence，but they flow easily from my pen．
幸運(yùn)的是，我親愛(ài)的母親依然健在。我對(duì)她的感情與日俱增。母親沒(méi)有變，而我卻變了。隨著年歲的增長(zhǎng)，我越來(lái)越懂事了，我認(rèn)識(shí)到她是個(gè)非常了不起的人。這些話(huà)在她面前我難以啟齒，但在筆下卻可以輕易地寫(xiě)出來(lái)，這令我感到多么難過(guò)。

How does a daughter begin to thank her mother for life itself？For the love，patience and just plain hard work that go into raising a child？For running after a toddler，for understanding a moody teenager，for tolerating a college student who knows everything? For waiting for the day when a daughter realizes her mother really is？
一個(gè)女兒該怎樣開(kāi)口感謝她的母親所給予的生命？感謝她在撫養(yǎng)孩子時(shí)所付出的愛(ài)、耐心以及無(wú)私的辛勤勞動(dòng)？感謝她跟在蹣跚學(xué)步的孩子身后奔跑，對(duì)情緒不定的少女的理解，以及對(duì)一個(gè)自以為是的大學(xué)生的寬容？感謝她等待女兒認(rèn)識(shí)到她真是一位好母親的這一天？

How does a grown woman thank for a mother for continuing to be a mother？For being ready with advice（when asked）or remaining silent when it is most appreciated？For not saying：“I told you so”，when she could have uttered these words dozens of times？For being essentially herself －－loving，thoughtful，patient，and forgiving？
一個(gè)成年女子該怎樣感謝母親依然如故的角色？感謝在被問(wèn)到時(shí)她會(huì)及時(shí)提供良言，而在不需要時(shí)她會(huì)保持沉默？感謝她沒(méi)有說(shuō)：“我告訴過(guò)你，”而她本來(lái)可以說(shuō)上許多次？感謝她始終不變的愛(ài)心、體貼周到、耐心與寬容厚道？

I don't know how，dear God，except to bless her as richly as she deserves and to help me live up to the example she has set．I pray that I will look as good in the eyes of my children as my mother looks in mine．
我不知道該怎樣來(lái)表達(dá)，親愛(ài)的上帝，除了請(qǐng)求你好好地保佑她---那是她該得到的---并幫助我朝她做出的榜樣看齊。我祈愿在孩子的眼里我會(huì)如同母親在我眼里一般好。 A daughter 一個(gè)女兒