為親愛的母親祈禱

Dear God,
　   Now that I am no longer young， I have some 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．
　   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．
　   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? 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?
　　I don't know how, dear God, except to bless my mother 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．
　　 A daughter

　　親愛的上帝：
　　如今我已不再年輕，一些朋友的母親已經去世了。我曾聽這些子女們說過，他們從沒有向母親充分地表示過他們的感激之情，而等到要表達的時侯卻為時已晚。

       幸運的是，我親愛的母親依然健在。我對她的感激之情與日俱增。母親沒有變，而我卻變了。隨著年歲和心智的增長，我認識到她是個非常了不起的人。這些話在她面前我難以啟齒，但在筆下卻可以輕易地寫出來，這令我感到多么難過。
　　女兒該怎樣開口感謝給予她生命的母親？感謝她在撫養(yǎng)孩子時所付出的愛、耐心和無私的辛勤勞動？感謝她跟在蹣跚學步的孩子身后的奔跑，對情緒不定的少女的理解，以及對一個自以為是的大學生的寬容？感謝她等待女兒認識到她真是一位好母親的這一天？一個成年女子該怎樣感謝始終如一地對待她的母親呢？感謝在被問到時她會及時提供的良言，和在不需要時她會保持的沉默？感謝她本來可以說上許多次但卻沒有說過一次的：“我告訴過你”? 感謝她始終不變的愛心、體貼周到、耐心與寬容厚道？
　　我不知道該怎樣來表達，親愛的上帝，除了請求你好好地保佑我的母親——那是她該得到的——并幫助我向她一樣。我祈愿在孩子的眼里我會如同母親在我眼里一般好。
　　 一個女兒