為我的母親祈禱
Dear God，
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.
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 extraordinary1） person she is.How sad that I am unable to speak these words in her presence2），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 plain3） 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 uttered4） these words dozens of times？For being essentially5） herself ――loving，thoughtful，patient，and forgiving6）？
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.
A daughter
by Ann Landers
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表示過他們的感激之情，而待到要告訴時為時已晚了。
幸運的是，我親愛的母親依然健在。我對她的感情與日俱增。母親沒有變，而我卻變了。隨著年歲的增長，我越來越懂事了，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。
一個女兒該怎樣開口感謝她的母親所給予的生命？感謝她在撫養孩子時所付出的愛、耐心以及無私的辛勤勞動？感謝她跟在蹣跚學步的孩子身后奔跑，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母親依然如故的角色？感謝在被問到時她會及時提供良言，而在不需要時她會保持沉默？感謝她沒有說：“我告訴過你，”而她本來可以說上許多次？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如同母親在我眼里一般好。
一個女兒
1. extraordinary adj. 異常的；非凡的
2. presence n. 在場， 存在
3. plain adj. 簡單的，樸素的
4. utter vt. 發出， 做聲， 發表
5. essentially adv. 本質上， 本來
6. forgiving adj. 寬大的， 慈悲的
散文本文地址：http://www.hengchuai.cn/writing/essay/44647.html
