为我的母亲祈祷
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
亲爱的上帝：
如今我已不再年轻，一些朋友的母亲已经去世了。我曾听这些子女们说过，他们从没有向母亲充分表示过他们的感激之情，而待到要告诉时为时已晚了。
幸运的是，我亲爱的母亲依然健在。我对她的感情与日俱增。母亲没有变，而我却变了。随着年岁的增长，我越来越懂事了，我认识到她是个非常了不起的人。这些话在她面前我难以启齿，但在笔下却可以轻易地写出来，这令我感到多么难过。
一个女儿该怎样开口感谢她的母亲所给予的生命？感谢她在抚养孩子时所付出的爱、耐心以及无私的辛勤劳动？感谢她跟在蹒跚学步的孩子身后奔跑，对情绪不定的少女的理解，以及对一个自以为是的大学生的宽容？感谢她等待女儿认识到她真是一位好母亲的这一天？
一个成年女子该怎样感谢母亲依然如故的角色？感谢在被问到时她会及时提供良言，而在不需要时她会保持沉默？感谢她没有说：“我告诉过你，”而她本来可以说上许多次？感谢她始终不变的爱心、体贴周到、耐心与宽容厚道？
我不知道该怎样来表达，亲爱的上帝，除了请求你好好地保佑她――那是她该得到的――并帮助我朝她做出的榜样看齐。我祈愿在孩子的眼里我会如同母亲在我眼里一般好。
一个女儿
1. extraordinary adj. 异常的；非凡的
2. presence n. 在场， 存在
3. plain adj. 简单的，朴素的
4. utter vt. 发出， 做声， 发表
5. essentially adv. 本质上， 本来
6. forgiving adj. 宽大的， 慈悲的
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