英语沙龙：为我的母亲祈祷

Prayer¹ for My Mother

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 fully² 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 moody³ teenager，for tolerating⁴ 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 silent⁵ 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 deserves⁶ 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

为我的母亲祈祷

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 prayer   

n.祈祷，祈求，请求，恳求；祷文，祷告者，恳求者

参考例句：

• We heard the calling of the bells to prayer.我们听见了召唤祈祷的钟声。
• Everyone in church knelt in prayer.教堂里每个人都跪着祈祷。

2 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

3 moody   

adj.心情不稳的，易怒的，喜怒无常的

参考例句：

• He relapsed into a moody silence.他又重新陷于忧郁的沉默中。
• I'd never marry that girl.She's so moody.我决不会和那女孩结婚的。她太易怒了。

4 tolerating   

v.容许( tolerate的现在分词 )；承认；忍受；容忍（不同意或不喜欢的事物）

参考例句：

• 'shao-Shao is tolerating the banding very well, "he said. “笑笑现在扎上绷带，一切正常，”他说。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Sun Ray decision follows the federal pattern of tolerating broad delegations but insisting on safeguards. “阳光”案的判决仿效联邦容许广泛授权的做法，但又坚持保护措施。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

5 silent   

adj.安静的，不吵闹的，沉默的，无言的；n.(复数)默剧

参考例句：

• Immediately on his beginning to speak,everyone was silent.他一讲话，大家顿时安静下来。
• The boys looked at the conjuror in silent wonder. 孩子们目瞪口呆地看着那魔术师。

6 deserves   

v.应受，应得，值得( deserve的第三人称单数 )；应受报答；应得报酬；应得赔偿

参考例句：

• A wilful fault has no excuse and deserves no pardon. 不能宽恕故意犯下的错误。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He is the only poet in this country that deserves the name. 他是这个国家唯一的一位名副其实的诗人。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》