I'm here today with my father, Don Smith. He is going to deliver today's lesson, a Father's Day lesson,in recognition of this weekend Father's Day. 今天和我一块来到节目的是我的父亲，今天他要给我们讲述今天的课题，父亲节的课题，来庆祝父亲节。

My father is an eighty-years-old, he had been a great friend of mine my whole life,and I'm honored today to have him deliver our father's message, here you go dad. 我父亲八十岁了，他是我一生的朋友。我今天很荣幸请他来到这里。

On this Father’s Day weekend, I am reminiscing about my family and the connectedness I am enjoying today. 在这个父亲节的周末，我回忆着我的家人，回忆着我今天所享受到的和家人在一起的点点滴滴。

I am remembering past events that have contributed to my philosophy about what it takes to have a connected family. 我回忆着一些有助于我的哲学的往事，这是关于一个联系紧密的家庭需要什么的哲学。

From my experience, I define connectedness as that place in any relationship where two people meet, find safety and respect in openness, 从我的经验看来，联系可以定义为在任何关系下两个人相遇，找到安全感并且公开地尊重对方的地方，

know differences will not divide, and are valued and bound together by love and the freedom to be authentically one’s self. 差异并没有引起隔阂而是被珍视，他们被爱和成为真正自我的自由紧紧地联系在了一起。

For the last 13 years I have been engaged in researching our family’s genealogy with my now 95-year-old brother in researching our family's geneology. 在过去的13年里，我一直在和我现在已经95岁的弟弟一起从事研究我们的家族族谱。

It has been an informative and rewarding pursuit providing me an enriched perspective on life and one’s contribution to future generations. 这是一个有教育性意义并很值得的追求，它提供给我一个丰富的角度看生活，以及一个人对未来几代人的贡献。

From my genealogical research dating back to the 1500’s, I have concluded that not much, if anything, will be remembered about us personally beyond the third generation. 从我对追溯到十五世纪的宗谱学的研究中可以总结出，在超过第三代以后我们能记住的关于我们自己的事几乎没有。

But, our profound choices can and probably will have a “ripple” effect on generations to come. 然而，我们那些影响深远的决定可以对后代们有 “涟漪效应”。

To illustrate, one line of ancestors chose to come to America on the Mayflower. 举个例子来说，一队祖先们选择乘“五月花号”的邮轮来到美国，

Another chose to join in the fight for independence in the American Revolution, while another chose to remain loyal to the British Crown and moved to Nova Scotia. 另一队选择飞去美国参与支持美国独立战争，与此同时还有一部分选择忠于英国王朝而搬去了加拿大。

Choices, choices, choices! They have certainly impacted generations to follow. And I realize that my choices today could also have an impact on my descendents. 选择，选择，又一个选择!他们毫无疑问地影响了他们的后代。而且我意识到我今天的决定也同样对我的后代们有所影响。

When I was only 16 years old, my father died suddenly at age 66. I knew him as a quiet, honorable, and respected man. 当我只是16岁时，我爸爸突然过世，享年66岁。我知道他是一个安静、可敬和受人尊敬的人。

He indeed was a man of fine character, but we never “connected.” 他确实是一个好性格的人，但是我们从未“关联”。

That relationship greatly influenced my intentions as a father. 这种关系很大地影响了我作为一名父亲的意图。

So I aspired to be like him—a man of integrity; but I also choose to be a father of intentional connectedness. 所以我虽然渴望像他一样——做一个正直的人;但我也选择成为一个特意与家人有关联的父亲。

I have four children and fourteen grandchildren. My relationship with each one is special, unique, and greatly treasured. 我有4个小孩和14个孙子女。我和每一个人的关系都很特殊，很独特，非常珍贵。

I experience rewarding connectedness with each one. 我体验着和每一个人的有益的关联。