英语名篇诵读 为母亲祈祷（在线收听）

Prayer for My Mother

为母亲祈祷

Ann Landers(安·兰德斯)

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 cleverer, I realize what an unusual 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 child who just began to learn walking, for understanding a moody teenager, for bearing a college student who knows everything? For waiting for the day when a daughter realizes how wise her mother really is?

How does a grown woman thank 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 herself — loving,thoughtful, patient and forgiving?

I don't know how, dear God, except to ask you to bless her as richly as she deserves and tohelp 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

亲爱的上帝：

我已不再年轻，有一些朋友的母亲已经过世了。我曾经听这些做儿女的说，他们没能充分地感谢母亲，直到为时已晚，后悔莫及。

我很幸运，母亲尚健在。我对她的感恩之情与日俱增。我的母亲没有变，而我变了。

随着我年龄的增长，头脑也更加灵敏，方才意识到母亲是一个多么了不起的人。很遗憾我不能亲口当面向她说这些话，但付诸笔端，便一发不可收拾了。

做女儿的该怎样为生活本身去感谢母亲？为了她的爱、耐心和抚养一个孩子所付出的艰辛劳动？为了她跟在一个蹒跚学步的孩子后面跑？为了她理解一个喜怒无常的十几岁少女？为了她宽容一个不知天高地厚的大学生？为了等到女儿明白她的母亲是多么富有智慧的那一天？一个成年女子该怎样感谢母亲依然如故地继续着她母亲的角色？为了有求必应或不求

回报的无私关爱？为了无数次该说而不说的“我已经跟你讲过了”？为了母亲之为母亲——慈爱、体贴、耐心、宽容？

亲爱的上帝，我不知道怎样感谢母亲的大恩大德，只能恳请你赐她福寿绵长，助我成为像母亲那样的人。我祈祷，愿如我的母亲在我心中那般神圣崇高一样，我在孩子的心中也慈爱可亲。

一个女儿