母親節(jié)：送給摯愛(ài)的母親

     Growing Old and Gray年華漸增

　　When you were 19, she paid for your college tuition, drove you to campus, carried your bags. You thanked her by saying good-bye outside the dorm so you wouldn’t be embarrassed in front of your friends.

　　When you were 20, she asked whether you were seeing anyone. You thanked her by saying, “It’s none of your business.”

　　When you were 21, she suggested certain careers for your future. You thanked her by saying, “I don’t want to be like you.”

　　When you were 22, she hugged you at your college graduation. You thanked her by asking whether she could pay for a trip to Europe.

　　When you were 23, she gave you furniture for your first apartment. You thanked her by telling your friends it was ugly.

　　When you were 24, she met your fiancéand asked about your plans for the future. You thanked her by glaring and growling, “Muuhh-ther, please!”

　　When you were 25, she helped to pay for your wedding, and she cried and told you how deeply she loved you. You thanked her by moving halfway across the country.

　　When you were 30, she called with some advice on the baby. You thanked her by telling her, “Things are different now.”

　　When you were 40, she called to remind you of an relative’s birthday. You thanked her by saying you were “really busy right now”.

　　When you were 50, she fell ill and needed you to take care of her. You thanked her by talking about the burden parents become to their children.

　　And then, one day, she quietly died. And everything you never did came crashing down like thunder. “Rock me baby, rock me all night long.” “The hand who rocks the cradle... may rock the world”.

　　Let us take a moment of the time just to pay tribute and show appreciation to the person called MOM though some may not say it openly to their mother. There’s no substitute for her. Cherish every single moment. Though at times she may not be the best of friends, may not agree to our thoughts, she is still your mother!

　　Your mother will be there for you; to listen to your woes6), your brags7), your frustrations, etc. Ask yourself “Have you put aside enough time for her, to listen to her ‘blues’ of working in the kitchen, her tiredness?”

　　Be tactful, loving and still show her due8) respect, though you may have a different view from hers. Once gone, only fond memories of the past and also regrets will be left.

　　Do not take for granted the things closest to your heart. Love her more than you love yourself. Life is meaningless without her. 

　　你19歲時(shí)，她為你支付大學(xué)的學(xué)費(fèi)，開(kāi)車送你去學(xué)校，幫你提包裹行李。而你對(duì)她的感恩回報(bào)，就是在宿舍門(mén)外匆匆說(shuō)再見(jiàn)，為的是你不致于在朋友面前感到丟人。

　　你20歲時(shí)，她問(wèn)你是否在和別人約會(huì)。而你對(duì)她的感恩回報(bào)，就是對(duì)她說(shuō)：“這不關(guān)你的事！”

　　你21歲時(shí)，她為你將來(lái)從事什么職業(yè)提出一些建議。而你對(duì)她的感恩回報(bào)，就是對(duì)她說(shuō)：“我才不愿像你那樣！”

　　你22歲時(shí)，她在你大學(xué)畢業(yè)典禮上緊緊擁抱你。而你對(duì)她的感恩回報(bào)，就是問(wèn)她能否掏錢(qián)讓你去歐洲旅行。

　　你23歲時(shí)，她為你的第一套公寓置辦家具。而你對(duì)她的感恩回報(bào)，就是告訴朋友說(shuō)這些家具非常難看。

　　你24歲時(shí)，她見(jiàn)到了你的未婚夫，問(wèn)你們將來(lái)有什么打算。而你對(duì)她的感恩回報(bào)，就是對(duì)她怒目而視，大聲吼叫：“媽……，求求你別煩了！”

　　你25歲時(shí)，她花錢(qián)幫你籌辦婚禮，對(duì)你哭訴著說(shuō)她是多么地深愛(ài)著你。而你對(duì)她的感恩回報(bào)，就是把家安得離她遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)的。

　　你30歲時(shí)，她打來(lái)電話為寶寶撫養(yǎng)提出忠告。而你對(duì)她的感恩回報(bào)，就是告訴她：“現(xiàn)在情況和以前不同了！”

　　你40歲時(shí)，她打電話提醒你別忘了一個(gè)親戚的生日。而你對(duì)她的感恩回報(bào)，就是說(shuō)你“現(xiàn)在忙得不可開(kāi)交”。

　　你50歲時(shí)，她生病了需要你照顧。而你對(duì)她的感恩回報(bào)，就是念叨著父母成為了子女的負(fù)擔(dān)。

　　后來(lái)，有一天，她靜悄悄地去了。所有那些你該做而未做的事，仿佛炸雷般在你耳邊轟隆而過(guò)。“搖啊搖，小寶寶，一搖搖到大天亮。”“搖搖籃的手啊……可以搖世界。”

　　讓我們花一點(diǎn)點(diǎn)時(shí)間，對(duì)那個(gè)被我們叫做“媽”的人表達(dá)敬意和感激之情，雖然有些人當(dāng)著面說(shuō)不出口。她是不可替代的。珍惜與她在一起的每一時(shí)刻吧。雖然有時(shí)候，她可能不是我們最好的朋友，可能不同意我們的想法，但她依然是你的媽媽！

　　你的媽媽始終陪伴你身邊，聽(tīng)你傾訴傷心事，聽(tīng)你神吹海侃，聽(tīng)你訴說(shuō)受挫的沮喪……捫心自問(wèn)，“是否曾經(jīng)抽出過(guò)足夠的時(shí)間陪伴她，聽(tīng)聽(tīng)她講圍著灶臺(tái)轉(zhuǎn)的‘煩心事’，聽(tīng)聽(tīng)她講她有多疲憊？”

　　即使你與她意見(jiàn)不一，也要委婉一些，充滿愛(ài)心，對(duì)她表示出應(yīng)有的尊敬。一旦她去了，剩下的就只有對(duì)過(guò)去歲月的美好回憶和無(wú)盡的遺憾。

　　不要以為，與你心最近，你就理所應(yīng)得。愛(ài)她要甚于愛(ài)你自己。沒(méi)有了她，生命將毫無(wú)意義。

　　1. wail [weil] vi. 哀號(hào)，嚎啕

　　2. banshee [5bAnFi:] n. (愛(ài)爾蘭和蘇格蘭民間傳說(shuō)中的)女妖精(其顯形或哀嚎預(yù)示家庭中將有人死亡)

　　3. crayon [5kreiEn] n. 有色粉筆，蠟筆

　　4. plop [plCp] vi. 撲通落下

　　5. becoming [bi5kQmiN] adj. 合適的，適當(dāng)?shù)?/span>

　　6. woe [wEu] n. 悲哀

　　7. brag [brA^] n. 吹牛

　　8. due [dju:] adj. 應(yīng)得的