並非生長在生活優渥的家庭,從小爸爸是個性情中人,很有才氣但不為五斗米折腰的他,卻使媽媽一個人加班熬夜上班,累的不可開交,做為兒女的我們雖沒能考上好學校讓媽媽光榮,但至少盡量做家務分擔她的辛勞及打工賺錢不拿零用錢,讀到此文章時,對於做為父親卻很少顯露的親情對話,特別深受感動。
昨夜翻到幾年前存檔印製下來兩篇,從小大家都聽過的文章 (麥克阿瑟為子祈禱文及甜蜜的負荷),也是我特別喜歡也想對我的孩子說的話。好吧,那今晚的睡前故事改為分享這兩篇文章。
麥克阿瑟為子祈禱文 (A Pray For Son) | |||||
“Build me a son, O Lord, | |||||
主啊!求你塑造我的兒子, | |||||
who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, | |||||
使他夠堅強到能認識自己的軟弱; | |||||
and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; | |||||
夠勇敢到能面對懼怕; | |||||
one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, | |||||
在誠實的失敗中,毫不氣餒; | |||||
and humble and gentle in victory. | |||||
在勝利中,仍保持謙遜溫和。 | |||||
Build me a son whose wishes will not take the place of deeds; | |||||
懇求塑造我的兒子,不至空有幻想而缺乏行動; | |||||
a son who will know Thee…… | |||||
引導他認識你, | |||||
and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge. | |||||
同時又知道,認識自己乃是真知識的基石。 | |||||
Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, | |||||
我祈禱,願你引導他不求安逸、舒適, | |||||
but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge. | |||||
相反的,經過壓力、艱難和挑戰, | |||||
Here, let him learn to stand up in the storm; | |||||
學習在風暴中挺身站立, | |||||
here let him learn compassion for those that fail. | |||||
學會憐恤那些在重壓之下失敗的人。 | |||||
Build me a son whose heart will be clear, | |||||
求你塑造我的兒子,心地清潔, | |||||
whose goal will be high, | |||||
目標遠大; | |||||
a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; | |||||
使他在指揮別人之前,先懂得駕馭自己; | |||||
one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past. | |||||
永不忘記過去的教訓,又能伸展入未來的理想。 | |||||
And after all these things are his, | |||||
當他擁有以上的一切, | |||||
add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, | |||||
我還要禱求,賜他足夠的幽默感, | |||||
so that he may always be serious, | |||||
使他能認真嚴肅, | |||||
yet never take himself too seriously. | |||||
卻不致過分苛求自己。 | |||||
Give him humility, | |||||
懇求賜他謙卑, | |||||
so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, | |||||
使他永遠牢記,真偉大中的平凡, | |||||
the open mind of true wisdom and the meekness of true strength. | |||||
真智慧中的開明,真勇力中的溫柔。 | |||||
Then, I, his father will dare to whisper, | |||||
如此,我這作父親的,才敢低聲說: | |||||
‘I have not lived in vain.'” | |||||
「我沒有虛度此生。」 | |||||
Giant&Diane在聽完我邊解釋的”為子祈禱文”後,雖然仍有很多詞意不懂,但當我又唸完吳晟的甜蜜的負荷時,他們竟流下有感的眼淚來然後說著:上課會認真,作業按時做(可以不用餘外花去補習費),少看電視(不用看醫生載眼鏡),也會努力幫媽媽省錢(照顧身體少感冒)並能存錢買房子(讓奶奶不用爬樓梯而可以坐電梯)…的約定。他們明白這篇淺顯意懂的涵意,就像文中所言:父母每天上班下班,有如陀螺的轉呀轉,使他了解父母就像那陀螺般辛勞,父母平時千叮萬囑的希望你們可以玩具不亂丟要珍惜,日常生活用電用水要節約,有額外要求買東西也務必要想一想是必要或想要,學音樂快樂,但練習與學習的態度很重要也不可忽視…這就是媽媽對你們的祈禱。
甜蜜的負荷 | |||
下班之後,便是黃昏了 | |||
偶爾也望一望絢麗的晚霞 | |||
卻不再逗留 | |||
因為你們仰向阿爸的小臉 | |||
透露更多的期待 | |||
加班之後,便是深夜了 | |||
偶爾也望一望燦爛的星空 | |||
卻不再沉迷 | |||
因為你們熟睡的小臉 | |||
比星空更迷人 | |||
阿爸每日每日的上下班 | |||
有如陀螺的轉呀轉 | |||
將阿爸激越的豪情 | |||
逐一轉為柔情 | |||
就像阿公和阿媽 | |||
為阿爸織就了一生 | |||
綿長而細密的呵護 | |||
孩子呀!阿爸也沒有任何怨言 | |||
只因這是生命中 | |||
最沉重 | |||
也是最甜蜜的負荷 | |||
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