AFather’sGiftfroaDaughter
雷蒙德·L.莫尔黑德/RayondL.Morehead
Tosuessfullyraiseanychildthesedaysishardwork,tosaytheleast,anditisoftenbothphysicallyandntallytaxgforaotherandfather.Thefruitofthisborofloveaynotbeseenforyearsafterthechildhaslefthoandbeesaparent.Thereisnostruanualorbookof“what-ifs”thateswitheachchildwhentheyareborn,noratitableofwhattodoandwhen.Eachdayisanewchalleoitsown,wheresuessisoftenarkedfrasofanchratherthanyardsandiles.Sohowandwhendoarentsknowwhenwehavehadsuess?
MyanswerFather’sDay.Toanoldsayg,“It’snotthegiftbutthethoughtthatunts.”SoitwasonthisdaywhenIwasgivenocraftboxesasgiftsfroygrowndaughter,ohesizeofacigarboxandtheotherthesizeofargergbox.“Daddy,”shesaid,“pleasesitwithonthefloorlikeyoudidyearsbefore.”Sowesatdownuponthefletherandshehahefirstbox.“Openit.”Insidewasaletterandpearedtobeachild’slleofoddsandends.“Daddy,”shesaid,“readtheletterfirst.”
DearDad,
TheettheoreIrealizewhataniportantfenceyou’vebeenylife.SoforFather’sDayIdecidedtogiveyouontoboxes,bothfilledwithspecialoriesandthgsIkeepclosetoyheart,thgsthatyouoncegave.Inthefirstandrgerboxyouwillfdjtafewofyspecialredersofyouandtiswesharedtogetherjtweo.
1.Apairofshstiedwithabow.Theseareredersofthehoursyouspentteachgtotieyownshoessolongago.
2.ABand-Aid,toredofallthescrapesandcutsyoufixedonyelbowsandkeachgtorideyfirstbike.
3.Aweestorybook,forallthespecialade-upbedtistoriesyoureadtoallatnight.
4.Apackofachild’slearngfshcards,asybolofyourteachgandhelpgthroughyyearsofschoolevenwhenIthoughtIkall.
5.Aarble.IwishitwasoneoftheonesyougavetoandIlost,froyourspecialonesyoupyedwithwhenyouwereschool.
6.Asegkitandaweesegacheredsoftherealonesyougaveandonwhichyoutaughthowtosew.
7.Apiecefroychildhoodbhatyouwouldalwaysverupwitheadeverynight.
8.Abroke,sybolofallthebrokesaachesyouhelpedthrough.
9.AsilverdolrredsofallthetisyougaveyourstdolrwhenyouleastuldaffordtobutknewyourheartwhenIreallytheost.
10.Atissue.ThisisforallthetisIcriedonyourshoulderandyoudriedupallthetearsbecaeyoucared.
11.Aleaf.Asybolofnaturethatyoutaughttouand,enjoyandrespect
12.OneaspirredsofalltheheadachesIthavegivenyouandMoovertheyears,yetyouseldoped.Iknowitshouldbeatruckloadifthetruthbetold.
13.Apieceofdy,toletyoukheseoriesarestillto.
14.Lastbutnotleast,aphotoofychildrenand,toredtoteachychildrenallthatyouandMohavetaught,andtosharewiththethelovethatonlyparentslikeyoubothhavegivento.
Ihadtearsyeyesandanacheyheartasshegavethesend,sallestboxto.“Openitnow,please.”shesaid.
InsideIfoundanothernoteandthisoneshewrote:Daddy,
InthisboxIwasgogtoputallofwhatreallyadeadiffereo.AllofwhatitwasthatyougavetoakewhatIatoday.ButifIgaveitbacktoyouthenIwouldhavethebestpartofissg,whichisallthelove,hugsandkissesyougavefrothetiIwasborntillnow,andforwhichthereisnobeenough.SoIthkIwillholdontotheseandsharethewithychildrenwhoIhopeonedaywilluandwhatawonderfulgifttheyaretogiveandreceive.Iloveyou,Daddy,andHappyFather’sDay!
成功地抚养一个孩子长大是件艰辛的事，起码对于父母来说，养育孩子会令他们身心俱疲。在自己的孩子离开家门、为人父母之前，这种爱的劳动成果或许在很多年里都得不到收获。在每个孩子出生时，并没有什么手册或者“预测未来”的书跟随他们而至，也同样不会有一张写着什么时间做什么事情的时刻表。每天都是一个新的挑战，巨大的付出却只是获得微不足道的成功。那么，身为父母的我们，如何知道什么时候获得了成功呢？
我的答案在父亲节这天不期而至。套用一句老话，那就是“礼轻情义重”。父亲节那天，已长大成人的女儿送给我两个盒子，其中一个盒子有烟盒般大小，另一个则与戒指盒差不多大。女儿对我说：“爸爸，请陪我一起坐在地板上吧，就像多年以前那样。”于是，我们一起坐下来。她把第一个盒子递给我，说道：“打开来看看。”盒子里面装着一封信和一些似乎像是小孩子收集的零碎东西。女儿说：“爸爸，您先读读那封信吧。”亲爱的爸爸：
随着我年龄的增长，我愈加明白您在我生命中的影响有多么重要。于是，我决定在父亲节这天，送给您两个具有纪念意义的盒子。里面都装满了我特别的记忆和珍藏的东西。那些都是您曾经送给我的。盛放在第一个大盒子里面的东西，会让我回想起与您共同度过的美好时光。
1.用丝带系着的一双鞋带。它们勾起了很多年之前您教我系鞋带的记忆。
2.创可贴。它让我回想起您教我第一次骑车时的情景。我的肘部和膝盖都被擦伤了。这是您帮我贴在伤口处的创可贴。
3.袖珍故事书。这本书中的故事是特地为孩子们编写的，您在每个夜晚，读着故事伴我们入睡。