雷蒙德·L.莫尔黑德/Raymond L.Morehead

To successfully raise any child these days is hard work, to say the least, and it is often both physically and mentally taxing for a mother and father. The fruit of this labor of love may not be seen for years after the child has left home and becomes a parent. There is no instruction manual or book of“what-ifs”that comes with each child when they are born, nor a timetable of what to do and when. Each day is a new challenge unto its own, where success is often marked in fractions of an inch rather than yards and miles. So how and when do we as parents know when we have had success?

My answer came on Father’s Day. To coin an old saying,“It’s not the gift but the thought that counts.”So it was on this day when I was given two craft boxes as gifts from my grown daughter, one the size of a cigar box and the other the size of a large ring box.

“Daddy,”she said,“please sit with me on the floor like you did years before.”So we sat down upon the floor together and she handed me the first box.“Open it.”Inside was a letter and what appeared to be a child’s collection of odds and ends.“Daddy,”she said,“read the letter first.”

Dear Dad,

The older I get the more I realize what an important influence you’ve been in my life. So for Father’s Day I decided to give you two memento boxes, both filled with special memories and things I keep close to my heart, things that you once gave me. In the first and larger box you will find just a few of my special reminders of you and times we shared together just we two.

1.A pair of shoestrings tied with a bow. These are reminders of the hours you spent teaching me to tie my own shoes so long ago.

2.A Band-Aid, to remind me of all the scrapes and cuts you fixed on my elbows and knees teaching me to ride my first bike.

3.A wee storybook, for all the special made-up bedtime stories you read to us all at night.

4.A pack of a child’s learning flash cards, a symbol of your teaching me and helping me through my years of school even when I thought I knew it all.

5.A marble. I wish it was one of the ones you gave to me and I lost, from your special ones you played with when you were in school.

6.A sewing kit and a wee sewing machine reminds me of the real ones you gave me and on which you taught me how to sew.

7.A piece from my childhood blanket that you would always cover me up with each and every night.

8.A broken heart, symbol of all the broken hearts and heartaches you helped me through.

9.A silver dollar reminds me of all the times you gave me your last dollar when you least could afford to but knew in your heart when I really needed it the most.

10.A tissue. This is for all the times I cried on your shoulder and you dried up all the tears because you cared.

11.A leaf. A symbol of nature that you taught me to understand, enjoy and respect.

12.One aspirin reminds me of all the headaches I must have given you and Mom over the years, yet you seldom complained. I know it should be a truckload if the truth be told.

13.A piece of candy, to let you know how sweet these memories are still to me.

14.Last but not least, a photo of my children and me, to remind me to teach my children all that you and Mom have taught me, and to share with them the love that only parents like you both have given to me.

I had tears in my eyes and an ache in my heart as she gave the second, smallest box to me.“Open it now, please.”she said.

Inside I found another note and in this one she wrote:

Daddy,

In this box I was going to put all of what really made a difference to me. All of what it was that you gave me to make me what I am today. But if I gave it back to you then I would have the best part of me missing, which is all the love, hugs and kisses you gave me from the time I was born till now, and for which there is no box large enough. So I think I will hold on to these and share them with my children who I hope one day will understand what a wonderful gift they are to give and receive. I love you, Daddy, and Happy Father’s Day!

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？

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：

随着我年龄的增大，我愈加明白您在我的生命中的影响有多么重要。于是，我决定在父亲节上，送给您两个具有纪念意义的盒子。它们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。

4.一沓儿童学习卡片。它们是您教授、辅导我学习的标志。在我的学习生活中，您孜孜不倦地帮助我，甚至在我自认为无所不知时也是一样。

5.一颗玩具弹球。我多么希望它就是您送给我的那颗啊，可是我把它弄丢了。它的特别之处就在于，它是您上学时玩过的。

6.一个针线包和一架袖珍缝纫机。这让我想起您教我做针线活，后来又教我使用缝纫机的一点一滴。

7.我童年时用过的一条毯子。我小的时候，您总是在每个夜晚把这条毯子盖在我的身上。

8.一颗破碎的心。它代表着您陪我一起挺过的所有伤痛。

9.一枚银色的硬币。它让我想到了，当您捉襟见肘时，您还是一次又一次将最后的一枚硬币给我花。在您心里，您知道我何时最需要。

l0.一张纸巾。多少次我伏在您的肩头哭泣，你都会用一张纸巾将我所有的泪水擦干，因为您爱我。

11.一片树叶。它是您教我理解、享受、尊重大自然的象征。

12.每次头疼，您和妈妈都会给我一片阿司匹林药片。我让您和妈妈操碎了心，可是你们却很少有怨言。我知道，如果你们要抱怨的话，那些苦恼真的是一言难尽。

13.一颗糖果。我是想通过这颗糖果让您知道，那些记忆在我的心里还是那么甜蜜。

14.最后一件，但并不是最不重要的一件，是我和我的孩子们的照片。它让我记得，将您和妈妈教给我的东西教给我的孩子们；像您和妈妈给予我的爱一样，把我的爱分享给他们。

泪花在我的眼中涌动，我充满渴望地接过她递给的第二个盒子——最小的那个。“爸爸，请把它打开吧。”女儿说。

我在这个盒子里找到了另外一张字条，上面是这样写的：

爸爸：

我在这个盒子里，放上了所有曾使我有所改变的东西。它们都是您曾给我的，它们铸就了今天的我。但是如果我把这些归还给您，那么我将失去我最美好的东西。它们就是从我出生到现在，您曾给过我的全部关爱、拥抱和亲吻。这些是任何盒子都装不下的。于是，我想继续保留着，并与我的孩子们一起分享它们，希望有一天他们可以明白，他们给予和收到了多么美好的礼物。爸爸，我爱您。父亲节快乐！

词汇笔记

instruction[in'str?k??]n.命令；指示；使用说明书

例 The instructions for the machine are very clear.

这台机器的说明非常清楚明了。

challenge['t???d?]n.挑战；邀请比赛；怀疑；艰巨的任务

例 A challenge is an opportunity to prove your ability.一次挑战就是证明你的能力是一次机会。

craft[kr?t]n.工艺；行业；诡计；技巧

例 The workers are trying to develop modern craft.

工人们试图发展这项现代技术。

memory['m?m?i]n.记忆力；记忆中的事物；回忆

例 He lost his memory after that accident.那次事故后，他丧失了记忆。

小试身手

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。

译________________________________________

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。

译________________________________________

礼轻情义重。

译________________________________________

短语家族

But if I gave it back to you then I would have the best part of me missing.

give back：归还；恢复；后退

造________________________________________

So I think I will hold on to these and share them with my children who I hope one day will understand what a wonderful gift they are to give and receive.

share with：与……分享；把（自己的感受）告诉（某人）

造________________________________________