当我老了时

每年六月的第三个星期天是父亲节（Father’s Day）。这是一封父亲写给儿子的信，读完它你会有怎样的感想？父亲节来了，让我们好好地对待我们至亲至爱的父亲吧!

Dear son，

The day that you see me old and I am already not strong, have patience and try to understand me.

If I get dirty when eating, if I can not dress…have patience. Remember the hours I spent teaching it to you.

If I repeat the same thing thousand and one times, do not interrupt me, listen to me. When you were small, I had to read to you thousand and one times the same story until you got to sleep.

When I do not want to have a shower, neither shame me nor scold me. Remember the excuses that I invented, in order that you wanted to bath.

When you see my ignorance on new technologies, give me the necessary time and not look at me with your mocking smile. I taught you how to do so many things：to eat good, to dress well, to confront life…

When at some moment I lose the memory or the thread of our conversation, let me have the necessary timeremember. And if I can’t do it, do not become nervous, as the most important thing to me is not my conversation but surely to be with you and to have you listening to me.

If ever I do not want to eat, do not force me. I know well when I need to and when not. When my tired legs do not allow me walk, give me your hand, the same way I did when you gave your first step.

And when someday I say to you that I do not want to live any more, do not get angry, someday you will understand.Try to understand that my age is not lived but survived.

Someday you will discover that, despite my mistakes, I always wanted the best thing for you.

You must not feel sad, angry or impotent for seeing me near you. You must be next to me, try to understand me and to help me as I did it when you started living.

Help me to walk, help me to end my way with love and patience. I will pay you by a smile and by the immense love I have had always for you.

I love you，son.

Your father

译文

亲爱的儿子：

在你看到我老了，身体也不行了的那一天，请耐着性子试着了解我。

如果我吃得脏兮兮的，如果我不会穿衣服了……有耐性一点。想想我教你吃饭穿衣花费的时间。

如果我一次又一次地对你重复说同样的事情，不要打断我，听我说。你小时候，我得把同样的故事一遍又一遍读给你听，直到你进入梦乡。

当我不想洗澡时，不要让我难堪，也不要责骂我。你记得我曾编出多少理由，只为了哄你洗澡。

当你看到我对新科技的无知时，给我一点时间，不要用嘲笑的目光看着我。我曾教了你多少事情：如何吃好、穿好，如何面对生活……

如果某一刻我忽然失忆或忘记了交谈的思路，给我一点时间回想。如果我还是回想不起来，请不要紧张。对我而言，最重要的不是我说什么，而是能跟你在一起，让你听我说。

当我不想吃东西时，不要勉强我，我知道什么时候该吃什么时候不该吃。当我疲惫的双腿不听使唤时，扶我一把，如同我曾扶着你迈出你的第一步。

有一天我告诉你不想活下去时，请不要生气，总有一天你会明白。试着了解我，我已是风烛残年，来日可数。

有一天你会发现，即使我有许多过错，但我总是尽我所能给你最好的。

当我靠近你时，不要感到伤心、生气或无能为力。你要紧挨着我，试着去了解我和帮助我，如同我当初帮着你开始人生一样。

扶我一把，用爱跟耐心帮我走完人生，我将用微笑和我始终不变的、无限的爱来回报你。

我爱你，儿子。

你的父亲