孩子的守护天使
从前，有个孩子马上就要诞生了。因此有一天他问上帝：“听说明天你就送我去人间了，但是，我这么弱小和无助，我在那儿怎么生活呢？” 上帝答道：“在众多的天使中，我特别为你挑了一位。她会守候你，无微不至地照顾你。”
小孩还是拿不准自己是否真的想去。“但是在天堂，我除了唱唱笑笑外，什么也不做。这就足以让我感到幸福了。”
“你的天使每天会为你唱歌，为你微笑。你会感受她的爱，并且因此而幸福。”
“如果我不懂人类的语言，他们对我说话时，我怎么听得懂呢？”孩子继续问道。
上帝轻轻地拍了一下孩子的脑袋说：“你的天使会对你说最最美丽、最最动听的话语，而这些都是你从未听过的。她会不厌其烦地教你说话。”
“如果我想与你说话怎么办？”
上帝胸有成竹地回答：“你的天使会将你的双手合拢，教你如何祈祷。”
“听说尘世有很多坏蛋，谁来保护我呢？”
“即使冒着生命危险，你的天使也会保护你的。”
“但是见不到你，我会难过的。”小孩小心翼翼说道。
听到这儿，上帝对着小孩笑了。“尽管我会一直陪伴你左右，你的天使仍会提起我，教你重返天堂之路。”
此时，天堂一片宁静，凡间的声音已可听到，小孩明白自己得赶紧上路了。他又轻声问了最后一个问题，“哦，上帝，假如我现在就出发，请你告诉我，我的天使叫什么名字。”
上帝把手放在小孩的肩上，答道：“你的天使的名字很容易记住，你就叫她——妈妈。”
Love Your Mother
More Than Yourself
Those Childhood Days
When you came into the world，she held you in her arms.
You thanked her by weeping your eyes out.
When you were 1year old，she fed you and bathed you.
You thanked her by crying all night long.
When you were 2years old，she taught you to walk.
You thanked her by running away when she called.
When you were 3years old，she made all your meals with love.
You thanked her by tossing your plate on the floor.
When you were 4years old，she gave you some crayons.
You thanked her by coloring the dining room table.
When you were 5years old，she dressed you for the holidays.
You thanked her by plopping into the nearest pile of mud.
When you were 6years old，she walked you to school.
You thanked her by screaming，“I’m not going！”
When you were 7years old，she bought you a baseball.
You thanked her by throwing it through the nextdoorneighbor’s window.
When you were 8years old，she handed you an ice cream.
You thanked her by dripping it all over your lap.
When you were 9years old，she paid for piano lessons.
You thanked her by never even bothering to practice.
When you were 10years old，she drove you all day，from soccer to gymnastics to one birthday party after another.
You thanked her by jumping out of the car and never looking back.
When you were 11years old，she took you and your friends to the movies.
You thanked her by asking to sit in a different row.
When you were 12years old，she warned you not to watch certain TV shows.
You thanked her by waiting until she left the house.
Those Teenage Years
When you were 13，she suggested a haircut that was becoming.
You thanked her by telling her she had no taste.
When you were 14，she paid for a month away at summer camp.
You thanked her by forgetting to write a single letter.
When you were 15，she came home from work，looking for a hug.
You thanked her by having your bedroom door locked.
When you were 16，she taught you how to drive her car.
You thanked her by taking it every chance you could.
When you were 17，she was expecting an important call.
You thanked her by being on the phone all night.
When you were 18，she cried at your high school graduation.
You thanked her by staying out partying until dawn.
Growing Old and Gray
When you were 19，she paid your college tuition，drove you to campus，carried your bags.
You thanked her by saying goodbye 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.