This prayer was written by Ann Landers. Today is mothers' day and I may never find better words to express my gratitude of my mother. May God bless her as richly as she deserves.

A Prayer for My Mother (by Ann Landers)

Dear God,

Now that I am no longer young, I have friends whose mothers have passed away. I have heard these sons and daughters say they never fully appreciated their mothers until it was too late to tell them.

I am blessed with a dear mother who is still alive. I appreciate her more each day. My mother does not change, but I do. As I grow older and wiser, I realize what an extraordinary person she is. How sad that I am unable to speak these words in her presence, but they flow easily from my pen.

How does a daughter begin to thank her mother for life itself? For the love, patience and just plain hard work that go into raising a child?

For running after a toddler, for understanding a moody teenager, for tolerating a college student who knows everything? For waiting for the day when a daughter realizes how wise her mother really is? How does a grown woman thank a mother for continuing to be a mother? For being ready with advice (when asked) or remaining silent when most appreciated? For not saying "I told you so" when she could have uttered those words dozens of times? For being essentially herself-loving, thoughtful, patient and forgiving?

I don't know how, dear God, except to ask you to bless her as richly as she deserves and to help me live up to the example she has set. I pray that I will look as good in the eyes of my children as my mother looks in mine.

Signed, A daughter

祈祷，为我的母亲

亲爱的上帝，
　　如今，我不再年轻，我有很多朋友的母亲已经去世。我听到这些儿女们说，他们从来没有真正地感激过他们的母亲，等到要告诉她，却为时已晚。
　　上帝保佑，我亲爱的母亲仍然在世。我对她的感激之情与日俱增。我的母亲没有变，但我变了。随着我的年龄和智慧的增长，我明白了母亲是这样的伟大。这些话在她面前我难以启齿，但它们轻易的从我的笔下流露出来。
　　一个女儿如何开始为生命而感激母亲？为她在抚养子女中付出的爱，耐心和艰辛的劳动？为跟在一个蹒跚学步的幼儿身后奔跑？为理解一个感性的少女？为容忍一个自以为是的大学生？为等待一天，当女儿意识到她的母亲何其明智？
　　一个成年女子如何为继续成为一个母亲而感激母亲？为能随时提出建议，或在不需要时保持沉默？为从来不说“我告诉过你”而实际上她已经重复了几十遍？为了爱，周到，耐心和宽容？
　　我不知道怎么办，亲爱的上帝，除了请你好好地保佑她——那是她应得的——并帮助我向我母亲树立的榜样看齐。我祈祷，孩子们的眼中，我如同母亲在我的眼里一般好。

签名：一个女儿