英文夜讀：The Silent Love of a Father一個父親無言的愛 (MP3)

The Silent Love of a Father

一個父親無言的愛

After Mom died， I began visiting Dad every morning before I went to work。 He was frail and moved slowly， but he always had a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice for me， Such a gesture， I knew， was as far as Dad had ever been able to go in expressing his love。 In fact， I remember， as a kid I had questioned Mom “Why doesn‘t Dad love me！”Mom frowned。“Who said he doesn’t love you！”“Well， he never tells me， “I complained。 “He never tells me either， “she said， smiling。“But look how hard he works to take care of us， to buy us food and clothes， and to pay for this house。 That’s how your father tells us he loves us。”

我媽去世之後，我開始在每天上班之前都去探望一下我爸。他身體虛弱，行走緩慢，但是，他總是為我親手榨好一杯新鮮桔子汁，我明白，這是他表達他對我的愛所能採取的方式。事實上，至今我還記得，在我孩子時代我問過我媽：“為什麼我爸不愛我？”對此，我媽皺起了眉頭。“誰說他不愛你？”“可是，他從來沒告訴過我。”我抱怨道。“他從來也沒告訴過我，”她說，臉上露出笑容，“不過，你看他為了養活我們，給我們買吃的、穿的，繳納房款，幹活多拼命呀。這就是你爸表達他愛我們的方式。”

Every time after drinking the juice my father had squeezed for me； I walked over， hugged him and said， “I love you， Dad。”。My father never told me how he felt about my hugs， and there was never any expression on his face when I gave them。 Then one morning， pressed for time， I drank my juice and made for the door。

每次在我第一次離家前看望我爸的過程中，我喝完我爸親手為我榨的桔子汁之後，走過去摟住他，對他說：“爸，我愛你。”可是，我爸從未告訴過我，我擁抱他時他是什麼感覺；而且我擁抱時，他臉上從來沒有任何表情。然後，一天早上，由於時間緊，我喝完桔子汁就向門口走去。

Dad stepped in front of me and asked， “Well！”“Well what！”I asked， knowing exactly what。 “Well！”he repeated， looking everywhere but at me。 I hugged him extra hard。 Now was the right time to say what I‘d always wanted to。 “I’m fifty years old， Dad， and you‘ve never told me you love me。”My father stepped away from me。 He picked up the empty juice glass， washed it and put it away。“You’ve told other people you love me。”I said， “but I‘ve never heard it from you。”Dad looked very uncomfortable。 I moved closer to him。“Dad， I want you to tell me you love me。”Dad took a step back， his lips pressed together。 He seemed about to speak， then shook his head。“Tell me “I shouted。 “All right I love you “Dad finally blurted， His eyes glistened， then overflowed。

爸爸一步跨到我面前，問道：“這個？”“這個什麼？”我問道，可我心中一清二楚。“這個？”他重複說，東張西望，就是不看我。我格外使勁地摟了摟他。現在是說出我一直想要說的話的最佳時刻了。“爸，我已經50歲了，可你從來沒有對我說過你愛我。”父親轉身走開了，他拿起那隻空杯子，把它洗乾淨放好。“你告訴過別人你愛我，”我說，“可是我從未聽你說過這話。”看上去，父親感到很不自在。我走近他：“爸，我想聽你說你愛我。”他後退了一步，雙唇緊閉。他好像要說話，然後又搖搖頭。“告訴我！”我大聲說。“行吧！我愛你！”父親終於說出來了，他的眼中噙著淚珠，最後終於潸然淚下。

I stood before him， stunned and silent。 My father loved me so much that just saying so made him weep， Mom had been right。 Every day of my life Dad had told me how much he loved me by what he did and what he gave。“I know， Dad， “I said。“I know。”And now at last I did。

我站在他面前，驚得說不出話來。我認識到我的父親如此愛我，以至於在說出他愛我時，他居然流下淚來。我媽是對的。我生命中的每一天，我爸都在用行動和付出對我說著他愛我。“爸，我知道，”我說，“我知道。”最後我終於明白了。