Dec 27 2007
Letter to our children (for future)
My mom received a leaflet one morning when she went to the market. To be exact, the leaflet was a photocopied A4 printout.
She showed me, and kept metioning the content many times. Yes, it is very touching, and I guess my mom is trying to tell me the same thing.
I am re-typing them here, to share with all who have an elderly at home, and for my children to read them when they grow up (and I grow old) later. Hence, the category also include Ian and Isabel…
Sorry, this ‘letter’ is in Chinese. May I recommend Google’s translator if you can’t read them?
当我老了, 不再是原来的我
请理解我, 对我有一点耐心
当我把菜汤洒到衣服上时, 当我忘记怎样系鞋带时
请想一想, 当初我是如何牵着你的手教你
当我一遍又一遍的重复你早已听腻的话语
请耐心的听我说,不要打断我
请想一想, 你小的时候, 我不得不重复
那个我讲过千百遍的故事, 直到你进入梦乡
当我需要你帮我洗澡时, 请不要责备我
还记得小时候, 我千方百计哄你洗澡的情形吗?
当我对新科技和新事物不知所措时, 请不要嘲笑我
想一想当初我怎样耐心去回答你每一个”为什么”
当我由于双脚疲劳而无法行走时
请伸出你年轻有力的手搀扶我
就像你小时候学习走路时, 我扶你那样
当我忽然忘记我们谈话的主题
请给我一点时间去回想
其实对我来说, 谈论什么并不重要
只要你在一旁听我说, 我就很满足了
当你看着老去的我, 请不要悲伤
理解我, 支持我, 就像你刚开始学习如何生活时,我对你那样
当初我引导你走上人生的路
如今请陪我走完最后的路
给我你的爱和耐心, 我会报以感激的微笑
这微笑中, 凝结着我对你无限的爱
It is indeed very touching, but how many of us treat our parents the way we treat our kids? I am guilty of not treating my mom better. One morning when I sent Ian to my mom’s house, I rang the door bell, no one answered for 5 solid minutes. I opened it and called her many times, no response. I was a bit scared. Opening her bedroom door, I saw her lying on her bed, still.
I’ve never told anyone about this –> I WAS SCARED TO HELL, I WAS WORRIED SHE DIED ON HER BED! That moment I knew I would regret if I don’t treat her any better (not that I am bad to her, but she deserves more!).
After calling her a couple of times, she suddenly woke up – apparently she was just too tired. Whew! What a relief for me…
Back to this letter, there are 2 phrases that I’d like to highlight, very true for Ian:
1. 那个我讲过千百遍的故事, 直到你进入梦乡
2. 想一想当初我怎样耐心去回答你每一个”为什么”
It is true that I have to repeat the same bedtime story again and again. I was so tired and sick of the story, but he insisted — a mother would not reject the kid’s request, so after negotiating a while, I had to oblige.
It is also true that Ian asks a lot of ‘why’, on just EVERYTHING!! I think I must compile a page for all his ‘why’ questions. Some really tickled us. The why’s never end – another surface when you answer one. 
That’s how we treat our kids now, and exactly how our parents treated us when we were small. I guess when reading the letter, it is not only a letter we wish our kids read, but also something to ponder in terms of how we treat our parents…
Very touching indeed. May I copy it and save into my blog as well? I read a similar one before somewhere but that was long time ago.
Elaine: go ahead. It is not created by me anyway – I’m just typing it from the A4 printout.