百德孝为先

listening to langhua xiongdi's 'Xiang Ni Jiu Xie Xin'...
~~~
Someone gave me a poster about filial piety and most of the gals in the office were teary-eyed after reading it. Maybe coz we are at that age when we can see visible changes in our parents. Our dads are no longer the handsome strapping young men they used to be. They have more white hair on their heads, they hunch a bit more these days. Our moms are no longer the chirpy young lasses they used to be. They now have more wrinkles everywhere, and coarser hands from work as well as housework.

These days the thought of not seeing my parents upset me immensely. I get very paranoid about them dying. So I warned Dad and Mom, please don't die too soon.

Anyway, here's the article:

当我老了，不再是原来的我。

请理解我，对我有一点耐心。

当我把菜汤洒到自己的衣服上时，

当我忘记怎样系鞋带时，

请想一想当初我是如何手把手地教你。

当我一遍又一遍地重复你早已听腻的话语，

请耐心地听我说，不要打断我。

你从小的时候，我不得不重复那个讲过千百遍的故事，

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地回答你的每一个“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，请给我一些时间让我回想。

其实对我来说，谈论什么并不重要，

只要你能在一旁听我说，我就很满足。

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。

To my dear sons and daughter,

On the day when you see me old, weak and weary,

Have patience and do try to understand me...

If I get dirty while eating, if I cannot dress on my own,

Please bear with me and remember the times I spent feeding and dressing you up...

If when I speak to you, I repeat the same things over and over again, do not interrupt, listen to me,

When you were small I had to read to you a thousand times until you went to sleep...

When I do not want to have shower, neither shame nor scold me,

Remember when I had to chase you with your thousand excuses to get you to the shower?

When you see my ignorance of new technologies help me navigate through these worldwide webs,

I taught you how to do so many things, to dress appropriately, to fight for your rights...

When at some moments I lose the memory or thread of our conversation,

Let me have the necessary time to remember, and if I cannot, do not become nervous,

As the most important thing is not our conversation,

but simply to be with you and to have you listening to me...

If ever I do not feel like eating, do not force me,

I know well when I need to, and when not to...

When my tired legs give way and do not allow me to walk without a cane,

Lend me your helping hand, the same I did when you tried your first faltering steps...

And when someday I say to you that I don’t want to live anymore, that I want to go to heaven,

Do not get angry for one day you will understand,

Try to appreciate that our age is not just lived, but survived...

Someday you will realize that despite my mistakes, I always want the best for you,

And I tried to prepare the way for you...

You must not feel sad, angry nor ashamed having me near you,

Instead, try to understand me and help me like I did when you were younger,

Help me to walk, help me to live the rest of my life with love and dignity,

I will pay you with a smile, and by the immense love I have, always had for you in my heart...