It'sspring.It'ssunnyandcloudytoday.Therearemanybigtreesinthepark.Mr.Black'sfamilyhaveapicnicinapark.Theybringmanyfoodthere.Theybringfruit,drinkandbread.Mr.BlackandMrs.Blacktalkwitheachother.Theytalkveryhappily.Annreadsamagazine.Tomlikesflyingakite.Thekitefliesverywell.Theyarehungrynow.Theywanttoeattheirfood.Theyareveryhappy.
现在是春天。今天天气晴朗多云。在公园里有很多大树。布莱克先生一家人在公园里野餐。他们带来很多食物。他们带了水果、饮料和面包。布莱克先生和布莱克的夫人互相聊天。他们聊得很愉快。安在读一本杂志。汤姆喜欢放风筝。风筝飞得很好。他们现在饿了。他们想要吃他们的食物。他们非常高兴。
Thebellrangandtheclasswasover.Theclassroombecamenoisy.Somestudentswentoutoftheclassroom.IwasjustchattingwithsomeofmyclassmateswhenLiHongcametome.Shesmiledandsaidtome,"What'sfourminusfour?Doyouknow?""It'szero.Thatiseasy."answeredI.
ButLiHongshookherheadandsaid"It'swrong.It'seight.""Why?That'simpossible!""Youwillunderstandifyoucutdownfourcornersofadesk."saidLiHong."Isthatajoke?""Oh,yes."Wealllaughed.Duringtheclassbreak,wehadagoodrest.Weoftenhaveapleasantbreak.
DearDad，
TodayIwasattheshoppingmallandIspentalotoftimereadingtheFather’sDaycards.TheyallhadaspecialmessagethatinsomewayoranotherreflectedhowIfeelaboutyou.YetasIselectedandread,andselectedandreadagain,itoccurredtomethatnotasinglecardsaidwhatIreallywanttosaytoyou.
You’llsoonbe84yearsold,Dad,andyouandIwillhavehad55Father’sDaystogether.Ihaven’talwaysbeenwithyouonFather’sDaynorhaveIbeenwithyouforallofyourbirthdays.Itwasn’tbecauseIdidn’twanttobewithyou.I’vealwaysbeenwithyouinmyheartbutsometimeslifegetsintheway.
Youknow,Dad,therewasatimewhenwewerenotonlyseparatedbythegenerationgapbutcompletelypolarizedbyit.YoustoodononesideoftheGreatDivideandIontheother,fatheranddaughtersplitapartbyageandexperience,opinions,hairstyles,cosmetics,clothing,curfews,music,andboys.
TheFather-DaughterDuelof’54shiftedintohighgearwhenyoutaughtmetodrivetheoldDodgeandIdecidedIwoulddrivethe‘54Chevywhetheryoulikeditornot.ThepoliceofficerwhoescortedmehomeafteryoureportedtheChevystolenlateoneeveningwastooyoungtounderstandfather-daughterpoliticsandtoooldtohavemuchtoleranceforasnotty16yearold.Youweresodecentaboutit,Dad,andIthinkthatwasprobablywhatmadeittheworstnightofmylife.
OurrelationshipimprovvedimmenselywhenImarriedamanyouliked,andthingsreallyturnedaroundwhenwebeginmakingbabiesrightandleft.Wedidn’thaveatelevisionset,youknow,andwehadtoentertainourselvessomehow.Ididn’tknowwhattoexpectofyouandMomasgrandparentsbutIdidn’thavetowaitlongtofindout.Thosebabiesadoredyouthenjustastheyadoreyounow.WhenIseeyouwithallyourgrandchildren,Iknowyou’vegiventhemthefinestgiftagrandparentcangive.You’vegiventhemyourself.
Somewherealongtheline,thegenerationgapevaporated.Ageseparatesusnowandlittleelse.Weagreeonmosteverything,perhapsbecausewe’velearnedthereisn’tmuchworthdisagreeingabout.However,Iwouldliketomentionthatflyfishingisn’tallyou’vecrackedituptobe,Dad.Youcansaywhatyouwantaboutwristactionandstanceandblah,blah,blah...
I’vebeenhappilydriftingforalotofyears,Dad,andIdidn’tseeyougettingolder.
IsupposeIsawusandourrelationshipasagingtogether,ratherlikeafinewine.Numbersneverseemedimportant.Buttheoddestthinghappenedlastweek.IwasatastopsignandIwatchedasyouturnedthecornerinyourcar.Itdidn’timmediatelyoccurtomethatitwasyoubecausethemandrivinglookedsoelderlyandfragilebehindthewheelofthathugecar.Itwasratherlikeaslapinthefacedeliveredfromoutofnowhere.PerhapsIsawyourageforthefirsttimethatday.OrmaybeIsawmyown.
FiftyyearsagothisspringweplantedkohlrabitogetherinagardeninCharlesCity,Iowa.
Ididn’tknowthenthatIwouldrememberthatdayfortherestofmylife.Thisweek,we’llplantkohlrabitogetheragain,perhapsforthelasttimebutIhopenot.Idon’tunderstandwhyplantingkohlrabiwithyouissoimportanttomebutitis.Andthefunnythingaboutitis,well,Idon’tknowquitehowtotellyouthis,Dad...Idon’tevenlikekohlrabi...butIlikeplantingitwithyou.
IguesswhatI’mtryingtosay,Dad,iswhateverysonanddaughterwantstosaytotheirDadtoday.HonoringaFatheronFather’sDayisaboutmorethanaDadwhobringshomeapaycheck,sharesadinnertable,andattendsschoolfunctions,graduations,andweddings.Itisn’tevensomuchaboutkohlrabi,’54Chevrolets,andfly-fishing.It’smoreaboutunconditionallylovingchildrenwhoaresnottyandstubborn,whoknoweverythingandwon’tlistentoanyone.It’saboutrespectandsharingandacceptanceandtoleranceandgivingandtaking.It’saboutlovingsomeonemorethanwordscansay，andit’swishingthatitneverhadtoend.
Iloveyou,Dad.