“樱桃歌。”她经常这样回答，脸上挂有一丝略带倦意的微笑。于是，我就为她唱起那支爱无止境的甜美之歌。
樱桃花盛开的时候，它没有硬核
小鸡破壳而出的时候，它没有骨头
“我爱你”的故事，它没有结尾
宝宝睡觉的时候，它不会哭泣
在她进入梦乡之后，我还会再逗留片刻。我就坐在她的床边，心里赞叹着她可真是太美了，在客厅射过来的灯光的照耀下，她线条优美的面颊熠熠生辉，仿佛有一道月光洒在她柔滑黑亮的头发上。我在心里默默祈祷，这一刻永远不要停止。但是，没有过不完的童年。因此，我只能尽力让这份记忆永存。
A Little Night Music
Carrie Howard
When I was a little girl； my mother sat on the edge of my bed every night and sang me to sleep in her soft alto voice． She sang lullabies and old folk songs； soothing melodies that eased me from wakefulness into slumber。 Those peaceful few minutes at the end of the day are among my sweetest childhood memories。
I remember watching my mother and thinking how beautiful she was； with the light from the hall illuminating the curve of her cheek and glowing like a halo in her wavy hair。 I wished the moment would never end； but no song lasts forever。 I promised myself that when I had a daughter I would sing to her as long as she wanted。
I never forgot that promise。 When my husband and I brought our long…awaited baby daughter； Tessa； home from China at the age of eleven months； I was ready。 On our first night together at home； I held her across my lap in our big oak rocking chair and sang the familiar lullabies I had waited so long to sing：“Rock…a…Bye； Baby；”“Twinkle； Twinkle； Little Star； ”and“Hush； Little Baby。 ” I sang all seven verses of“Hush； Little Baby； ”which I had painstakingly memorized in preparation for the occasion。
When I had finished singing。 Tessa wasn’t quite asleep； but she looked drowsy。 I rose and headed toward the crib to lay her down； but she immediately sat up and started to fuss。 Okay； I thought； she needs a little more time； So I sat back down and sang the lullabies again； waiting for her eyes to close。 They didn’t。 I sang my songs one more time； throwing in“The Alphabet Song” for good measure； until finally she seemed to be asleep。 I laid her in the crib and turned to leave。 Then I hit a squeaky floorboard。 Tessa’s little head popped up； and she began to wail。
一段小夜曲（3）
When I had vowed that my child would get as many bedtime songs as she wanted； I hadn’t counted on this particular child’s determination。 Perhaps； having waited so long for a family of her own。 she didn’t want to let me go that easily。 And I couldn’t bear to allow a child who had so recently left the orphanage to cry herself to sleep。
But I was quickly growing tired of the songs I had previously been so eager to sing。 Tedium isn’t necessarily a liability in a lullaby—it is possible to bore a child to sleep—but I found myself yearning for a little musical variety。 I realized that it was going to take more than my tiny collection of lullabies to get my daughter to sleep。
In the months that followed； I tried out a variety of bedtime songs so that I could add the best ones to my repertoire。 I evaluated each tune according to Tessa’s personal rating system：She fussed and frowned when she didn’t like a song； and manded； “Again； Mama； ” when she did like one。
Not every song I auditioned made our lullaby hit parade。 I like Gershwin tunes； but Tessa is no jazz baby； so“Embraceable You” didn’t make the final cut。 On the other hand； I found that cowboy songs make surprisingly effective lullabies。 The lyrics are a bit melancholy； but the rolling rhythms of“Red River Valley； ”“I Ride an Old Paint； ”and“Down in the Valley” are soothing； like riding a gentle old pony into the sunset。 Likewise； the sentimental songs that were popular early in the last century—“Good Night； Ladies； ”“Let Me Call You Sweetheart； ” and “You Are My Sunshine”—are still lovely； even when they’re sung by a solo alto instead of a barbershop quartet。 And Tessa loved the folk songs my mother sang to me all those years ago； songs like“The Big Rock Candy Mountain。 ”“I’ve Been Working on the Railroad； ”and Tessa’s favorite。 “The Riddle Song； ”which she immediately dubbed“The Cherry Song”：
I gave my love a cherry that had no stone
I gave my love a chicken that had no bone
I gave my love a story that had no end
I gave my love a baby with no crying’。
After eleven or twelve songs； Tessa would relax her hold on the day； her bright eyes would close； and I’d hear her breathing grow deep and regular。 Carefully； I would lay her in her bed and creep from the room。 We had triumphed over wakefulness for one more day。
This was our routine for many nights； until finally Tessa learned that when I left her in her bed； I wasn’t leaving for long and that a cry of “Mama！”would always bring me back。
Tessa is six now； too big to hold across my lap； so I sing to her in bed。 It no longer takes a dozen songs to get her to sleep；usually one is enough。
“What do you want me to sing tonight？”I ask； stroking her hair。
“The Cherry Song； ”she always answers； with a sleepy smile。 And I sing her that sweet song of unending love。
A cherry when it’s bloomin’； it has no stone
A chicken when it’s pippin’； it has no bone
The story of “I love you； ” it has no end
A baby when it’s sleepin’； there’s no cryin’。
After she falls asleep； I linger a while。 I sit on the edge of her bed thinking how beautiful she is； with the light from the hall illuminating the curve of her cheek and shining like a moonbeam on her sleek black hair。 I wish the moment would never end； but no childhood lasts forever。 And so I try to make memories that will。
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谁是最爱你的人（1）
佚名
“谁是这个世界上最爱你的人？”我听见父亲用开玩笑的口吻问我。“妈妈。”尽管我知道是父亲，但我也用同样的口气回敬了他。在我的整个童年中，总是听到他日复一日地问我这个问题。父亲爱我至深，他不仅用其他成人的“典型”方式爱我，还用很多其他方式来表达他对我的爱。
父亲是个工作狂，有时过于卖力，但他总会在我需要的时候陪伴在我的身边。例如，如果某个周末我待在一个朋友家里（他那天要工作），就会给父亲打电话，问他能不能到朋友家来接我。“好的。”他总会这样说。
表达一个人的爱意最典型的方式就是直接说出来，或者买东西送给所爱之人，可是父亲不同。在我年幼时，经常嚷着叫父亲起床：“爸爸，我饿了，您能做点东西给我吃吗？”他会高兴地说：“当然，没问题。”接下来就会问：“一块牛排，几个鸡蛋好吗？”“哦，那样是不是太麻烦了？”我不顾饥肠辘辘的肚子说道。“没关系。”他会这样回答。晚上睡觉前，他可能会走进我的房间说：“嘿，睡觉前喝杯茶如何，本金引擎？”我向来讨厌他不叫我的真名本杰明而这样叫我，但现在回想起来，他并不是故意惹我生气，只是想用自己的方式表达他的爱。
在父亲唯一的休息日：星期六或星期日，他可能会走到我的面前说：“来玩板球好吗？”“太好了，爸爸。”我高兴地回答。有些日子，他太累不能玩了，但还是说：“当然可以，我们玩吧。”这时，母亲就会过来，把我叫到一旁解释说，父亲太累了，不能玩。他从不拒绝我，他总有时间陪我。
时光飞逝，我成长为少年，少年的心总是渴望独立，有关食物的游戏对我来说已经成了小孩子的游戏，变成了愚蠢的想法。父亲还是会到我的房间来说：“睡觉前来点高粱好吗？”我可能会气愤地回答：“不用了，谢谢。”他行为背后的关爱完全被我抛至脑后。
回想起来，我意识到自己对父亲的态度有些强硬，他不想使我感到心烦意乱，只是用自己的方式表达对我的爱。最近，我因情绪沮丧住进了医院。每天7点左右，他结束辛劳的工作后来看我，陪我三个多小时，10点左右才回家吃晚饭。“爸爸，你的陪伴让我很开心，可我知道您需要休息。” 我这样鼓励他。他愉悦地说：“没关系。”在不上班的日子里，他会过来陪我一整天。他会鼓励我说：“给爸爸一个微笑。”我说：“爸爸，这个时候，我笑不出来。”“来吧，我只要一个，再不会问你要了。”他戏说道。这样，我就不由自主地笑了。
我写这个是为了感谢世上所有的父亲，特别是感谢我的父亲——那个在我太累或太小而无法做饭时愿意在夜深时为我做饭的人；那个在我最需要的时候坐在我床边的人；那个从不拒绝儿子的人；那个叫我“本金引擎”的人。
Who Loves You the Best
Anonymous
“Who loves you the best in the world？” I would hear my dad say in a playful tone。“Mom does。” I would say jokingly knowing it was my dad who did。 That’s what I would hear my whole childhood day after day from the man who cared so much for me and showed love in so many other w