夏日轻松美好的日子飞箭一般倏地过去了，儿子已经到新学校两周，从悠哉悠哉的小学生一下变成忙忙碌碌的中学生了。女儿呢，在送了一拨又一拨她的同学离家上学之后，昨天一大早，先生把她送到机场，她自己出发去她的学校了。
临上车子前，先生发现她的两个大箱子都超重，我拿了两个垃圾袋，装了一袋衣服，另一袋一些书啊笔记本啊，还有好几瓶护肤用品。 亚洲的女孩子最怕太阳，天天美白，一个个嫩得能掐出水来。她呢，整个夏天都在美黑：穿着比基尼，带个小帽子，墨镜，拿本书，躺在大太阳下暴晒。有时还要清空家里，因为她要晒她的BUTT。
有妈妈跟我说送别孩子上大学时伤感得不行，连有些爸爸都哭了。我们在车库里忙乱地整箱子，称重，已经耽误了些时间，我还来不及进入状态，急性子的先生已经把车子开走了。这时已经到儿子起床的时间了，他本来还说他要早起跟姐姐道别呢，嗯，都免礼了。
早上把她剩下的东西拿到邮局，用了两个箱子寄去了。有妈妈建议用邮局的 Flat Rate Box给孩子寄东西。Flat Rate Box 最大的也不大，只适合寄重而小的东西，所以那些护肤品笔记本书啊，我用了那个 Box，$18.9，那些衣服，体积大，用了另一个大箱子，$36，有点小贵，但比机场的罚款好多了。
回家清理她的房间时，很意外地，女儿在衣柜抽屉里给我们留了一封信。
这是全文：
Dear mama & Daddy,
I’m writing this the night before I leave for ... Often I don't know how to express my feelings to you because that is not how we communicate, but I wanted to thank you for being such amazing parents to me for the past 18 years of my life. Even when I’m a spoiled brat or a moody teenager, you have always supported me and given me more than I ever deserved. I took for granted the privilege of having a comfortable life and understanding, loving parents, and I wish I expressed more gratitude verbally to you, but that is not how I communicate. Going into college I promise I will work hard and try to repay you in the future for the life you gave me. Thank you for not only supporting my ambitions, but never pressuring me to be someone who I’m not. It’s hard to put into words how much I love this family and I feel bad that I haven’t expressed it enough while being home. I’m excited for ... and his journey in ... Even though I’m harsh on him, it’s because I don't want him to have a hard life. I hate when he plays video games and has bad manners. I don't want him to develop that materialistic mindset that I sometimes have.
Thank you for putting up with 18 years of my attitude and always putting me at such a high priority. I’m incredibly lucky to have such loving, understanding, caring, and self-sacrificing parents.
Love,
…
我想起我自己那年离家上学的情景。我父亲送我到火车站，我竟然头也不回地走了，任由他眼巴巴地目送着我，期望我回过头跟他再次道别。
崇尚自然的田园妈偏偏遇上时尚的都市女。女儿对时尚的嗅觉和热情远远超过她的乡村土妈。前几天我还在唠叨，先生不以为然地说，我只要她活得好好的就行了。父亲爱女儿，绝对是真爱的一种。
女儿从小就不是那种会甜言蜜语的孩子，很有个性，除了很小时候写的画的卡片，长大后从来没给我们写过这类温情书信，我常说她是带刺的玫瑰。这两天读到想到她的信，总是感激涕零，懊悔不已。感谢上帝女儿终于懂事了，但又后悔她在家的那么多日子，我没有好好地珍惜，唠叨多，夸奖少，耐心不够。我这个后知后觉的妈呀！
孩子好，当妈的后知后觉，因为我们紧张着让她们更好：)
和你一样，还有一个在家，好好珍惜并享受这段时光。