8月20日

心念之光 ─ 母親的身教
馬英九 ( 1950~ )

面對兒子參選時每天受到攻擊，母親說：「人生自有其
沉浮，每一個人都應該學會忍耐屬於自己的一份悲傷，只有
這樣，你才能體會到什麼叫做勝利，什麼叫做真正的幸福。」

媽媽從我們小時，就教我們要勤儉、誠實、清廉、愛國；
要讀古文、讀英文、練毛筆字。病中跟我們筆談時，她還
寫著「你父親和我，一生不貪財」。家中建立勤勞獎金制
度，鼓勵做家事，養成子女勞動與儲蓄習慣。媽媽做事低
調、謹言慎行，我從事公職三十多年，她從不介入我的公
務。她給我的只有支持，沒有困擾。父母都鼓勵我們實踐
先祖父立安公「黃金非寶書為寶，萬事皆空善不空」的家
訓，父親並手書「為善讀書不忘家訓，立身行道毋忝所生」
對聯，掛在客廳時時提醒我們。我們在文山區住了四十多
年，媽媽留給左鄰右舍、市場攤商的印象，就是如此。

──選自〈慈母良師一甲子，永世難報養育恩─悼亡母厚修女士〉等

August 20

The Radiance of a Thought - Teachings from My Mother
Ma Ying-jeou (1950 - )
English translation: Zhi Yue

Facing the daily accusations and attacks regarding her son during the
election period, my mother said, “Life has its ups and downs. Each of
one of us needs learn how to be patient with our own sorrows. Only in
this way can you understand what victory is, and the meaning of true
happiness.”

Since we were young, my mom had taught us to be frugal, sincere,
honest, and patriotic, as well as to read works in classical Chinese and
English, and to practice calligraphy. In her letters to us, when she was
sick, she wrote, “Your father and I have never craved wealth our entire
lives.” In our home, allowances were given as a reward for diligent
work, encouraging us to help out with housework and to foster our habit
of working and saving money. My mom did things with a low-profile,
being cautious in words and actions; in my thirty-years of being in
public office, she had never once intervened in my official duties. The
only thing she had given me was support, never disturbances.

My parents have always encouraged us to put into practice our
Grandfather Li-An’s instructions, “All gold is not precious─books
are. All things are empty─doing good isn’t.” In addition, a couplet,
personally written by my father, hung in our living room as a reminder.
It read, “Study well, but do not forget the family guidelines. Establish
oneself without shaming one’s parents.” Having lived in Wenshan
District for over forty years, the impression my mother gave our
neighbors and the vendors at the marketplace was exactly as such.

── from "Cimu Liangshi Yijiazi, Yongshi Nanbao Yangyu En:
Dao Wangmu Houxiu Nushi" ("Sixty Years of a Compassionate Mother and Teacher,
A Kindness that is Forever Difficult to Repay: A Eulogy for My Mother,
Mrs. Hou-Hsiu") and others