奥巴马给女儿的信：我们可以不断让它变得更好
这封信发表在《大观》杂志（Parade）周末彩版增刊上。全文如下:
'What I Want for You — and Every Child in America'
By President-elect Barack Obama
Publication Date: 01/14/2009
Next Tuesday, Barack Obama will be sworn in as our 44th President. On
this historic occasion, PARADE asked the President-elect, who is also a
devoted family man, to get personal and tell us what he wants for his
children. Here, he shares his letter to them.
Dear Malia and Sasha,
I know that you've both had a lot of fun these last two years on the
campaign trail, going to picnics and parades and state fairs, eating
all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn't have let
you have. But I also know that it hasn't always been easy for you and
Mom, and that as excited as you both are about that new puppy, it
doesn't make up for all the time we've been apart. I know how much I've
missed these past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more
about why I decided to take our family on this journey.
When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me-about how I'd
make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want.
But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and
mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up
my day. And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn't seem so
important anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was
the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn't count
for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for
happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the end, girls, that's why I ran
for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in
this nation.
I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their
potential-schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill in
them a sense of wonder about the world around them. I want them to have
the chance to go to college-even if their parents aren't rich. And I
want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits
like health care, jobs that let them spend time with their own kids and
retire with dignity.
I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you'll live to
see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our
planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our own human
boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region, gender and
religion that keep us from seeing the best in each other.
Sometimes we have to send our young men and women into war and other
dangerous situations to protect our country-but when we do, I want to
make sure that it is only for a very good reason, that we try our best
to settle our differences with others peacefully, and that we do
everything possible to keep our servicemen and women safe. And I want
every child to understand that the blessings these brave Americans
fight for are not free-that with the great privilege of being a citizen
of this nation comes great responsibility.
That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your
age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence
and telling me about the men and women who marched for equality because
they believed those words put to paper two centuries ago should mean
something.
She helped me understand that America is great not because it is
perfect but because it can always be made better-and that the
unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. It's a
charge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each new
generation to what we know America should be.
I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs that you
see and working to give others the chances you've had. Not just because
you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has
given our family so much-although you do have that obligation. But
because you have an obligation to yourself. Because it is only when you
hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will
realize your true potential.
These are the things I want for you-to grow up in a world with no
limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and to
grow into compassionate, committed women who will help build that
world. And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and
dream and grow and thrive that you girls have. That's why I've taken
our family on this great adventure.
I am so proud of both of you. I love you more than you can ever know.
And I am grateful every day for your patience, poise, grace, and humor
as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House.
Love, Dad
全文中文翻译如下：
亲爱的玛丽亚和莎莎：
我知道这2年你们俩随我一路竞选都有过不少乐子，野餐、游行、逛州博览会，吃了各种或许我和你妈不该让你们吃的垃圾食物。然而我也知道，你们俩和你妈的日子，有时候并不惬意。新来的小狗虽然令你们兴奋，却无法弥补我们不在一起的所有时光。我明白这2年我错过的太多了，今天我要再向你们说说为何我决定带领我们一家走上这趟旅程。
当我还年轻的时候，我认为生活就该绕着我转：我如何在这世上得心应手，成功立业，得到我想要的。后来，你们俩进入了我的世界，带来的种种好奇、淘气和微笑，总能填满我的心，照亮我的日子。突然之间，我为自己谱写的伟大计划显得不再那么重要了。我很快便发现，我在你们生命中看到的快乐，就是我自己生命中最大的快乐。而我也同时体认到，如果我不能确保你们此生能够拥有追求幸福和自我实现的一切机会，我自己的生命也没多大价值。总而言之，我的女儿，这就是我竞选总统的原因：我要让你们俩和这个国家的每一个孩子，都能拥有我想要给他们的东西。
我要让所有儿童都在能够发掘他们潜能的学校就读；这些学校要能挑战他们，激励他们，并灌输他们对身处的这个世界的好奇心。我要他们有机会上大学，那怕他们的父母并不富有。而且，我要他们能找到好的工作：薪酬高还附带健康保险的工作，让他们有时间陪孩子、并且能带着尊严退休的工作。
我要大家向发现的极限挑战，让你在有生之年能够看见改善我们生活、使这个行星更干净、更安全的新科技和发明。我也要大家向自己的人际界限挑战，跨越使我们看不到对方长处的种族、地域、性别和宗教樊篱。
有时候为了保护我们的国家，我们不得不把青年男女派到战场或其他危险的地方，然而当我们这么做的时候，我要确保师出有名，我们尽了全力以和平方式化解与他人的争执，也想尽了一切办法保障男女官兵的安全。我要每个孩子都明白，这些勇敢的美国人在战场上捍卫的福祉是无法平白得到的：在享有作为这个国家公民的伟大特权之际，重责大任也随之而来。
这正是我在你们这年纪时，外婆想要教我的功课，她把独立宣言开头几行念给我听，告诉我有一些男女为了争取平等挺身而出游行抗议，因为他们认为2个世纪前白纸黑字写下来的这些句子，不应只是空话。
她让我了解到，美国所以伟大，不是因为它完美，而是因为我们可以不断让它变得更好，而让它更好的未竟工作，就落在我们每个人的身上。这是我们交给孩子们的责任，每过一代，美国就更接近我们的理想。
我希望你们俩都愿接下这个工作，看到不对的事要想办法改正，努力帮助别人获得你们有过的机会。这并非只因国家给了我们一家这么多，你们也当有所回馈，虽然你们的确有这个义务，而是因为你们对自己负有义务。因为，唯有在把你的马车套在更大的东西上时，你才会明白自己真正的潜能有多大。
这些是我想要让你们得到的东西：在一个梦想不受限制、无事不能成就的世界中长大，长成具慈悲心、坚持理想，能帮忙打造这样一个世界的女性。我要每个孩子都有和你们一样的机会，去学习、梦想、成长、发展。这就是我带领我们一家展开这趟大冒险的原因。
我深以你俩为荣，你们永远不会明白我有多爱你们，在我们准备一同在白宫开始新生活之际，我没有一天不为你们的忍耐、沉稳、明理和幽默而心存感激。
爱你们的爸爸