Cost of Love
　
One night when my wife was preparing dinner, our little son took a piece of paper to her which read: 

For washing the car....................................................$5.00
For making my own bed this week..............................$1.00
Going to the provision¹ shop........................................$0.50
Playing with little sister................................................$0.25
Taking out the rubbish................................................$1.00
Getting a good report card..........................................$5.00
And for sweeping² the common corridor³.......................$2.00 

Total............................................................................$14.75 

His mother looked at him standing⁴ there expecting payment⁵. I could see a thousand memories flashed through her mind. So she picked up the pen and turning the paper over, this is what she wrote:

For 9 months I carried you, growing inside me.............................No Charge
For the nights I sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you.....No Charge
For the toys, food and clothes and wiping your nose...................No Charge
When you add it all up, the full cost of my love............................No Charge 

Well, when he finished reading, he had great big tears in his eyes. He looked at his mother and said, "Mummy, I love you." Then he took the pen and in great big letters wrote on the "bill" "All paid." 

　　中文：

　　一天晚上，妻子在厨房准备晚餐的时候，我们的小儿子拿着一张纸走向他母亲。上面写道： 

　　洗车---------------------------------5美元
　　本周整理我的房间----------------1美元
　　为你去商店-------------------------0.5美元
　　照管小妹妹-------------------------0.25美元
　　外出倒垃圾-------------------------1美元
　　成绩报告单获得良好--------------5美元
　　打扫通道----------------------------2美元 

　　总计----------------------------------14.75美元

　　他母亲看着他儿子满怀希望地站在那儿等着拿钱。我能看到她脑子里翻腾着记忆的浪花。她拿起钢笔把儿子写过的纸翻过来。在上面写道：

　　你呆在我的腹中，我为你怀胎九月------------------------------免费；
　　晚上陪伴着你，为你求医，为你祈祷----------------------------免费；
　　为你准备玩具、食物、衣服甚至为你擦鼻涕--------------------免费，
　　你把以上所有的累加起来，我为你付出的全部的爱------------免费。

　　儿子读完母亲写的话，双眼含着豆大的泪花，他看着他的妈妈说：“妈妈，我爱你。”他拿出钢笔在他的“帐单”上写了几个大大的字：“全部要偿还。”

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