WhileinthePhilippines,afterArthurhadgonetosleephelookeddownsilentlyonthesleepingchild.Onenightaftersupperhewrote

"PrayerforArthur"

Buildmeason,OLord,whowillbestrongenoughtoknowwhenheisweak,andbraveenoughtofacehimselfwhenheisafraid;onewhowillbeproudandunbendinginhonestdefeat,andhumbleandgentleinvictory.

Buildmeasonwhosewisheswillnottaketheplaceofdeeds;asonwhowillknowThee–andthattoknowhimselfisthefoundationstoneofknowledge.

Leadhim,Ipray,notinthepathofeaseandcomfort,butunderthestressandspurofdifficultiesandchallenge.Herelethimlearntostandupinthestorm;herelethimlearncompassionforthosewhofail.

Buildmeasonwhoseheartwillbeclear,whosegoalwillbehigh;asonwhowillmasterhimselfbeforeheseekstomasterothermen;onewhowillreachintothefuture,yetneverforgetthepast.

Andafterallthesethingsarehis,add,Ipray,enoughofasenseofhumor,sothathemayalwaysbeserious,yetnevertakehimselftooseriously.Givehimhumility,sothathemayalwaysrememberthesimplicityoftruegreatness,theopenmindoftruewisdom,andtheweaknessoftruestrength.

ThenI,hisfather,willdaretowhisper,"Ihavenotlivedinvain"

ByGeneralDouglasMacArthur(1880-1964)

아버지의기도

주여,내자식이이런사람이되게하소서.

약할때자신을가눌줄알고

두려울때두려워하는자신을보는용기를가지며,

정직했으므로패배가떳떳하고

승리에겸손하고배려할줄아는사람이되게하소서.

바램을바램에그치지않고행하는사람이되게하시고

주를알게하시며스스로를아는것이앎의근본임을깨닫게하소서.

바라건대그를쉽고편한길로인도하지마시고

고난과도전의압박과시련아래두소서.

그리하여그를폭풍우속에서도일어설줄알게하시고

쓰러진자의아픔을아파할줄알게하소서.

그의마음은깨끗하고그의목표는높으며,

남을다스리기전에스스로를다스리고

미래로나아가되지난날을잊지않는사람이되게하소서.

이모든것이그의것이된위에더하여바라건대

사람됨이쾌활하여언제나진지하되집착하지않게하시고,

작은것들을알게하시어참으로위대한것은소박한데에있고

참지혜는평범한데에있으며부드러운것이강한것임을명심하게하소서.

그리하여먼훗날

그런그의아비였으므로내삶은헛되지않았노라말할수있게하소서.