二战的时候，身在太平洋地区与日军作战的美国将军麦克阿瑟给儿子写了一封家书。这是他对孩子的期许，也是向神的祈祷。人的愿望可能太大可能太小，或者没有信心可以实现，或者遇到挫折便生失望。和儿子远隔万里的父亲，只有借着上帝的信心和力量，传递父亲的爱和期许，不至动摇。
“主啊！求你塑造我的儿子，
使他坚强到能够认识自己的软弱；
勇敢到能够面对惧怕；
在诚实的失败中，毫不气馁；
在胜利中，仍保持谦逊温和。
恳求你塑造我的儿子，
不至空有幻想而缺乏行动；
引导他认识你，同时又知道，
认识自己乃是知识的基石。
我祈祷，
愿你引导他不求安逸、舒适，
相反的，在压力、艰难和挑战中带领他，
学习在风暴中挺身站立，
并学会怜悯那些在重压之下失败的人。
求你塑造我的儿子，
心地纯洁，志向高远；
使他在能够指挥别人之前，
先懂得驾驭自己；
永不忘记过去的教训，
又能伸展未来的理想。
当他拥有以上的一切，
我还要祈求，赐他足够的幽默感，
使他能够认真严肃，
却不致过分苛求自己。
我恳求赐他谦卑，
使他永远牢记：
真正伟大中的平凡，
真正智慧中的开明，
真正力量中的温柔。
如此，我这作父亲的，
才敢低声说：「我没有虚度此生。」
— 麦克阿瑟将军
"Build me a son, O Lord,
who will be strong enough to know when he
is weak,
and brave enough to face himself when he is
afraid;
one who will be proud and unbending in
honest defeat,
and humble and gentle in victory.
Build me a son
whose wishes will not take the place of
deeds;
a son who will know Thee... and that
to know himself is the foundation stone of
knowledge.
Lead him, I pray,
not in the path of ease and comfort,
but under the stress and spur of
difficulties and challenge.
Here, let him learn to stand up in the
storm;
here let him learn compassion for those
that fail.
Build me a son
whose heart will be clear,
whose goal will be high,
a son who will master himself
before he seeks to master other men;
one who will reach into the future,
yet never forget the past.
And after all these things are his,
add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor,
so that he may always be serious,
yet never take himself too seriously.
Give him humility,
so that he may always remember
the simplicity of true greatness,
the open mind of true wisdom
and the meekness of true strength.
Then, I, his father, will dare to
whisper, "I have not lived in
vain.'"
— General Douglas MacArthur
