麥克阿瑟是二次大戰期間，任西南太平洋區盟軍最高統帥。一九四五年出任盟軍最高統帥，接受日本投降，並主持盟國對日本的占領工作，而表現出其卓越的政治才能。但是從最後一段文字"I have not lived in vain" 可以看出，自己再傑出的豐功偉業也比不上孩子在他心中的地位，這就是父母啊！
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A Father's Prayer 〈麥克阿瑟為子祈禱文〉
by General Douglas MacArthur (May 1952)
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 wishbone will not be where his backbone should be; 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 who fail.
Build me a son whose heart will be clean, whose goal will be high; a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; 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 greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength.
Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, "I have not lived in vain".
