一个简单的举止也许会改变人的一生，无论是好是坏。上帝让我们走进彼此的生命，在一定程度上影响着彼此。我们也要在其他人身上寻找到上帝的影子。
Love： The One Creative Force爱：能够创造奇迹的力量
1。 A college professor had his sociology class go into the Baltimore slums to get case histories of 200 young boys。 They were asked to write an evaluation of each boy’s future。 In every case the students wrote， “He hasn’t got a chance。” Twenty-five years later another sociology professor came across the earlier study。 He had his students follow up on the project to see what had happened to these boys。
2。 With the exception of 20 boys who had moved away or died， the students learned that 176 of the remaining 180 had achieved more than ordinary success as lawyers， doctors and businessmen。
3。 The professor was astounded and decided to pursue the matter further。 Fortunately， all men were in the area and he was able to ask each one， “How do you account for your success？” In each case the reply came with feeling， “There was a teacher。”
4。 The teacher was still alive， so he sought her out and asked the old but still alert lady what magic formula she had used to pull these boys out of the slums into successful achievement。 The teacher’s eyes sparkled and her lips broke into a gentle smile。 “It’s really very simple，” she said。 “I loved those boys。”
1。 一个大学教授在上社会学课的时候，让他的学生去巴尔的摩贫民窟找200个男孩的历史记录，并且要求写出对每个男孩未来的评估。对每个孩子，学生都这样评价着：“他这辈子完了。”25年以后另外一个社会学教授发现了这个早期的研究，并让他的学生继续探究这个研究，看看这些男孩到底怎么样了。
2。 这些男孩中除了已经去世或者迁居的20位以外，学生发现，剩下的180人中有176人都获得了比普通人更大的成就，他们中有律师，医生，还有商人。
3。 教授大吃一惊并决定进一步地探究下去。幸运的是，这些长成人的孩子还都在这个地区，因此教授有机会挨个去问他们：“你是如何获得你的这些成就的？”很让人感动的是，他们的回答如出一辙：“因为我有一位好老师。”
4。 这个老师还健在。当教授找到这位年迈但仍不失机警的妇人，问她到底有什么魔法能让这些贫民窟的孩子都获得如此成就的时候，这位老师眼里闪耀着光芒，她的嘴唇露出一抹温柔微笑，“很简单，”她说，“因为我爱这些孩子。”
Bright Heart明亮的心
1。 Last year around Halloween， I was invited to participate in a carnival for Tuesday’s Child， an organization that helps children with the AIDS virus。 I was asked to attend because I’m on a television show； I went because I care。 I don’t think that most of the kids recognize me as a celebrity。 They just thought of me as a big kid who came to play with them for the day。 I think I liked it better that way。
2。 At the carnival they had all kinds of booths。 I was drawn to one in particular because of all the children that had gathered there。 At this booth， anyone who wanted to could paint a square。 Later that square was going to be sewn together with the others， to make a quilt。 The quilt would be presented to a man who had dedicated his life to this organization and would soon be retiring。
3。 They gave everyone fabric paints in bright， beautiful colors and asked the kids to paint something that would make the quilt beautiful。 As I looked around at all the squares， I saw pink hearts and bright blue clouds， beautiful orange sunrises and green and purple flowers。 The pictures were all bright， positive and uplifting。 All except for one。
4。 The boy sitting next to me was painting a heart， but it was dark， empty， and lifeless。 It lacked the bright， vibrant colors that his fellow artists had used。
5。 At first I thought maybe he took the only paint that was left and it just happened to be dark。 But when I asked him about it， he said his heart was that color because his own heart felt dark。 I asked him why and he told me that he was very sick。 Not only was he very sick， but his mom was very sick also。 He said that his sickness was not ever going to get better and neither was his mom’s。 He looked straight into my eyes and said， “There is nothing anyone can do that will help。”
6。 I told him I was sorry that he was sick and I could certainly understand why he was so sad。 I could even understand why he had made his heart a dark color。 But……I told him that it isn’t true that there is nothing anyone can do to help。 Other people may not be able to make him or his mom better……but we can do things like give bear hugs， which in my experience can really help when you are feeling sad。 I told him that if he would like， I would be happy to give him one so he could see what I meant。 He instantly crawled into my lap and I thought my own heart would burst with the love I felt for this sweet little boy。
7。 He sat there for a long time and when he had had enough， he jumped down to finish his coloring。 I asked him if he felt any better and he said that he did， but he was still sick and nothing would change that。 I told him I understood。 I walked away feeling sad， but recommitted to this cause。 I would do whatever I could to help。
8。 As the day was coming to an end and I was getting ready to head home， I felt a tug on my jacket。 I turned around and standing there with a smile on his face was the little boy。 He said， “My heart is changing colors。 It is getting brighter……I think those bear hugs really do work。”
9。 On my way home I felt my own heart and realized it， too， had changed to a brighter color。
1。 去年大约在万圣节前夕，我应邀参加了一个由“TUESDAY’S CHILD”主办的嘉年华，该组织旨在帮助那些感染了艾滋病的儿童。我之所以受邀是因为我是一个电视节目的主持人；我之所以参加是因为我也很关注他们。我想绝大多数孩子并不会把我当作一位名人。他们只会把我当作一个在这里陪他们玩的大孩子而已。我想我更喜欢这样。
2。 在嘉年华上，孩子们有各种各样的棚。我看到所有孩子都聚在一个棚子下面，我也被他们吸引了过去。在棚下，大家都想画一个棉桃。一会后，棉桃彼此错综在一起，做成了一个被子，这个被子将被送给将其一生奉献给这个组织的人，他不久将会退休。
3。 他们把鲜艳的、色彩各异的颜料发给每个孩子，让孩子在这个被子上画点什么东西把它弄好看。我在场地转悠，看到他们画的有红色的心，湛蓝色的云彩，橘黄色的日出，翠绿的绿叶和紫罗兰色的花朵。所有的图案都是那么明亮，乐观和向上。可只有一幅例外。
4。 坐在我的旁边的那个男孩，正在画一个心形，可这个心却是暗淡的，空荡荡的，死气沉沉的。它没有他的“大作家”伙伴们所画的那样色彩明亮，富有活力。
5。 起初，我还认为是他碰巧画了这么一幅色调暗淡的图画，但当我问他时，他说他的心就是这种颜色的，因为他感到生活的灰暗。当我问他为什么时，他说他的身体有病，而且他妈妈病情也很重。他注视着我的双眼说：“对于这样的情况，谁也无能为力。”
6。 我对他说听到他生病的情况我也很难过。我非常理解他的悲伤，甚至都能明白他为什么把心绘成灰色的原因。但是……我告诉他不是“谁都无能为力”。其他人可能不能让他和他妈妈的身体好一点，但我们可以做一些自己力所能及的事情，比如一个温暖的拥抱，特别是当他们感到悲伤时，一个拥抱能发挥意想不到的作用。我告诉他如果他愿意的话，我会很高兴拥抱他一下的，让他明白我的用心。他立即跳到我的腿上。此刻，就是这个可爱男孩，使我感觉心里已经充满了爱。
7。 他在我腿上待了好久，坐到心满意足后，才跳下去完成自己的涂色工作。我问他是否感觉舒服多了，他说是的，可自己的病还是没有好，一切都无法改变。我对他说我知道。我离开时心情很悲伤，但我会再为这件事做些努力的，尽自己的一切力量帮助他。
8。 天快黑时，我正准备回家。这时，我感到有人在拽我的夹克衫，我回头一望，原来是他，站在那里，稚嫩的脸蛋上挂着灿烂的微笑。他说：“我心里的颜色在变，它将变得越来越亮……我想那温暖的拥抱真的有用。”
9。 回家的路上，我触摸着我的心脏，意识到它的颜色也变得越来越亮了。
For Three Solid Years’ Waiting整整三年的等待
1。 Located in the checkroom in Union Station as I am， I see everybody that comes up the stairs。
2。 Harry came in a little over three years ago and waited at the head of the stairs for the passengers from the 9：05 train。
3。 I remember seeing Harry that first evening。 He wasn’t much more than a thin， anxious kid then。 He was all dressed up and I knew he was meeting his girl and that they would be married twenty minutes after she arrived。
4。 Well， the passengers came up and I had to get busy。 I didn’t look toward the stairs again until nearly time for the 9：18 and I was very surprised to see that the young fellow was still there。
5。 She didn’t come on the 9：18 either， nor on the 9：40， and when the passengers from the 10：02 had all arrived and left， Harry was looking pretty desperate。 Pretty， soon he came close to my window so I called out and asked him what she looked like。
6。 “She’s small and dark，” he said， “and nineteen years old and very neat in the way she walks。 She has a face，” he said， thinking a minute， “that has lots of spirit。 I mean she can get mad but she never stays mad for long， and her eyebrows come to a little point in the middle。 She’s got a brown fur， but maybe she isn’t wearing it。”
7。 I couldn’t remember seeing anybody like that。
8。 He showed me the telegram he’d received： ARRIVE THURSDAY。 MEET ME STATION。 LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE。 MAY。 It was from Omaha， Nebraska。
9。 “Well，” I finally said， “why don’t you phone to your home？ She’s probably called there if she got in ahead of you。”
10。 He gave me a sick look。 “I’ve only been in town two days。 We were going to meet and then drive down South where I’ve got a job。 She hasn’t any address for me。” He touched the telegram。
11。 When I came on duty the next day he was still there and came over as soon as he saw me。
12。 “Did she work anywhere？” I asked。
13。 He nodded。 “She was a typist。 I telegraphed her former boss。 All they know is that she left her job to get married。”
14。 Harry met every train for the next three or four days。 Of course， the railroad lines made a routine checkup and the police looked into the case。 But nobody was any real help。 I could see that they a*igured that May had simply played a trick on him。 But I never believed that， somehow。
15。 One day， after about two weeks， Harry and I were talking and I told him about my theory。 “If you’ll just wait long enough，” I said， “you’ll see her coming up those stairs some day。” He turned and looked at the stairs as though he had never seen them before。
16。 The next day when I came to work Harry was behind the counter of Tony’s magazine stand。 He looked at me rather sheepishly and said， “Well， I had to get a job somewhere， didn’t I？”
17。 So he began to work as a clerk for Tony。 We never spoke of May anymore and neither of us ever mentioned my theory。 But I noticed that Harry always saw every person who came up the stairs。
18。 Toward the end of the year Tony was killed in some argument over gambling， and Tony’s widow left Harry in complete charge of the magazine stand。 And when she got married again some time later， Harry bought the stand from her。 He borrowed money and installed a soda fountain and pretty soon he had a very nice little business。
19。 Then came yesterday。 I heard a cry and a lot of things falling。 The cry was from Harry and the things falling were a lot of dolls and other things which he had upset while he was jumping over the counter。 He ran across and grabbed a girl not ten feet from my window。 She was small and dark and her eyebrows came to a little point in the middle。
20。 For a while they just hung there to each other laughing and crying and saying things without meaning。 She’d say a few words like， “It was the bus station I meant” and he’d kiss her speechless and tell her the many things he had done to find her。 What apparently had happened three years before was that May had come by bus， not by train， and in her telegram she meant “bus station，” not “railroad station。” She had waited at the bus station for days and had spent all her money trying to find Harry。 Finally she got a job typing。
21。 “What？” said Harry。 “Have you been working in town？ All the time？”
22。 She nodded。
23。 “Well， Heavens。 Didn’t you ever come down here to the station？” He pointed across to his magazine stand。 “I’ve been there all the time。 I own it。 I’ve watched everybody that came up the stairs。”
24。 She began to look a little pale。 Pretty soon she looked over at the stairs and said in a weak voice， “I never came up the stairs before。 You see， I went out of town yesterday on a short business trip。 Oh， Harry！” Then she threw her arms around his neck and really began to cry。
25。 After a minute she backed away and pointed very stiffly toward the north end of the station。 “Harry， for three years， for three solid years， I’ve been right over there working right in this very station， typing， in the office of the stationmaster。”
1。 由于我工作的地方在联合车站的行李寄存处，我看得见每一个上楼的人。
2。 哈里3年多以前来到这里，站在楼梯口等待9：05到达的火车旅客。
3。 我还记得那第一晚见到哈里时的情景。那时，他瘦瘦的，神情焦虑，就像个孩子似的。他穿戴整齐，我知道他是在等女朋友，而且在她到达20分钟之后他们就要结婚。
4。 旅客们过来了，我得忙碌起来。等到9：18的那趟车快到的时候我才再往楼梯方向看去，我吃惊地发现那个年轻人还在那里。
5。 她也没乘9：18的那趟车来，9：40的车上也没她。等10：02那趟车的旅客全都到达并离开后，哈里显得很失望。很快他走近我的窗口，我就招呼他，问她长得什么模样。
6。 “她个子小，皮肤黑，”他说，“19岁。走路的样子很利落。她的脸，”他想了一会儿，说，“很有个性。我的意思是说她会生气，但从不会生气太久。她的眉心处有一个小点儿。她有一件褐色毛皮大衣，不过可能没穿着。”
7。 我想不起来看见过有谁长得像那样。
8。 他给我看他收到的电报：星期四到。车站接我。爱爱爱爱。——梅。电报寄自内布拉斯加州的奥马哈市。
9。 “呃，”我最后说，“你干吗不往家里打个电话？如果她先你到达这里，她可能已给你家打过电话。”
10。 他懊恼地看了我一眼。“我到城里才两天。我们打算见面之后开车去南方，我在那儿找到了一份工作。她——她也没给我任何地址。”他摸了摸电报。
11。 第二天我去值班时他还在那儿。一看见我，他就走了过来。
12。 “她在哪儿工作过吗？”我问。
13。 他点了点头。“她本来是个打字员。我给她以前的老板拍了电报。他们只知道她不干了，结婚去了。”
14。 哈里在后来的三四天接了每趟车。当然，铁路方面作了例行检查，警察也参与了这件事。但是实际上谁也没帮上忙。我看得出来，他们都觉得梅只不过是跟他开了个玩笑，但不知怎么我却根本不这么认为。
15。 有一天，大约是过了两周之后，哈里和我聊天，我给他谈了我的想法。“假如你等得时间够长的话，”我说，“总有一天，你会看见她走上楼梯的。”他转过身看着楼梯，仿佛过去从来没见过似的。
16。 第二天我去上班时，哈里已经站在托尼杂志摊的柜台后面了。他不大好意思地看着我说，“呃，我总得在哪儿找个工作，是不是？”
17。 于是，他开始给托尼卖杂志。我们再也不谈梅，谁也不提我的看法。但是我注意到哈里总要看看每个上楼的人。
18。 到年底时，托尼由于赌博发生争执而被别人杀了。托尼的妻子将杂志摊完全交给了哈里打理。过了些时候她再次结婚，哈里就从她那儿把杂志摊买了过来。他借了钱，装了个冷饮柜，不久小生意就做得不错了。
19。 于是到了昨天，我听见了一声叫喊，还听见好多东西掉到地上。是哈里在叫。掉在地上的是一大堆玩具和其他的东西，都是他跳过柜台时弄翻的。他从这些东西上面跑过去抓住了一个女孩，她就在离我窗户不到10英尺的地方。她个子小小的，黑黑的，眉心处有一个小点。
20。 好一会儿的时间他们就那么呆着，相对着笑呀，哭呀，讲些没什么意义的话。她好像说“我指的是汽车站——”而他则把她吻得说不出话来，告诉她自己为找她所做的许多事情。显然，3年前梅是乘汽车而不是火车来的。她电报里指的是“汽车站”而不是“火车站”。她在汽车站等了好几天，为找哈里花掉了所有的钱。最后，她找了一份打字的工作。
21。 “什么？”哈里说，“你在城里工作？一直都在？”
22。 她点了点头。
23。 “哎呀，老天爷——你就从来没到这个车站来过？”他把手指向杂志摊。“我一直就在那儿。那个摊儿是我的。我看过每个上楼的人。”
24。 她的脸色开始变得有些苍白。过了一会儿，她向楼梯看去，声音微弱地说：“我——我过去一直没上这个楼梯。你看，我昨天出城是去办点公事——噢，哈里！”然后，她伸手搂住他的脖子，真的哭了起来。
25。 过了一会儿，她往后一站，用手直指车站的最北头。“哈里，3年，整整3年，我就在那儿——就在这个车站工作，在站长办公室里，打字。”
Never Put off Till Some Other Time不要推迟到改天
1。 After 21 years of marriage， I discovered a new way of keeping alive the spark of love。 I started to go out with another woman。 It was really my wife’s idea。
2。 “I know that you love her，” she said one day， taking me by surprise。 “But I love YOU，” I protested。 “I know， but you also love her。”
3。 The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my mother， who has been a widow for 19 years， but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally。 That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie。 “What’s wrong， are you well？” she asked。 My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news。 “I thought that it would be pleasant to pass some time with you，” I responded。 “Just the two of us。” She thought about it for a moment， and then said， “I would like that very much。”
4。 That Friday after work， as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous。 When I arrived at her house， I noticed that she， too， seemed to be nervous about our date。 She waited in the door with her coat on。 She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary。 She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel’s。 “I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son， and they were impressed，” she said， as she got into the car。 “They can’t wait to hear about our meeting。”
5。 We went to a restaurant that， although not elegant， was very nice and cozy。 My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady。 After we sat down， I had to read the menu。 Her eyes could only read large print。 Half way through the entries， I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me。 A nostalgic smile was on her lips。 “It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small，” she said。 “Then it’s time that you relax and let me return the favor。” I responded。
6。 During the dinner we had an agreeable conversation—nothing extraordinary—but catching up on recent events of each other’s life。 We talked so much that we missed the movie。 As we arrived at her house later， she said， “I’ll go out with you again， but only if you let me invite you。” I agreed。
7。 “How was your dinner date？” asked my wife when I got home。 “Very nice。 Much more so than I could have imagined。” I answered。
8。 A few days later my mother died of a massive heart attack。 It happened so suddenly that I didn’t have a chance to do anything for her。 At that moment I understood the importance of saying in time： “I LOVE YOU” and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve。 Nothing in life is more important than your family。 Give them the time they deserve， because these things cannot be put off till “some other time”。
1。 结婚21年后，我发现了保持爱之火花的一种新方法。我开始与另一个女人出去约会。其实这还是我妻子的主意呢。
2。 “我知道你爱她，”有一天她对我说，这令我感到惊奇。“但我也爱你，”我声明。“我知道，不过，你也爱她。”
3。 我妻子想让我去拜访的另一个女人就是我的妈妈，她守寡19年了，但由于我的工作需要以及有三个孩子要抚养，我很少有机会去看望她。那天晚上，我打电话约她吃饭看电影。“出什么事了？你还好吧？”她问。我妈妈是那种认为深夜电话或出其不意的邀请代表坏消息征兆的女人。“我觉得与您共度一段时间将是一件愉快的事，”我这样回答。“就我们两个人。”她想了一想，便说：“其实我很想这样。”
4。 于是周五下班后，我开车去接她。我有点儿不安。到了她的住所，我注意到，她对我们的约会好像也有些紧张。她穿着外套在门口等我。她将头发盘了起来，并且穿着最后一次结婚纪念日那天穿的套装，天使般容光焕发的脸上带着笑容。“我告诉朋友们我要跟儿子出去约会，他们都很感动，”上车时她对我说。“他们急迫地想了解我们约会的情况。”
5。 我们去了一家虽不是一流却很优雅舒适的饭店。妈妈挽着我的手臂，宛如第一夫人。我们坐下后，我开始看菜单。她的眼睛现在只能看清一些大字。透过条目的缝隙，我抬眼看到妈妈正坐在那儿盯着我，嘴上带着怀旧的笑容。“你小的时候，都是我看菜单。”她说。“现在轮到您休息了，该我回报您了。”我答道。
6。 吃饭的时候，我们谈得很愉快——也没什么特别的事——只是简单描述一下彼此生活中最近发生的事。我们谈得太尽兴以至错过了看电影。当我送她回到家时，她说：“我会再跟你出去约会，但必须是我邀请你。”我同意了。
7。 “饭吃得怎么样啊？”回到家时我妻子问。“非常好。比我想象中要好得多。”我回答。
8。 几天后，妈妈由于严重的心脏病发作去世了。发生的如此突然以至我没有机会为她做任何事。那一刻，我明白了及时说出“我爱你”以及给予我们所爱的人他们应该得到的时间的重要性。生命中没有什么比你的家庭更重要。多花些时间陪陪你的家人，因为这些事情不能被推迟到“改天”。
The Power of Your Actions简单的举止改变人的一生
1。 One day， when I was a freshman in high school， I saw a kid from my class walking home from school。 His name was Kyle。 It looked like he was carrying all of his books。 I thought to myself， “Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday？ He must really be a nerd。” I had quite a weekend planned （parties and a football game with my friend the following afternoon）， so I shrugged my shoulders and went on。
2。 As I was walking， I saw a bunch of kids running toward him。 They ran at him， knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt。 His glasses went flying， and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him。 He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes。
3。 My heart went out to him。 So， I jogged over to him， and as he crawled around looking for his glasses， I saw a tear in his eye。
4。 I handed him his glasses and said， “Those guys are jerks。 They really should get lives。”
5。 He looked at me and said， “Hey， thanks！” There was a big smile on his face。 It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude。 I helped him pick up his books， and asked him where he lived。 It turned out he lived near me， so I asked him why I had never seen him before。 He said he had gone to private school before coming to this school。
6。 I would have never hung out with a private school kid before。 We talked all the way home， and I carried his books。 He turned out to be a pretty cool kid。 I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with me and my friends。 He said yes。 We hung all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle， the more I liked him。 And my friends thought the same of him。 Monday morning came， and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again。 I stopped him and said， “Damn boy， you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday！” He just laughed and handed me half the books。 Over the next four years， Kyle and I became best friends。
7。 When we were seniors， we began to think about college。 Kyle decided on Georgetown， and I was going to Duke。 I knew that we would always be friends， that the miles would never be a problem。 He was going to be a doctor， and I was going for business on a football scholarship。 Kyle was valedictorian of our class。
8。 I teased him all the time about being a nerd。 He had to prepare a speech for graduation。 I was so glad it wasn’t me having to get up there and speak。
9。 Graduation day arrived—I saw Kyle and he looked great。 He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school。 He filled out and actually looked good in glasses。 He had more dates than me and all the girls loved him！
10。 Boy， sometimes I was jealous。 Today was one of those days。 I could see that he was nervous about his speech。 So， I smacked him on the back and said， “Hey， big guy， you’ll be great！”
11。 He looked at me with one of those looks （the really grateful one） and smiled。 “Thanks，” he said。 As he started his speech， he cleared his throat， and began。 “Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years。 Your parents， your teachers， your sibling*aybe a coach……but mostly your friends。 I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them。 I am going to tell you a story。”
12。 I stared at my friend in disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met。 He had planned to kill himself over the weekend。 He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn’t have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home。 He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile。 “Thankfully， I was saved。 My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable。”
13。 I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome， popular boy told us all about his weakest moment。 I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile。 Not until that moment did I realize its depth。
14。 Never underestimate the power of your actions。 With one small gesture you can change a person’s life。 For better or for worse。 God puts us all in each other’s lives to impact one another in some way。 Look for God in others。
15。 “Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly。”
16。 There is no beginning or end……Yesterday is history。 Tomorrow is mystery。 Today is a gift。
1。 当我还在上高一时，有一天，我看到我们班的一个孩子正步行回家。他叫凯尔。他似乎背着所有的书。我心想：“为什么有人在周五就把所有的书都带回家呢？他肯定是个书呆子。”我的周末计划得非常详细（先是派对，在第二天下午和我的朋友踢足球）。因此我耸了耸肩，走开了。
2。 正走着，我看到一帮孩子朝他跑去。他们追上他，把他所有的书都从怀里扔到地上并把他绊倒，结果他摔在污泥里，眼镜也被打飞了，我看到它落在离他10英尺远的草地上。他抬起头时，我看到他眼里极度悲伤的表情。
3。 我的心也随他而去。因此，我慢步向他跑过去。在他爬着寻找眼镜时，我看到了他眼中的泪水。
4。 我把眼镜递给他，说道：“那些家伙都是些蠢蛋，他们真该遭到报应。”
5。 他看了看我，说：“嗨，谢谢了！”笑容在他脸上展现。正是这样的笑显示出了真正的感激。我帮他捡起书，问他住在哪里。原来他住得离我很近。于是我就问他，怎么以前我从没有见过他呢，他说在来这所学校以前他上的是私立学校。
6。 以前，我从不与私立学校的孩子交往。我们一路聊着回家，我帮他拿着书。他原来竟是一位非常讨人喜欢的孩子，我问他是否周六想跟我及我的朋友一起踢足球。他答应了。整个周末我们都在一起，对凯尔了解得越多，我越是喜欢他。我的朋友也都这么认为。到了周一早晨，凯尔又要背上那个巨大的书包了。我制止他，说：“傻孩子，你每天背这么一大堆书，想练就一身强壮的肌肉呀！”他只是笑，并把一半书都递给了我。接下来的四年里，凯尔和我成为最好的朋友。
7。 到了高年级后，我们开始考虑上大学的事。凯尔决定去乔治敦，而我要去杜克。我知道我们永远都是朋友，距离决不会成为问题。他以后想当一名医生，而我则要用足球奖学金经商。凯尔是我们班致告别词的学生代表。
8。 我总是取笑他是一个书呆子。他必须为毕业准备一个演讲。我很庆幸不是我要站在那儿演讲。
9。 毕业日来临了——我看到了凯尔，他看起来帅极了。他是那些在高中真正把握住自己的人之一。他长大了，实际上带着眼镜更好看。他的约会比我还要多，几乎所有的女孩都喜欢他。
10。 天哪，有时候我都有些嫉妒。今天就是这样。我能看出他对于演讲有些紧张。因此，我拍了拍他的后背，说：“嗨，大小伙子，你会很出色的！”
11。 他看了看我，带着那样的表情（真正出于感激的那种），笑了。“谢谢，”他说。开始演讲时，他清了清喉咙，开始说：“毕业的时候，你应该感谢那些帮助你度过最困难时期的人。你的父母、老师、兄弟姐妹、也许还有教练……但主要是你的朋友。我在这儿要告诉你们，做别人的朋友是你能给予他们的最好礼物。我要给你们讲一个故事。”
12。 我不敢置信地望着我的朋友，他讲的就是我们第一天相遇的故事。他本来打算要在那个周末自杀，他谈到自己如何把课桌收拾干净，把他所有的东西都带回家，这样就不用妈妈以后再收拾了。他直直地看着我，给了我一个笑容。“谢天谢地，我获救了。我的朋友阻止了我去做那不堪设想的事情。”
13。 当这位帅气的、受欢迎的男孩告诉我们有关他的最脆弱的时刻时，我听到人群中都深吸了一口气。我看到他的爸爸妈妈都看着我，带着同样感激的微笑。直到那时我才意识到它的深刻。
14。 决不要低估你行动的力量，一个简单的举止也许会改变人的一生，无论是好是坏。上帝让我们走进彼此的生命，在一定程度上影响着彼此。我们也要在其他人身上寻找到上帝的影子。
15。 “朋友就是天使，当我们的翅膀不知如何飞翔时，他们能够帮你站立起来。”
16。 根本不存在开始或者结束——昨天已成为历史，明天还是个谜，今天才是我们手中的礼物。
30 Things Can Be Done in Only 30 Seconds30秒可以完成的30件事情
Attitude is foundational to success。 A generous person with a positive attitude will thrive。 If you change your attitude， you change your perception， change your actions， and change your life。 As every life changes， you change the world。 Over at Lorelle On Word press she challenges bloggers to create a list of 30 things that can each be done in only 30 seconds。 Imagine if millions or billions of people each did one of these-how would the world be different？ In keeping with the theme of personal development， I have put together ways to improve yourself or others and create a better you in 30 seconds or less。 Imagine if everyone did just a few of these at once？ Here is my list。
1。 Change your tone of voice。 For 30 seconds， speak softer， calmer， or just more pleasantly。 You might be surprised at the results。 Did you know， for example， that a softer voice giving clear instructions commands more authority with children than a yell？ If frustrated in a business dealing， try a more peaceful tone， even if only for 30 seconds， and see if it leads to a quicker resolution。
2。 Choose one idea you gave up and re-visit it。 For 30 seconds， consider giving it one more try。 Was there an invention， a project， or some task that just seemed too daunting or frustrating？ Choose one and decide to try it one more time。 Imagine if everyone mustered up the courage to use their God-given ingenuity in whatever their gifting。 What new things would the world see created？
3。 For 30 seconds， give someone another chance。 Listen for just one more time， re-evaluate a first impression， or give one more opportunity to see if they have changed。 You may be surprised。
4。 Tell your children “I love you” or “I am proud of you”。 Make it meaningful， look them in the eye， and show how you value them。 It will mean the world。 Imagine if every parent said affirming words to every child， for 30 seconds， everyday。
5。 The next time you find yourself wanting instant gratification， impatiently wanting something you cannot have at that moment， give thanks to God for what you already do have for 30 seconds。 It may change your attitude。
6。 For 30 seconds， stand up straighter and with your head held high。 Look others in the eye and walk with confidence。 See how great it feels？
7。 Choose one thing you were putting off for another time that could be done today， and decide to do it！ It only takes 30 seconds to make a decision to act。 Be sure you value keeping your promise to yourself， and then know that this will lead to action。
8。 Clean up someone else’s mess。
9。 Compliment someone with a genuine comment on what you appreciate or respect about them。
10。 Stand up for someone or something you believe in。 A quick sentence of support can do wonders and expand your influence。
11。 Find a way to authentically encourage someone in their efforts with a “you can do it！” comment。 Believe in them and show it。
12。 Invite someone over （or a group of someone’s） that you would like to get to know： set a specific time and day for a dinner together。 The world could use more socializing。 What about you？ Take the initiative and make the invitation to a new friendship。
13。 Give your spouse a physical sign of affection for 30 seconds in public。 Brush your hand softly on her cheek， run your fingers through his hair， give a soft hug， a gentle squeeze of the hand， or a quick kiss。 It is good for children to see their parents comfortable with quick displays of affection， and great for strengthening intimacy in marriage。 Imagine how closeness might grow in marriages if every couple deliberately showed affection for 30 seconds？ Better yet， do it several times a day。
14。 Learn 1 new word （preferably from a different language than you already know） or learn a quick and wonderful fact about another culture or country。
15。 Write a check for 10％ of your monthly income and place it in the mailbox。 Send it to your church， a charity， or a worthy cause， but give it away。
16。 Pray every morning for 30 seconds to conquer your fear and courageously face all your opportunities， keep your mind open in setting goals and keep your attitude positive。 Quickly judge your plan for the day against your priorities （be sure your choices fit with your focus- remember in business and for your family， time is one of your most valuable assets）。 After the 30 seconds， you may be inspired to make a change。
17。 Ask someone “how are you doing？” and then be ready to truly listen。
18。 Put $20 in an envelope （or $50 or $100）， write “from anonymous”， and secretly （and quickly， to fit in 30 seconds） leave it with someone you know could use it。 Doing good deeds without public recognition feels great…… Try it and see！
19。 Do something quick for the environment： refuse food in Styrofoam， tear apart those plastic things that go around cans and choke birds， or help an animal in distress break free， etc。
20。 Choose a great breakfast （your best energy starts with a 30 second decision）。 Choose to eat no sugar and foods low in starch。 Eat more protein and fruit。 Start your day right to be more productive。
21。 If you have been indoors， get out and feel the sunshine on your face for 30 seconds- it will elevate your mood quickly （if it is 100 degrees outside then feel the sunshine from a more comfortable temperature if possible）。
22。 Say yes to giving a charitable donation at your local merchant when asked （give one more time than you had planned to give）。
23。 Register to vote。 Just fill out a 30 second card！ As you follow this or any registration process of your country， determine to take advantage of the opportunity to vote when it comes， if you are able to do so。
24。 Plant a seed （or plant a plant or tree if you have the skills to do so this quickly）。 Imagine if millions did this at once…
25。 Turn off the lights in a room where you are not （turn off the water when not in use， etc。）. Every 30 seconds matters。
26。 Place a bag by your trash and put a recyclable item inside it。 Congratulations， you have now started recycling！
27。 Stop any bad habit in 30 seconds。 Then keep repeating at 30 second intervals。
28。 Seek out laughter and laugh for 30 seconds。 Repeat as needed to release tension。
29。 Drink water。
30。 Imagine for 30 seconds being content with everything you have。 Then imagine balancing contentment with striving to continue God’s purpose in you， take an attitude of perseverance， and determine to go for it！
态度是成功的基石。一个人如果既乐于分享，又态度积极，则其前途不可限量。如果你改变了你的态度，就等于改变了你对事物的理解，改变了你的行动，随之将改变你的生活。当每一个人的生命发生变化时，你就改变了世界。在Word press上写博客的Lorelle挑战众博客写作者们列出一个包含30件可以在30秒钟内完成的事情清单。试想一下，如果成百万甚至上亿的人们仅仅做了其中的一件，世界将会有多么大的不一样！延续我的博客推动个人成长的主题，我集中了一些你可以在30秒或更少的时间内完成来完善自己或他人的事情。设想一下每个人立刻做了其中的一些事情会如何。清单如下：
1。 改变你的语气。只用30秒，使用更柔和、更冷静的语气，或是任何一种听上去更舒服的说话方式。你也许会为所发生的一切感到惊讶。比如，你是否了解，在孩子们的心目中，用柔和的声调给出清楚的指示比大吼大叫更能让你获得威严。如果在一次商业交易中出师不利，可以尝试在接下来的30秒内使用更平和的语调，然后观察这能否促使事情更快地得到解决。
2。 选择一个你已经放弃的想法，然后重新思考它。用30秒的时间考虑再试一次。是否曾经有一项发明，一个项目，或是某些任务令人望而生畏，或是让人沮丧？选择其中一个，然后再次捡起它。想想看，如果每个人都鼓足勇气，在自己具备才能的方面充分运用了上天赋予的创造力，将会给这个世界带来多少新的东西？
3。 用30秒钟，给他人一次机会。也许只需要再倾听一遍，重新调整一下第一印象，或是再用一次机会去发现他们是否已经作出改变。你会感到惊奇的。
4。 告诉你的孩子们“我爱你”或“我为你感到骄傲”。让这样的表达成为一次有意义的事件，看着他们的眼睛，让他们知道他们对你来说有多么重要。这样做将意义非凡。想想如果所有的父母每天花30秒的时间对他们的孩子们说一些肯定的话，世界将会如何。
5。 下次你再发现自己在急切等待他人对你的肯定，而又不可能立即拥有的时候，用30秒来为你已经完成的事情感谢上帝。这能迅速改变你的态度。
6。 用30秒，站得更直，将你的头高高抬起。直视他人，自信地行走。有没有发现这样感觉非常棒？
7。 选择一件你一直在拖延着准备下次再做而今天可以完成的事情，决定完成它！做出一个行动的决定只需要30秒。前提必须是你十分看重对自己的承诺，并且一旦承诺则意味着付出行动。
8。 清理一次他人惹下的乱子。
9。 对他人就你一直欣赏或敬重的某一点表示真诚的赞美。
10。 为你信仰的某人或某事挺身而出。一句简短的表示支持的话会带来奇迹，迅速扩大你的影响。
11。 为他人所做的努力表示一次真诚的鼓励。告诉他，“你可以做到的”，信任他并且用行动来表达这份信任。
12。 邀请某个你愿意了解的人（或一群人）到家中做客。定一个具体的日子和时刻和他/他们共进晚餐。适度的社交是必要的，你还在等待什么呢？采取主动，发出邀请，也意味着打开一扇新的友谊之门。
13。 在公共场所花30秒对你的伴侣用肢体表达爱意。用手轻轻的摩挲她的面颊，用手指抚弄他的头发，来一个轻轻的拥抱，温柔的握紧他的手，或是一个蜻蜓点水的吻。让孩子们看到父母很自然的迅速表达爱意是有益的。这样也能加强婚姻的亲密感。试想一下如果每一对伴侣都用30秒的时间来有意识的表达爱意，会对婚姻中 亲密感的增强有多么大的作用。如果能一天做几次就更好了。
14。 学会一个新单词（最好从一种你不会的语言中学习）或是迅速的了解与另外一种文化或国家有关的一件神奇的事情。
15。 写下一张面值为你月薪10％的支票。然后放进邮箱，寄给你所在地区的教堂，捐给慈善机构，或是为其它有价值的事业。总之，捐献出去。
16。 每天早晨祈祷30秒，以克服恐惧，或是获得勇气去面对你的所有机会。在树立目标的时候保持心胸开阔，态度要积极。以优先级标准迅速的判断你当天的计划（须保证你的选择与你的重点相符——记住无论在职场还是家中，时间都是你最宝贵的资产）30秒之后，你也许已经获得激励去做一些改变。
17。 问候一个人“你最近怎样”，然后真诚的聆听。
18。 将20美元（50美元或100美元也行）放在一个信封里，写上“来自无名氏”。然后悄悄地（当然，也要迅速地，以保持30秒的纪录）放在你知道需要它的人那里。私下里做一些善意的小事感觉很棒！不信可以试试看。
19。 迅速地做一些对环境有保护的事情：拒绝装在聚乙烯泡沫盒里的食物，撕开罐头外围的塑料包装，或是帮助一只被困的小动物重获自由等等。
20。 选择吃一顿精致的早餐。（只需要30秒作出的决定可以让你一整天都充满活力）不吃糖，吃低淀粉的食物。摄入更多的蛋白质和水果。正确的开始以使你的一天更富有成效。
21。 如果你一直待在室内，走出去，感受30秒阳光照在脸上的感觉——这会让你的心情立刻变得好起来（如果外面的气温高达100摄氏度，那么在一个更适宜的温度下去感受阳光）。
22。 如果一个当地的商店请求你做一次慈善捐助时表示同意（多给一个人一些时间，虽然你本来并不打算如此）。
23。 报名参加选举。只需要花30秒时间填写一张卡片。当你这样做的时候，下决心在选举来临时投出这一票。
24。 播下一颗种子。（如果你有技巧能迅速完成的话也可以种下一株植物或一棵树）。想想如果数百万的人都马上这样做了的话……
25。 当你不在房间的时候，把灯关掉。（诸如此类，不用水的时候将水龙头关掉。）这样的每一个30秒都不是小事。
26。 在垃圾桶旁边放一个袋子，然后在里面放一些可回收的小东西。祝贺你，你已经开始回收之旅了。
27。 在30秒钟内戒掉一个坏习惯。然后每隔30秒重复你做的事情。
28。 寻找笑料，然后大笑30秒。在有必要的时候重复这样做，来缓解紧张气氛。
29。 喝水。
30。 花30秒的时间想象一下你对所拥有的一切都感到满足的情景。然后设想一下如何在感到满足与努力发挥天赋才能之间保持平衡。拥有坚定不移的态度，并且一旦下了决心，就去尽情追逐你的梦想！
A Coke and a Smile可乐与微笑
1。 I know now that the man who sat with me on the old wooden stairs that hot summer night over thirty-five years ago was not a tall man。 But to a five-year-old， he was a giant。 We sat side by side， watching the sun go down behind the old Texaco service station across the busy street。 A street that I was never allowed to cross unless accompanied by an adult， or at the very least， an older sibling。
2。 Cherry-scented smoke from Grampy’s pipe kept the hungry mosquitoes at bay while gray， wispy swirls danced around our heads。 Now and again， he blew a smoke ring and laughed as I tried to target the hole with my finger。 I， clad in a cool summer nightie， and Grampy， his sleeveless T-shirt， sat watching the traffic。 We counted cars and tried to guess the color of the next one to turn the corner。
3。 Once again， I was caught in the middle of circumstances。 The fourth born of six children， it was not uncommon that I was either too young or too old for something。 This night I was both。 While my two baby brothers slept inside the house， my three older siblings played with friends around the corner， where I was not allowed to go。 I stayed with Grampy， and that was okay with me。 I was where I wanted to be。 My grandfather was baby-sitting while my mother， father and grandmother went out。
4。 “Thirsty？” Grampy asked， never removing the pipe from his mouth。
5。 “Yes，” was my reply。 “How would you like to run over to the gas station there and get yourself a bottle of Coke？”
6。 I couldn’t believe my ears。 Had I heard right？ Was he talking to me？ On my fami* modest income， Coke was not a part of our budget or diet。 A few tantalizing sips was all I had ever had， and certainly never my own bottle。
7。 “Okay，” I replied shyly， already wondering how I would get across the street。 Surely Grampy was going to come with me。
8。 Grampy stretched his long leg out straight and reached his huge hand deep into the pocket。 I could hear the familiar jangling of the loose change he always carried。 Opening his fist， he exposed a mound of silver coins。 There must have been a million dollars there。 He instructed me to pick out a dime。 After he deposited the rest of the change back into his pocket， he stood up。
9。 “Okay，” he said， helping me down the stairs and to the curb， “I’m going to stay here and keep an ear out for the babies。 I’ll tell you when it’s safe to cross。 You go over to the Coke machine， get your Coke and come back out。 Wait for me to tell you when it’s safe to cross back。”
10。 My heart pounded。 I clutched my dime tightly in my sweaty palm。 Excitement took my breath away。
11。 Grampy held my hand tightly。 Together we looked up the street and down， and back up again。 He stepped off the curb and told me it was safe to cross。 He let go of my hand and I ran。 I ran faster than I had ever run before。 The street seemed wide。 I wondered if I would make it to the other side。 Reaching the other side， I turned to find Grampy。 There he was， standing exactly where I had left him， smiling proudly。 I waved。
12。 “Go on， hurry up，” he yelled。
13。 My heart pounded wildly as I walked inside the dark garage。 I had been inside the garage before with my father。 My surroundings were familiar。 I heard the Coca-Cola machine motor humming even before I saw it。 I walked directly to the big old red-and-white dispenser。 I knew where to insert my dime。 I had seen it done before and had fantasized about this moment many times。
14。 The big old monster greedily accepted my dime， and I heard the bottles shift。 On tiptoes I reached up and opened the heavy door。 There they were： one neat row of thick green bottles， necks staring directly at me， and ice cold from the refrigeration。 I held the door open with my shoulder and grabbed one。 With a quick yank， I pulled it free from its bondage。 Another one immediately took its place。 The bottle was cold in my sweaty hands。 I will never forget the feeling of the cool glass on my skin。 With two hands， I positioned the bottleneck under the heavy brass opener that was bolted to the wall。 The cap dropped into an old wooden box， and I reached in to retrieve it。 I was cold and bent in the middle， but I knew I needed to have this souvenir。 Coke in hand， I proudly marched back out into the early evening dusk。 Grampy was waiting patiently。 He smiled。
15。 “Stop right there，” he yelled。 One or two cars sped by me， and once again， Grampy stepped off the curb。 “Come on， now，” he said， “run。” I did。 Cool brown foam sprayed my hands。 “Don’t ever do that alone，” he warned。 I held the Coke bottle tightly； fearful he would make me pour it into a cup， ruining this dream come true。 He didn’t。 One long swallow of the cold beverage cooled my sweating body。 I don’t think I ever felt so proud。
1。 我现在知道，35年前那个炎热夏夜和我坐在破旧的木楼梯上的老人并不高大，但对一个5岁的孩子来说，他却是一个巨人。我们并排坐着，看着太阳落在繁忙的街对面那个老德克萨克加油站的背后。除非有大人或至少一个哥哥或姐姐陪着，我从未被允许穿过那条街。
2。 从祖父烟斗里喷出的白色烟雾在我们脑袋周围上下旋绕，它们散发的樱桃香味使贪婪的蚊子不敢靠近。他不时地喷出一串烟圈，在我试着将手指*烟圈时他放声大笑。我穿着凉爽的小睡衣，祖父穿着他的无袖T恤，坐在那儿观看繁忙的交通。我们数着过往的车辆，并猜想着下一辆拐过街角的汽车的颜色。
3。 我又一次陷于两头都够不上的中间境遇，作为六个孩子中的老四，很多事情对于我来说不是因为年龄太小，就是太大而不合适。那天夜里就是这样。我的两个小兄弟在屋里睡觉，我的另外三个长兄和姐姐在拐角与小伙伴们玩，而我是不允许去那里的。我与祖父呆在一起，这也挺好，正是我想呆的地方。在父母和祖母外出时，祖父就在家看孩子。
4。 “渴吗？”祖父烟斗不离口地问我。
5。 “是的。”我回答说。“跑到街对面的加油站去给你自己买瓶可乐怎么样？”
6。 我简直不敢相信自己的耳朵，我没有听错吧？他是在跟我说话吗？就我们家微薄的收入来说，可乐不是我们家庭开销的一部分。我只是迫不及待地啜过几小口，从来没有自己喝过一瓶。
7。 “好的。”我害羞地回答说，已经在想着该怎样穿过马路，祖父当然会跟我一块。
8。 祖父将他的长腿伸直，把他的大手伸进口袋。我能听到零钱相碰而发出的熟悉的丁当声，他总是把这些零钱带在身上。他张开手，露出了一堆宝贝似的银币。那里面一定有100万美元！他让我拿出一个1角的银币。把零钱放回口袋后，他站了起来。
9。 “好吧，”他说，帮着我下楼梯到马路沿儿那儿去，“我站在这儿，听着屋里的两个孩子有没有动静，什么时候穿过马路安全，我会告诉你的。你到对面的可乐机那儿买到你的可乐后再走回来。等着我告诉你什么时候过马路安全。”
10。 我的心砰砰地跳着，紧紧地用汗手攥着那枚1角的银币，兴奋地喘不上气来。
11。 祖父紧紧地拉着我的手，我们一块看了看大街的前后左右。他走下马路沿儿，告诉我现在可以过去了。他放开我的手，我跑了起来。我从没有跑得这么快过。街道似乎很宽，我怀疑自己是否能跑到对面。跑到对面后，我回头寻找祖父，他正站在我离开他的地方，为我自豪地微笑着。我朝他挥了挥手。
12。 “接着走，快点。”他喊道。
13。 我的心砰砰乱跳着走进昏暗的修车站。我以前曾和父亲一块来过这里，对周围的一切都很熟悉。甚至在看见可口可乐机之前就听到了其马达发出的嗡嗡声。我径直走向那台红白相间的巨大的老自动售货机。我知道该往哪儿插硬币，我曾看人做过并曾多次幻想有一天我也能亲身试一试。
14。 那个老巨人贪婪地吞下我的硬币，我听见了瓶子移动的声音。我踮起脚尖伸手摸索着打开了它厚重的门。它们就在那儿！一排整齐的深绿色瓶子，瓶颈一个挨一个地凝视着我，冰箱里散发出冰冷的气息。我用肩膀顶着门，伸手抓住一个，迅速一拉，将它从捆绑中拉了出来，另一个立即占据了它的位置。瓶子在我汗浸浸的手中显得格外冰凉，我永远忘不了冰凉的瓶子接触我皮肤时的感觉。我两手抓住瓶子，将瓶颈放在固定的墙上的厚铜开瓶器下，瓶盖立即掉在一个老木箱里，我伸手将它捡了出来，感觉好凉，中间已经弯曲，但我知道我需要拥有这个纪念品。手拿可乐，我自豪地走回到外面，已是黄昏时分。祖父正耐心地等待着，并面带微笑。
15。 “停在那儿，”一两辆车在我面前飞驶而过，祖父再次走下马路沿儿，“现在过来，”他说，“跑过来！”我跑了起来，冰凉的棕色泡沫溅在我的手上。“别再一个人独自过马路！”他警告我。我紧紧地抱着可乐瓶，生怕他让我把可乐倒在杯子里，毁掉我的梦想。他没有。我咕噜噜长长地吞下一口冰凉的可乐，冒汗的身体顿觉清爽无比。我认为自己再也没有过当时那样的自豪。
Grandpa’s Valentine爷爷的情人卡
1。 I received a ca*rom the nursing home。 Grandpa was failing rapidly。 I should come。 There was nothing to do but hold his hand。 “I love you， Grandpa。 Thank you for always being there for me。”
2。 Memories……memories……six days a week， Grandpa in that old blue shirt caring for those cattle……on hot summer days plowing the soil， planting the corn and beans and harvesting them in the fall……always working from dawn to dusk。 Survival demanded work， work， work。
3。 But on Sundays he put on his gray suit and hat。 Grandma wore her wine-colored dress and ivory beads， and they went to church。 Grandpa and Grandma were quiet， peaceful， unemotional people。
4。 The nurse apologized for having to ask me so soon to remove Grandpa’s things from the room。 It would not take long。 There wasn’t much。 Then I found it in the top drawer of his nightstand。 It looked like a very old handmade valentine。 What must have been red paper at one time was a streaked faded pink。 A piece of white paper had been glued to the center of the heart。 On it， penned in Grandma’s handwriting， were these words：
5。 TO LEE FROM HARRIET
6。 With All My Love，
7。 February 14， 1895
8。 Are you alive？ Real？ Or are you the most beautiful dream that I have had in years？ Are you an angel—or a figment of my imagination？ Someone I fabricated to fill the void？ To soothe the pain？ Where did you find the time to listen？ How could you understand？
9。 You made me laugh when my heart was crying。 You took me dancing when I couldn’t take a step。 You helped me set new goals when I was confused。 You showed me dew drops and I had diamonds。 You brought me wildflowers and I had orchids。 You sang to me and angelic choirs burst forth in song。 You held my hand and my whole being loved you。 You gave me a ring and I belonged to you。 I belonged to you and I have experienced all。
10。 Tears streamed down my cheeks as I read the words。 I pictured the old couple I had always known。 It’s difficult to imagine your grandparents in any other role than that。 What I read was so beautiful and sacred。 Grandpa had kept it all those years。 Now it is framed on my dresser， a treasured part of family history。
1。 我接到了疗养院的电话，爷爷的情况急转直下，应该去了。我什么也做不了，只能握着他的手说：“爷爷，我爱你。谢谢你一直陪伴着我。”
2。 回忆……回忆……一周六天，爷爷总是穿着那件旧的蓝衬衫照看着牛群……在炎热的夏天耕种土地，种上玉米和豆子，秋天再把庄稼收获……黎明而耕，黄昏而息，总是如此。生存需要劳作、劳作、不断地劳作。
3。 但是每逢周日，他就会穿上灰色西装，戴上礼帽；奶奶则穿上酒红色的连衣裙，戴上象牙珠链，两人一起去做礼拜。爷爷和奶奶都是宁静平和，感情从不外露的人。
4。 护士向我道歉，说不得不这么快就请我把爷爷的物品从房间里搬走，其实搬东西也用不了很久，爷爷身无长物。搬东西时，我在他的床头几最上面的抽屉里发现了一样东西。那看起来像是一张旧的自制的情人卡，以前应该是红色的纸现在退色了，变成了带有斑纹的粉红色，红心的中央用胶水粘着一张白纸，上面是奶奶用钢笔写下的一段文字，内容是这样的：
5。 哈丽特致李：
6。 你是真实的、活生生的吗？难道说你是我这么多年来最美丽的梦？你是一个天使吗？——或者你只是我想象中的幻影，为了填补空虚，为了抚平创伤臆造出来的人物？你是从哪里找到时间来听我诉说的？你又为何总能理解我呢？
7。 我的心痛哭时，你带给我欢笑。我还没学会舞步，你就带我去了舞会。我迷茫时，你却帮我设立了新的目标。你给我看那清新的露珠，我就拥有了璀璨的钻石；你给我摘来野花，我就拥有了幽兰；你给我唱一首歌，天使们就开始了合唱。你握住我的手，我的整个人都爱上了你；你给我一枚戒指，我全部属于了你；我属于你之后，就体验了世间的全部。
8。 全身心地爱你。
9。 1895年2月14日
10。 我读着这些话，泪水扑面而下。我想象着一直以来就认识的这对老夫妇。要把爷爷奶奶想象成其他角色是那样的困难。我读到的字句却是如此美丽而神圣。爷爷这些年一直保存着这张卡，而现在，我把它装上镜框，放在梳妆台上。它成了一份弥足珍贵的家族历史。
For Moms写给妈妈们……
1。 This is for all the mothers who DIDN’T win Mother of the Year last year， all the runners-up and all the wannabes， including the mothers too tired to enter or too busy to care。
2。 This is for all the mothers who froze their buns off on metal bleachers at soccer games on Friday night， instead of watching from cars。 So that when their kids asked， “Did you see my goal？” They could say， “Of course， wouldn’t have missed it for the world，” and mean it。
3。 This is for all the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms， wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying， “It’s OK honey， Mommy’s here。”
4。 This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they’ll never see， and the mothers who took those babies and made them homes。
5。 This is for all the mothers of the victims of school shootings， and the mothers of the murderers。 For the mothers of the survivors， and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror， hugging their child who just came home from school， safely。
6。 This is for all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes， and all the mothers who DON’T。
7。 What makes a good mother anyway？ Is it patience？ Compassion？ Broad hips？
8。 Is it the ability to nurse a baby， cook dinner， and sew a button on a shirt， all at the same time？ Or is it heart？
9。 Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street， walking to school alone for the very first time？
10。 Is it the *t that takes you from sleep to dread， as you bound from bed to crib at 2 a。m. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby？
11。 Is it the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear news of a school shooting， a fire， a car accident， or a baby dying？
12。 I think so。
13。 So this is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies， and for all the mothers who wanted to but just couldn’t。
14。 This is for reading “Good night， Moon” twice a night for a year。 And then reading it again。 “Just one more time。”
15。 This is for all the mothers who mess up， who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair and stomp their feet like a tired 2-year-old who wants ice cream before dinner。
16。 This is for all the mothers who taught their daughters to tie their shoelaces before they started school。 And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead。
17。 This is for all the mothers who bite their lips—sometimes until they bleed—when their 14 year olds dye their hair green。 Who lock themselves in the bathroom when babies keep crying and won’t stop。
18。 This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse。
19。 This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot。
20。 This is for all mothers whose heads turn automatically when a little voice calls “Mom？” in a crowd， even though they know their own offspring are at home。
21。 This is for mothers who put pinwheels and teddy bears on their children’s graves。
22。 This is for mothers whose children have gone astray， who can’t find the words to reach them。
23。 This is for all the mothers who sent their sons to school with stomachaches， assuring them they’d be just FINE once they got there， only to get calls from the school nurse and hour later asking them to please pick them up， right away。
24。 This is for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation， and mature mothers learning to let go。
25。 This is for working mothers and stay-at-home mothers， single mothers and married mother*others with money， and mothers without。
26。 This is for you all。 So hang in there！
1。 本文谨献给所有未能获得去年“年度母亲”的妈妈们，所有的亚军和希望超越她们的人们，还包括那些太过牢累没能参加或是太过忙碌而无暇顾及的母亲们。
2。 这是写给所有会在周五晚上到露天球场观看足球赛的母亲们，她们会坐在冰凉的看台上，而不是从汽车里面观看。因此，当她们的孩子问：“你看到我得分了吗？”她们就能回答：“当然，我怎么会错过你的比赛啊。”事实确实是这样。
3。 这是写给所有整晚紧抱生病的孩子，擦掉那些有Oscar Mayer香肠的呕吐物，并温柔地说：“好了，宝贝，妈妈在这里。”
4。 这是写给这些未能见孩子一面而逝去的母亲们。也送给那些收养了这些孩子，并给了他们一个家的母亲们。
5。 这是写给这些母亲们。她们的孩子成了学校枪击事件的受害者；她们是杀人犯的母亲；她们是烈士的母亲；她们坐在电视前心神不宁，满怀恐惧，孩子一放学安全回家就拥抱孩子的母亲们。
6。 这是写给这些合伙使用汽车，会做饼干，缝制万圣节衣服的母亲们，也写给那些不做这些事情的母亲们。
7。 是什么能成就一个好母亲呢？是耐心？同情？还是博大的胸怀？
8。 是同时都具有抚养孩子，做饭，订纽扣的能力？还是有充满挚爱的心？
9。 是你看着儿子或女儿消失在街头，第一次走进校园时的那种失落吗？
10。 是你从梦中惊醒，在午夜两点从床上跳起来到婴儿床边，轻拍熟睡的宝贝时的那种震撼吗？
11。 还是不论身在何处，只要听到有关校园枪击案、火灾、车祸，或者有孩子死亡的消息时，渴望拥抱自己孩子的那种迫切哪？
12。 我是这样认为的。
13。 因此，这是写给所有的母亲，她们抱着孩子坐下，解释说养孩子的不易；这也是写给那些心有余而力不足的母亲们。
14。 这是写给每个晚上都要读两遍“晚安，月亮”，之后却又读一遍，说“再来一遍”的母亲们。
15。 这是写给所有心情糟糕的母亲，她们在商店里责骂她们的孩子，朝死里打他们，甚至像一个两岁的小孩想在饭前吃根冰激凌一样，气得跺脚。
16。 这是写给所有这样的母亲，她们在女儿开始上学前就教孩子学系鞋带，还有那些选择维可牢尼龙搭扣而不是鞋带的母亲。
17。 这是写给这些母亲们，她们看见自己14岁的孩子把头发染成绿色，会气得把嘴唇咬出血，当孩子不停地哭喊的时候，她们会绝望地躲在浴室里。
18。 这是写给这些母亲，她们上班的时候，头发上有唾液，上衣上有奶渍，包里有小孩尿布。
19。 这是写给这样的母亲，她们教儿子做饭，教女儿跳投篮球。
20。 这是写给这样的母亲，当她们在拥挤的人群里哪怕听到一个很小的叫“妈妈？”的声音，她们就会马上转过头来，即使她们知道孩子在家里。
21。 这是写给那些在她们孩子的墓前放上风车和泰迪熊的母亲们。
22。 这是写给那些母亲们，她们的孩子误入歧途，母亲又不能找到合适的话来教导他们。
23。 这是写给这样的母亲们，她们把胃痛的儿子送到学校，而且还对孩子说他们一到学校就好了，结果却从学校护士那里接到电话，一小时后叫她们去接孩子。
24。 这是写给年轻母亲的，她们忙于给孩子换尿布上，几乎没有了睡眠时间。而成熟的母亲学着放任他们。
25。 这是写给所有工作的母亲与呆在家的母亲，单身的母亲与已婚的母亲，有钱的母亲与没有钱的母亲。
26。 就这些，到此止笔！