我爸爸為一個食品組織工作。這個組織經(jīng)常到偏遠(yuǎn)地區(qū)提 供食品、醫(yī)療援助和娛樂服務(wù)。最近，我跟他一起參加了他們的一次日常工作。我在那兒只是簡單地給人指示方向、發(fā)傳單以及引路。那天天氣酷熱，讓人十分疲憊，我一點(diǎn)興致都沒有。坦白地說,我并不是很用心，最后只是敷衍了事。
Then I saw two girls who had the same task I did, but were smiling and happy. They walked up to people who looked lost and asked them if they needed help, instead of waiting for people to find them. An elderly woman wobbled over to one while the other approached a toothless, foul-smelling man with rags draped over his sickly body. I saw the first girl talking courteously to the old woman and then smile as she gave her a reassuring hug. Meanwhile the second girl said, “Hello, sir. Is there something I can help you with today? ” SIR? SIR!! She spoke to this man as though he were important! It seemed preposterous. Was I hearing her correctly? Why would she talk to a bum from the street as though he was a colonel in the army?
然后，我看到兩個女孩子干著跟我一樣的工作，但是卻面 帶笑容，滿心歡喜。她們走到看似迷路的人面前，詢問他們是否需要幫助，而不是等著別人來找她們。一個老婦人搖搖晃晃地走向其中一個女孩，而另一個女孩則走向一個掉了牙的滿身惡臭的男人，那人病懨懨的身子上搭著塊破布。我看到第一個女孩彬彬有禮地和那個老婦人交談，然后笑著給她一個讓她安心的擁抱。與此同時，第二個女孩說道：“你好，先生。今天有什么事情我可以幫你的嗎?”先生?先生!!她跟這個男人說話的語氣就像他是個重要人物似的!那簡直太荒謬了。我沒聽錯吧?為什么她跟一個街上的流浪漢說話就像他是個軍隊的上校似的?
She showed compassion. Because she cared about this man and wanted him to feel loved and important, she showed respect. He raised his chin just a tad when she called him “Sir.” Rolling his shoulders back, he felt her reaching out to him in that simple phrase, and his tired, wrinkled facesparkled. As for the old woman ——I stood in awe. Never in my life had I seen a moment that displayed such care and love. Yes, this is what compassion is all about.
