When you can't pay back, pay forward 将善良传递下去

A willingness to extend kindness to strangers is a trait of ordinary people around the world — perhaps because most everyone at some time has been lost, hungry, in pain, confused or simply caught in the rain. Empathetic strangers, knowing what trouble feels like, often come to the rescue.

热心助人是世界上每个普通人应有的品质——或许是因为几乎人人都有迷路、饥饿、苦恼、迷茫或仅仅是遭遇雨天的时候。有同情心的陌生人常常都会伸以援手，因为他们知道遇到麻烦是什么滋味。

In China, this attribute seems especially pronounced. I know because have been the beneficiary.

在中国，中国人的这种特点看起来尤其明显。因为我曾亲身经历过。

A few examples:

举几个例子：

·As I was walking one day in Beijing, a major cloudburst opened up. You may have heard the expression “raining cats and dogs”. That day it rained whales and elephants. A stranger saw my plight and waved me quickly into his covered porch, where he offered a cup of tea and the chair he had been sitting in.

·我在北京的时候，有一天我走在路上，突然天降大雨。你可能听过“瓢泼大雨”这个词，可是那天的情形用“倾盆大雨”来形容都不为过。一个路人发现我深陷困境便向我招手让我赶快去他的门廊下躲雨。他不仅给我一杯茶，还把他的椅子让给我座。

·My bike once blew a tire a long way from home, the blast knocking the rubber off the rim. Pushing the disabled bike was difficult. Seeing my struggle, a young man pulled up in one of those three-wheeled open trucks. Using hand signals, he indicated he wanted to help, and then he hauled the bike and me to a repair shop 2 kilometers distant. I offered him money, but he just grinned, shook his head and waved goodbye.

·有一次在离家很远的地方，我自行车的一个车胎爆了，内胎都从车圈上脱落下来。推着爆胎的车子走路非常吃力。一个骑着三轮车的年轻人看到我后，就把车停下来用手势示意我他想帮助我。接着，他就载着我的自行车带我去两公里外的修车店。我想给他钱，但是他摇摇头没有收，只是微微一笑就离开了。

·Near the end of Spring Festival, I lost my reading glasses. Amazingly, the only business open in the neighborhood happened to be an eyeglass shop. The proprietor told me she would make the glasses, and I could pick them up the next day. When I said I needed them at the office that night, she paused, puzzled a moment, and then cheerfully told me to come back in two hours. I did, and collected the finished glasses. I tried to pay her extra for her trouble, but she refused.

·临近春节假期尾声的时候，我丢了我的花镜。让我吃惊的是，附近唯一还在营业的店碰巧就是一家眼镜店。店主告诉我，她可以给我配镜不过得等到第二天才能拿到。当我告诉她我当天晚上办公需要眼镜时，她停顿思考了一会儿然后爽快地告诉我两个小时后回来。我照做了，拿到了配好的眼镜。我想多付些钱来补偿给她造成的麻烦，但是她拒绝了。

·A couple weeks ago, I went to buy four big suitcases for travel. If you’ve ever tried to push four of those by yourself, you may sympathize. I looked ridiculous, bags dancing wildly across the floor. Then I got a tap on the shoulder. It was the seller offering his assistance. Taking two of the bags, he steered me to the freight elevator. At the bottom he indicated I should wait, and then he disappeared. A few minutes later he drove up in a canvas-covered vehicle with his two children, a boy and a girl, on his lap. He stuffed three bags inside and lashed the fourth to the roof. Then we all went sailing merrily down the road to my home, 20 minutes away. I offered money, but he refused. In broken English he said, “Feel good help you.”

几周前，我去买了四个大旅行箱。如果你试过自己推着这几个箱子走，你可能就会了解我当时的心情了。我试着控制住在地上跑来跑去的箱子，特别搞笑。然后就有人拍了一下我的肩膀，是售货员要帮助我。他帮我拉着两个行李箱，带我去乘货梯。几分钟后，他开着一辆帆布蓬车来了，腿上还坐着一双儿女。他把三个箱子装进车里，另外一个绑在车顶。然后我们就一起驶向我家，20分钟的路程我们都很开心。我给他钱，他也没收。他用不是很熟练的英语说：“能帮到你我很开心。”

Such deeds inspire me. Since I cannot pay back, I have vowed to pay forward when opportunities arise, and  I invite you to join me. Try this: Every time a stranger helps you, return the favor by helping two other people. A wave of goodwill will roll forward exponentially.

这样的善举给了我很大的鼓舞。既然我无法回报他们，那我发誓以后一旦有机会就去帮助别人，要知恩图报。而且我想邀请大家跟我一起试着这样做：每当有陌生人帮助你时，你就主动帮助两个人作为回报。一次善举将会激发无数次善举。

At home I have a small ceramic plaque that was sent to me by my mother. The inscription states a great truth: “There’s no such thing as a small act of kindness.”

在我家里有一块我母亲送给我的小陶瓷牌匾，上面的铭文告诉我们一个伟大的真理：“善举不足道，人人可行之。”