The Ultimate Key 以怜悯之心开启人生
　　By Kayla Kingsland
文字难度2.5
小云 译
有时候，我们可能会觉得人与人之间距离很远，但实际上，人的内心始终是相通的。怜悯之心、关怀与爱——这些人类与生俱来的情愫一直深深地扎根在土壤里，在适当的环境下，它们会像常春藤一样枝枝蔓蔓地生长出来，开出芬芳的花朵……

My dad works for a food organization that travels to rural areas to offer food, medical assistance as well as entertainment. Recently I went with him to one of their conventions. I was there simply to give people directions, hand them a 1)flyer and send them on their way. It was hot and tiring, and I wasn’t having much fun. Honestly, I didn’t really care, and ended up doing it 2)halfheartedly.
　　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 3)wobbled over to one while the other approached a toothless, foul-smelling man with rags 4)draped over his sickly body. I saw the first girl talking 5)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 6)preposterous. Was I hearing her correctly? Why would she talk to a 7)bum from the street as though he was a colonel in the army?
　　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 8)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 face sparkled. 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.
　　To love another is not only to recognize the need, but also to express warm sympathy toward that need. It is giving people what they need even when they are too afraid to ask. After seeing the compassion those girls so freely expressed, I knew I could do my job better.
　　A little girl walked over to me, holding her mother’s hand. I smiled, because I cared. I cared about what she needed and wanted, about her sorrows and disappointments. I truly cared! It gave me happiness and a glow that can only be felt when you do something right. Happiness grew to 9)perseverance—to keep going because I could do something to 10)impact another. And so I not only experienced the glow, but also kept it burning in my heart.
Taking time to show compassion in my life has made a difference in my character and who I am. It most definitely is the 11)ultimate 12)principle to live by. Compassion is the key. Holding it, I open every room to let the sunshine flow in.

　　我爸爸为一个食品组织工作。这个组织经常到偏远地区提供食品、医疗援助和娱乐服务。最近，我跟他一起参加了他们的一次日常工作。我在那儿只是简单地给人指示方向、发传单以及引路。那天天气酷热，让人十分疲惫，我一点兴致都没有。坦白地说，我并不是很用心，最后只是敷衍了事。
　　然后，我看到两个女孩子干着跟我一样的工作，但是却面带笑容，满心欢喜。她们走到看似迷路的人面前，询问他们是否需要帮助，而不是等着别人来找她们。一个老妇人摇摇晃晃地走向其中一个女孩，而另一个女孩则走向一个掉了牙的满身恶臭的男人，那人病恹恹的身子上搭着块破布。我看到第一个女孩彬彬有礼地和那个老妇人交谈，然后笑着给她一个让她安心的拥抱。与此同时，第二个女孩说道：“你好，先生。今天有什么事情我可以帮你的吗？”先生？先生！！她跟这个男人说话的语气就像他是个重要人物似的！那简直太荒谬了。我没听错吧？为什么她跟一个街上的流浪汉说话就像他是个军队的上校似的？
　　她表现出的是怜悯之心。因为她关心这个男人，希望他感觉到被人爱护并且觉得自己很重要。她表现出了尊重。当她叫他“先生”的时候，那男人只是微微抬起下巴。他把肩膀转回去的同时，从那个简单的词中感受到她向他伸出援手，而他疲倦的皱纹满布的面孔溢出光彩。至于老妇人方面呢——我站在那里肃然起敬。在我的生命中，从没有过一个时刻，让我看到这样的关心和爱护。没错，这就是怜悯之心的全部含义。
　　关爱别人并不仅仅是明白他（她）的需要，还要对这种需要表示出温暖的怜悯之心。关爱别人就是给有需要的人提供所需——甚至在他们太害怕而不敢提出的时候。看到那两个女孩如此直率地展示她们的怜悯之心，我知道我可以做得更好。
　　一个小女孩牵着她妈妈的手向我走来。我面带微笑，因为我关心。我关心她的需要和希望，她的悲伤和失望。我真的关心！那样做让我感到喜悦与暖意——那是只有你做了正确的事才会感受得到的。喜悦让人坚持不懈——继续干下去，因为我可以做出影响其他人的事情来。也因为这样，我不但体验到了这份暖意，而且还使之在我心中继续燃烧。
　　在生活中我花些时间来展现怜悯之心，让我的性格和自我价值发生了改变。那绝对是我一生要遵遵循的基本准则。怜悯之心是其中核心所在。秉持这份怜悯之情，我打开每一间小屋，让阳光都倾泻进来。

1) flyer n. （广告）传单
2) half heartedly adv. 不认真地，无兴趣地
3) wobble v. 摇晃, 摇摆
4) drape v. 披在……上，挂在……上
5) courteously adv. 有礼貌地，亲切地
6) preposterous adj. 荒谬的
7) bum n. 游荡者，游民
8) tad n. 微量，少量
9) perseverance n. 坚定不移
10) impact v. 对……产生影响
11) ultimate adj. 最终的，根本的
12) principle n. 法则，原理

日积月累—高考必备
convention: n. ① （定期）大会，（正式）会议：the party convention 党的会议 ② ?定，公约：sigh a convention 签订公约 ③ 习俗，惯例：according to the convention 照一般习俗
助记：con-（＝together，with）＋vent（＝come）＋-ion（表名词）＝convention（走到一起→集会→约定俗成）
display: v./ n. ① 陈列，展览：New sweaters are displayed. 新毛线衫正在展出。② 显示，表现，发挥：He displayed courage. 他表现出勇气。③ 夸耀：be fond of display 爱摆场面
助记：dis-（否定）＋play（＝ply折叠）＝display（展开，展示）
[搭配短语] on display 在展览中
sympathy: n. ① 同情，同情心 ② [pl.] （思想感情上的）支持，赞同：You have my deepest sympathies on the death of your wife. 对于令夫人之去世，谨向您表示最深切的慰问。
[搭配短语] in sympathy with 赞成（支持）……
[辨析] sympathy，compassion
两者均有“同情、怜悯”之意，但略有不同：
sympathy 是普通常用词，含义广。指志趣、看法上的一致，也指感情相投，带有深深的恻隐之心的亲切之情。
compassion 是较正式较庄重用词，指对同等人的同情与理解，常含急切愿意帮忙的意味。