不经意的邂逅 An Unexpected Insight

佚名/Anonymous

I was shopping at a department store and had just boarded the down escalator when I noticed a woman standing to the side. She looked about 65, and her expression told me she was scared. I turned toward her and asked,“Do you need help?”As the escalator continued moving I heard the woman reply softly,“I'm afraid.”There was a hint of incredulity in her voice.“Want me to come back and get you?”I called to her. She nodded.

But by the time I reached her, the woman had reconsidered.“I don't think I can do it,”she said. I was suddenly aware that I had made a far greater investment than I expected.“I know we can do it,”I said.“I can hold on to you.”She looked down at the beast. Then her eyes came back to mine, looking doubtful.“This has never happened to me before,”she said, as much to herself as to me. I felt that her sudden fear had to do with the escalator's mechanical nature, its basic inhuman untrustworthiness

I took her arm,“Shall we?”She made a little sound of alarm as we stepped on, but we'd passed the point of no return. She relaxed slightly as the stairs moved us downward.“I don't understand this at all,”she said. As we neared the bottom, her grip tightened again, but we did fine.“I'm so grateful.”She began“It was nothing,”I said,“I was happy to do it.”

Happy yes. I do very little to help others. I am busy caring for a family and working full time. For a brief moment, I had a flash of insight into why someone would become a nurse or a social worker or a minister. When I helped the woman, I felt pure and whole, purposeful. It was a happier moment than I'd had in weeks.

当时我正在一家商场购物，刚踏上自动扶梯，我就看到一位年约65岁的女士正站在扶梯旁。她的表情告诉我她有些害怕，于是我转过身问她：“需要帮忙吗？”当扶梯仍在继续下移时，我听到她小声地回答：“我害怕。”从话语中可以听到她有些迟疑，我便大声对她喊道：“要我回去帮你吗？”她点了点头。

但当我到她身边的时候，我突然意识到事情远比想象的要复杂得多。因为她又开始重新考虑了，她说：“我想我不行。”“我知道我们可以的，”我说，“我会扶着你的。”她低头充满疑虑的看了看扶梯，然后又看看我，说道：“这东西我从来没有用过。”像是自言自语又像是在对我说。我想可能是因为机械的自动扶梯并非人性而且毫无安全感，因此给她造成了突然的恐惧。

我搀着她的胳膊，说：“我们可以走了吗？”尽管走上扶梯时她又轻微地惊叫了一下，但踏上扶梯的我们已经不能回头了。随着扶梯的下移，她也渐渐放松下来了。她说：“我根本不了解这东西。”她紧张的神经在扶梯接近底部时又有些绷紧了，但我们走下扶梯时很顺利。她开口说道：“真是太感谢你了。”我说：“没什么，我很高兴能帮到你。”

的确，我很开心。整天忙于工作和照顾家庭的我很少去帮助别人。而在这短暂的一刻，我瞬间领悟到为什么有人愿意去做护士、社会工作者或牧师。几周以来，这是我最开心的时刻。因为我觉得在我帮助这位女士的那一刻，生活变得纯洁、完整、更有意义了。

心灵小语

赠人玫瑰，手留余香。或许你简单的举手之劳在给他人带来帮助的同时，也给自己带来了快乐。

词汇笔记

escalator ['eskəleitə] n.自动扶梯；电动扶梯

Take that escalator over there and turn left.

搭那里的自动梯，然后向左转。

incredulity [ˌinkri'dju:ləti] n.怀疑；不轻信；不易相信

My incredulity was submerged in fascination now.

我的怀疑此刻已化为惊奇。

aware [ə'wεə] adj.知道的；意识到的；有……方面知识的

New babies are sometimes not aware of other people.

新生儿有时并没意识到他人的存在。

grateful ['ɡreitful] adj.感谢的；令人愉快的；宜人的

I would be very grateful for information about entry to your college.

若能寄给我贵校的入学申请资料我将十分感激。

小试身手

我突然意识到事情远比想象的要复杂得多。

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整天忙于工作和照顾家庭的我很少去帮助别人。

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因为我觉得在我帮助这位女士的那一刻，生活变得纯洁、完整、更有意义了。

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短语家族

She came back two hours later.

come back：回来；突然想起；恢复

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She looked down at the beast.

look down：向下看；外观；俯视

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