英語(yǔ)專業(yè)晨讀美文人生篇：乞丐啟示錄(英音)

[ti:] [ar:] [al:] [by:] [00:03.73]How I've Been Enriched by Beggars [00:07.66]Outside our hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, [00:13.13]a seemingly ancient woman on crutches waited beside the door [00:17.18]with her hand outstretched. [00:18.82]Every day I put my hand in hers as our eyes met. [00:22.32]She never failed to return my smile, my grasp, and my greeting. [00:27.13]On the last day of our visit, [00:29.10]I found myself alone on a busy corner across the street from our hotel. [00:33.37]Bicycles and motorbikes careened in front of me. [00:36.76]We had been advised to walk straight through the teeming traffic [00:40.47]without looking right or left. Let them avoid us [00:43.64]But tonight I was by myself and felt inadequate to face the torrent of vehicles. [00:49.66]As I hesitated on the curb, [00:51.84]I felt a hand on my elbow and [00:54.14]looked down to see the smile of my small beggar friend looking up at me. [00:58.41]She nodded her head toward the street, [01:00.38]indicating that she would take me across. [01:02.45]Together, we moved slowly into the chaos as she gently prodded me forward. [01:07.49]When we reached the center of the crossing, [01:10.00]I looked down at her again, and couldn't resist exclaiming, [01:13.28]"You have the most beautiful smile." [01:16.12]She obviously knew little English, [01:18.53]but must have recognized the tone, [01:20.28]for she threw both arms and crutches around me in a big hug, [01:24.22]while the traffic streamed by us on both sides. [01:27.18]Then we precariously moved on toward the sidewalk, [01:30.88]where she pulled my face down to hers, kissed me on both cheeks, [01:35.14]and then limped away, still smiling and waving back to me. [01:38.75]I had not given her a single coin. [01:41.92]We had shared something vastly more important— [01:44.98]a warming of hearts in friendship. [01:47.61]This experience remained me of something Mother Teresa once said: [01:51.88]"If you cannot do great things, you can do small things with great love." [01:56.79]To look beggars in the eye and smile, [01:59.64]thus acknowledging their existence, is a small thing. [02:03.03]Putting your hand into another's outstretched hand [02:06.09]and grasping it firmly for a moment is also a small thing. [02:10.58]Learning to use a greeting in the local language is not too difficult. [02:15.39]But these are important. [02:17.69]Traveling in poorer nations, [02:19.54]I have witnessed a variety of ways to deal with beggars. [02:23.26]The most common response of tourists faced with the poverty-stricken [02:27.42]is to ignore them and focus their eyes elsewhere. [02:30.81]I have seen people push away an outstretched hand in angry annoyance. [02:35.51]A few may hastily drop a few coins into a beseeching palm, [02:39.78]and then execute a quick getaway in hopes that [02:42.73]another 20 ragged pursuers won't immediately appear on the scene. [02:46.67]But I feel it's worthwhile to try to live [02:49.51]by the words of English author John Cowper Powys: [02:53.23]"No one can consider himself wholly civilized [02:56.62]who does not look upon every individual, [02:59.57]without a single exception, as of deep and startling interest." [03:04.27]I've learned that those considered the world's most hopeless [03:07.78]are so often rich in humanity, [03:10.29]with hearts yearning to be affirmed—and ready to respond. [03:14.45]My life continues to be enriched by connecting with everyday humanity. [03:19.69]Each time I do this, [03:21.23]I rediscover that what I have been given is far beyond monetary value. [03:26.15]And I reaffirm that everyone is worthy—and worth knowing.

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