Monday morning came， and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said，“Damn boy， you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books every day！”He just laughed and handed me half the books. Over the next four years， Kyle and I became best friends.
When we were seniors， we begun to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown， and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends， that the miles would never be a problem.
Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn‘t me having to get up there and speak. Graduation day， I saw Kyle. He looked great. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than me and all the girls loved him.
Boy sometimes I was jealous. Today was one of those days. I could say that he was nervous about his speech. So I smacked him on the back and said，“Hey， big guys， you’ll be great！”He looked at me with one of those looks （the really great one ） and smiled.“Thanks，”he said. As he started his speech， he cleared his throat and began.
“Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents， your teachers， your siblings， maybe acoach， but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give him or her. I am going to tell you a story.”I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story the first day we met.
He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn‘t have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.“Thankfully， I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable.”
I heard the grasp go through the crowd as his handsome， popular boy told us all his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize it’s depth.
Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person‘s life.
永远别低估你行动的力量，你做的很小的一件事可能会改变一个人的一生。
参考翻译（王伟明）
我上高中一年级的时候，看到我们班上一个男孩从学校往家走，他叫凯乐。看起来他好像是抱着他所有的书。我心里想，“为什么有人会在周五就把所有的书带回家里呢？他肯定是个地地道道的傻瓜。”
我已经把周末安排好了（明天下午和朋友们聚会，玩足球游戏），所以我耸了耸肩，继续走。
我正走路时，看到一帮孩子朝他跑来。他们向他扑了过去，把他怀里的书都撞到了地上，绊倒了他，让他摔在了地上，满身是泥。他的眼镜被撞飞了出去，落在了离他10英尺的草地上。他抬起了头，我从他眼中看出他很受伤。于是我慢慢跑到他面前，他正爬着找他的眼镜。我看到他的眼睛有滴眼泪。当我把眼镜递给他时，我说道，这些家伙真是混蛋，真该死。他看看我说了声，谢谢。他笑得很开心，大大的笑容充满着对我的感激。
我帮他捡起了书，并且问他家住哪里。出人意料的是他家离我家很近，于是我就问他为什么我以前从来没有见过他。他说他此前在一家私立高中上学。我们边走边谈，聊了一路，我帮他拿了一部分书。原来他是个很酷，很好看的男孩。我问他是否愿意星期六和我、我的朋友们踢足球。他表示愿意去。我越了解凯乐，越喜欢他。我的朋友们也是这样。
星期一到了，凯乐又要搬那堆书了。我阻止了他，说道：“傻家伙，你每天搬那么多书是想锻炼肌肉吗？”他笑了笑，把书分给了我一半。在接下来的四年里，凯乐和我成了最好的朋友。
读高三的时候，我们开始考虑上哪所大学。凯乐决定留在乔治镇，而我打算去杜克大学。我知道我们永远是朋友，距离永远不会是个问题。
凯乐是我们班上致告别辞的学生代表。我一直在嘲笑他是个傻瓜。他得准备毕业告别辞。我很高兴不是我站在那里发表致辞。毕业那天我看到了凯乐。他看起来精神振奋。他胖了，戴着眼镜看着很好。他比我的约会还多，所有女孩都喜欢他。
男孩有时候是会嫉妒的，我也一样，今天就是这样的一天。我敢说，凯乐对于今天的演讲感到紧张，于是我拍了一下他的后背，说：“嗨，兄弟，你会很棒的！”于是，他用一种很不寻常的眼光（是真的很不寻常的那种）看着我笑了笑，“谢谢，”他说道。他清了清嗓子，开始演讲了。
“毕业是个向那些曾经帮助过你渡过困难时候的人表示感谢的时候。你的朋友，你的老师，你的兄弟姐妹，你的教练，但是绝大多数时候是你的朋友。我在这里想告诉你们所有人成为别人的朋友就是送给他或是她最好的礼物。我打算给你们讲个故事。”当他讲到我们第一天见面的时候，我狐疑地望着他。
在此之前他已经打算好了怎么过周末。他谈到了他怎样清理了他的衣物柜，这样他的妈妈一会就不用再清理了。然后他把所有的东西带回了家。他使劲望着我，露出了一丝笑容。“令人感激的是，我的朋友帮助了我，帮助我从无法开口的境地中解脱了出来。
当这个帅气，惹人爱的男孩告诉我们他最脆弱的时刻时，我听到了人群中大家都深深吸了一口气。我看到他的爸爸，妈妈正看着我，脸上带着同样充满感激的笑容。
直到那一刻我才意识到它是发自内心的感激。不管怎样，永远别低估你行动的力量，你做的很小的一件事可能会改变一个人的一生。
A Love Letter 给爸爸的信
Anonymous
Pain is a constant companion and isn’t a very good one. I try to reason with it， and I end up feeling miserable. I can not help but think about you. You， who had so much to give and share with me.
Even when I was young， you were a constant figure. You were there to see me grow up. I cried， I laughed， I learned， and you were there to guide me. With your gray hair and chunky glasses， I would watch you think and brood and your sudden smile would light up your face as quickly as it came.
I think about the times I missed being with you. So many years have passed since I saw you again， and for a brief moment， I imagined you not being in my life. I wanted to cry. But I knew you would be there， as you always were. The gray hair has turned to white， and with that came a wiry frame that was fragile. Still the eyes were as vibrant as ever， and a mind that was well running.
You taught me to be strong and live for my dreams. With your voracious hunger for knowledge you taught me to love learning； always telling me that knowledge is a constant thing. You were so strong， so wise and your presence was always a comfort， I always loved being by your side. You always gave me a hug when I felt down. I never loved crowds， and you always seemed to understand that， not pressuring me to joining the others or pretend to have a good time.
I get lost in the books you taught me to read. Those books which you gave me to learn more about the world， to never give up on things， to help me know myself and more. I read them constantly， ever so often reminded of the things you taught me. You always loved books.
You never said much， but I always knew that every time we saw each other， you were glad to see me. As I am always glad to see you.
I remember you with a teary face and a wistful smile. My pain is more insistent as I try to hold on to the hope that you will pull through this， like the strong person that you are.
I love you， Dad.
当爸爸满头银发时，我才知道，父爱已经引 领我长大成人。
参考翻译（佚名）
痛苦一直如影随行，实在让人难受。我试图说服自己，却感觉更加痛苦。我控制不住自己对您的思念。您曾为我付出了太多，我也与您分享了太多的美好。
从我小时候开始，您就一直守护着我，看着我成长，我的哭泣、欢笑、学习都有您的指引。您有着灰白的头发，戴着厚重的眼镜，我常看见您陷入沉思，然后，突然露出微笑，一下子容光焕发起来。
我常回想起那些没能与您相伴的日子，直到很多年后你我才再次相聚。片刻之间，我想象着，自己的人生如果没有您，会是多么痛苦、悲哀。但是，我知道您会一直这样，在那里为我守候。您灰白的头发慢慢变成银白，瘦小的身体也更加虚弱。只是，您的双眸明亮如昔，思维敏捷依旧。
您教我坚强，让我追逐自己的梦想。您用如饥似渴的求知欲望，教我热爱学习。您常常对我说，知识是永无止境的。您如此坚强，如此睿智，与您相伴，总是那么舒适。我一直非常喜欢留在您的身边。
每当我感到失望时，您都会给我一个拥抱。我不喜欢喧闹，您总能理解我，从不勉强我去参加一些聚会，或假装快乐。
我在书海中迷失了方向，您教会我阅读。您推荐给我的书，让我更多地了解了这个世界，让我不肯轻易放弃，帮助我更加了解自己。我经常翻阅，也常常想起您对我的教导。您一直都深爱着书本。您从不多说话，但我知道每次见面，您都会非常开心，就像我总是很高兴见到您一样。泪眼中，我微笑着--爸爸，我好想您。尽管我的痛苦还在，但我还是期盼您能熬过来，您一直是一个坚强的人。我爱您，爸爸。
The Littlest Firefighter 最小的消防员
Anonymous