The Fire That Changed Me

改变我的那场大火

I was eleven years old standing outside in just my underwear while I watched the house that I grew up in rapidly burn to the ground.

A few minutes earlier I had been sound asleep in my nice， warm bed when a scream woke me up.

My grandmother’s bedroom was just next to mine and my brother’s. A fire had broken out there and awakened her.

Hearing her my older brother had sprung into action.

While I stumbled around in the smoke and darkness he ran from room to room quickly waking everyone in the house.

The house， however， was over 50 years old and made of wood. Before we could do any­thing the fire consumed it.

We all barely made it outside before the

十一岁的我只穿着内衣站在外面，看着伴我长大的房子迅速地被大火夷为平地。

在几分钟之前，我正安稳地睡在我那张美好温暖的床上，一声尖叫把我唤醒。

我祖母的卧室就紧靠着我和我哥哥的。她那里突然发生了火灾，大火将她惊醒。

听到她的声音之后，我的哥哥立马跳下床。

我在烟雾和黑暗中跌跌撞撞地行走时，他从一个房间跑到另一个房间，把房子里的每一个人都叫醒。

然而，这座房子已经有50年的房龄了，并且是由木头做成的。在我们做任何事之前，大火已经将它烧毁了。

在火焰吞噬每个房间之前，我们所有人

flames engulfed every room.

I stood there shivering while the fire de­stroyed my books， clothes， and toys.

I watched helplessly while my Mom cried and my Dad swore.

I wondered what was going to happen to us now that we had lost all of our things.

As I looked around， though， I realized something for the first time： The things that matter， aren’t things.

I saw my older brother running across the swinging bridge by our house to get help.

I saw my oldest brother who was on crutches from an earlier accident standing un­steadily on one leg.

I saw my grandmother and Dad huddled together and my Mom holding our little dog in her arms.

I realized at that moment that we were all alive.

Everything that was essential had survived the fire. Our lives would continue. We would survive without the“stuff”that was burning.

We would all be around to love each other for many years to come. And that was all that mattered.

I still think of that fire in the night that helped me to become who I am today.

It showed me for the very first time what is truly essential in this life.

It helped me to learn that the love we share is far more important than the things we possess.

Live your life then for the things that mat­ter， not for the things you own.

Love others. Help everyone. Let the fire in­side of you make this world a warmer place.

好不容易才跑到外面来。

我站在那儿颤抖着，大火毁灭了我的书、衣服和玩具。

我绝望地看着，这时我的母亲在哭泣，我的父亲在咒骂。

我在想我们的身上将会发生什么，因为我们已经失去了所有的东西。

但当我看向四周时，第一次意识到：重要的不是物品。

我看到我的哥哥跑过我家旁边的摇摆桥去寻求帮助。

我看到我那因为之前的意外而拄着拐杖的大哥，用一只脚不稳地站立着。

我看见我的祖母和父亲挤在一起，我的母亲将我们的小狗抱在双臂中。

我在那一刻意识到我们都活着。

重要的东西都在这场大火中幸免于难。我们的生活将继续。即使没有燃烧着的这些物品，我们也将生存下去。

在未来的很多年里，我们都将在彼此身边爱着对方。这就是最重要的东西。

我依然认为那天夜里的大火帮助了我成为今天的自己。

它让我第一次明白在人生中什么才是真正重要的。

它帮助我领悟到我们分享的爱远比我们拥有的事物更加重要。

那么为那些重要的事物而活吧，不要为了你拥有的东西而活。

去关爱他人。去帮助所有人。用你心中的火焰把这个世界变得更加温暖。