An Act of Kindness for a Broken Heart 用善良对待一颗破碎的心
Meladee McCarty
“I am only one.But still，I am one.I cannot do everything，but still I can do something.And because I cannot do everything，I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”
-Edward Everett Hale
“我一个人很渺小，但是，我仍然是一个人、一份力量。我不可能做到面面俱到，但我仍然可以尽自己的一份力量。因为我不能做所有的事，所有我不会拒绝去做我能做的事情。”
――爱德华？艾维特？霍尔
My husband，Hanoch，and I wrote a book Acts of Kindness：How to Create a Kindness Revolution，which has generated much interest across America.This story was shared with us by an anonymous caller during a radio talk show in Chicago.
“Hi，Mommy，what are you doing？”asked Susie.“I'm making a casserole for Mrs.Smith next door，”said her mother.“Why？”asked Susie，who was only six years old.“Because Mrs.Smith is very sad；she lost her daughter and she has a broken heart.We need to take care of her for a little while.”“Why，Mommy？”
“You see，Susie，when someone is very，very sad，they have trouble doing the little things like making dinner or other chores.Because we're part of a community and Mrs.Smith is our neighbor，we need to do some things to help her.Mrs.Smith won't ever be able to talk with her daughter or hug her or do all those wonderful things that mommies and daughters do together.You are a very smart girl，Susie；maybe you'll think of some way to help take care of Mrs.Smith.”
Susie thought seriously about this challenge and how she could do her part in caring for Mrs.Smith.A few minutes later，Susie knocked on her door.After a few moments Mrs.Smith answered the knock with a“Hi，Susie.”Susie noticed that Mrs.Smith didn't have that familiar musical quality about her voice when she greeted someone.Mrs.Smith also looked as though she might have been crying because her eyes were watery and swollen.“What can I do for you，Susie？”asked Mrs.Smith.
“My mommy says that you lost your daughter and you're very，very sad with a broken heart.”Susie held her hand out shyly.In it was a Band-Aid.“This is for your broken heart.”Mrs.Smith gasped，choking back her tears.She knelt down and hugged Susie.Through her tears she said，“Thank you，darling girl，this will help a lot.”
Mrs.Smith accepted Susie's act of kindness and took it one step further.She purchased a small key ring with a plexiglass picture frame-the ones designed to carry keys and proudly display a family portrait at the same time.Mrs.Smith placed Susie's Band-Aid in the frame to remind herself to heal a little every time she sees it.She wisely knows that healing takes time and support.It has become her symbol for healing，while not forgetting the joy and love she experienced with her daughter.
我和我丈夫，汉诺克，写了一本书《善心之举：怎样缔造一场善心的革命》，在美国上下引起了很大的反响。下面这个故事是我们在芝加哥作一档电台节目时，一位匿名听众打电话来向我们讲述的。
“嗨，妈妈，你干什么呢？”苏希问。“我正在给隔壁的史密斯太太做砂锅炖肉呢，”她妈妈回答说。“为什么？”苏希问，她只有六岁大。“因为史密斯太太很伤心；她失去了女儿，她心碎了。我们得照顾她一阵子。”“为什么，妈妈？”
“你看，苏希，当一个人非常、非常伤心的时候，像做饭或其他家务之类的小事，他们干起来也会有困难。因为我们是社区的一部分，史密斯太太又是我们的邻居，所以我们应该做点什么帮助她。史密斯太太再也不能和她女儿说话、拥抱，或是做所有妈妈们和女儿们在一起做的美妙事情了。你是个很聪明的女孩儿，苏希；也许你可以想出一些帮助史密斯太太的办法。”
苏希认真地思索着这个难题，她怎样才能帮助、关心史密斯太太呢？几分钟后，苏希敲响了隔壁的门。一会儿，史密斯太太打开了门，“嗨，苏希。”苏希注意到史密斯太太的声音没有了往日与人打招呼时那熟悉的如乐曲般的欢快。她看起来也好像一直在哭，因为她的眼睛水汪汪的，肿肿的。“你有什么事吗，苏希？”她问道。
“我妈妈说你失去了你的女儿，你非常、非常伤心，心碎了。”苏希羞怯地把手伸出来，里面是一片OK邦。“这是给你的心用的。”史密斯太太惊异地吸了口气，抑住要涌出的泪水。她蹲下来，抱住苏希，泪水还是忍不住地流了下来，“谢谢你，亲爱的小女孩，这对我很有帮助。”
史密斯太太接受了苏希善良的举动，并且还更进了一步。她买了一个带树脂玻璃相框的小钥匙链――携带钥匙的同时还可以自豪地展示一张全家福的那种。她把苏希送的OK邦放在相框里，提醒自己每次看到时要恢复一点儿。她清楚地知道治愈需要时间和周围人的支持。这已经成了她疗伤的象征，当然这并不意味着她忘记了与女儿曾一起度过的充满爱的快乐时光。
译者感言
如果一个母亲失去孩子，她失去了生活的希望和动力，没有了孩子的音容笑貌……生活突然之间失去了它全部的光彩，变得灰黯、空虚、隐隐作痛。诚然，任何疗伤都需要时间，但从沉没于绝望到下决心摆脱痛苦需要一个转折，治疗需要一个好的开始。小女孩的OK邦起到的就是这个作用吧。自己身体上哪儿破了，妈妈给贴上一片OK邦，过几天就不疼了，所以心受伤了，也可以给它贴上一片OK邦，过一段时间就会好，小女孩就是这么认为的。看似单纯、天真的举动，细细想来，竟蕴含着最本真、最朴素的道理，这世间各种的伤痛，不管深浅，各样的治疗过程，不管多复杂，莫过如此。史密斯太太正是体会到这点，才会专门把这片OK邦放进钥匙链的相框里，时时来看，时时提醒自己勇敢的自我治疗吧。对她来说，这片OK邦里有和她女儿一样可爱的一个小女孩的真诚和爱心。我想，也许所有其他大人们的劝慰和体恤都不及小女孩的这片OK邦所给她带来的心灵的震颤、感动和生活的勇气。爱用真时，情动深处……孩子的纯净、真诚和爱心永远闪耀着这世上最动人的光芒！
