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在紐約,我是非營利團體「羅賓漢基金會」發展部門的領導者。與貧窮抗爭之餘,我也參與消防工作,擔任一個義消團的義消副隊長。在我們這個義工都由事業成功人士擔任的小鎮上,你必須很早到達火場,才有可能加入戰況。
我記得我參與的第一場救火行動,我是第二個到場的義工,所以進火場救援的可能性蠻大的;但你還得趕在其它義工前頭先找到總指揮,讓他指派工作給你。當我找到隊長時,他正全神貫注地和屋主談話,她顯然正經歷人生中最糟的一天。當時是大半夜,她站在滂沱大雨中,撐著傘、穿著睡衣、打著赤腳,她的房子正在熊熊燃燒。
另一個比我先到一步的義工,就叫他Lex Luther(超人的死對頭)好了,(笑聲)先到了隊長身邊,他被指派進火場拯救屋主的小狗。小狗耶!我嫉妒死了,這個律師或財務經理,此生都可以告訴別人,他深入火場救出一隻活生生的小狗,只因為他比我早到五秒鐘。好吧,接下來輪到我了,隊長揮手叫我過去,他說,「Bezos,我需要你殺進火場,我需要你上樓,越過火焰,我需要你為這位女士拿雙鞋。」(笑聲)我發誓,是真的,這不是我所期待的情形,但我還是去了。上樓走到走廊底,穿過那些「真正的」消防員,這時他們已將火撲滅的差不多了,我走進主臥室,拿了一雙鞋。
我知道你們在想什麼,但我不是英雄。(笑聲)我帶著我的戰利品走回樓下,在前門遇見我的「敵手」和那條珍貴的狗,我們帶著我們的寶藏走出門,走向屋主,毫無意外的,他得到的注意力比我多得多。幾個禮拜後,消防部門收到一封屋主的來信,謝謝我們拯救她家的義勇行為,她特別提到一個溫馨的舉動:甚至有人為她拿來一雙鞋。
(笑聲)
不論是在羅賓漢基金會的正職,或身為義消的副業中,我目睹到大規模的慷慨和善行,但也目睹到個人層面的慈悲和勇氣。你知道我學到什麼?它們都一樣重要。當我環顧四周,這些已成功或即將成功的人士,你們都有令人激賞的成就,我想在這裡提醒你們,不要等待,不要等你賺到第一個一百萬,才開始為改變別人生活而努力,如果你有什麼可以給予的,現在就開始付出,無論是供應窮人食物、清掃社區公園、做個指導者。
我們不是每一天都有機會拯救他人的生命,但我們每一天都有機會影響他人的生活,所以,加入助人行動;拯救那雙鞋吧!
謝謝各位
(掌聲)
Bruno Giussani:Mark,Mark,回來。
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以下為系統擷取之英文原文
Back in New York, I am the head of development for a non-profit called Robin Hood. When I'm not fighting poverty, I'm fighting fires as the assistant captain of a volunteer fire company. Now in our town, where the volunteers supplement a highly skilled career staff, you have to get to the fire scene pretty early to get in on any action.
I remember my first fire. I was the second volunteer on the scene, so there was a pretty good chance I was going to get in. But still it was a real foot race against the other volunteers to get to the captain in charge to find out what our assignments would be. When I found the captain, he was having a very engaging conversation with the homeowner, who was surely having one of the worst days of her life. Here it was the middle of the night, she was standing outside in the pouring rain, under an umbrella, in her pajamas, barefoot, while her house was in flames.
The other volunteer who had arrived just before me -- let's call him Lex Luther -- (Laughter) got to the captain first and was asked to go inside and save the homeowner's dog. The dog! I was stunned with jealousy. Here was some lawyer or money manager who, for the rest of his life, gets to tell people that he went into a burning building to save a living creature, just because he beat me by five seconds. Well, I was next. The captain waved me over. He said, "Bezos, I need you to go into the house. I need you to go upstairs, past the fire, and I need you to get this woman a pair of shoes." (Laughter) I swear. So, not exactly what I was hoping for, but off I went -- up the stairs, down the hall, past the 'real' firefighters, who were pretty much done putting out the fire at this point, into the master bedroom to get a pair of shoes.
Now I know what you're thinking, but I'm no hero. (Laughter) I carried my payload back downstairs where I met my nemesis and the precious dog by the front door. We took our treasures outside to the homeowner, where, not surprisingly, his received much more attention than did mine. A few weeks later, the department received a letter from the homeowner thanking us for the valiant effort displayed in saving her home. The act of kindness she noted above all others: someone had even gotten her a pair of shoes.
(Laughter)
In both my vocation at Robin Hood and my avocation as a volunteer firefighter, I am witness to acts of generosity and kindness on a monumental scale, but I'm also witness to acts of grace and courage on an individual basis. And you know what I've learned? They all matter. So as I look around this room at people who either have achieved, or are on their way to achieving, remarkable levels of success, I would offer this reminder: don't wait. Don't wait until you make your first million to make a difference in somebody's life. If you have something to give, give it now. Serve food at a soup kitchen, clean up a neighborhood park, be a mentor.
Not every day is going to offer us a chance to save somebody's life, but every day offers us an opportunity to affect one. So get in the game; save the shoes.
Thank you.
(Applause)
Bruno Giussani: Mark, Mark, come back.
(Applause)
Mark Bezos: Thank you.