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About two years ago while working downtown at our company’s headquarters I met a man I’ll call “Martin”. At the time, the company was downsizing. Again， reducing the work force caused the stock1 to go up, but it often had the opposite effect on morale2.
I’m a morning person, and start my work day around 6:30 a.m.. I got off work early for time with my loved ones. Almost every morning I saw Martin on the elevator. We were usually the only people there, so I made polite conversation as we rode to the 15th floor. We speculated3 on the weather, or inquired4 about each other’s weekend. Some days I saw him in the company cafeteria. Some days we left work at the same time, and I chatted with him and others in the elevator.
About six months after our daily elevator chats, Martin came to my office and asked if I had a minute to chat. Though we worked on the same floor, I’m sure he had to search to find me. I invited him to sit down. He said, “I wanted to come and say goodbye. The company has let me go, today will be my last day.”
I didn’t know what to say. Though I was all too familiar with saying goodbye to co-workers, it was never easy. Honestly, I usually ignored the event because I felt awkward and at a loss for words. I told him I was sorry and asked if there was any－thing I could do. He said, “No, I’ll be fine, I just wanted to take the time to thank you.” I was now confused5. He explained that our daily talks had meant a lot to him.
Martin was a short, middle-aged man with a glandular problem. He was obese6, using a cane to help maneuver7, and was painfully shy. He thanked me not only for chatting with him in the mornings, but for speaking directly to him and others on the eleva－tor, and for telling him a quick joke in the crowded cafeteria. It seemed that no one had ever been his friend before—or if so they were standoffish to him in public.
He said he didn’t want to take up much of my time as he knew I was busy and he needed to pack his personal things. He had tears in his eyes as he shook my hand and left.
I’ve never seen him since, but I imagine he’s doing well. Meeting him changed my life. Now when I’m in a hurry, or have a bad day, I try extra hard to speak kindly to those around me. I remind myself that it’s just as easy to say something nice as to say something rude, and I’m awed at how very pow－erful our daily actions are.
大约两年前，在市区公司总部上班时，我遇到一个男人，我叫他“马丁”。那时，公司正在缩小规模。裁员导致股票上升，但它对士气的影响却经常是相反的。
我喜欢早起，每天从早晨6：30分就开始工作了。我下班很早，为的是有时间陪我爱的人。几乎每天早晨乘坐电梯的时候，我都能看见马丁。那里通常只有我们两人，因此，当我们乘电梯上15层的时，我都会礼貌地和他交谈。我们预测天气，或者询问对方周末过得怎么样。有些日子，我还在公司的自助餐厅里看见过他。还有些日子，我们会在同一时间下班。而每次相遇，我都会在电梯里和他以及别人闲谈。
在我们每天的电梯闲谈六个月之后，马丁来到我的办公室，问我是否有时间和他聊一会儿。虽然我们在同一楼层工作，但我想他找到我也颇费了一番周折。我邀请他坐下来。他说：“我想来跟你说一声再见。公司让我走人了，今天是我最后一天上班。”
我不知道该说什么才好。虽然我对跟同事们说再见早已习以为常了，但这还是不容易。老实说，我通常都会忽略这种事，因为我觉得尴尬，并且不知道说什么好。我告诉他我很难过，问他我能帮忙做点什么。他说：“不需要，我很好，我只是想来向你道谢。”听了这话，我感到很困惑。他解释说我们的每日交谈对他很重要。
马丁是一个身材矮小、内分泌有问题的中年男人。他身体肥胖，拄一根手杖，而且特别腼腆羞涩。他向我道谢，不仅因为我每天早晨和他交谈，还因为我在电梯里对他和其他人说实话，以及在拥挤的自助餐厅里为他讲一个有趣的笑话。看情形，他以前似乎从来没有过朋友似的——或者即使有朋友，他们也都在公共场合对他很冷淡。
他说他不想过多地占用我的时间，因为他知道我很忙，而且，他也要收拾一下他的个人物品。他含着眼泪和我握手道别，然后离开了我的办公室。
从那以后，我再也没有看见过他，但我想他一定过得很好。遇见他改变了我的生活。现在，每当我匆忙，或者那天过得不好的时候，我都会更加努力地去对我周围的人友好地说话。我提醒自己，说粗鲁的话和说欣慰的话一样容易，但其影响却完全不同。我对我们的日常行为会产生那样巨大的威力而惊叹不已。
空谷幽兰 摘译自Wisdom
I’m a morning person, and start my work day around 6:30 a.m.. I got off work early for time with my loved ones. Almost every morning I saw Martin on the elevator. We were usually the only people there, so I made polite conversation as we rode to the 15th floor. We speculated3 on the weather, or inquired4 about each other’s weekend. Some days I saw him in the company cafeteria. Some days we left work at the same time, and I chatted with him and others in the elevator.
About six months after our daily elevator chats, Martin came to my office and asked if I had a minute to chat. Though we worked on the same floor, I’m sure he had to search to find me. I invited him to sit down. He said, “I wanted to come and say goodbye. The company has let me go, today will be my last day.”
I didn’t know what to say. Though I was all too familiar with saying goodbye to co-workers, it was never easy. Honestly, I usually ignored the event because I felt awkward and at a loss for words. I told him I was sorry and asked if there was any－thing I could do. He said, “No, I’ll be fine, I just wanted to take the time to thank you.” I was now confused5. He explained that our daily talks had meant a lot to him.
Martin was a short, middle-aged man with a glandular problem. He was obese6, using a cane to help maneuver7, and was painfully shy. He thanked me not only for chatting with him in the mornings, but for speaking directly to him and others on the eleva－tor, and for telling him a quick joke in the crowded cafeteria. It seemed that no one had ever been his friend before—or if so they were standoffish to him in public.
He said he didn’t want to take up much of my time as he knew I was busy and he needed to pack his personal things. He had tears in his eyes as he shook my hand and left.
I’ve never seen him since, but I imagine he’s doing well. Meeting him changed my life. Now when I’m in a hurry, or have a bad day, I try extra hard to speak kindly to those around me. I remind myself that it’s just as easy to say something nice as to say something rude, and I’m awed at how very pow－erful our daily actions are.
大约两年前，在市区公司总部上班时，我遇到一个男人，我叫他“马丁”。那时，公司正在缩小规模。裁员导致股票上升，但它对士气的影响却经常是相反的。
我喜欢早起，每天从早晨6：30分就开始工作了。我下班很早，为的是有时间陪我爱的人。几乎每天早晨乘坐电梯的时候，我都能看见马丁。那里通常只有我们两人，因此，当我们乘电梯上15层的时，我都会礼貌地和他交谈。我们预测天气，或者询问对方周末过得怎么样。有些日子，我还在公司的自助餐厅里看见过他。还有些日子，我们会在同一时间下班。而每次相遇，我都会在电梯里和他以及别人闲谈。
在我们每天的电梯闲谈六个月之后，马丁来到我的办公室，问我是否有时间和他聊一会儿。虽然我们在同一楼层工作，但我想他找到我也颇费了一番周折。我邀请他坐下来。他说：“我想来跟你说一声再见。公司让我走人了，今天是我最后一天上班。”
我不知道该说什么才好。虽然我对跟同事们说再见早已习以为常了，但这还是不容易。老实说，我通常都会忽略这种事，因为我觉得尴尬，并且不知道说什么好。我告诉他我很难过，问他我能帮忙做点什么。他说：“不需要，我很好，我只是想来向你道谢。”听了这话，我感到很困惑。他解释说我们的每日交谈对他很重要。
马丁是一个身材矮小、内分泌有问题的中年男人。他身体肥胖，拄一根手杖，而且特别腼腆羞涩。他向我道谢，不仅因为我每天早晨和他交谈，还因为我在电梯里对他和其他人说实话，以及在拥挤的自助餐厅里为他讲一个有趣的笑话。看情形，他以前似乎从来没有过朋友似的——或者即使有朋友，他们也都在公共场合对他很冷淡。
他说他不想过多地占用我的时间，因为他知道我很忙，而且，他也要收拾一下他的个人物品。他含着眼泪和我握手道别，然后离开了我的办公室。
从那以后，我再也没有看见过他，但我想他一定过得很好。遇见他改变了我的生活。现在，每当我匆忙，或者那天过得不好的时候，我都会更加努力地去对我周围的人友好地说话。我提醒自己，说粗鲁的话和说欣慰的话一样容易，但其影响却完全不同。我对我们的日常行为会产生那样巨大的威力而惊叹不已。
空谷幽兰 摘译自Wisdom