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I don't remember exactly what grade I was in when it happened.
我不记得那件事情发生的时候自己在上几年级了
All I remember is that suddenly Math was no longer fun.
我只记得，数学课不再那么有趣了
Since the first grade I had always loved Math.
然而，从一年级起，我曾一直都很喜欢数学
I was a wiz at adding and subtracting .
做起加减法，我简直是个睿智的巫师
I got 100 percent on almost every paper I did.
几乎每次考试我都会得一百分
All at once, though,
可是，仿佛是忽然之间
we were doing something called multiplication
我们开始学习那种叫做“乘法”的东西
and I was no good at it.
对此我却很不在行
I struggled on my first few worksheets
最初的几次作业我都做得很艰难
until the teacher gave us each a card.
后来，我们老师给我们每人分发了一张卡片
On it were written the multiplication tables.
上面写着乘法表
I stared at them and smiled.
我看着那些表格，笑了起来。
Here were all the answers I needed.
这就是我需要的全部答案。
I read them over and over
我一遍一遍的诵读那些算式
until they became stuck in my head.
直到他们深深的印入了我的脑子
On our next test I did great again.
接下来的考试，我的成绩又十分出色了
I continued to love Math
我保持着对数学的爱意
until I reached high school
直到我念高中的时候
and encountered something horrible called Algebra.
遭遇了那种叫做“线性代数”的东西。
I also began to notice how multiplication flowed through the nature world.
我开始注意到，乘法的法则是如何在大自然中运作的。
I saw how a tiny handful of seeds could produce a garden full of food.
我看到，一捧小小的种子可以变成菜园里满满的丰收。
I saw how having two rabbits could soon give you twenty.
我看到，当你拥有两只小兔子，它们会让你再拥有二十只小兔崽。
I saw how tossing a little pebble into a pond could produce ripples
我看到，把一颗小小的鹅卵石投入池塘，就会产生一圈圈涟漪，
that seemed to go on forever.
圈圈不停的向外蔓延
I saw how a few caring words could heal a hurting heart.
我看到，几句关怀的话语可以治愈一颗受伤的心灵
And I saw how a single act of loving-kindness could travel from person to person,
我还看到，一个小小的、表达爱意的举动会把爱意从一个人传播给另一个人
heart to heart,
从一颗心感染另一颗心
and soul to soul
从一个灵魂触动另一个灵魂
until it circled the world.
直到绕地球一圈
The truth is we are all multipliers in this life.
事实上，在生活中，我们都是算式里的“乘数”
The only question is what are we going to multiply .
唯一的问题是，我们要让什么东西翻倍增多
Are we going to multiply the fear, anger, and distrust that exists in this world?
让存在于世间的恐惧，愤怒，猜忌翻倍增多
Or are we going to multiply the love, kindness, and forgiveness that Life so freely gives us?
还是让生活慷慨的馈赠给我们的爱，善良和原谅翻倍增多？
I for one choose the latter
我个人愿意选择后者
and I hope you will do the same.
我希望你亦是如此
Be a multiplier then.
那么，请做一个“乘数”吧！
Help make this world a better place.
献出一份力量，让世界成为更好的地方
Spend your days sowing smiles.
用你的生活编织微笑
Spend your days planting kindness.
用你的时间栽种善良
Spend your days sharing love.
用你的日子传播爱意
You will be amazed at how much and how rapidly it multiplies.
你会惊讶，会发现它传播的如此之快，它变得如此繁盛
You will be amazed at the harvest you will reap.
你会为自己满满的丰收惊喜不已。 | 
