My day started just like all the other days for the past 15 years where I get up, make some coffee, shower, get dressed and leave for the train station at precisely 7:35 A.M. to arrive at work by 8:30. While on the train I would always choose a seat away from the crowd so I can read the newspaper in peace and quiet.
這一天的開始，與過去15年沒什么兩樣——起床、煮咖啡、淋浴、穿好衣服、出門趕7:35準時出發的火車、8:30到達工作單位。在火車上，我總是會選擇一個遠離人群的座位，這樣我就可以平靜地看看報紙。
At work I am always being bombarded with questions from co-workers, suppliers, telephone calls and then those dreaded meetings so the last thing I need is some stranger to sit beside me and start small talk.
在工作中，我總是會受到來自同事的提問、供應商、電話，還有那些可怕的會議的輪番轟炸，所以在這樣的一天后，我最不需要的就是——有那么個陌生人坐在我旁邊，與我閑聊點兒什么。
I don't know why but for some reason when I got on the train today it was unusually full, something I don't recall ever happening in the past. With hesitation I sat down in the only seat available beside a middle-aged man that had his head down and seemed to be lost in his thoughts. I was glad that he didn't notice when I sat next to him as he just continued to look down towards the floor.
我不清楚為什么，但出于某種原因，今天我上了火車就發現車上不同尋常地坐滿了乘客，我完全沒有印象以前出現過這樣的情況。我猶豫了一下，然后坐在了一位中年男士旁邊的唯一座位上。當時，這位中年男士正低著頭，似乎在沉思著什么。我坐下時，他仍繼續看著地板，我很高興他沒注意到我。
Shortly after the train left for my 30-minute ride downtown I found myself wondering what this man was thinking about. What could be so important that he didn't even see me sitting next to him? I tried to forget about it and started to read my paper. However, for some strange reason this "inner voice" kept prompting me to talk to this man. I tried to ignore the "voice" as there was no way I was starting a conversation with a complete stranger.
火車駛離車站，我的30分鐘市中心車程開始了，但不久后，我就發現自己真的想了解這個人正在思考著什么。有什么事如此重要，甚至都沒看到我坐在他身邊？我試圖忘掉這個念頭，就開始看我的報紙。然而，出于某種奇怪的原因，這種“內心的聲音”一直在促使我和這個人交談。我試著忽視這個“聲音”，因為我不知道該怎么開始與一個完全陌生的人交談。

As you probably guessed I eventually broke down and came up with an excuse to ask him a question. When he raised his head and turned his eyes towards me I could see that he must have been really upset as he had red eyes and still had some tears rolling down the side of his face despite his feeble attempt to wipe them away. I can't describe the sadness I felt seeing someone in so much pain.
正如你可能猜到的，我終于克服了心理障礙，找到了一個借口，向他提出了一個問題。當他抬起頭，眼睛轉向我時，我可以看得出他一定是真的很傷心，他雙眼滿是血絲，而且仍有淚水從面頰滾落下來，盡管他還在毫無意義地嘗試著擦去淚水。我無法形容當我看到有人這么痛苦時自己內心的悲傷。
We talked for about 20 minutes and in the end he seemed to be doing better. As we were leaving the train he thanked me profusely for being an angel by taking the time to talk. I never did find out what was making his heart so heavy with pain but was glad I listened to the "voice" that day.
我們聊了大約20分鐘，最后他似乎心情好多了。我們下車時，他表示非常感謝我能夠花時間陪他說話，成為他的天使。我完全沒有從交談中發現是什么讓他的心情如此沉重，但還是很高興自己聽到了那天的那個“聲音”。
Several weeks had passed when I noticed an envelope on my desk after returning from lunch. It was not addressed to anyone and only had the word "Angel" written on it. My receptionist attached a note saying a gentleman dropped it off saying he did not know my name but had described me well enough that the receptionist knew it was for me.
幾星期后的一天，我吃完午餐回到辦公室，發現辦公桌上有一個信封。信封上沒有收信人姓名，只寫著“天使收”。我的接待員附上了一張紙條，大意是：一位先生留下了這封信，說他不知道我的名字，但把我描述得非常細致，這讓接待員知道這封信是給我的。
When I read the note inside the envelope I was so filled with emotions that I couldn't contain myself. It was a letter from the man I met on the train thanking me again for talking to him and saving his life that day.
當我看到信封里的紙條時，我的內心思緒澎湃，無法抑制。這封信來自我在火車上遇到的那個人，他在信中再次感謝了我那天能夠與他交談，挽救了他的生命。
Apparently he had some very hurtful personal problems that were so overwhelming he was planning to take his life that day. In his letter he went on to explain that he was a religious person and in desperation screamed out to God that if God really cared about him he would send someone to prevent him from taking his life. In his eyes I was that someone, that Angel sent by God.
顯然，他遇到了一些非常令人傷痛的個人問題，這些問題已經幾乎把他壓垮，他打算就在那天結束自己的生命。他在信中接著解釋說，他是個宗教信仰者，曾絕望地向上帝吶喊，如果上帝真的關心他，就會派人來阻止他自殺。在他眼里，我就是那個上帝派來的天使。
Not being a religious person myself I don't know what that "voice" was that made me take a chance and talk to a stranger but I do know that it made a difference in someone's life that day. So the next time you feel prompted for no apparent reason to talk to a friend, relative, neighbour or even a complete stranger please remember my story. You just may make a difference in someone's life when you listen to your inner voice.
我本身并不信奉宗教，也不知道那個促使我嘗試與一位陌生人交談的“聲音” 代表著什么，但是我知道那個聲音就在那天讓某個人的生活發生了改變。因此，下次當你體會到那種促使你與一位朋友、一位親人、一位鄰居，或者甚至一位完全陌生的人交談，卻找不到任何明顯理由的感覺時，請記起我的故事。傾聽自己內心的聲音，你可能會改變某個人的人生。