When I worked in a large city, passing by someone who was homeless wasn’t an uncommon sight. The difficult situation of those I saw touched me deeply.

I felt I must do something, and, as a single mother, I decided to come up with a plan that fitted my limited budget. I began by setting aside five to ten dollars and passing them out to those I met on the street each week.

Though a dollar felt like a small amount, I realized how powerful it was. For me, I recognized that those I passed by were people just like me. Sometimes we would joke a bit and smile together. On some occasions, I was able to give more. I don’t know how and if the dollars helped, but I know that the connections we made did.

One day after I had started this weekly practice, I had saved up enough to buy myself a new winter coat. With it around my shoulders, I realized that my old coat could still be put to use by someone who had little or nothing to protect them from the cold. However, at that moment, I felt inspired to pass on this opportunity for kindness. I turned to the salesman who had helped me, and asked if he would feel comfortable taking my old coat, walking to the corner, and offering it to someone in need. Slightly taken aback, he smiled. “I will as soon as I get a break,” he said. “Thanks for being so considerate.”

I can’t help but feel that my experiences with kindness have moved me to pass it on, and in this way, I feel I’ve helped more than just those I pass by on the street. Kindness touches many hearts, and I am grateful for the way it has touched mine.

Son's Help

Mr. Lang worked in a factory. As a driver, he was busy but he was paid much. His wife was an able woman and did all the housework. When he came back, she took good care of him and he never did anything at home. So he had enough time when he had a holiday. A few friends of his liked gambling(赌博) and he learned it soon. So he was interested in it and hardly forgot anything except gambling. He lost all his money and later he began to sell the television, watches and so on. His wife told him not to do it but he didn't listen to her. She had to tell the police. He and his friends were punished for it. And he was hardly sent away. After he came out of lockup(拘留所), he hated her very much and the woman had to leave him.

It was New Year's Day. Mr. Lang didn't go to work. He felt lonely and wanted to gamble again. He called his friends and they came soon. But they were afraid the police would come. He told his five­year­old son to go to find out if there were the policemen outside. They waited for a long time and didn't think the police would come and began to gamble. Suddenly opened the door and in came a few policemen.

“I saw there weren't any policemen outside, daddy，” said the boy, “so I went to the crossing and asked some to come.”

I must have looked deep in thought, or as deep in thought as an 11-year-old man could, when my grandmother glanced up from her weeding to ask, "You have something on your mind, don’t you?”

“Yes, I was thinking that someday I want to be an Olympic speed skating champion like my hero, Eric Heiden, I want to be a doctor like my parents and I want to help children in Africa.”

I immediately knew I had confided (吐露) in the right person when a knowing smile broke across her face. “Johann, of course! You can do anything you want to do!” she said simply. And with my grandmother’s support, I set out to pursue my passions.

14 years later, I was well ready to take hold of my first dream: becoming an Olympic champion. The Olympics in 1994 was in my home country, Norway. As I entered the Olympic stadium, I wasn’t the best athlete, and many had doubts about my ability to perform well. But I had something special working for me. I had a woman in the first row who believed in me following my passions just as much as I did. For the first time ever, my grandmother was going to see me skate.

It happened. Breaking a world record, I won the gold.

As I stood on the podium (领奖台) that I had dreamed about my entire life, a curious question popped into my head. Why me? Why did I win, given all the other incredible competitors out there? The reason had to be more than a grandmother who shared a belief in her grandson’s dream. The question led me to only one answer: because I wanted to make a difference in the world, and with all the media attention on my success, I could. I immediately knew what that difference had to be: hope in the lives of the children in Africa.

Six months earlier, I’d been invited to Eritrea as an ambassador(使者) for Olympic Aid.