改变我的火改变了我的火，I was eleven years old standing outside in just my underwear while I watched the house that I grew up in rapidly burn to the ground.. 　　

　　

　　十一岁的我穿着内衣站在外面，看着从小一起长大的房子被大火迅速夷为平地。 　　

　　

　　A few minutes earlier I had been sound asleep in my nice, warm bed when a scream woke me up. 　　

　　

　　几分钟前，我正在我舒适温暖的床上安静地睡觉，一声尖叫把我吵醒了。 　　

　　

　　My grandmother's bedroom was just next to mine and my brother's. A fire had broken out there and awakened her. 　　

　　

　　我祖母的卧室紧挨着我和我哥哥的。她的住处发生了火灾，把她惊醒了。 　　

　　

　　Hearing her my older brother had sprung（突然弹起） into action. 　　

　　

　　听到她的声音后，哥哥立刻从床上跳了起来。 　　

　　

　　While I stumbled around in the smoke and darkness he ran from room to room quickly waking everyone in the house. 　　

　　

　　当我在烟雾和黑暗中蹒跚而行时，他从一个房间跑到另一个房间，吵醒了房子里的每个人。 　　

　　

　　The house, however, was over 50 years old and made of wood. Before we could do anything the fire consumed it. 　　

　　

　　然而，这个房子已经有50年的历史了，是木制的。我们还没来得及做什么，大火已经把它毁了。 　　

　　

　　 　　

　　

　　We all barely made it outside before the flames engulfed（淹没） every room. 　　

　　

　　在火焰吞没每个房间之前，我们都设法跑到了外面。 　　

　　

　　I stood there shivering（颤抖） while the fire destroyed my books, clothes, and toys. 　　

　　

　　我站在那里发抖，大火烧毁了我的书、衣服和玩具。 　　

　　

　　I watched helplessly while my Mom cried and my Dad swore. 　　

　　

　　我绝望地看着妈妈在哭，爸爸在骂。 　　

　　

　　I wondered what was going to happen to us now that we had lost all of our things. 　　

　　

　　我想知道我们会怎么样，因为我们已经失去了一切。 　　

　　

　　As I looked around, though, I realized something for the first time: The things that matter, aren't things. 　　

　　

　　但当我环顾四周，我第一次意识到这些物品并不重要。 　　

　　

　　I saw my older brother running across the swinging bridge（摇摆桥） by our house to get help. 　　

　　

　　我看见我哥哥跑过我家旁边的吊桥去寻求帮助。 　　

　　

　　I saw my oldest brother who was on crutches（拐杖） from an earlier accident standing unsteadily on one leg. 　　

　　

　　我看到因为之前的事故拄着拐杖的大哥，单脚站立不稳。 　　

　　

　　I saw my grandmother and Dad huddled together and my Mom holding our little dog in her arms. 　　

　　

　　我看到奶奶和爸爸挤在一起，妈妈抱着我们的小狗。 　　

　　

　　I realized at that moment that we were all alive. 　　

　　

　　那一刻我意识到我们都活着。 　　

　　

　　 　　

　　

　　Everything that was essential（非常重要的） had survived the fire. Our lives would continue. We would survive without the "stuff" that was burning. 　　

　　

　　所有重要的东西都在大火中幸存了下来。我们的生活还会继续。即使没有这些燃烧的东西，我们也能生存。 　　

　　

　　We would all be around to love each other for many years to come. And that was all that mattered. 　　

　　

　　在未来的许多年里，我们会彼此相爱。这才是最重要的。 　　

　　

　　I still think of that fire in the night that helped me to become who I am today. 　　

　　

　　我仍然认为那晚的大火帮助我成为今天的我。 　　

　　

　　It showed me for the very first time what is truly essential in this life. 　　

　　

　　这让我第一次明白了人生真正重要的是什么。 　　

　　

　　It helped me to learn that the love we share is far more important than the things we possess（拥有）. 　　

　　

　　它让我意识到，我们分享的爱远比我们拥有的东西更重要。 　　

　　

　　Live your life then for the things that matter, not for the things you own. 　　

　　

　　然后为重要的事而活，而不是为你所拥有的。 　　

　　

　　Love others. Help everyone. Let the fire inside of you make this world a warmer place. 　　

　　

　　去关心他人。帮助所有人。用心中的火让世界更温暖。