But, I’ve been very fortunate because I’ve always had an idea in my mind about what I thought was important and what gave my life meaning and purpose. A set of values and beliefs that have helped me navigate the shoals, the sometimes very treacherous sea, to illuminate my own true desires, despite that others say about what l should care about and believe in. A passion to succeed at what l thought was important and children have always provided that lone star, that guiding light. Because l have that absolute conviction that every child, especially in this, the most blessed of nations that has ever existed on the face of earth, that every child deserves the opportunity to live up to his or her God-given potential.

但是，我一直都很幸运，因为我始终知道什么对我来说才是最重要的、什么让我的人生更有意义和追求。尽管别人常常告诉我应该关注和信仰什么，但是我依然坚持自己的一套价值观和信仰，它们帮助我度过了人生的浅海滩，让我在变幻莫测的大海自由航行，照亮了我内心深处的愿望。在我所认为的重要事情上取得成功以及对而他的关注像一颗启明星一样，指引着我前行的道路。因为我坚信，每一个孩子、特别是在美国这个地球上备受上帝恩惠的国度里的孩子，都应该有机会发挥他们天赐的潜能。

But you know that belief and conviction-it may make for a personal mission statement, but standing alone, not translated into action, it means very little to anyone else, particularly to those for whom you have those concerns.

但是你们要知道，信仰和信念可以促进个人目标的实现。但如果仅仅挂在嘴上，而不付诸行动的话，那这些对任何人来说都没有太大意义，特别是对于那些你所关注的人。

When I was thinking about running for the United States Senate-which was such an enormous decision to make, one I never could have dreamed that I would have been making when I was here on campus-I visited a school in New York City and I met a young woman, who was a star athlete.

当我考虑清楚要去参加美国参议院竞选活动时——这对我来说是一个非常艰难的决定，在耶鲁上大学时代我从未梦想过的事情——我去参观了纽约的一所学校，在那里遇见了一个年轻女人，同事一名明星运动员。