Back in New York, I am the head of development for a non-profit called Robin Hood. When I'm not fighting poverty, I'm fighting fires as the assistant captain of a volunteer fire company. Now in our town, where the volunteers supplement a highly skilled career staff, you have to get to the fire scene pretty early to get in on any action.
U New York-u, voditelj sam razvoja u jednoj neprofitnoj organizaciji zvanoj Robin Hood. Kada se ne borim protiv siromaštva, borim se protiv požara kao pomoćnik kapetana u dobrovoljnom vatrogasnom društvu. U našem gradu, gdje volonteri nadopunjuju visoko stručno osoblje, morate doći do mjesta požara prilično rano kako biste sudjelovali u akciji.
I remember my first fire. I was the second volunteer on the scene, so there was a pretty good chance I was going to get in. But still it was a real footrace against the other volunteers to get to the captain in charge to find out what our assignments would be. When I found the captain, he was having a very engaging conversation with the homeowner, who was surely having one of the worst days of her life. Here it was, the middle of the night, she was standing outside in the pouring rain, under an umbrella, in her pajamas, barefoot, while her house was in flames.
Sjećam se svog prvog požara. Bio sam drugi volonter na mjestu požara, pa je stoga postojala prilično dobra šansa da ću ući. Ali ipak je to bila prava pješačka utrka u konkurenciji s drugim volonterima kako bi se došlo do zaduženog kapetana kako bismo saznali što će biti naše dužnosti. Kada sam pronašao kapetana, on je vodio veoma intenzivan razgovor s vlasnicom kuće, kojoj je to zasigurno bio jedan od najgorih dana života. Bilo je to usred noći, ona je stajala vani na kiši koja je lijevala, ispod kišobrana, u svojoj pidžami, bosonoga, dok je njezina kuća bila u plamenu.
The other volunteer who had arrived just before me -- let's call him Lex Luther -- (Laughter) got to the captain first and was asked to go inside and save the homeowner's dog. The dog! I was stunned with jealousy. Here was some lawyer or money manager who, for the rest of his life, gets to tell people that he went into a burning building to save a living creature, just because he beat me by five seconds. Well, I was next. The captain waved me over. He said, "Bezos, I need you to go into the house. I need you to go upstairs, past the fire, and I need you to get this woman a pair of shoes." (Laughter) I swear. So, not exactly what I was hoping for, but off I went -- up the stairs, down the hall, past the 'real' firefighters, who were pretty much done putting out the fire at this point, into the master bedroom to get a pair of shoes.
Drugi volonter koji je stigao prije mene -- nazovimo ga Lex Luther -- (Smijeh) je stigao prvi do kapetana i bio je zamoljen da ode unutra i spasi psa kućevlasnice. Psa! Bio sam zaprepašten ljubomorom. Ovdje je bio neki odvjetnik ili financijaš koji će, do kraja svog života, moći prepričavati ljudima kako je ušao u goruću zgradu kako bi spasio živo biće, samo zato jer me prestigao za pet sekundi. Dakle, ja sam bio sljedeći. Kapetan me pozvao k sebi. Rekao je, "Bezos, trebam te da uđeš u kuću. Trebam te da odeš na kat, mimo vatre, i trebam te da doneseš ovoj ženi par cipela." (Smijeh) Kunem se. Dakle, nije baš ono čemu sam se nadao, ali otišao sam -- na kat, na kraj hodnika, mimo 'pravih' vatrogasaca, koji su u to vrijeme već bili prilično gotovi s gašenjem požara, u glavnu spavaonicu kako bih joj uzeo par cipela.
Now I know what you're thinking, but I'm no hero. (Laughter) I carried my payload back downstairs where I met my nemesis and the precious dog by the front door. We took our treasures outside to the homeowner, where, not surprisingly, his received much more attention than did mine. A few weeks later, the department received a letter from the homeowner thanking us for the valiant effort displayed in saving her home. The act of kindness she noted above all others: someone had even gotten her a pair of shoes.
Znam što mislite, ali ja nisam heroj. (Smijeh) Nosio sam svoj teret dolje gdje sam sreo svog nepobjedivog protivnika i dragocjenog psa kod ulaznih vrata. Odnijeli smo naša blaga van vlasnici, gdje je, ne iznenađujuće, njegovo primilo puno više pažnje nego moje. Nekoliko tjedana kasnije, odjel je primio pismo od vlasnice kuće u kojem nam zahvaljuje za prikazanu hrabarost spašavanje njezine kuće. Čin ljubaznosti koji je primjetila iznad svih: netko mi je čak donio i par cipela.
(Laughter)
(Smijeh)
In both my vocation at Robin Hood and my avocation as a volunteer firefighter, I am witness to acts of generosity and kindness on a monumental scale, but I'm also witness to acts of grace and courage on an individual basis. And you know what I've learned? They all matter. So as I look around this room at people who either have achieved, or are on their way to achieving, remarkable levels of success, I would offer this reminder: don't wait. Don't wait until you make your first million to make a difference in somebody's life. If you have something to give, give it now. Serve food at a soup kitchen. Clean up a neighborhood park. Be a mentor.
I u mojoj struci u Robin Hood-u i u mom hobiju kao vatrogasac volonter, svjedok sam činova darežljivosti i ljubaznosti na monumentalnoj skali, ali ujedno sam i svjedok činova milosti i hrabrosti na individualnoj bazi. I znate što sam naučio? Da svi oni nešto znače. Kako gledam po ovoj prostoriji ljude koji su, ili postigli, ili su na putu postizanja, nevjerojatnih razina uspjeha, ponudio bih ovaj podsjetnik: nemojte čekati. Nemojte čekati sve dok ne zaradite svoj prvi milijun kako biste napravili promjenu u nečijem životu. Ako imate nešto za dati, dajte to sada. Poslužujte hranu u pučkoj kuhinji, počistite park u vašoj čevrti, budite mentor.
Not every day is going to offer us a chance to save somebody's life, but every day offers us an opportunity to affect one. So get in the game. Save the shoes.
Neće nam svaki dan pružiti priliku da spasimo nečiji život, ali svaki dan će nam dati mogućnost da utječemo na nečiji život. Dakle, uđite u igru; spasite cipele.
Thank you.
Hvala vam.
(Applause)
(Pljesak)
Bruno Giussani: Mark, Mark, come back.
Bruno Giussani: Mark, Mark, vrati se.
(Applause)
(Pljesak)
Mark Bezos: Thank you.
Mark Bezos: Hvala vam.