You are What You Do
宋美龄 / Mayling Song
If the past has taught us anything， it is that every cause brings effect — every action has a consequence. This thought， in my opinion， is the moral foundation of the universe； it applies equally in this world and the next.
We Chinese have a saying：“ If a man plants melons， he will reap melons； if he sows beans， he will reap beans. ”And this is true of every man’s life： good begets good， and evil leads to evil.
True enough， the sun shines on the saint and sinner alike， and too often it seems that the wicked wax and prosper. But we can say with certitude that， with the individual as with the nation， the flourishing of the wicked is an illusion， for， unceasingly， life keeps books on us all.
In the end， we are all the sum total of our actions. Character cannot be counterfeited， nor can it be put on and cast off as if it were a garment to meet the whim of the moment. Like the markings on wood which are ingrained in the very heart of the tree， character requires time and nurture for growth and development.
Thus also， day by day， we write our own destiny， for inexorably we become what we do. This， I believe， is the supreme logic and the law of life.
如果说曾经的岁月教会了我们什么，那就是有因必有果——每一个行为都有一种结果。依我看来，这种观念是宇宙的道德基础，它同样适用于这个世界和未来世界。
中国有句俗语：“种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆。”这句话忠实于每个人的生活：善有善报，恶有恶报。
的确，圣人与罪人皆会受到阳光的披泽，而且常常是恶人大行其道。但我们可以肯定地说，对于一个人或者一个民族，恶行的猖獗只是一种假象，因为生命会不断地将我们的德行记录在案。
最终，我们就是我们行为的总和。品德是无法伪造的，也不像衣服一样随兴地穿上或脱下来丢在一旁。就像木头的纹路源自树木的中心。品德的成长与发展也需要时间和养料。