And as I got to know Barack, I realized that even though he'd grown up all the way across the country, he'd been brought up just like me.

Barack was raised by a single mother who struggled to pay the bills, and by grandparents who stepped in when she needed help.

Barack's grandmother started out as a secretary at a community bank... and she moved quickly up the ranks... but like so many women, she hit a glass ceiling.

And for years, men no more qualified than she was -- men she had actually trained -- were promoted up the ladder ahead of her, earning more and more money while Barack's family continued to scrape by.

But day after day, she kept on waking up at dawn to catch the bus... arriving at work before anyone else... giving her best without complaint or regret.

And she would often tell Barack, "So long as you kids do well, Bar, that's all that really matters."

Like so many American families, our families weren't asking for much.

They didn't begrudge anyone else's success or care that others had much more than they did... in fact, they admired it.

They simply believed in that fundamental American promise that, even if you don't start out with much, if you work hard and do what you're supposed to do, then you should be able to build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids and grandkids.

That's how they raised us... that's what we learned from their example.

We learned about dignity and decency -- that how hard you work matters more than how much you make... that helping others means more than just getting ahead yourself.

We learned about honesty and integrity -- that the truth matters... that you don't take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules... and success doesn't count unless you earn it fair and square.

We learned about gratitude and humility -- that so many people had a hand in our success, from the teachers who inspired us to the janitors who kept our school clean... and we were taught to value everyone's contribution and treat everyone with respect.

Those are the values Barack and I -- and so many of you -- are trying to pass on to our own children.

That's who we are.

当我逐渐开始了解巴拉克之后，我发现虽然他在美国的另一头长大，他的成长经历却和我惊人地相似。

巴拉克成长在一个单亲家庭里，他的母亲依靠努力工作来维持家庭生活，在她实在无力支持的时候，祖父母也会伸出援手。

巴拉克的祖母最初在社区银行当秘书……她升职很快……但就和其他许多女性一样，她的升职最终还是受到了性别限制。

数年间，那些不如她有能力的男性员工——事实上，还是她亲手培训的男性员工——都被提升到了比她高的职位，挣的钱越来越多，而与此同时，巴拉克一家只能勉强度日。

但一天又一天，她仍然早起去赶公车……比其他任何人都早到公司……她总是做到最好，从不抱怨，从不懊悔。

而且，她常常这样告诉巴拉克：“只要你的孩子过得好，巴，其他什么都不重要。”

就和许许多多美国家庭一样，我们俩的家庭都知足常乐。

他们并不嫉妒其他人的成功，也不在意其他人是否比他们拥有更多……事实上，他们为此心存感激。

他们就是心怀着最根本的美国希望，即是说，哪怕你出身贫寒，只要你努力工作，做好本职，那么你就能让自己过上体面的生活，而你的子女和他们的孩子也会过得越来越好。

他们就是这样把我们养育成人……并且成为了我们的学习榜样。

我们学会了做自尊正派的人——努力工作远比挣钱多少重要……帮助别人比自己争先更有意义。

我们学会了做诚实守信的人——要讲究真相……不能妄图走捷径或耍小伎俩……以及公平争取来的成功才算数。

我们学会了感激和谦卑——我们的成功依靠许多人的帮助，从启迪我们的老师到保持学校整洁的校工……我们学会珍惜每个人的贡献，并以尊重待人。

这些是巴拉克和我——以及在场的众多人士——都试图传递给子女的价值观。

我们就是这样的人。