文/卢孝林

走在路上，你并不一定会认识他是甲乙丙丁中的哪一位，走近他，你却不得不承认自己内心的感动，这就是“自强之星”的魅力。他们并不需要谁仰望，但值得所有人尊重和学习。

对刘普林的采访约得很迅速，因为几天后他就要去湖北宜昌支教一个月，时间紧迫。临行前的准备工作很繁杂，但刘普林还是很爽快地答应了采访，我们约好第二天上午10点在武汉新东方学校中南总部见面。

采访当日，他比约定的时间早到了半个小时，怯生生地站在记者工位前，小声地打着招呼：“您好，我是刘普林。”然后他就羞红了双颊。整个采访过程中，他始终笔直地坐在椅子上，双手不停地把玩着面前的一次性纸杯，还因为太紧张而不小心弄洒了杯中的茶水，局促不安的样子一点都不像是一个曾经接受过央视等多家知名媒体采访过的新闻人物。

也许你并不认识刘普林，但你听说过曾感动中国的“马路孝子”吧？也许在很多人眼中，武汉理工大学华夏学院这个在“重点高校”概念之外的大学，这里的学生很难和“榜样”二字扯上关系，但刘普林就在这里，成为了值得同龄人的学习的对象，成为了2011年度“中国大学生自强之星标兵”。

出身寒苦，让他更懂得体谅

Liu PuLin was born in a poor family of six in Wu'an, Hubei Province. His parents went out to work when he was young, leaving him and his two sisters under the care of their elderly grandmother. He grew up in a small village, working hard from an early age to help support his family.

He would often see his friends playing together after school, but he had to stay behind and work on the farm. He never complained about his situation because he knew how hard his parents worked to provide for them. In school, he barely had enough money for lunch and always walked instead of taking public transportation.

Liu PuLin's mother is a sanitation worker who earns very little. When she became ill with cancer, Liu took it upon himself to take care of her by cooking meals and doing chores around the house.

His mother's illness made him realize that life could be even harder than what they were already going through. But instead of becoming bitter or resentful, Liu decided to use this experience as motivation to make things better for himself and those around him.

Self-reliance leads him towards wealth

Liu PuLin has won many awards and accolades throughout his life including being named one of China's "Top Ten University Students" by CCTV News Channel in 2009. However, it was not until 2011 that he received national recognition as one of China's "National Self-Reliance Model Students".

This prestigious title came with great responsibility as well as opportunities for further education abroad. The recognition also brought attention from various organizations offering scholarships which helped pave the way towards achieving higher education goals.

Giving back through selflessness

Despite all these accomplishments however; Liu still felt a sense of emptiness inside knowing there are people less fortunate than himself who needed more help than just words alone can offer so they started raising funds among themselves while continuing their studies at home during winter break time off period each year where temperatures drop below freezing point outside making outdoor activities difficult due mostly rainwater melting into puddles causing slippery surfaces dangerous conditions especially since most houses here lack proper heating systems leading residents spending extra money on firewood coal gas etcetera resulting long hours spent huddled near wood stoves trying keep warm rather than studying effectively putting academic performance at risk now you know why we say “it takes courage live like this!”