—But talking like that means ______ her．（ ）
—__________． The meeting has just begun． （ ）
Teens don't want to be seen with their parents, much less talk to them or do anything with them． That's what we hear all the time． I don't believe it． Oh，sure, when my daughter and my son were in their teens, they wanted to spend most of their free time with their friends． But there were always those special times planned when we enjoyed being alone with each other, when we connected deeply, and when we were reminded again how much we loved one another．
I recall how delighted my 14-year-old daughter, Alisa, felt when I asked her for a date to see a movie． It was a bittersweet Italian movie, Cinema Paradiso, and I wanted this story to give her a sense of how I grew up as an Italian boy in a small town, where life was simple and where everyone knew one another． I wanted her to know how her father had been brought up and shaped．
We both laughed and cried during the same scenes in the movie． She was attached to the movie． I decided we should complete our evening with some lively conversation at a nearby bakery． I told her the movie was now so much more special for me because I had shared it with her． She smiled． She understood． We made a memory that night．
From our living room window, I saw my 13-year-old son, Jason, tearfully searching our vegetable garden for a place to bury his pet boa constrictor (蟒蛇)． Because my son had suffered from asthma (哮喘) and allergies, he could never have a dog, a faithful friend that he wanted so much． Every pet he owned—lizards, fish, or snakes—had died．
I was at his side as we searched for the best gravesite (墓地)． We dug the grave, said our goodbyes and then he cried． He cried hard and he asked me why every pet he had owned died so soon． I could feel his heart break against my chest． I just held him close． He let me hold his aching soul． He needed me while he was confused． Share your heart with your teens． Show them repeatedly that you know and love who they really are． There are tender memories waiting to be made．
Tim Richter and his wife, Linda, had taught for over 30 years near Buffalo, New York—he in computers, she in special education. “Teaching means everything to us,” Tim would say. In April 1998, he learned he would need a heart operation. It was the kind of news that leads to some serious thinking about life's purpose.
Not long after the surgery, Tim saw a brochure describing Imagination Library, a program started by Dolly Parton's foundation (基金会) that mailed a book every month to children from birth to age five in the singer's hometown of Sevier, Tennessee. “I thought, maybe Linda and I could do something like this when we retire,” Tim recalls. He placed the brochure on his desk as a “reminder”.
Five years later, now retired and with that brochure still on the desk, Tim clicked on imagination library com. The program had been opened up to partners who could take advantage of book and postage discounts.
The quality of the books was of great concern to the Richters. Rather than sign up online, they went to Dollywood for a look see. “We didn't want to give the children rubbish,” says Linda. The books reviewed each year by teachers, literacy specialists and Dollywood board members included classics such as Ezra Jack Keats's The Snowy Day and newer books like Anna Dewdney's Llama Llama series.
Satisfied, the couple set up the Richter Family Foundation and got to work. Since 2004, they have shipped more than 12,200 books to preschoolers in their area. Megan Williams, a mother of four, is more than appreciative: “This program introduces us to books I've never heard of.”
The Richters spend about $400 a month sending books to 200 children. “Some people sit there and wait to die,” says Tim. “Others get as busy as they can in the time they have left.”
The passengers watched sympathetically as Susan made her way up the steps. Due to a medical misdiagnosis, she had been sightless, and she was1thrown into a world of darkness, anger and 2 And all she had to 3 was her husband, Mark, who was an Air Force officer.
When she first lost her sight, he was 4to help his wife gain the strength and confidence. Soon，Susan felt ready to return to her job, but how would she get there since she used to take the bus? So Mark volunteered to5 her to work each day，6 they worked at opposite ends of the city.7 Mark wanted Susan herself to take the bus again.
She responded, “I'm blind. I feel you're8 me.”
Mark's heart 9 hearing these words, but he promised to ride the bus with her, until Susan got the hang of it. He taught her how to rely on her other 10 to determine where she was and how to adjust to her new 11.
Finally, Susan was ready to 12 on her own. Monday 13 arrived, and for the first time they went their 14 ways. Each day on her own went perfectly.
One morning, Susan was taking the bus to work as usual when the driver said：“Madam, I do envy you.”15 she asked the driver, “Why？”
The driver answered, “Every morning for the past week, a gentleman has been watching you as you 16the bus and cross the street safely 17 you enter your office building. Then he blows you a kiss, gives you a 18 and walks away.”
Tears of 19 poured down Susan's cheeks. She was so lucky, for Mark had given her gift more 20 than sight, a gift of love that can bring light where there is darkness.
He is .
He seems something.
