I believe in miracles(奇迹) because I've seen so many of them. One day, a patient was referred to me who was one hundred and two years old. 'there's a1in my upper jaw, " she said. "I told my own dentist it's nothing, but he 2I come to see you."
Her eighty-year-old son accompanied her. He would3to add something, but she stopped him. She wanted to tell everything herself. I found a large cancer that spread over much of the4of her mouth. A careful examination later5that it was a particularly bad sort of cancer. During her next appointment, I explained to her the6of the problem. She clasped my hand in hers and said, "I know you're worried about me, but I'm just7."
I thought otherwise(不同). After considerable8on my part, and kindness on her part because she wanted to9me, she agreed to have me refer her to a cancer surgeon. She saw him, but as I expected,10 treatment. About six months later she returned to my office, still energetic and11.
“How are you?” I asked.
“I'm just fine, honey, ” she responded12 high spirits. “When can I get started on fixing my dentures(假牙)?”
Surprised to see her at all, I answered13, “Let me take a look in your mouth and we'll see about it.”
I couldn't believe my eyes. The cancer that had14nearly the entire roof of her mouth was gone-only one small area of redness 15.
I had read of such things happening, but had16seen them with my own eyes. That was my first miracle. Since then I've seen many others, because they keep getting17to see. In fact, miracles are daily events for me now. And people are a miracle,18through them we have a chance to know ourselves and to19the miracles of one another.
Since my first miracle, I've come to understand that the place for a miracle is20we choose to find it.
Arriving in Sydney on his own from India, my husband, Rashid,1 in a hotel for a short period of time while2 a house for me and our children.
During the first week of his stay, he went out one day to do some shopping. He came back in the late afternoon to 3 that his suitcase was 4. He was extremely 5 as the suitcase had all his important 6, including his passport.
He reported the 7 to the police and then sat there，lost and 8 in a strange city, thinking of the terrible troubles of getting all the paperwork 9 again from a distant country while trying to 10 in a new one.
Late in the evening, the 11 rang. It was a stranger. He was trying to 12 my husband's name and was asking him a lot of questions. Then he said they had found a pile of papers in their trash can that had been left out on the footpath.
My husband 13 to their home to find a kind family holding all his papers. Their young daughter had gone to the trash can and found a pile of 14 papers. Then, her parents had carefully sorted them out,15 they had found mainly foreign addresses on most of the documents.16 they had seen a half-written 17 in the pile in which my husband had given his new telephone number to a friend.
That family not only 18 the important documents to us that day but also restored our faith and19in people. Now, we 20 remember their kindness and often send a warm wish their way.
I had just arrived in this Asian country for a one-year teaching position. One day, I took the subway to visit some ancient palaces and temples in the downtown. The following account of what happened to me has taught me much about culture 1.
Since all the 2 were taken, I stood. Suddenly, I felt someone pulling on my bag. 3 I probably was in someone's way, I moved over slightly. But in one quick motion(动作), I felt my bag removed from my back, and in a flash it was 4. I turned around to see who the thief was. I looked at the people standing behind me, but didn't see my bag or any 5. My heart sank and I began to 6.
I glanced around the car only to find directly across from me was an elderly lady, and sitting on her lap was my 7. I tried to get it back from her lap. But as I began to 8 it up, she quickly grabbed(抓住) it back and held onto it. I looked around at the people standing beside me, and those sitting beside her, but no one took any 9 of the situation. Trying not to cause a(an) 10, I tried to negotiate through gestures. I used my hands as best as I could, but she 11 my requests for my bag and pointed to my back. She picked up my bag, showing how 12 it was. I finally began to understand. She was holding my bag to13 me.
At the next stop, a middle-aged woman got on the crowded subway. Another elderly woman sitting down took her bag, 14 it on her lap. They didn't talk; 15 this older woman was more than pleased to sit with this stranger's bag on her lap throughout her journey.
As the subway pulled into the main downtown station and I was getting ready to get off, the woman 16 handed me back my bag. But 17 I had a chance to thank her, she had disappeared into the crowd.
Sadly, this considerate custom was more 18 to me than if I had been robbed. Everyone back home had heard of being robbed—that was 19 city behavior—but having a stranger hold onto someone's bag out of 20, in a city of twelve million people—that was truly unusual.
One year after Tom was born, his parents had a car accident. They never 1. Tom's 85-year-old grandmother was too 2 to take care of him. As a result, he was put up for adoption (领养). He was adopted by a middle-aged couple who had no 3 of their own. They were not rich and received little education, but they were kind-hearted people.
As Tom was growing up, he 4 a lot of problems at school. He didn't learn 5 and had trouble in reading. His 6 sometimes laughed at him. What they said made Tom 7.
As he couldn't 8the other students at school, he dropped out of school and came back home. But he didn't stop learning. He had big dreams. Though he didn't learn fast, he kept teaching himself at home.
After many years of learning at home, he 9 overcame his difficulties. Today he is a very 10 speaker and author. While he was growing up, his self-esteem (自尊) and 11 were low because of others' making fun of him. It took him many years to realize his dreams.
When listening to his videos and tapes, he shows confidence. He tells about his 12 and how he overcame the challenges in his life. He has a very 13 sentence: “You cannot expect to achieve new goals or move beyond your present situations 14 you change.”
For those who have low self-confidence, I suggest you start reading about Tom's world. Many people have so much potential (潜能) to be discovered. If you have a dream, then start today to move yourself towards it. If someone like Tom who has 15 in learning can make such achievements, why can't you succeed?
I was on my way to the library to do some studying for history class. That's when I 1 my friend and her family knocking on doors.
As I was standing outside one house my friend's brother 2 past me and went to the 3 of the house. When the resident（住户） answered, I 4 him say, "Excuse me. Hi! I am raising 5 for my mom. She needs to have a surgery(外科手术)6 we don't have enough money. Could you please 7 with a donation?"
The lady8 him some coins and he said, "Thank you so much! God bless you." Then he walked on to the next house.
I could see he didn't have 9 and I also saw he had been crying.
Instead of going to the 10 , I went to the bank, I told them I wanted to 11 all my savings. The lady in the12 said to me, "But, sweetie, I 13 you were going to use that money to get into university."
I told her something else 14 so she gave me the money. Then I walked to my friend's house. They had only 15 nine hundred and sixty dollars, which wasn't even a quarter of what they16 I told my friend to take my money. When she saw it, she17immediately it was my university money.
The idea of going to 18 had been a very exciting one for me—-assuming I got accepted—-but she needed the money19 I did. Now her mom will be going into surgery in the next two days.
I hope all goes 20 for her and her family. My love and prayers go out to them.
I believe that we can have a big effect on anyone with whom we come into contact. Some acts that we think 1 can shape someone else's future. The right words at just the right time can 2 change someone's life.
Years ago, that was what happened to me. I was the only 3 child at Blue Elementary School. From almost the first day there, the other kids 4 me mainly because of my hearing aid and the way I talked. And I also had 5 with most of my schoolwork. When the other kids laughed at me. I was sure that I was a 6 person. I saw myself as a boy who wasn't smart enough to 7 the class.
Mrs Jordan, my 5th grade teacher, 8 all of that with a simple three-word phrase. One morning, she asked the 9 a question. I read her lips from my front-row seat and immediately raised my hand 10 I was sure I had the right answer. But when she called my name, I was 11. Here was an opportunity to impress the powerful teacher and 12 her I was worthy of her love. Maybe I would even impress my classmates a little. I didn't want to blow it. 13 my fears, I took a deep 14 and answered Mrs Jordan's question.
I will never forget what 15 next. Mrs Jordan enthusiastically slammed(猛击) her right foot on the 16, and with sparkling eyes and a wide smile she 17, "THAT'S RIGHT STEPHEN!" For the first time in my young life, I was a star. I 18 a little taller in my chair.
From that day forward, my grades and speech 19 greatly. My popularity among my peers increased. It was all because Mrs Jordan believed in me and wasn't afraid to 20 it.
Jenna, a popular girl from Westwood Middle School, had graduated first in her class and was ready for new1in high school.
2, high school was different. In the first week, Jenna went to tryouts(选拔赛) for cheerleaders(拉拉队队员). She was competing against very talented girls, and she knew it would be3for her to be selected. Two hours later, the4read a list of the girls for a second tryout. Her heart5as the list ended without her name. Feeling6, she walked home carrying her schoolbag full of homework.
Arriving home, she started with math. She had always been a good math student, but now she was7. She moved on to English and history, and was8to find that she didn't have any trouble with those subjects. Feeling better, she decided not to9math for the time being.
The next day Jenna went to see Mrs. Biden about being on the school10Mrs. Biden wasn't as11as Jenna. “I'm sorry, but we have enough12for the newspaper already. Come back next year and we'll talk then.” Jenna smiled13and left. “Why is high school so14?” she sighed.
Later in15class, Jenna devoted herself to figuring out the problems that had given her so much16. By the end of class, she understood how to get them right. As she gathered her books, Jenna decided she'd continue to try to17at her new school. She wasn't sure if she'd succeed, but she knew she had to18High school was just as her mom had said: “You will feel like a small fish in a big pond19a big fish in a small pond. The challenge is to become the20fish you can be.”
A man was employed to paint a boat. He brought paint and1and began to paint the boat as the owner2. While painting, he3there was a hole in the body of the boat and decided to4it. When he finished painting, he received his5and left.
The next day, the owner of the boat visited the painter and6him with a cheque（支票）, much7than what he was paid for the painting work. The painter was8.
"You've already paid me for painting the boat, sir!" he said.
"This is not for the paint job. It's for repairing the9in the boat. "
"Ah! But it was such a small service. "The man said. "Certainly it's not worth paying me such a high amount for something so10!"
"My dear friend, "the owner said, "You don't understand. Let me tell you11happened. When I asked you to paint the boat, I12to mention the hole. When the boat dried, my kids took it and13a fishing trip. They did not know that there was a hole there.
"I was not at home at the time. So when I14and noticed they has taken the boat, I was15. Imagine my16and joy when I saw them returning17from fishing.
"Then, I examined the boat and found that you had repaired the hole! You now see what you did？You18the life of my children!"
Each of us has a moral duty to offer help, wipe tears, listen carefully and repair all the "hole" we19in our life journey, because a small act will make a big20in the future.
How did you do it, Dad? How have you managed not to take a drink for almost 20 years? It took me almost 20 years to have the 1 to even ask my father this very personal question. When Dad first 2 drinking, the whole family was on pins and needles every time he got into a 3 that, in the past, would have started him 4 again. For a few years we were 5 to bring it up for fear that the drinking would begin again.
"I had this little poem that I would recite to myself at least four to five times a day," was Dad's 6 to my 18-year-old unasked question. "The words were a constant 7 to me that things were 8 so hard that I could not deal with them," Dad said. Then he 9 the poem with me. The poem's 10, yet profound words immediately became 11 of my daily routine as well.
About a month after this 12 with my father, I received a gift in the mail from a friend of mine. It was a book of daily sayings of wisdom with one 13 for each day of the year.
It has been my 14 that when you get something with days of the year on it, you naturally turn to the page that lists your own 15.
I 16 opened the book to November 10 to see 17 words of wisdom this book had in store for me. I was 18 when I looked at the page, and then tears of disbelief and appreciation 19 down my face. There, on my birthday, was the exact same poem that had 20 my father for all these years! It is called the Serenity (平静) Prayer.
God grant me
the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
the courage to change the things I can;
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Several months ago, Greece suffered from the refugee disaster. I hadn't been 1 of the scale(规模) of it until I actually got to Greece. I2 as manager of the Oinofyta Camp. This work is like being a3, and I realized that I had met my4, which was to take care of them and show them that they were loved and cared about, not5.
All of the Greek islands are6. I have a camp that within three or four days could7500 people.
When your life is spent getting handouts(救济品) from everyone all day, you lose your8. I had this9idea that it would be great to start a business, sewing bags from leftover10material. Those people were the11 people in the camp because they had a purpose. We have12in America who want to buy these bags now.
Learning to say13has been one of the harder things here at the camp; the constant14of residents. I was so happy for them when they got their family15, and so sad because I knew that the16 of me being able to17see them again was pretty slim.
My18kids are all asking me the same question now："Mom, when are you coming home?" I don't know. I hope that my legacy(遗赠) here is that the refugees will always remember that I cared about them, that they were special and19, and that they were worthy of that20.
One day, I was in a charity shop looking at the second hand books. After a few minutes I became 1of a group of women who were poorly2and spoke in what 3like an eastern European language. As they 4the clothes, a little girl, about three years old, came over to the 5section. Immediately her attention was caught by a toy baby carriage. She spoke to her mother and her mother6asked the shop assistant how much it cost. 3 was the 7. The mum looked down at her child, perhaps 8 what she still had to buy and how much money would have been 9. Then she simply10her head. The child didn't 11as some might. Being told no was not a new 12for her. But she couldn't keep the 13from her face.
It hit me that several days ago, a friend gifted me &100,14that I could do some good deeds with it. At that time I had four pounds totally in my pocket, two &2 coins. I knew it was the 15time to act. A moment later I tapped the mother on the shoulder, pointed to the 16I had left in the baby carriage and said," Buy her a baby doll too." I didn't hang about to see the end result. 17,it's not about being thanked. Then I made my way out of the shop and into the sunshine.
The18my friend gave me was an investment in the happiness of the world. Was there any better way to get so much19for so little money than to 20a toy baby carriage for a little girl? And a baby doll to sit in it.
It is 27 years since my last conversation with my mother, who didn't finish school like many of her contemporary girls. She often told me, “I never got my 1 but one day you will.”
Pointing to a tree or cow, she asked me to 2 their English names after her. Feeling annoyed, I asked, “Mama, why do I have to learn these foreign 3？”She held her pen right before my eyes. “Hold it firmly,”she encouraged me,“for this pen and the new foreign language will be your compass to 4around the world.” Sadly, my mother died of breast cancer when I was six.
Turning seven, I 5 30 miles to live closer to my school. But “closer” is a6 term in Uganda, which means I had to get up as the 7sun rose and then ran 8.8 miles barefoot to 8. Also, I needed to carry a stick to look out for snakes and dogs. During the 9 season, the path to school was 10 daily and I'd swim with one hand, using the other hand to hold the book bag on my 11.
Research shows 70 percent of poor children don't 12 primary school in Uganda. Reasons for this high dropout rate (辍学率) includes the long distances some children must 13 among many other reasons.
Fortunately, I've made it. Whenever I see the sun rise I am reminded of the 14 of my mother, who inspired me to dream big and to use the 15 of the pen to make my dream come true.
I always had a dream. In it, I was a little girl again, rushing about, trying to get 1 for school. Deep inside I knew 2 it came from. It was some unfinished 3 in my life. As a kid I loved school, most of all I 4 to receive my diploma. That seemed more 5 even than getting married. But at 15, I had to 6 because my parents couldn't afford my 7.
Pretty soon I married and had three children. I thought, "There goes my diploma." 8, I wanted my children to be educated. But Linda, the youngest, had a serious heart disease, which made it impossible for her to 9 in a normal classroom. One day, I saw an ad for evening courses. "That's the 10. Linda always feels better in the evening, so I'll just 11 her up for night school." Linda was busy filling forms when the school 12 said, "Mrs Schantz, why don't you come back to school？"I laughed, "There's no 13！I'm 55！"But he 14 me and I attended class with Linda. Surprisingly, both Linda and I felt great there and my 15 steadily improved. It was exciting to go to school again, but it was no 16. Sitting in a class full of kids was 17, even if they were respectful. Whenever I was down, Linda encouraged me, "Mom, you can't 18 now!" Together we made it 19. Finally, I got my diploma with Linda and realized my 20 of years.
A Good Heart to Lean (倚靠) On
More than I realized, Dad has helped me keep my balance.
When I was young, I didn't want to be seen with my father. He was short and crippled (瘸), and when we 1 together, his hand on my arm for balance, people would look at us. It was 2 to coordinate (协调) our steps, and we didn't 3 much as we went along, just keeping silent 4 as we started out, he always said, "You set the pace (步伐). I will try to stay with you."
In my memory, my father went to work every day, rain or shine. He almost never 5 a day, even if others could not. Meanwhile he had to 6 the unkind laughter from others. When I think of it now, I am surprised at how much 7 it must have taken him to make a living under such 8. Although disabled, my father still tried to take part in activities in his own way. When a baseball team didn't have a manager，he kept it 9. He was a knowledgeable baseball fan and often took me to the 10. He also liked to go to parties, where he could have a good time 11 sitting and watching.
I now 12 that he took part in some things through me, his only son. He 13 me all the time. When I played ball, he "played" too. When I joined the Navy, he "joined" too. He was 14 to spend all his time staying with me.
He never talked about himself as an object of 15, nor did he show any envy (嫉妒) of the more fortunate. What he 16 in others was a "good heart'', and if he found one, the owner was good enough for him. Now that I am older, I believe that is a proper rule by which to 17 people, even though I still don't know exactly what a "good heart" is. Sometimes I wonder if he 18 my unwillingness during our walks. If he did, I am sorry I never told him how sorry I was, and how I 19 it. At such times I would put my hand on his arm to get my 20, and say, "You set the pace. I will try to stay with you."
Takamizawa, aged 91, was one of the more than 200,000 people who volunteered for the Tokyo Olympics. English is not required for service, but it is a helpful1for volunteers. Takamizawa was in high school when World War II2in 1939. She said, "In my second year there, English was banned because it was the language of the3."
Takamizawa said that her grandchildren4her she was not too old to learn. "When I talked to my grandchildren about my5, they said, 'it's not too late. We will teach you one word a day. But it's going to be a good6for you.'"
Takamizawa's English7is her granddaughter Natsuko. Natsuko8a new English word to Takamizawa's phone every day. They also often work together9on phrases that Takamizawa will need for the Olympics. "Welcome to Tokyo. This is the Olympic stadium. How can I help you?" Takamizawa answers when10to say some English sentences she has learned. Natsuko11that she wanted to give her grandmother something to enjoy. "I can clearly see her English is getting better. It's also my12now."
For the level of English spoken in a country, Japan ranks 49th among countries where English is not the13language. This situation is slowly changing as younger generations14English. Japanese students often learn English at a much15age than they did in the past. However, Takamizawa16real change will not happen unless Japanese people become more 17to the rest of the world.
With several hundred days to go until the Games begin, the whole Takamizawa family is ready to introduce Tokyo to the world. When Japan last held the Summer Olympics in 1964, Takamizawa was too busy18a family to go to any events.
Takamizawa said she never thought the Olympics would be19twice in her lifetime. "It's good," she said," to 20long."
The other day I was shopping at a local store and came upon a lady from India squatting (蹲)on the floor 1 a certain product on the bottom shelf. She 2when she saw me as if to get out of my way. 3 , she explained that she was a 4 and on her lunch break, trying to 5 a few needed items.
I told her, "I am in no hurry. 6and do what you need to do." While she searched for a particular brand, she said that sometimes customers were 7 to her and she really 8 my kindness. I told her that I had noticed cashiers being treated rudely by some people and they needed to be more 9.
It is stressful to the cashier when people are 10 at them when the cashier is doing the best they know how. I explained to her that I was a retired nurse and 11some of what she was saying. Sometimes patients or doctors could be very rude. But I 12 to understand why they were13 that way and let it go.
She thanked me for being so 14 and friendly. I told her, "The world would be a better place if we all acted 15 toward each other. Those who are rude may have bad karma (报应)coming after them 16 for treating people badly. She nodded and said it was 17 that I knew what karma was.
It felt so good that I may have helped her 18 the pressure for even a few seconds. In a brief 19 I showed her there are good and kind people in the world and may have boosted (增强)her faith in 20 .
Alice is a student who came to my class last year. Though she has already turned 60, Alice looks so fit and 1, with a bright smile and an enthusiastic attitude. I am Alice's teacher in class, but I feel she is my teacher in life.
For my 2-hour class every Saturday morning, Alice has to take a 3-hour round-trip on the road. But she is never 2 for class. Alice is very passionate about learning English. She often says, “Don't 3 me as a 60-year-old. I am just a new beginner who wants to learn anything 4. You know, I am very excited to come to the class!" So I feel a strong sense of 5 to make sure what I teach makes sense to her.
Alice came to me with very 6 English skills, but she turns out to be a very fast learner because she always puts English 7 on a daily basis. I 8 her homework before every class. Her homework is usually not what I 9 for the class, rather it is something that she 10 to put together. She makes various sentences using the important words and phrases she learned from our 11 class. I am always 12 by the quality of her work.
I feel fortunate to have a student like Alice. She has 13 me so much. Our 14 is a great learning experience for both of us. Though I have no idea why she learns English, I hope I can help her get closer to her dream, 15 it is.
In a remote village, selling chestnuts was the main source of livelihood for local villagers. In late autumn, the hills were covered by the trees and chestnuts were 1 from the branches of the trees, which 2 with the wind attracting local villagers to 3 them at this time of year.
The villagers took the chestnuts, carried them home and 4 them out. The whole family sifted (筛) and sorted them according to their 5, and then transported them to the city for wholesale or retail. Every villager knew that if they wanted to sell for a good price, what really 6 was to send the selected chestnuts to the market first. Many families, which were short of 7, would go to the nearby villages to hire workers with high 8.
Still, to many people's 9, there was a young man in the village who could never need help, 10 he had limited hands. He lived with his blind and old mother. He always arrived at the market one step ahead of the other ones 11 he could sell out of all the chestnuts and then happily drove back with his truck 12.
The secret of the young man was: after picking chestnuts, he put them 13 into a sack (麻袋) and carried them to the truck. When he set out, he chose the road, 14 and bumpy (不平的), to go, 15 the small ones would jump to the 16 of the bag and the larger ones would stay on the top of the bag. It would save time for classification and selection. When inquired how he found the way, the young man 17: "If you put your heart into it, you will find the right way. This is not an accident but a(n) 18 result."
There will always be people who get 19 or complain when they hear bad news. As a matter of fact, if you use your head, you will be 20 to the people and things in the environment. When you turn your mind into action to move forward step by step, you can also create a new world for yourself.
The measure of a man's real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be -Thomas Macaulay found out.
Some thirty years ago, I was studying in a public school in New York. One day, Mrs Nanette O'Neill gave a math test to our 1. When the papers were 2, she discovered that twelve boys had made exactly the same 3 throughout the test.
There is nothing really new about cheating in 4. Perhaps that was why Mrs O'Neill didn't 5 say a word about it. She only asked the twelve boys to 6 after class. I was one of the twelve.
Mrs O'Neill asked no 7, and she didn't 8 us either. Instead, she wrote on the blackboard the above words by Thomas Macaulay. She then ordered us to 9 these words into our exercise-books one hundred times.
I don't know about the other 10 boys. Speaking for myself I can say: it was the most 11 single lesson of my life. Thirty years after being 12 to Macaulay's words, they still seem to me the best yardstick (准绳), because they give us a way to 13 ourselves rather than others.
Few of us are 14 to make great decisions about nations going to war or armies going to battle. But all of us are 15 daily to make a great many personal decisions. Should the wallet found in the street, be 16 into a pocket or turned over to the policeman? Should the extra 17 received at the store, be forgotten or returned? 18 will know except yourself. But you 19 live with yourself, and it is always better to live with someone you20.
When the doctor performed a check in Anita's seventh month of pregnancy, he saw that her un- born child had a cleft (唇裂). "He1me to get rid of him," Anita said, tears pouring down her cheeks. "I told him I2this child. I love him and will3him forever."
When Anita showed her new baby to her neighbors, they were4"Your son looks like a monster (怪兽)" they told me and to"get rid of him". In many places around the world there is widespread and severe social shame associated with cleft conditions and families are often forced to 5newborns from their family members and communities.
Hearing her son being laughed at was not the worst of it. "When I tried to6him, the milk came out of his nose. I was7that he could die. Aljay8and loved school, but the9he experienced at school was hard to bear. They10him, and called him a monster."
When the family heard that Operation Smile was coming to Cagayan de Oro, they began11money to afford transport to get to the city. At the medical mission Anita12received the news she was waiting for: Aljay was healthy enough to receive surgery. After just over 45 minutes, his lip was13and his life was14. Today Aljay is a15boy who loves going to school and playing with other children happily.
