Standing on the top of a church tower not far from our home in Rome, Father said to me, “Look down, Elsa.” I gathered all my 1 and looked down. I saw the crisscross of twisting, turning streets 2 to the square in the centre of the village.
“See, my dear,” Father said gently. “There is more than one way to the square. Life is like that. If you can't get where you want to go by one road, try 3”
Now I understood why I was there. Earlier that day I had begged my mother to do something about the 4 lunches that were served at school. But she 5 because she could not believe the lunches were so bad.
When I turned to Father for help, he would not 6 . Instead, he brought me to this high tower to give me a lesson. By the time we reached home, I had a(n) 7 .
At school the next day, I secretly 8 my lunch soup into a bottle and brought it home. Then I 9 the cook into serving it to Mother at dinner. The plan worked 10. She swallowed one spoonful and sputtered, "The cook must have gone mad!" Quickly I told her what I had done, and Mother stated firmly that she would 11 the matter of lunches at school the next day!
In the years that followed I often remembered the lesson Father taught me. I knew where I wanted to go in life — to be a fashion designer. And on the way to my first small success I found the road 12 .
I was busy getting ready to 13 my winter fashions. Then just 13 days before the presentation the sewing girls were called out on 14 . I felt so depressed that I was 15 that we would have to cancel the presentation 16 show the clothes unfinished. Then it dawned on me. Why not show the clothes unfinished?
We worked hurriedly and the showing took place as 17 . Some coats had no sleeves; others had only one. Many of our clothes were only 18 made of heavy cotton cloth. But on these we pinned sketches and pieces of material. In this way we were able to show what colors and textures the clothes would have when they were finished. It was our 19 showing that caught the attention of the public, and 20 for the clothes poured in.
Father's wise words had guided me once again. There is more than one way to the square always.
In a tiny room, Jenny was lying in bed waiting for an operation, nervous and worried. 1, another patient was squeezed in. After a gentle greeting, they 2the chatting. The 80-year-old newcomer was named Susan. Her son 3ran a company as CEO and her daughter worked on a TV station as director. Since her children were too 4to take care of Susan, she lived in an old people's home. Susan was proud of her children who had wonderful 5. Jenny really 6Susan. Compared with Susan, Jenny was 7but an ordinary country woman whose children were just ordinary workers.
Soon, it was supper time, Jenny's daughter cooked 8dishes which were her favorite. Jenny invited Susan to share her supper, but she9.Susan was 10her daughter when she received a call. 11,her children couldn't come to visit her. Worse still, Susan had 12the mealtime in the hospital. She lay in bed, 13and silent. Jenny's daughter offered to buy her some food but she had no appetite 14.
The next day, Jenny and Susan would go through a series of regular medical checks before the operation. Jenny's daughter 15to her carefully while Susan was still alone. Out of sympathy, Jenny's daughter offered to queue(排队) up, fill in different 16and register for Susan. For several days in hospital, even during her 17,Susan's children didn't show up. Susan really envied Jenny whose daughter looked after her all the time 18she recovered and moved out of hospital.
Care from the loved ones when ill can really make one happy and encouraged, especially for a(n) 19parent. So while devoted to your career, don't forget your role in your 20.
Like most young couples, my husband and I didn't have money for luxurious gifts on our first wedding anniversary. We were1 to have a meal and watch a romantic movie at home. Simply being able to enjoy each other's 2 was enough. No gift on earth could come close to3 our love for one another.
So when the mailman knocked on the door, I was very 4to see a medium-sized package from my mother. Both eager and curious to see what was awaiting us in the package, I5 tore open the box and immediately my eyes were filled with tears. Inside the box was a6 folded quilt my mother had made by hand. It was white with rose7and gold thread. The backing8_beautiful tiny purple flowers.
Accompanying the quilt was a 9from my mother:
“Happy Anniversary !10is a quilt. The purple was your wedding colour and the gold thread 11the golden rings you two exchanged on your wedding day. May this quilt keep you warm when times are cold and 12you of the day you said your vows--Love, Mom.”
I was touched13words. I knew my mom surely had sacrificed to be able to afford this. The time alone to sew such a detailed quilt was14to me. I just15my mother coming home from a long day at work and staying up16 the early hours of the next morning delicately17the quilt together. We both knew a part of my mom's18was sewn right into the quilt. How could any gift ever compare to such a genuine gift?
Many years have passed since our first anniversary, but neither of us has19the beautiful quilt. My husband always jokes that the best anniversary 20I have ever received wasn't from him but from my mother, and I agree.
As I head down the narrow hallway of my high school, my ears are filled with the sounds of complaints. The 1 around me are constantly complaining about school. These complaints fill the 2 and make it hard to breathe. I try to mention the 3 side of our current situation in high school but meet with criticism. The feeling of 4school has become widespread among students worldwide. This can create a 5 educational environment. In my opinion, school is and should be fun.
I don't 6 to enter such a negative environment. We should enjoy school! As students, we are so 7 to have the opportunity to attend school 8 millions of children around the world still do not have that opportunity. We should feel grateful that we are given the9 to learn. School allows us to 10 some of the most interesting topics from science to foreign languages. High school allows students to find their 11 whether they are physics or European history.12, school has allowed me to find my love for debate, history, English and computers. High school has shaped me into a person of 13 interests and ambitions, even though I must 14 at 6 o'clock in the morning.
As students, we should 15 all the wonderful opportunities we are given in school 16 social events, meeting new friends, and learning. I have met so many 17 people in school. There is so much to be 18 in school.
Lighten up and find the positive aspects of school.19 school and everything it has 20.
I used to be an introverted（内向的） kid who would just got away from others for a whole day. For me, my books were my 1 world. Even during breaks, I used to just sit in a corner of the 2 and see others play games. It was not as if I wasn't interested in 3 others or making new friends, but I always felt lacking in energy when 4 my peers. I always had an opinion that my advances towards new 5 would be limited. And I just didn't want to 6 a rejection.
Once during my English class, my teacher shared a(n)7 with us. It was about King Bruce and a spider. It revolved around a lost battle and talked about how King Bruce, despite losing the battle, 8 in the end. He was 9 by a little spider. The little 10 of the spider and the way it was taking rejections impressed me a lot. I was so surprised that I myself started 11 the movements of spiders at home. Once, a spider took around an hour to reach the top of a wall and I 12 knocked it down. To my 13, within seconds it started making its 14 up again.
For me, this incident was a game changer. I 15 that rejections are 16 a failure. The world may mistreat me, 17 I can stand up and start working again. There would be time when people would like and 18 me. At present, I 19 mixing with people, learning new things and making new friends. I think, there are just no such20 as rejections or failures as everything can change at any moment.
I was on a plane that was about to take off when my phone rang. I felt something1had happened. It was my neighbor saying I needed to get to the 2 at once. She explained that she'd3 my two boys, George, then five, and Mickey, then four, crying. At first, she had 4it, but when the crying continued for a long time, she 5something was wrong. So she came round and discovered my wife, Mary, lying on the 6 floor. She had been emptying the dishwasher 7a live wire fell and touched her.
Mary was taken to hospital. When I arrived, doctors were trying to rescue her, but there was no8. I explained to the boys that Mum had died; I felt it was important to be9with them. For a year I was in a suffering 10 of mind. I went through the activities of a father but inside I felt 11.
Later, I felt I had to honor my love for Mary by not breaking 12. She married me because I was a13man and I knew I had to carry on and actively chose to swim rather than14.
We moved to another city but two years later, I was diagnosed with cancer. The anxiety that had been gone came 15back—would my boys be left with no parents?16, the disease was in its early stage and doctors could treat it in time.
17 everything happening to me, I realized merely thinking “why me” doesn't18. We have to learn to accept and adapt to the19it has brought about. It is no use thinking about the past or being worried about the future. Instead, just focus on the20.
I met Mrs. Neidl in the ninth grade on a stage-design team for a play and she was one of the directors. Almost instantly I loved her. She had an unpleasant voice and a direct way of speaking, 1 she was encouraging and inspiring. For some reason, she was impressed with my work and me.
Mrs. Neidl would ask me for my 2. She wanted to know how I thought we should 3 things. At first I had no idea how to answer because I knew 4 about stage design！But I slowly began to respond to her 5. It was cause and effect：She believed I had opinions, so I began to 6 them. She trusted me to complete things, so I completed them perfectly. She loved how 7 I was, so I began to show up to paint more and more. She believed in me, so I began to believe in myself.
Mrs. Neidl's 8 that year was, “Try it. We can always paint over it 9!” I began to take 10. I had been so afraid of failing but suddenly there was no failing—only things to be 11 upon. I learned to dip my brush into the paint and 12 create something.
The shy, quiet freshman achieved success that year. I was 13 in the program as “Student Art Assistant” because of the time and effort I'd put in. It was that year that I 14 I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing stage design.
Being on that stage-design team 15Mrs. Neidl changed me completely. Not only was I stronger and more competent than I had thought, but I also 16 a strong interest and a world I hadn't known existed. She taught me not to 17 what people think I should do. She taught me to take chances and not be 18. Mrs. Neidl was my comforter when I was upset. Her 19 in me has inspired me to do things that I never imagined 20.
My mom only had one eye. She was an embarrassment to me. Once during elementary school, my mom came. I was so embarrassed and 1 how she could do this to me. I 2 her a hateful look and ran out. I was so 3 with my mom and wished that she would just 4 from this world.
I told myself that I would become 5 in the near future, so I 6 very hard. Later I got 7 by the Seoul University. I left my mother and never went back. One day, a letter about a school 8 came to me. I went back to 9 in the reunion. After the reunion, I went down to the old shack, which I used to call a house, just out of 10. There I found my mom fallen on the cold 11. Then a piece of paper in her hand 12 into my eyes. It was a 13 to me.
My son,
I think my life has been14 enough now. I can't go to see you, but would it be too much to ask if I wanted you to come to 15 me once in a while? When you were very little, you got into an 16 and lost your eye. As a mom, I couldn't 17 watching you having to grow up with only one eye. So I gave you mine. I was so 18 of my son to see a whole new 19 for me with that eye, I was never 20 at you for anything you did, It's because I love you.
Mom
Knowing the truth, tears poured down my face.
During my second year in high school, I got sick and missed a few days. When I1, I was greeted with two essays due, three days of math and history homework, plus several tests2I went home from school that day exhausted, I had to stay up really late to finish them all.
The next day at school, I got a rude awakening: I'd totally forgotten to prepare for the 3on Romeo and Juliet, which I' d take4my lunch hour! Worse still, I had 5the in-class discussion and all the notes. When lunch came, I went to the English room to face my certain doom(厄运). All I could do was try to 6on the questions I didn't know.
As it turned out, I didn't know the majority of the questions. I was just about to give7when my pencil accidentally fell and broke. Standing by the blackboard sharpening my pencil, I 8down and there in full view lay the answer sheet for the test! What good fortune! I can kiss good-bye to all my9of failing the test! My heart started beating, and my brain 10. Yes! Read over the answers-quickly! This was quickly followed by another voice, No! You'll get caught! My mind turning back and forth, Yes! No! Yes! No! This went on for ten of the11seconds in my entire life.
Finally, I decided to finish the test on my own, without 12! I was satisfied with my decision but pretty 13I had failed the test.
The next day when I walked into the English room, my great joy of having been an 14soul changed into a wave of doom as I saw my test paper lying face down on my desk. I knew what awaited me. I stared at it a few seconds before I got up the15to turn it over.
You can only imagine my 16when I feared that I had passed the test! I have never in my whole life been so happy to see my17, a C.
My mom says the victories that18the most courage are won within. Now I know 19what she means Now not only can my conscience(良心)rest easy, but I don't have to worry about getting caught and meeting a sad20 like Romeo and Juliet.
Have you seen people who take pictures of food for more than 10 minutes before eating? How about those who beautify their selfie (自拍) so much that they can't be1? There must be one or more who2in your social media. No matter3they choose to share, they share the best but the most unreal.
Take my friend Chen. Every time we went to a restaurant, she would not take a4until all the dishes we5were on the table. Then, she would spend five minutes on6the dishes in a seemingly random but in fact7order. Then the most important part: taking pictures. After that, she would choose one of the8and click in the filter(滤镜) app. The food eventually looked 10 times more delicious than it really was, but we had no9to really enjoy it— it all went cold. Actually Chen's real life is much less elegant. For example, she hates to wash the dishes, so she leaves them in the sink for10.
Many people care too much about others' opinions and try too hard to 11others. They find it hard to be12and to accept themselves, and thus they are afraid to show their 13life on social media. What they are trying to prove is14what they lack in reality. But this will not bring any15 to reality, as they still16the same old pattern of life.
If they really want an elegant life, they should put more17into achieving it18fabricating(伪造) it. Being more confident,19themselves and trying their best to be better is much more meaningful than20their life on social media.
It was New Year's night. An aged man was standing at the window. The days of his youth appeared like dream before him, and he 1 the serious moment when his father placed him at the 2 of the two roads: one leading to a peaceful, sunny place 3 with flowers, fruits and resounding with soft, sweet songs, and the other leading to a deep dark cave which was 4, and where poison flowed and snakes crawled.
He looked towards the sky and cried 5 Oh youth, return! Oh, my father, place me once more at the entrance to life and I'll 6 the better way! "But both his father and the days of his youth had 7 .
He saw the lights flowing away in the darkness, and these were the days of his wasted life. He saw a star 8 from the sky and disappeared, and this was the 9 of himself. His 10, which was like a sharp arrow, struck deeply into his heart. Then he remembered his friends in his childhood, which entered life together with him. But they had made their way to 11 and were now 12 and happy on this New Year's night.
The clock in the high church tower struck and the sound made him remember his parents' early13for him. They had taught him and prayed to God for his good. But he chose the wrong way with 14and grief so that he dared no longer to look towards the 15 where his father lived. His 16 eyes were full of tears, and with a despairing(绝望的)effort, he burst out a cry:" Come back, my early days! Come back!"
And his youth did 17, for all this was only a dream which he had on New Year's night. He was still young though his faults were real. He had not yet entered the deep dark cave, and he was 18free to walk on the road which leads to the peaceful and sunny land.
Those who still linger on(徘徊)the entrance of life 19 to choose the bright road, remember that when years are passed and your feet stumble(绊倒)on the dark mountains, you will cry bitterly, but 20. "Oh youth return! Oh give me back my early days!"
Everyone wants to find happiness in life. No matter what our circumstances are, the search for true contentment is at the 1of everyone's goals.
The question, then, is how? How are we 2to even begin looking for it? A group of people gathered in a room3a seminar about life and happiness to learn to find happiness in their 4. They were being 5various skills and lessons about life. Suddenly, the speaker 6and started giving each person a balloon. He asked everyone to write their 7 on it using a pen. All the balloons were then 8and taken to another room.
Now, these delegates were let in that room and asked to find the balloon which had their name 9, within 5 minutes. Everyone was10searching for their name, pushing, crashing with each other, and there was a 11. No one could find their 12within the given five-minute time and they all had to return to the other room with their hands 13.
Then they were told to go to the other room and randomly choose a balloon and give it to the14whose name was written on it. Within five minutes everyone was 15 the balloon with their name on it.
The speaker began: This is16happening in our lives. Everyone is hurriedly looking for happiness all around, not knowing 17it is. Our happiness 18the happiness of other people. Give them their happiness, you will get your 19happiness. And this is the 20of human life.
I quit my office job in 2012. At that time, a strong sense of 1bothered me. I didn't have a clue what I wanted to do with my life. So I devoted myself to 2I took acting lessons, traveled, volunteered on farms, and so forth. After a period of time, I realized my problem had 3changed. My idea bank was full of 4. I had countless ideas for what I could perform to 5 a meaningful life. However, the number of the choices I had made me 6. Being passionate(热诚的)about so many things, I didn't know what I should 7 to find a way forward.
By chance, 1 read a book written by Stephen Covey, in which he 8 that people "begin with the end in mind" when they need to make choices. The idea means knowing your final goal 9, and then you can more 10 make the choices and take the 11 steps to reach your goal. Thanks to Covey, I knew what I should 12. I showed an interest in 13at an early age, and hoped to make a difference some day. So my interest 14 my final goal. And fortunately, after about two years of effort, now I have devoted myself to this 15 work — a professional dancer.
In daily life, a large number of people may have the same 16 of not knowing which one to choose when they have lots of 17 for many things. According to my own experience, I have realized that in order to 18the uncertainty about choosing, knowing the final goal first really matters. Not only did it help me know 19 what should pursue, but it also functioned as a firm belief that 20me to take action to make it.
I was 17 years old. Along with a dozen other boys I had made a long trip to Iowa in order to see a college that I was thinking of 1. While the trip had been 2 for the most part, I was feeling depressed, alone, and isolated. I was 3 the Appalachian mountains and the forests of my home. I loved 4 the leaves turned a thousand 5 of green in the Spring and then became a 6 of red, gold and orange in the Fall.
Here in Iowa everything was 7. The grass looked burnt and brown. All that I could8was a mixture of corn, mud and pigs. I walked outside the dormitory of the college and sat on a big rock. I closed my eyes and 9 being back home again. When I finally opened them, however, I saw something that touched my 10. It was a Prairie (大草原) Sunset. It seemed to 11 the sky from horizon to horizon. Gold, red, purple and pink clouds all 12 together in a picture painted by Heaven's own hand. It was so huge that it took my 13 away. It made our mountain sunsets seem 14 by comparison. I realized that this place too had its own special beauty. This place too was a part of nature's15.
A terrible thunder storm had hit our area recently. Heavy 1, high winds and lots of lightening had caused flooding and knocked down trees. I had spent the afternoon 2 branches out of my yard and throwing them away. Then the 3 came over my phone that another storm was 4 our way.
Huge clouds were rolling in while 5 boomed over the hills. The darkness seemed darker and 6 than usual because I knew what was on the way. Then I saw the 7 blink (闪烁) of light, up high, at the far end of the field behind my house. I 8. The first of the fireflies had 9 for the summer at just the time I needed to see his light. Soon a few others were 10 their lights as well. It 11 me how far their light traveled in the darkness of the night and how they didn't seem bothered at all by the 12 storm. I spent an extra few minutes 13 them before heading in to get ready for the storm. And I noticed that the 14 no longer seemed so frightening and that my fear had been 15 by joy.
Life does have its 16 of storms, which is normal and unavoidable. However, we can't 17 life being scared of them. Take a 18 from the fireflies then. Let your light 19. It may seem tiny but you will be amazed at how far it can be seen and how 20 it can drive the dark away.
It's not easy to achieve success. I deeply believe that it is worth taking time and 1 to prepare for big tasks, especially after my first experience of giving a 2.
I will never forget how difficult it is to give my first speech. It 3 me a whole day to prepare for the topic and write a suitable speech. I searched for information online for a long time so I could 4 that my manuscript (手稿)was perfect. I tried to recite it, but I soon found that it was even 5 than I thought it would be.
Asking for help is a useful way to deal with a hard task. I turned to my teacher, who gave me lots of 6 that were of great help to me.
On the day of my speech, the microphone was broken. I was so 7 that I forgot my speech. 8, the host helped me calm down so that I was able to go on, though I didn't feel like the speech was very successful.
But I learned a lot from this 9. It showed me that I hadn't prepared well enough, I hadn't practiced enough and that my “roots” had not grown deeply enough. 10 in the world follows natural rules, like the growth of bamboo-the more time we spend preparing, the deeper our roots grow, and the greater success we will have.
My mom and dad got divorced when we were young kids, so we lived at different families. After we grew up, my three siblings (兄弟姐妹) and I could go years1 speaking. And that is where this story2 .
My sister Jeanne and I were born only 14 months 3 , but by the time we were teenagers we had lost 4 . By age 19, I had moved away from our home in Wisconsin to live on my father's horse farm in Virginia. We lived separate and our connection somehow ended.
Fast-forward (快进) about five years, I was 24 and on a 5 with my fiancé (未婚夫) to New York City, a place I had never been to.
During a day of sightseeing, we were crossing a very6 street loaded with people. I had laughed at something my fiancé said, and I 7 heard my name yelled from somewhere around me: "Cheryl!" I 8 in my steps in the middle of the road. Tears 9 in my eyes. I knew without a 10 that it was my sister Jeanne. I yelled back before even turning to look. "Jeanne?" It was her.
I later asked how she'd known it was me — she had 11 seen me since we lost in touch! She said it was my12 . I wouldn't say my laugh is all that 13 , but I guess to a family member it's infectious (有感染力的). It 14 your heart and resonates (共鸣) in your mind.
Since that time, my sister and I have never been 15 . We both moved back to Wisconsin. We 16 daily. Many years have passed, and we are now in our 50s. But our reunion 17 wasn't just a sign. I see it as more of a/an 18 , a reminder(提醒) not to lose touch with loved ones. It is so easy to remain 19 . After our20 of gathering, I don't plan to let that happen again.
Simply saying thank you doesn't seem enough in certain situations. I was considering this while working as a1just a few weeks ago. And it came to me then how much easier it would be if we had a range of words that express different 2of gratitude (感谢).
My thoughts were soon 3. We had a woman patient who was 4 from a knee replacement operation. One afternoon, while 5to get into bed she collapsed (倒下) from what was 6discovered to be a heart attack. The collapse was disastrous, 7 the emergency medical team and good teamwork. But she recovered, though 8 , and was ready for discharge (出院)after four weeks.
She was 9 for everything that the medical and nursing team had done for her. On her day of discharge, we shared in her 10 at her recovery. As she was 11 she was eager to say12 to each of us in the nursing team. When she 13 one nurse, she tried to press a five-pound note into her hand. My colleague14 to accept it, saying that we were all just 15 our job. The patient looked puzzled, and then16: "Oh this isn't for the 17I had. I take that as a 18. No, this is for setting my hair yesterday. ''
And there you have it. To many people, 19lives is part of the job but styling hair is an 20 and should be rewarded.
My wonderful daughter made me a birthday cake at noon using her own special combination of creativity and love. It was huge and I1myself the biggest piece. With the first2I closed my eyes and smiled. So delicious! It had countless calories and it was so delicious3being necessarily nutritious（没有必须的营养）. I didn't mind, though. I tasted every bite and4a few scoops of ice cream as well. My sons and I finished every bit of it. When we were done our5were full, our souls were satisfied, and dinner was6four hours away（仍有四个小时）. We had followed that wise7of a happy existence: "Life is short. Eat dessert first!"
I have spent too many years of my life8the desserts I was given until everything else was done. Like far too many people in our society, I thought that work came9 , duty came second, and10was somewhere way down the list（放在最后）. I saw a truth: "We work to live but we live to love." Without all the simple pleasures life can bring, our existence becomes a11and painful journey.12, I finally realized that when you put joy first in your life, everything else13so much sweeter（尝起来更甜）.
Don't put off the simple joys that life can14. Shine your smile. Spread your sunshine. You will be amazed at how15life will be when you "Live to Love" while you "Work to Live".
No matter how small an act of kindness is, it can make a difference in someone's day. That was just the case for Alina when she1a bumper sticker (车贴) on her car reading: You Matter.
Several years ago, Alina started to do this. At first, she wondered if people would2it. However, much to her3, she began seeing a flood of attention every time she4the road. As often as not, people5slowly near her car would roll down their windows, raising their6 , waving and smiling. Sometimes, she even found some sticky7left on her windshield saying things like "You8too!" Last year, someone9her car while she was waiting for her friend in the car by the roadside, saying to her, "It is a(an)10sticker. I've seen various stickers before, but none of them have11me as your sticker has done. "The two small12on the sticker seem simple enough, but they really13a chord with many complete strangers who14to catch sight of the sticker."
15like Alina's really inspire the rest of us. Sometimes a kind word or gesture may lift our16and it costs nothing except for a little extra17. Maybe it means offering a friend a hug, praising the children when their children18well in school, helping someone out or volunteering at animal shelters or shelters for the homeless. Acts of19are waiting everywhere. Small as they seem, they can make a20influence on the world, and help form general goodness.
