When I was in the third grade, I was picked to be the princess in the school play.

    For weeks my mother helped me 1 my sentences. But once during a performance, every word 2 from my head. My teacher asked me to change roles and be the narrator(解说员). Though I didn't tell my mother what had 3 that day, she felt my 4 and asked if I wanted to take a walk in the yard．

    It was a lovely spring day. We could see dandelions(蒲公英)coming out through the grass, just like a painter had touched our woods and fields with bits of gold. I watched my mother carelessly bend down(弯腰) 5 some flowers. "I think I am going to dig up all the wild grass," she said. "But I like dandelions; all flowers are beautiful -even dandelions!" I said. My mother looked at me seriously. "Yes, every flower shines in 6 own way. And that is true of people, too," she said. She had guessed my pain. I started to cry and told her the 7. "You will be a beautiful narrator," she said, 8 me of how much I loved to read stories aloud to her.

    Over the next few weeks, I learned to take 9 in the role. The big day finally came. A few minute, before the play, my teacher came over to me. "Your mother asked me to give this to you," she said, handing me a 10. After the play, I took the flower home, laughing that I was perhaps the only person who would keep such wild grass.

    A young man once asked Albert Einstein, the German scientist, 1 the secret of success(成功的秘密)was. The scientist 2 him that the secret of success was hard work. A few days 3, the young man asked him the 4 question again. Einstein was very angry. He did not say 5,but wrote a few words 6 a piece of paper and handed（传递） it to the young man. The young man looked 7 the piece of paper. On it was written: A=X+Y+Z. “What 8 this mean?” Asked the young man. “A means success,”9 the old scientist. “X stands for (代表) hard work, Y stands for good methods(方法), and Z…Z means 10 talking and start to work.”

    The day before my daughter Norah's fourth birthday, I picked her up from preschool. On the way, she said, “I like old people best because they walk slowly like I walk slowly and they have soft skin like I have soft skin.”What she said marked a 1beginning.

    The following day—her birthday—again on the way home, she asked 2 we could stop at the store to buy cakes for her. How could I say3 to a birthday girl? After paying for the bill, I noticed that Norah was standing up in the cart,4announcing, “Hi, old person! It's my birthday today!” However, the old man in front of her didn't show he was5 by my talkative child. He 6 with a smile, “Well, little lady! And how old are you today?” After a few minutes' chat, Norah offered to take a photo with the old man called Mr. Dan, his expression changed from surprised to delighted. We exchanged our phone numbers. There was magic happening in the store that day, and we could 7 feel it.

    During our first visit in Mr. Dan's home, We walked with him to his front door. He pulled out a knife and 8the only blooming red rose. He spent ten minutes cutting every thorn（刺）9 the stem（茎）before handing it to his new friend. Norah keeps that rose, now10as a bone, under her pillow for a long time.

    Norah asks about Mr. Dan every day. She worries about him. She wonders if he's 11 or cold. She wants him to be OK. She wants him to feel loved. Mr. Dan thinks about Norah too. After 12 recent visit, he said that he had 13 had a whole night's sleep since his wife died. “Norah has healed me since meeting her.” he said. That left me 14 and my eyes wet with tears. Somehow, their hearts and souls seem to recognize each other from long ago. Sometimes talking to strangers can 15 beautiful new beginnings.

    Jones offered free haircuts to countless homeless men for a year. His1came to him after giving money to a man on the street. He2what else he could do to help. He then decided to 3for people who needed help and offer free haircuts on the street.

     He gives not only help but also good luck. His very first customer even 4a full-time job not long after Jones' service.

     Deeply touched by what Jones did, David, the5of "Taper's Barbershop", decided to give Jones his newly decorated shop, completely free of charge. His goal was to provide Jones with the 6and tools he needed to continue helping others during the winter months.

    David said 'well, this building is sitting here. Do you 7it?'And Jones said yes. David gave Jones the keys and said, 'It's 8now."

    Jones is now able to keep helping the homeless in his new shop,9David. He has devoted Mondays to giving the homeless free haircuts,10 the shop is called "Makeover Mondays". Jones said he would continue helping others, because it could bring him inner peace and happiness.

    It was my 14th birthday and I would have the biggest party ever. The number of the 1 had quickly grown from seven to seventeen. Nearly every girl in my class was 2.When each guest excitedly 3 the invitation, I was especially happy.

    The 4was full of shouts and laughter. We had just finished a game of Twister when the door bell rang. I was so 5 and I could feel my face turning red, because when I6the door, there at the front door stood Sarah Westly the quiet girl who sat next to me in music class﹣and she was holding a 7.I thought about the guest list. How did I 8to invite Sarah？

    I remembered that I only added a name to the 9 when someone showed an interest in me. But Sarah had 10 done that. I accepted the box, a gift from Sarah, and asked her to join the party. "I can't 11," she said." My dad's waiting in the car. "At that moment I felt bad about forgetting to invite Sarah and really wanted her to rest for some time in my room." Thanks, but I have to go, "she said, turning 12 towards the door. "See you Monday."

    I didn't open the box until the party was 13. Inside the small box was a ceramic(陶瓷) tabby cat. It was the best gift I had received 14 I didn't like cats. I later 15 that the gift looked exactly like Sarah's cat, Seymour. I didn't know it then, but now I realize that Sarah was my true friend.