“Who can ever have imagined that someone like me would make it this far?” asked Chad Wood last week during his high school graduation speech as the best student. Chad offered 1 to his fellow classmates to never give up-and the words 2much more to himself. That's because Chad is deaf, and he told the story of the serious troubles he 3 to graduate first in his class at Harrison High school in Kennesaw, Georgia.

    Chad didn't start to 4 until he was 5, according to his mother, Pam Wood. Although her son was 5 a disadvantage, she was determined not to treat him6.“I've expected him to do everything every other kid does, and I saw no 7 why he couldn't,” she told ABC News.“And if he 8the first time, we just tried again.”

    Chad, 17, worked hard throughout school, 9 no special treatment but sitting at the front of the class and using a special audio system so he could hear the teacher. All his hard work 10. He received full school fare to Vanderbilt University. “Deafness had taught me a lesson to never11 ,” he said in the speech. ”Not when the experts tell you it cannot be done. Not when you have 12 so far behind that escaping seems the only way 13. Not when achieving your dreams seems an entire 14.”

    Chad spoke for about four minutes, after which he received a standing applause from the class and 15 messages from family, friends and strangers. “They've been sending me messages on Facebook, email; they've been talking to me in person telling me how it had a 16 on their lives and how they're really 17 by it,” Chad told ABC News. “It feels 18. Seeing that my words 19 have a power on someone and that they want to work harder 20 my words makes me feel wonderful.”

    It impressed me a lot, I never thought that little help will turn out to be the most satisfying thing I have ever done.

    One day I met a man on my way home. He was tired, and1 to climb further. With a broad2 he asked if I could help him with some money. He was paralyzed (瘫痪) in both legs and was 3 funds for some operation. He said that if operated successfully, he could 4a training guaranteeing him a job. I was full of 5 and even asked him to show his legs. I gave him the6 money. After a few days, he again came at my doorstep asking for more money for accommodation. This time I was more or less 7 he is not cheating me. I gave him some and said this is all I have.

    A year went by and I had moved to a(n)8 place. One fine day I got a call from an unknown number. Caller called out his name but I didn't 9 him. Then he said he is the very paralyzed person I helped a year ago.

    I asked him, “How are you doing now.” He said, “Sir, you recognize me not by my name but by my10state.” “With your kind help I am now able to 11 on my legs without support. I was operated 12I am married to a beautiful lady. Besides I have a good job and stable 13.

    I don't 14 remember if I gave him my phone number15 what he said next was touching. He said he wanted to return my money so that I didn't feel cheated and continue to help people 16 in the future. I don't know whether he read my facial expression the day I helped him but tears were 17 down my face. That day I18 him that I will continue to help people as I see a(n)19—small or big. It is the small event that makes a big 20 to my life.

    Last weekend, I had some extra time before going through security to catch my flight at the airport. While wondering what to do, I decided it was the1time and place to look for an act of 2 to do!

    One of the magazine stands outside the security check area had flowers3. I told the clerk that I'd like to buy flowers for someone else, and she could4who to give them to. She looked a little5, so I explained perhaps she could hand the smile cards with the flowers to someone who seemed to need some to6 .

    At first, the clerk7, “That's8. I can't tell which customer needs encouragement.” But then, I explained a little more about9cards and the concept of doing something kind for a complete stranger, and she10up.

    “I'll never know how it11out,” I said, “but you will have the 12 to make someone's day.” At that point, she started to seem genuinely excited about it.

    She went to take the 13 out of the water. Then I explained, “It's fine to __14them there until the person you want to give them to 15 .”

    At that point, I thought she was somewhere between surprise and delight, __16 it was clear this was not a(n) 17 she had ever gotten from a customer before.

I 18 the flowers, said goodbye, and headed for the 19 line.

    I'll never know how it turned out, but I was in good 20 for the rest of the morning.

    I believe that life's toughest lessons are best learned through personal experience. Throughout my childhood, my grandmother 1 me with unconditional love but always stressed, "You're not 2 than anyone else, but you're just as good as anyone. Treat others with 3, and you would earn respect 4.

    However, I never really 5 it until I was seventeen and got a summer job as a janitor. As I 6 floors and toilets, I watched people walk right by me and ignore my 7. This made me feel angry and wonder why they treated me so poorly.

    When I 8 to my grandmother, she offered me some words of 9 and reminded me never to forget the feeling of being "10" and to do the best job, because it was still my work, 11 which I should take pride. She added that it would make me a better man someday.

    Make me a better man someday? She must be 12, I thought to myself. But I needed the job to 13 college and there were few other jobs available, 14 I bit my tongue and kept on working as best as I could for the 15 of the summer.

    Today, when asked what job helped prepare me to gain the 16 of a key university, I tell people it was my summer job cleaning restrooms that 17 me as a man and, down the road, as an educator.

    As you can see, 18 can only be understood by walking in a lot of different shoes. So I suggest students 19 of their comfort zones and get deeply involved in different work and community experience. It's essential for people to find 20 in every person, no matter who they are or what they do for a living.

    A lady wanted a birthday gift from her husband. For many months she had liked a beautiful 1, and knowing her husband could 2 it, she told him that was all she wanted. On the morning of the 3 husband told her how 4 he was to have such a good wife, and how much he loved her. He 5 her beautiful gift package (盒). She opened it and 6 a Bible. 7, she raised her voice and said to her husband. "With all your money, you give me a Bible?" She was so 8 that she left him.

    Many years passed and the lady was very 9 in business. She owned two large companies. She 10 her husband was very old, and thought perhaps she should go to 11 him. But before she could, she 12 a letter telling her that he had died, and gave all of his possessions (财产) to her. She needed to come back 13 take care of things.

    When she arrived at his house, sadness 14 her heart. She saw the still new 15, just she had left it years before. With 16 she opened it and began to turn the pages. A ring 17 from Bible to the floor and a 18 could be seen. She picked it up and found it was the ring she wanted in those days. And on the card was the date of her birth, and the words "LOVE YOU ALWAYS".

    19 your gift is not packaged the way you want it, it's because it is better packaged! Always appreciate little things; they usually lead you to bigger things in the world! The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched for they must be felt with the 20.

    My husband and I have little money lately. We haven't 1 out for a while, so we went to a 2 last night.

    When we saw the 3, we knew we could only afford to get a small pizza, so we would have enough money left for 4. Before long our pizza that was cut to 4 pieces arrived. My husband wanted to act like a 5, so he would like to put a piece of 6 on my plate. Unluckily it dropped onto the 7. I knew he would be 8 about others' opinions on him. I told him, "Honey, don't let other people 9 us. We still have three pieces left."

    The manager 10 this and came over with a broom (扫帚). He 11 the pizza and said he was 12 that the oven (烤箱) had been turned off, or he would have 13 another pizza for us. At the end of our meal he 14 to our table again to thank us for being here. Then he 15 us one coupon (优惠券) for a free small pizza. We were 16because he could have chosen a 17 attitude (态度) when he saw the pizza we dropped during their closing time. Instead he chose to make sure we could left 18. My husband was going to give him tips for our meal that we had prepared, 19 the manager didn't take them. To some people it might not be important, but to us it meant a lot. Our rare treat of enjoying a night out was made more 20.