For years I wanted a garden. I'd spend hours thinking of different things I could plant that would look nice together.

    But then we had Mathew， and Marvin， and the twins -- Alisa and Alan， and then Helen. I was too busy raising them to grow a garden.

    Money was not enough. Neither was time. Often when my children were little， one of them would want something that cost too much， I'd have to say，"Do you see a money tree outside? Money doesn't grow on trees， you know."

    Finally， all the children got through high school and college and were off on their own. I started thinking again about a garden.

    Then， one spring morning， on Mother's Day， I was working in my kitchen. Suddenly， I looked out of the window and there was a new tree， planted right in my yard. There were things blowing around on it. Then I put my glasses on and I couldn't believe what I saw. There was a money tree in my yard!

    I went out to look. It was true! There were dollar bills， one hundred of them， hanging all over that tree. There was also a note among them， "Thank you for your time， Mom. We love you!"

    Later， my children bought me tools， ornaments（装饰品）， a sunflower stepping stone and gardening books. A new page started in my life.

    That was three years ago. My garden is now very pretty， just like I wanted. When I go out and take care of my flowers， I don't seem to miss my children as much as I once did. It feels like they're right there with me. Now every year when winter comes， I look out of my window and think of the flowers I'll see next spring in my little garden. I think about what my children did for me， and I get tears in my eyes -- every time.

    I'm still not sure that money grows on trees. But I know love does!

    In fact, all decisions come down to choosing whether to open a door or to close it. I have learned that opening a door always makes life more interesting.

    A few years ago, I was living in a small world. I worked as a teacher in a very small high school. My life was quite simple. Then one day I had an opportunity to teach in a large school. The students there came from different countries. But the school was far away from my village. So I asked myself, "Should I go to that strange place to teach? Or should I stay at home?" In my home town I was safe and comfortable.

    Finally, I decided to go. I thought this was the best decision in my life. In that large school, I learned a lot about very different cultures. I also found that just a smile or a hug could make people understand each other. My new students made me feel welcome. We had a lot of fun. It was wonderful to live in a very different area of the country. So I was lucky that I didn't close the door to the chance, or I would miss all of those wonderful experiences.

    It all started at the beginning of the fifth grade. At first, Carmen wasn't really sure what was happening. In class, she had to squint (眯着) her eyes to see the blackboard clearly. She had to do the same thing when she read street signs, or when she watched a movie.

    It wasn't long before Carmen found herself squinting all the time, but she didn't want anyone to know that. One day, she asked for a desk closer to the blackboard. Her teacher asked if she had trouble seeing the blackboard. Carmen shook her head, but she knew she couldn't pretend(假装) much longer.

    At home, she had to sit closer and closer to the television while watching her favourite shows. Her mother noticed that and said, "Tomorrow I'm calling the eye doctor to get an appointment for you." Three days later, Carmen had" new glasses and the doctor told her to wear them all the time. Carmen frowned in the car the whole way home.

    "All of the kids at school will think I'm a nerd." she said.

    "You look just as beautiful with those glasses on as you do without them," her mother smiled and said. But Carmen didn't believe her.

    The next day, Carmen kept the glasses in her pocket as she walked into the schoolyard. She avoided her friends and stood alone, feeling unhappy. Suddenly, she heard her friend Tracy shout. Carmen ran over. "What's wrong?" she asked.

    "My silver ring is gone!" Tracy cried. "It's very special and I can't lose it!"

    Carmen could tell that Tracy was very sad. They all looked for the ring in the grassy area of the playground.

      ▲   She took the glasses out and put them on. She caught, her breath. Everything looked so different! So clear! She looked down at the ground and a glimmer of silver caught her eye. It was the ring.

    "Here it is. I've found it!" She handed it to Tracy.

    "Thanks, Carmen. I never thought we'd find it," Tracy paused. "Hey, I didn't know you wore glasses. They look great!"

    Carmen had forgotten that she was wearing the new glasses. "Thanks," she replied shyly. As they walked back towards the school building, two more girls from her class complimented (赞美) her on her glasses. Carmen smiled. "Maybe wearing glasses won't be so bad after all," she thought.

When I was in fourth grade, I worked part-time as a paperboy. Mrs.Stanley was one of my customers. She'd watch me coming down her street, and by the time I'd biked up to her doorstep, there'd be a cold drink waiting.

I'd sit and drink while she talked. Mrs. Stanley talked mostly about her dead husband,"Mr.Stanley and I went shopping this morning." she'd say. The first time she said that, cola went up my nose.

I told my father how Mrs. Stanley talked as if Mr.Stanley were still alive. Dad said she was probably lonely(孤独的)， and that I should sit and listen and nod my head and smile, and maybe she'd go out from her sadness. So that's what I did, and it turned out Dad was right. After a while, she seemed to be better then.

I finally stopped delivering newspapers and didn't see Mrs.Stanley for several years. One day, we saw her at a church. She was spooning potatoes and looking happy. Four years before, she had to offer her paperboy a drink to have someone to talk with. Now she had friends. Her husband was gone, but life went on.

I live in the city now, and my newsboy is a lady named Edna with three kids. She asks me how I'm doing. When I don't say "Fine," she sits down and listens to my problems. She's lived in the city most of her life. She knows about the neighborhood. The neighborhood is a state of mind. You find it whenever people ask how you're doing because they care, and not because they're getting paid to do so. Sometimes it's good to Just smile, nod your head and listen.

When it rains, we often use an umbrella. When the sun shines brightly in summer, we often use an umbrella. But do you know 1  the umbrella was invented? It is said that the umbrella was made by Lu Ban and his wife over two thousand 2  ago. 

Lu Ban was a famous carpenter(木匠). He 3  went out to work. One morning, when Lu Ban's wife was 4  her way to take the lunch to her husband, it was raining harder and harder, and she had to enter a small 5  nearby. She thought, " How wonderful it will be if the small temple(寺院) can move with me!"

As soon as it stopped 6 , she left the temple and walked on. After a while, it began to rain again. She 7 , but there was no house nearby. She had to lift her 8  to stop the rain from dropping to her head and her clothes. She held the handle(把手) of the basket and walked in the rain. She found the basket looked like a light small moving 9 . 

Suddenly she had an idea, "I'll 10  a small, light, moveable house, then I can take it with me when I am away from my house. "

As soon as she 11  home, she began to make"a moveable house" with bamboo. She worked hard for the whole 12 , but she failed. In the evening, Lu Ban came home. His wife told him her idea. Lu Ban was very 13  to hear that. 

As a carpenter, Lu Ban was very good at his job. He quickly set to work. He and his wife worked on it until midnight. 14 , a small, light, moveable" house" was successfully invented! It was made of wood, bamboo and silk. Lu Ban and his wife 15  it" umbrella", And today there are all kinds of beautiful umbrellas all over the world.