A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had 1a beautiful sports car in a showroom, and knowing his father could well2it, he told him that was all he wanted.

    As Graduation Day came near, the young man awaited 3 that his father had bought the car. 4, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his5 study room. His father told him how 6 he was to have such a fine son, and told him how 7 he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully8 gift box.

    Curious, and somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and 9 a lovely, leather- bound (皮纸封面) Bible, 10 the young man's name pressed in gold. 11, he raised his voice to his father, and said “With 12 your money, you give me a Bible?” and stormed out of the house.

    Many years passed and the young man was very successful in 13. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very 14, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him 15 that graduation day.

    Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram16 him his father had passed away, and gave all his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and 17things.

    When he arrived at his father's house, sudden 18and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still gift — wrapped Bible 19 as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. Suddenly, a car key dropped from the back of the 20. It had a tag (标签) with the date of his graduation on it, and the words PAID IN FULL.

    I was tired and hungry after a long day of work.

    When I walked into the living room, my 12 -year-old son 1 up at me and said, “I love you.” I didn't know what to say. For several 2 , all I could do was to 3  there and looked down at him. My first thought was that he must need 4  with his homework or he was trying to 5  me for some news. Finally I asked. “What was that all about?”

    “Nothing.” He said, “My teacher said we should 6  our parents that we love them and see what they say. It's 7 .”

    The next day I called his teacher to find out more about this “experiment” and how the other parents had 8 .

    “Basically, most of the fathers had the 9  reaction as you did.” The teacher said, “When I first 10  we try this”, I asked the children what they thought their parents would say. Some of them thought their parents would have heart trouble. “The 11  is,” the teacher explained. “feeling loved is an important part of 12 . It's something all human beings 13 . What I am trying to tell the children is that it's too 14  we all don't express those feelings. A boy should be 15  to tell his dad that he loves him.”

    The teacher, a middle-aged man, understands how 16  it is for some of us to say the things that would be good for us.

    When my son came to me that evening, I held on to him for 17  second. And just before he 18  away, I said in my deepest, most manly voice, “Hey, I love you, too.”

    I don't know if saying that made either of us healthier, but it did feel pretty good. Maybe next time one of my children says, “I love you.”, it would not take me a whole 19  to think of the right 20 .

    As the saying goes, rose given, fragrance in hand. I am always in the 1 of giving money to every beggar or homeless person I pass by. My friends say it is not good to 2. We may come across beggars or homeless people begging every day and all beggars have their ability to survive. It 3 them that I never listen.

    On a 4 day, my friend and I were walking to the 5 when I passed a beggar lady. I had seen her several times before and had always given her a few 6. That day, I gave her 2 Euros. I was waiting for the bus and reading a book when I7 to see that lady standing in front of me. She 8 me a piece of paper covered in a plastic bag to prevent it from getting 9. She stood there, looking at me 10. Putting away my book, I took the paper, which 11 she and her family had to 12 their country because of floods, and she was 13 to support them. She had got a bit of money, but she needed 5 14 Euros to get home. I 15 in my pockets and found 20 cents. My friend 16 a 5 Euro note. I asked her to give it to the lady, and said that I would 17 the next day. When she got the money, the lady hugged us and said thanks again and again, and went on her way. Later on the bus, I wondered where her home was and 18 she had gotten to this country. In her story, I felt that my friend and I would always remain part of it as the 19, who helped her get home on a rainy day. But for me, helping a stranger did bring me happiness, giving me a pleasant 20.

    Hitting heavily on the keys in frustration, I turned away from the piano, trying to fight the tears that were already welling up in my eyes. After an hour of 1 I still couldn't get the rhythm quite right on a Mozart piece that I had to 2 to my piano teacher the following day. It was frustrating to have spent such a( n)3 time on a piano song and still be unable to play the piece correctly. To me, the piece had at first seemed easy. But, no matter how4 I tried, I just couldn't seem to play it the way that it was 5 to be played.

    I decided to take a 6.For the most part, after a little bit of work, I could 7 learn the song rather quickly. However, it was always that one song, which might have appeared simple but was8 that always annoyed me. These types of songs always made me 9myself whether I could be a pianist.

    After having dinner, I decided to come back to the piano. Placing my10on the keys, I chose to play the piece slowly and carefully, paying attention to hitting the correct notes11 trying to play the piece quickly. Using this new method of practicing, I12 a great deal of patience, something that I often had13 with. Instead of thinking how hard the rhythm was, I thought about how I could 14myself, little by little. Finally, I could slowly see myself getting better.

    15 I didn't even get the rhythm right until a week later. I also16 an important lesson—sometimes, baby steps are the best way to 17a goal. I'm an impatient person who likes to think that I can get18 by leaps and bounds. But, in the case of piano, I couldn't move forward and improve19 I slowed down, believed in myself, and took it one step 20.

    At the age of sixteen, I went on my first volunteer project with Dad in West Virginia. The family 1 was living in a trailer (拖车) that was in 2 condition. A crew had been working on it for two weeks, but one problem after another3.

    We decided the only4 was to build a new 5. The family was6 Tuesday that week, we began to7the bedrooms for the family's three boys. Josh, Eric and Ryan8 toys and other gadgets (小玩意) that children usually9 we were astonished when Josh responded, “ I just warn a 10”.

    The boys had 11slept in a bed! They were accustomed to plastic mats. That night we decided that beds would be the perfect12. As we 13 the frames of the beds together, Erie ran into the house to watch us. Too dirty to enter his room, he observed with wide-eyed 14 from the doorway.

    As my Dad 15 one of the pillows into a pillowcase (枕套), Erie asked, “What is that?” Dad told him it was a pillow. “What do you do with it?” Eric continued to ask. “16 you sleep, you put your head on it” I answered softly. Tears came to my eyes as I 17 Eric the pillow. “Oh…that's18” he said, hugging it tightly .

    Now, when my sister or I start to ask for something that seems very19 Dad gently asks,” Do you have a 20?” We know exactly what he means.

A Love Note to My Mom

    When I was a little girl, I would often accompany you as you modeled for fashion photographers. It was years later that I finally understood what role modeling 1 in your life. Little did I know you were 2 every penny you earned to go to 3 school.

    I cannot thank you enough for 4 you told me one autumn afternoon when I was nine. After finishing my homework, I wandered into the dining room where you were buried 5 piles of law books. I was 6. Why were you doing what I do-memorizing textbooks and studying for 7? When you said you were in law school, I was more puzzled. I didn't know Moms 8 be lawyers too. You smiled and said," In life, you can do anything you want to do."

    As young as I was, that statement kept 9 in my ears. I watched as you faced the 10 of completing your studies, starting companies with Dad, while still being a 11 and a Mom of five kids. I was exhausted just watching you 12. With your words of wisdom in my 13 mind, I suddenly felt unlimited freedom to dream. My whole world 14. I set out to live my life filled with 15, seeing endless possibilities for personal and professional achievements.

    Your words became my motto. I 16 found myself in the unique position of being either the first (woman doctor in Maryland Rotary) 17 one of the few women (chief medical reporters) in my field. I gained strength every time I said, "Yes, I'll try that."

    Encouraged by your 18, I have forged ahead (毅然前行) with my life's journey, less afraid to make mistakes, and 19 meeting each challenge. You did it, and now I'm 20 it. Sorry, got to run. So much to do, so many dreams to live.