B

    Tears filled my eyes when I stood in our room. I was washing new jeans and a shirt of my 16-year- old stepson(继子), Brett. He drank a lot last night. The clothing was already dirty.

    I was very tired. The clothes were just one thing. He had already kicked a large hole in his bedroom wall. Many windows were broken because of his breaking in to steal money. Brett came to live with us when he was 12 years old. During those four years I had dealt with Brett as patiently as possible, but inside I was feeling sad. Later, I cheered up again and continued parenting Brett. Still, Brett did not change his behavior.

    When Brett was nearly 18, my husband and I decided to send Brett to a boarding school that had very good result with troubled teenagers.

    At the graduation ceremony the graduates stood one by one to thank those who had helped them. Each graduate held a rose to give to the person who had meant the most to him or her.

    Brett spoke lovingly to me, “You did so much. You were always there, no matter what happened. You always showed me such love. And I want you to know that I love you for “it”.

    Surprised, I stood as Brett placed the white rose in my hand and hugged me hard. At that moment I realized the truth-although I had been angry in my heart toward my stepson, Brett had seen only my actions.

    Liu Mingxiao, 13, is a pretty and smart girl. She comes top in her class. But many students try to stay away from her because her mother has AIDS(艾滋病). Liu's father has died of AIDS. But Liu didn't get it.

    AIDS means fear(惧怕)for most people. “Nobody wants to play games with me. They call me bad names behind my back. Even a teacher who used to like me turns her back on me now. It makes me feel sad.” said Liu.

    Liu's mother didn't know what happened to her daughter until one day Liu came back home with her nose bleeding(流血的)，“ She fought with a boy who said something bad about her father.” said Liu's mother. “My heart really hurts. My daughter did nothing wrong!”

    For many of these children, the biggest problem they now face is how other people look at them. Many of them have to drop out of school(辍学)because they can no longer stand others' indifference(冷漠).

    “People are afraid of AIDS because they know little about it,” said Wang Chongrun, head of a group to help children living with AIDS. Wang went to the villages and gave lessons about AIDS to the people there.

    “Many of these children are just as healthy as others,” Wang said.

    “Even if they have AIDS, it's still safe to eat and play with them. They need our love and understanding. A friendly smile means a lot to them!”

    One day, I picked up my daughter Eloise from school and went to the supermarket for a few things. I was hoping to be in and out quickly.

    I found a short line with just one person in front of me. It was an elderly woman, and she was paying for her things with only change. After a long day at work. I was not happy with this woman.

    But then I watched the young clerk. He helped her count her change, even so gently taking it from her shaking hands. I listened to him repeatedly say to her: "Yes, ma'am." When she asked if she had enough to buy a bag, he told her she did. Then he went two lines over to get one for her. Never one did this clerk get angry or roll his eyes. He was patient and kind.

    As I was watching him, I saw Eloise was too. I realized my daughter was learning an important lesson from a complete stranger.

    When the woman was finished, the clerk began ringing up my things and thanked me for my patience. I paid 33 dollars and thanked him too. I found the manager and told him about the clerk's kindness and patience.

    Then we left the supermarket with a full cart, but also with a heart full of thankfulness for such an important lesson.