I was invited to attend a presentation at the Kentucky School. That evening I found gratitude had amazing1 to change our attitude and our life.

    The young musician Mr. Patrick was 2onto the stage in his wheelchair and began to play the piano. His fingers danced across the keys3 he made beautiful music. He then began to sing as he played, and it was wonderful. But what shocked me most was his4smile.

    Patrick was born with no eyes and an illness in the legs, which5him lame for life. However, as a child, he was6with artificial eyes and placed in a wheelchair. Before his first birthday, he discovered the piano. When his mom hit any7on the piano, and within one or two tries, he′d8 By his second birthday, he was playing “ Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”. His father was9 “We might not play baseball, but we can play music together.”

    When Patrick was at the University of Louisville, his father attended 10with him. He was also a part of the 214-member marching band！He was a blind, wheelchair-bound trumpet player; and he and his father did it together. His father11the night shift（夜班）in order to accompany his daytime band practice. Patrick says, “My dad′s my12”

    But even 13his unbelievable musical talent, it was Patrick′s “attitude of gratitude” that14my soul. On the stage, between songs, he talked to the audience about his life and about 15blessed he was with a great father. When his performance was over, Patrick and his father were on the stage together. The crowd 16 to their feet and cheered for over five minutes.

    We all face misfortune in our lives.17it′s not the hardship but how we18to it that will determine the joy and happiness in our lives. During19times, do we spend too much time feeling sorry for ourselves,20can we, with gratitude, learn how to dance in the rain？

    I had worried myself sick over Simon's mother coming to see me. I was a new 1, and I gave an honest account of the students' work. In Simon's case, the grades were awfully low. He couldn't read his own handwriting. 2 he was a bright student. He discussed adult subjects with nearly adult comprehension. His work in no way reflected his3 .

    So when Simon's mother entered the room, my palms(手掌心) were sweating. I was completely4 for her kisses on both my cheeks. "I came to thank you," she said, surprising me beyond speech. 5 me, Simon had become a different person. He talked of how he6 me, he had began to make friends, and for the first time in his twelve years, he had 7 spent an afternoon at a friend's house. She wanted to tell me how grateful she was for the 8I had nurtured(培养) in her son. She kissed me again and left.

    I sat, stunned (惊呆), for about half an hour, 9 what had just happened. How did I make such a life-changing difference to that boy without 10 knowing it? What I finally came to 11 was one day, several months before, when some students were 12 reports in the front of the class, Jeanne spoke 13 , and to encourage her to raise her voice, I had said, "Speak up. Simon's the expert on this. He is the 14 one you have to convince, and he can't hear you in the 15 of the room." That was it. From that day on, Simon had sat up straighter, paid more attention, 16 more, and became happy. And it was all because he 17to be the last kid in the last row. The boy who most needed 18 was the one who took the last seat that day.

    It taught me the most19 lesson over the years of my teaching career, and I'm thankful that it came 20 and positively. A small kindness can indeed make a difference.

    The other day, I had abruptly run out of printer ink just when I needed it. So I made a long  1  to the only store around here that sells it. It was the 2 time to shop. The store was 3 with people and the wait at the checkout counter was long. I could see the 4 and impatience on the faces of the people around me. It was no better in the parking lot and I found myself in the middle of a 5 line of cars waiting to pull out on the highway.

    As my car was moving forward 6. She was a young, thin woman with black skin and a 7 coat. She was holding up a cardboard sign that 8: "Homeless. Please Help!" I watched as car after car drove past and the drivers turned a 9 eye to her. As I came 10 a voice of the angel in my heart whispered in my ear and I quickly took up my wallet and pulled out the little 11 I had left. I stopped next to her, rolled down my window, and 12 put it in her hand. She looked at me with a small, sad smile and 13 "Thank You" before the honking（鸣笛）of the car behind me 14 me to drive on.

    I drove away praying for her and 15 that the little money would help her even a little. Did my small act of kindness make a 16 for her? I don't know. Did it change the 17 of the driver behind me? Probably not. Was it 18 in the eyes of the angel in my heart? Definitely So! In this life we all want to make 19 changes, but sometimes a small act of 20 is all it needs.

    When Lyndsay and Matthew took home their newborn twins a few days after Christmas 2016, they knew that baby William's days would be short. 1 he looked perfect and healthy, he had a severe heart defect, 2 in the womb.

    “It was one of the 3 days of my life when we found out that we would lose our son 4 months still left in my pregnancy, but because at that time we were able to 5 ourselves,” said Lyndsay. “My husband and I both have a strong 6 in God and through prayer, we felt God's love, peace, and 7.” She said that the love and help from family and friends have been 8 in their journey.

    One friend made a special 9. Knowing how important it was to document his short life, a family friend 10 to a Toledo photographer she followed on Facebook.

    “The days with both of our babies at home together were 11,” said Lyndsay. “We tried our best to focus on enjoying the time together and creating 12. We were able to do this and felt like God blessed us with the time to get to know our son.”

    And although Lyndsay13 hesitated to do a photo shoot, now she says she's so glad she did.

    “The photos are going to be even more important as time goes on,” said Brentlinger.“ I can14 on our time with our whole family together and remember our newborn son with the15 big eyes. His twin sister, Reagan, will be able to see the love and special 16 they shared together.”

    What 17 Brown, the photographer were the parents and the strength and love they displayed during the shoot.

    “The parents were extremely strong,” Brown said. “They 18 acted and treated both babies like nothing was wrong. So that 19 my heart watching them. We sort of lost it in the very end... Then the tears just started 20.”

    William is a gift for his twin sister, his parents and everybody. Surrounded by love, life is eternal.

    I remember the first day when I saw Sally playing basketball. I watched in wonder as she struggled her way through the crowed of boys on the playground. She seemed so

    1 but she managed to shoot jump shots just over their heads and into the net. The boys always tried to stop her 2 nobody could.

    I began to notice Sally at other times, basketball in hand, playing 3. She practiced dribbling(运球) and 4 over and over.

    One day I asked Sally why she 5 so much. Without a moment of hesitation she said, "I want to go to college. The only way I can go is to get a 6. I'm going to play college basketball and I want to be the best one. I believe if I am 7 enough, I will get one. My father has told me that if the dream is big enough, the facts don't8. "

    I 9 her through those junior high years and into high school. Every week, she led her team to 10. One day in her senior year, I saw her sitting on the grass, her head

    11 in her arms. Slowly and quietly, I walk 12 and sat down beside her. "What's wrong?" I asked. "Oh, nothing," came a soft reply, "I am just too short. " The 13 told her that at 165 cm she would probably never play for a top team -- still less she would be 14 a scholarship -- so she should stop dreaming about college.

    I felt she was extremely 15. I asked her if she had talked to her dad about it yet. She told me that her father said those coaches were 16. They didn't understand the17 of a dream.

    The next year, Sally was seen by a college basketball coach after a big game. She was 18 offered a scholarship and 19 to the college education that she had 20and worked toward for all those years.

    It's true: if the dream is big enough, the facts don't count.

    I was driving on the freeway when I noticed heavy clouds roll in. A storm was coming. Glancing at the boxes of 1in the back seat, 1 smiled to myself. The rain began beating 2against my car window, making driving impossible. I 3onto the shoulder of the road and stopped. The rain 4me of Hurricane (飓风) Katrina.

    Hurricane Katrina struck when I was nine years old. I had 5it would strike us in Houston. It missed us, 6other cities were not so lucky. I remembered watching the 7. A reporter stood inside the Houston Astrodome (体育馆), 8people. Many wore dirty and 9 clothes, and some had no shoes on their feet. I noticed a little boy behind the reporter 10an old teddy bear. Watching him, I knew I had to do 11.

    The next day, my friends 12me at our volunteer club and we came up with a plan. We wanted to 13toys and give them to the kids at the Astrodome, which would bring some 14into the lives of these families. We 15the word to our schools and other organizations. Three days later, the donation bins were overflowing with new toys! When we 16the Astrodome with our gifts, children 17toward us from all directions, smiles lighting up their faces.

    BZZZZ. My cell phone brought me back to the present. To my joy, the storm had 18. "Hector. We have more 19of yesterday's tornado." "Well, I've brought clothes I'd like to donate to them. The 20 delayed me, but I'll be there soon!" I eased my car into the suddenly busy traffic. It felt good to know that I was making a difference again.