I had just picked up my new car, a very beautiful automobile if you're into cars. A few months later, I was involved in an1. That new and very beautiful car was destroyed.

    It was clearly not my2. The other guy was so busy on his cell phone that he went right through a red light and knocked into the passenger side of my car. It was even 3because my niece was asleep on the back seat and her father, my brother, was in the front passenger seat. He was not4, to say the least.

    The police arrived and began taking statements. I 5that my speed had been up to about 55kmph. “So you were going about 50kmph…” he said.

    “No, I said I was doing about 55kmph,” I said.

    “Right, so you were doing about 50kmph…” again he6.

    In a slightly 7tone because I felt I wasn't being heard, I said: “No! I was doing about 55kmph!”

    “OK, if that's 8you want it,” this time the officer simply replied.

    I didn't9 it at the time, but I was shooting myself in the foot. My insurance company paid me for the damages to my car. 10, I totally missed the boat on the other driver's insurance company.

    The city speed limit is 50km. I11 getting 50 percent less than I would have from the other guy's insurance company because I had12 I was doing 55km.

    It suddenly 13me that the traffic policeman had been trying to help me out. He hadn't14 about the 5kmph; he had known15about the insurance that I had not.

    I thought about what had16over and over again. I might have carried on insisting that I told the17, but I could at least have said “Thank you” to him 18 acting so rudely. After all, he had been trying to help me out.

    Sometimes the 19 thing to do is to let other people talk while you simply shut up and listen. Never forget— to20, you have to be able to listen.

    Last weekend, I was blessed with an opportunity to serve as a volunteer in Maryland. I don't have a car and the closest Amtrak station is about 30 minutes away from the actual site so I wasn't sure1I would get there. I started thinking that maybe it wouldn't be2and after a really long week, I thought that maybe I shouldn't3at all. But I went ahead and posted a request for a4on the ride-share board.

    A few days later, an individual I had never met5that he would be able to pick me up and6me off at the station. He was also planning on serving but said he would wait7my train arrived before driving out there. How kind8this person whom I've never even met, I thought to myself. My heart9, and the stress I had been feeling from my week10away.

    When my new friend drove me to the train station, he11that it was in a deserted kind of area. There was no one12around. It was cold outside, and I still had 30 minutes to wait. So he13his car and said, “We will wait for the train to come together.”

    I couldn't believe his compassion and14. I knew that he had to be at work the next day15me, and that his wife and son were waiting for his return. But he just waited there with me so16, generously serving with his time.

    With five minutes17before the train arrived, he shared with me stories from his childhood. As a young boy, he18sit near the edge of the train tracks, excitedly waiting for the trains to rush by with all their force. That night, before returning home to his family, he waited with me as my train19. It didn't rush by at full force but I left that station20the full force of his compassion and generosity.

    Jerry was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always in a good mood and always had something 1to say. When one asked Jerry 2he was so happy every day, he replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, Jerry, you have two3today. You can choose to be in a good mood or in a bad mood. I choose to be in a4mood. Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation will be5 . The bottom line: It's your choice 6you live life." Several years later, Jerry was held up(持械抢劫) by three armed robbers and shot. 7 , Jerry was found relatively quickly and rushed to the local aid center. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive 8, Jerry was released from the hospital with pieces of the bullets(子弹) still in his body. When someone asked him what had gone through his mind as the9took place, Jerry replied, "as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live, 10 I could choose to die. I chose to live." "Then, what happened next?" "Well, there was a nurse11 questions at me", said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic（过敏的）to 12 . 'Yes', I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, ' Bullets !' Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live.13on me as if I am alive, not dead'. " Jerry lived, 14 the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. Attitude,15, is everything.

    When I was a kid, my mum liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night 1 when she had made dinner after a long, hard day at 2.

    On that evening so long ago, my mum 3 a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned toast in front of my dad. I remember 4 to see if anyone noticed! 5 all my dad did was reach for his toast, 6 at my mum and ask me how my day was at school… I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember 7 him spread butter and jelly on that toast and eat every bite!

    When I got up from the table that evening, I remembered hearing my mum 8 to my dad for burning the toast. And I'II never 9 what he said: "Honey, I love 10 toast."

    Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really 11 his toast burned. He 12 me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's really 13. And besides, a burned toast never 14 anyone!"

    15 is full of imperfect things... and imperfect people. I'm not the best at anything, 16 I forget holidays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what I've 17 over the years is that learning to accept each other's 18 — and 19 to celebrate each other's differences — is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and 20 relationship where a burned toast isn't a deal-breaker!

    Manuela got up earlier and bought two bags of cat food. She began going to the1 barbershop on the corner, making her weekly visit to see Hussein, the old barber. Hussein was both2 and delighted to see Manuela and the bags of food. The two hurried over to the tiny food dishes lined up in the alley. Several 3 appeared soon.

    As the two 4 and made their way back inside the shop, Hussein's smile 5 and he explained he was about to  6 the barbershop. He had been told to leave within 7 days. His 7barbershop simply couldn't pay enough rent and the landlord had invited another roomer, one who wouldn't be 8 animals outside.

    Manuela's eyes began to9 as Hussein expressed his10 about the homeless cats he cared for. But as fate(命运) would have it, there was something better11 for the barber and his cats. As Manuela's blog supporters read her12 about Hussein, they, one after another,13 donating to him and his cats. Every day for the next week, Manuela went to Hussein with the14 . And on the fourth day, something unbelievable happened when Hussein was able to15a storefront in an old building near his shop. No electricity,16 there was potential. Manuela and other people 17 to help paint and clear rubbish while electricians made all the necessary18 .

    In less than two weeks, the barber was back in19 again. Through the kindness of strangers, 20 , his and his cats' whole world was brought back.

    Sarah grew up on a fishing boat. Her father,1to make enough money to buy a house, had 2 her within their only small boat since his wife died.

    One morning, Sarah saw a 3above the sea, which was close to them, and the boat began to rock as waves grew. 4 a mountain of clouds approaching from the south, she rushed below deck(甲板), 'Dad, 5.

    "What?" her drunken father asked 6.

    "Dad, a big storm is coming. We need to get out of here. "She grabbed his shoulders and 7 him. He got angry, shouting, "What are you doing?"

    "Dad, we have to 8the boat. There's a big storm coming. "

    Her father 9her at last. He walked to the deck, saw the10and fired up the engine.

    "Dad, what are you doing?"

    "Sarah, 11we stay here, we will die. We need to get out of the sea. We must ride the waves; that's our only 12."

    Their boat headed into the storm 13. Above them were black clouds and in front of them were dark waves. It was so 14.

    Hours passed. The dark day turned into darkness totally. They held each other for 15, but the experienced fisherman needed no 16 because he had fought many such battles.

    Eventually, the waves 17 and the sky brightened. Sarah was 18 and hugged her father, "You did it, Dad."

    They sailed back into the port. Other boats had been destroyed. Their boat was the only one to 19 the storm. Sarah hugged her father again. "Dad, you made it. You 20 us."

    "No, Sarah," he held her by his arms, "we did it together."