On a hot summer day in America, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. He dived into the cool water, Not 1that as he swam towards the middle of the lake, a crocodile (鳄鱼) was swimming toward him.

      His mother 2was looking out of the window and saw the two as they got closer and closer. In great 3 , she ran toward the water, 4 to her son as loudly as she could. Hearing her voice, the little boy became5 and made a U-turn to swim to his mother. 6   , it was too late. Just as he reached her, the  7  reached him. From the shore, the mother  8 her little boy by the arms just as the crocodile snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war (拔河) between the 9  The crocodile was much 10  than the mother, but the mother wouldn't  11   . A farmer 12 to drive by, heard their screams, raced from his truck, took aim and  13  the crocodile.

    14 , after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His 15 were extremely scarred(留下疤痕) by the attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches(抓痕) where his mother's fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.

       The newspaper reporter, who  16  the boy, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his legs. And then, with obvious  17 , he said to the reporter, “But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them 18 my Mom wouldn't let go.”

Never judge another person's 19 , because you don't know 20they were made.

    These days my work is mostly on the Internet. However, there is one 1 that I use nearly every day. And I learned it from my dad almost 40 years ago in a very different 2.

My father ran a plumbing(水管) shop. I had to 3 him with his work. One day, I was asked to work 4 a concrete floor. It wasn't the kind of work I5 The work was physical work which involved6 a chisel(凿子) and swinging a five- pound hammer at it really 7 Often, my aim was bad 8 the hammer missed the chisel and 9 my wrist. After ten minutes, my dad came, expecting to find the job completed. Actually, it wasn't. He asked, "Son, have you been doing it all the time?""Well dad," I told him 10"I figure out a good way to do this more11 I just tap the chisel and move it. I'm generating a circle of shock wave down into the concrete. That way, it'll break along the lines and I won't hurt my wrist again." Dad gave me a12 look. He said, "Son, just hit the thing." Then Dad13 me his hand. I saw many scars on it .He told me, "If you stick to the work, you'll 14 it sooner. " Well, I did hit it then. And the job only took five more minutes to finish15 enough, even though I hammered my 16 two or three times, I was proud that I'd just done it.

Today, nearly 40 years later, when I 17 any difficulty in work I still hear my father's voice, "Son just hit the thing."I feel18 because I know he's still urging me to take action, go ahead, get the job done, and never 19the scars. And that's not a bad 20 to carry through life.

    When I entered Berkeley, I hoped to earn a scholarship. Having been a Straight-A student, I believed I could 1 tough subjects and really learn something. One such course was World Literature given by Professor Jayne. I was extremely interested in the ideas he2 in class.

    When I took the first exam, I was 3 to find a 77, C-plus, on my test paper, 4English was my best subject. I went to Professor Jayne, who listened to my arguments but remained5.

    I decided to try harder, although I didn't know what that 6 because school had always been easy for me. I read the books more carefully, but got another 77. Again, I 7 with Professor Jayne. Again, he listened patiently but wouldn't change his 8.

    One more test before the final exam. One more 9to improve my grade. So I redoubled my efforts and, for the first time 10the meaning of the word "thorough". But my11 did no good and everything 12as before.

    The last hurdle(障碍) was the final. No matter what 13I got, it wouldn't cancel three C-pluses. I might as well kiss the 14goodbye.

    I stopped working head. I felt I knew the course material as well as I ever would. The night before the final, I even15 myself to a movie. The next day I decided for once I'd have 16with a test.

    A week later, I was surprised to find I got an A. I hurried into professor Jayne's office. He 17 to be expecting me. "If I gave you the As you 18, you wouldn't continue to work as hard."

    I stared at him, 19that his analysis and strategy were correct. I had worked my head 20, as I had never done before.

I was speechless when my course grade arrived: A-plus. It was the only A-plus given. The next year I received my scholarship. I've always remembered Professor Jayne's lesson: you alone must set your own standard of excellence.

    When I was 13 my only purpose was to become the star on our football team. That meant 1 Miller King, who was the best 2 at our school.

    Football season started in September and all summer long I worked out. I carried my football everywhere for 3.

    Just before September, Miller was struck by a car and lost his right arm. I went to see him after he came back from 4. He looked very 5, but he didn't cry.

    That season, I 6 all of Miller's records while he 7 the home games from the bench. We went 10­1 and I was named most valuable player, 8 I often had crazy dreams in which I was to blame for Miller's 9.

    One afternoon, I was crossing the field to go home and saw Miller 10 going over a fence­which wasn't 11 to climb if you had both arms. I'm sure I was the last person in the world he wanted to accept 12 from. But even that challenge he accepted. I 13 him move slowly over the fence. When we were finally 14 on the other side, he said to me, "You know, I didn't tell you this during the season, but you did 15. Thank you for filling in for 16."

    His words freed me from my bad 17. I thought to myself, how even without an arm he was more of a leader. Damaged but not defeated, he was 18 ahead of me. I was right to have 19 him. From that day on, I grew 20 and a little more real.

    I made a request of my Guide to direct me someone who was badly in need. Then I was1in a huge traffic jam at a stoplight. "Rush hour." I thought. But it was an overheated car,2on the middle lane(车道).With cars driving all around it, I couldn't stop anywhere without making things3I had to turn left in the thick traffic and couldn't pull over for a couple of blocks. I thought," maybe this is one I should let someone else4But I blamed myself for that.

    I turned around and parked my car on a far entrance road. Then I thought about how to help the girl in the broken car. Letting her car off the highway seemed 5, but luckily, cars in multiple lane going both6opened wide for me to approach her car. So I asked her to release(松开)her brake and steer(掌控方向盘) across two more lanes of rushing cars while I7her car to the highway' s right side. I saw the fear and8in her eyes. I9my fear from her, so she might think I knew what I was doing. But only my Guide knew.

    I just pushed and she steered. Once again the sea of rushing cars10and her car finally was stopped at a safe11just before a police car12up behind us. The policeman was13at what he had witnessed. The girl thanked me with a14and said her friend was on the15and didn't need my help anymore. Suddenly, the officer began to16thinking my car was17parked in the ocean of traffic. I explained I parked my car across the highway. I then drove away after helping out for only a few18.

    My Guide sought the "kind act"19and cleared the way. All I had to do was20being a bystander(旁观者).

Grainne lived alone. My morning routine 1 with her daily walks to and from her gates, and we began having 2 there.

She was an easy conversationalists, with a good habit of focusing 3 on me as we talked. She told me she was 87, and she was surprised I was only 26. I found myself 4 her things I hadn't necessarily told anyone. "I have never felt at home anywhere, I'm traveling to find out where I 5 ." I told her.

We both looked forward to my daily 6 . However, as our friendship grew, my beloved grandfather was seriously ill. I 7 to go back to India soon.

The day before I left Dublin, I went to say goodbye to Grainne. We both knew we were likely talking to each other in person for the 8 time.

Shortly after my return to India, my grandfather 9 . I emailed Grainne telling her "I lost the only person who made me feel less 10 ." Grainne wrote back, an email full of 11 . She said: "I hope you understand you don't fit into places. You fit into 12 . You will always fit where you have people to fit with."

Although I was never able to 13 Grainne again, my friendship with her continued through emails. It was one of the most 14 friendship I've ever known. I was 26 and alone in a foreign country, and she was 87 and alone in her own home. Together we made the world 15 again.