I still clearly remember that day. I was on the side of the road for about four hours with my big jeep. I put signs in the windows that said,“Need a jack (千斤顶）.”

    As I was about to give up, a truck stopped and a man got off. He looked at the situation, made a judgment and went back to take a jack. After about two hours, we finished the job with sweats. We were both dirty. His wife took a large bottle of water for us to wash our hands.

    I tried to put $20 in the man's hand, but he wouldn't take it, so I went to give it to his wife quietly. I asked their little girl where they lived. She said they lived in Mexico. They were in Oregon now, so Mommy and Daddy could pick cherries for the next few weeks. After that, they were going to pick peaches and then go home.

    After I said goodbye and started going back to my jeep, the girl ran to me and handed me a tamale(玉米粽子)for lunch. I thanked them again and walked back to my jeep. When I opened the tamale, what did I find inside? My $20! I ran to the truck and the guy rolled down his window. He started shaking his head, smiled and  said in English“Today you, tomorrow me. ” Then he drove away, with his daughter waving to me from the back.

    This family, working on a seasonal basis where time is money, took a couple of hours to help a stranger while others passed by quietly.

    Since then I've helped many people like the Mexican family. I didn't accept their money. Every time I was able to help, I felt as if I was putting something in the bank.

    Let's face the facts. On most occasions, some things may seem impossible, but in every impossibility, there is possibility. Impossible situations don't last forever. While it might be impossible for one, it could still be possible for another. In a word, everything is possible.

    Someone once said, “Success belongs to those who can look at challenges offered by the world as an inspiration.” So your challenges are golden opportunities for success. How can there be wonders if there are no difficulties? You need challenges to show your ability and success comes from the problems you face. Those who refuse to give in come out smiling.

    Robert X. Perez once said, “The seeds of success spring from failure's ashes; failure is not defeat and it just directs you in the right direction. To fail is to understand what you should not do. Remember it and don't give up until your goal is achieved.”

    What should you do when you face difficulties? Jasbeen says, “Yeah, life is difficult, but you shouldn't give up. You should have a positive and calm attitude towards all your difficulties and make the best of them. You may learn something new. You can accept failure and develop mental toughness. Mental toughness is to see the long-term pains rather than be put off by short-term pains. Once you have this toughness, you have an advantage of winning.”

    The only thing in life you ever really regret is the chances you didn't take. You will only regret when you are faced with the consequences of not taking chances and seizing the moment. Take every chance you can!

    Everything you've done in life may be good or bad, but no matter what you may do, you must try your best. You must do something meaningful and do it right now.

    One day, Mr. Smith went to a dinner party. He was wearing very old clothes. He came into the room.But people in the room didn't look at him. They didn't ask him to sit at the table. He wasn't happy. But he said nothing.Mr. Smith went home quickly and put on his best clothes. He went back to the party. Everyone in the room stood up and looked at him. They gave him good food to eat.Mr. Smith took off his coat, and put it on the food and said, "Eat, coat!" The other people were surprised and asked, "What are you doing? Why do you do that?" Mr. Smith answered, "I am asking my coat to eat food. When I wore old clothes, you didn't look at me. You didn't ask me to sit down. Now I am wearing these nice clothes. And you give me good food. Now I see, you give the food to my coat, not to me."

    Tang Dynasty poets sang for about three centuries in different tones. There were many famous poets living in the Tang period such as Li Bai, Du Fu, Bai Juyi and Li Shangyin. Poems of the Tang Dynasty edited in the Qing Dynasty is a collection of about 48,900 poems that were written by over 2,200 poets. But it didn't cover all the poems of the Tang Dynasty.

    During the Tang Dynasty, poems were recited when lovers walked under the moonlight. Poems were also recited when soldiers fought on the battlefield. People recited them in the open air or at temple fairs.

    In the Tang Dynasty scholars had to be poets. Their readers were not only people of high social position but also common people. Poets recited poems; women singers sang poems and other ranks of people, including old women and children, read Tang poems. This atmosphere affected foreigners who visited the country at that time. As a result, Tang poetry was introduced to some adjacent countries, like Japan and Vietnam.

    Tang poetry is a most brilliant page in the history of ancient Chinese literature. It's a miracle in the cultural history of mankind. The Tang Dynasty was a powerful empire with a vast territory. It inherited Chinese civilization that went back to ancient times, and was combined with the best of other cultures and adopted the benefits of other nations in the world. Tang poetry wasn't the only spiritual wealth created by the Tang Dynasty people. Philosophy and religion, handwriting and painting and music and dance all gained new peaks of development. Tang poetry, however, was the jewel in the crown and its greatest achievement.

    My grandfather died more than twenty-five years ago. I was fifteen then. He was kind, strong, fair, and very funny. When I was a young musician, he was my biggest fan. I played my violin for him when he visited, and he loved everything, but each time he had one request. “Could you play Amazing Grace%” he asked, full of hope and with a twinkle in his eye, because he knew my answer was always, “I don't know that one!” We went through this routine at every major holiday, and I always figured I'd have time to learn it for him later.

    About the time I entered high school and started guitar, Grandpa got cancer. The last time I saw him alive was Thanksgiving weekend in 1985. My mom warned us that Grandpa didn't look the same anymore and that we should prepare ourselves. For a moment I didn't recognize him. He looked so small among all the white sheets. We had all gathered in Ohio for the holiday, and I'm sure we all knew we were there to say good-bye. I can see now that Grandpa held on long enough to see us each one more time. I remember how we ate in the dining room and laughed and talked while Grandpa rested in his hospital bed. I wonder if it was sad for him to be alone with our voices and laughter. Knowing Grandpa, he was probably content.

    The next morning, I found my moment alone with him. I pulled out my guitar, tuned to his appreciative gaze, and finally played for him Amazing Grace. I had worked on it for weeks, knowing it never mattered whether I actually played it well and choosing not to believe as I played that it was my last concert for my biggest fan. The cancer had stolen his smile, but I saw joy in his eyes. He held my hand afterward, and I knew I had done something important.

    I argued with people all through college about my music major. I was told by strangers that music wouldn't make me any money and it wasn't useful like being a doctor. But I know first-hand that with music I was able to give my grandpa something at a point when no one else could.

    Over the past few years, smart home tech has become more and more accessible and it's increasingly easy to find that you've bought a product that includes smart home features. So what does a modern smart home look like, and how can you start building one? You could get to start making your home smarter by the following gadgets.

    Ecobee 4

    *Measuring both occupancy and temperature, its sensors signal your Ecobee to automatically switch to the right mode.

    It only takes about 30 minutes, thanks to an easy-to-follow installation guide and an in-app step-by-step walkthrough.

    Easily adjust temperature using your voice with built-in Alexa or from wherever you are using your mobile devices.

    Amazon Smart Plug

    Amazon Smart Plug works with Alexa to add voice control.

    Schedule lights, fans, and appliances to turn on and off automatically, or control them remotely when you're away.

    It's simple to set up and use. Plug in, open Alexa app, and start using your voice.

    The Philips Hue White Smart Bulb

    It works with Amazon Alexa to support dimming through voice control.

    Schedule your own custom lighting scenes. Set the smart bulbs to turn on and off at a pre-set time.

    To install, simply screw(拧) the smart bulbs into your desired light location.

    Control smart-bulb-equipped lamps and overhead lights via the Philips Hue App.

    August Smart Lock Pro

    It works with Alexa for voice control(Alexa device sold separately).

    Control keyless access. It locks automatically behind you, and unlocks as you approach.

    Install in about 10 minutes with just a screwdriver(螺丝刀).