Don't Let the Candle Off

A man had a little daughter—an only and much-loved child. He lived for her— she was his whole 1 He was so happy to hear his girl's voice that he hardly imagined what he would do 2 her. But unluckily, one day, his daughter became seriously ill. He was very 3. He tried all he could to 4 her. At last, his efforts (努力) was 5 and the child died. The father became a bitter recluse (隐士) after that, shutting 6 away from his friends and refusing(拒绝) every activity that might7 him back to his normal self. But one night he had a dream. He was in heaven, seeing a group of little child angels. They were dressed in white and8 in a line passing by the Great White Throne. Every angel9 a candle. He noticed that all the candles were bright except one. Then he found that the child with the 10 candle was his own little daughter. 11 to her, he held her in his 12, hugged her gently, and then asked, "Why is it, darling, that your candle alone is unlighted?" His daughter said, "Daddy, they often relight it, but your 13 always put it out." Just then he 14 socialized (交际) freely and gladly with his former friends and colleagues. No longer would his darling's candle be put out by his useless tears.

    We can't avoid having a sad 15 during lifetime, but we should remember not to let our beloved person's candle off.

    A few years ago, I worked a 12-hour night shift(夜班) and got home from work.

    I was on my way back home and was very tired. I 1 at a restaurant to have breakfast. Right after I placed my order, I saw a man come in. He was carrying a small backpack and looked like he had seen better times. He reached in his pocket and pulled out some2 . He asked the waitress if 38 cents was 3 to buy a cup of coffee. She looked at his backpack and said, “ 4. Have a seat.” (Coffee was 50 cents a cup at the time.) It really touched me how she had tried to protect his pride and how he hadn't asked for any charity.

    Shortly before my 5 came, I asked the waitress to come over. I said, “You know, I am not feeling well. I don't think I am going to be able to eat my breakfast. Do you think there is6 here who might eat it?” She first asked if I was OK and then she 7. She said, “I think so. Are you sure?” I told her that I was sure.

    She then walked over to the gentleman and told him that I had ordered food and it was too8 to stop the order but I didn't feel like eating. Would he be so kind as to take it 9they wouldn't have to throw it away? I had walked to the cash register(收银台) and was paying for the meal. At the cash register, I asked if they had gift cards. They did. I bought one 10 $25.00 and asked them to give it to the gentleman after I left.

    I was the tallest girl in my class when I started school. It made me feel 1 and I believed that I looked very fat and ugly. The small girls were seen as smarter, so they were more popular and got more 2 from teachers. I began to hate myself 3 not being small when I was seven years old, and by adulthood, I felt sad about my appearance(外表).

    I didn't dare to look into the mirror 4one day my friend pulled me to the mirror to let me see that I had a good figure. It's true that I was in good shape. Then I did something kind for5—I bought a beautiful dress for myself. I felt very happy! I always thought following others could make me more popular. But it's hard to be happy when you don't see your own6.

    Each small kindness I did for myself made me7myself more. I'd do something loving and feel happier. That focus on myself grew into deep self­love.

    Today my self­love is very 8 It has helped me develop self­confidence and helped me 9 myself from an unhappy school teacher to a popular writer. Now I am seen as a very beautiful woman.

    Please join me in taking steps to develop self­love. Every little loving act you do for yourself helps you build 10.

    An old friend from the US whom I was looking forward to staying with, telephoned from the airport to tell me that he had arrived. I was still at the 1 at that time, but I had got everything ready for his arrival. After letting him know where my house was, I told him that I had the 2 under the door-mat (门垫). 3 I was possible to be home rather late, I told him to go into the 4 and help himself to food and drink.

    Two hours later my friend 5 me from the house. At the moment, he said, he was listening to some of my records after having just had a truly wonderful 6. He had found a cooker and 7 two eggs and had helped himself to some cold chicken from the ice box. Now, he said, he was drinking a glass of orange juice and he hoped I would 8 him. When I asked him if he had reached the house without difficulty, he answered, "I was not able to find the key, but 9 the living room windows just by the apple tree were left open and you know what I could do."

    I listened to all this in 10. In front of my living room there was no apple tree at all.

A lesson from Dad

    When he was 11 years old, he loved fishing by the lake near his family's house in New Hampshire.

    On the day before the bass(鲈鱼)season began, he and his father1in the evening. When his fishing pole bent over(弯曲), he knew something2was on the other end. The boy skillfully lifted it from the water. It was the largest fish he had ever3, but it was a bass.

    The boy and his father looked at the handsome fish. The father looked at his watch. It was 10 p.m.-two hours4the bass season began. The father looked at the fish, then at the boy.

    "You'll have to5, Son," he said.

    "Dad!" cried the boy.

    "There will be other fish," said his father.

    "Not as big as this one," cried the boy.

    He looked around the lake.6other fishermen or boats were anywhere around. He looked again at his father's stern(坚决的)face. He knew that it was7to change his decision. He slowly lowered the fish back into the water.

    That was thirty-four8ago. Today, the boy is a successful architect(建筑师)in New York City. He has never caught such a large fish again, 9he does see that same fish again and again-every time he faces a question of right or wrong. His father taught him the practice of doing right is10.

    Do we do right when no one is watching？

    Kevin sat at the desk in his study, pencil in hand. He had to write a story for his English class by Friday. "I don't know what to1," he complained to his dog, who was asleep at his feet. Kevin was talkative when speaking to his friends, yet he had2finding words he had to write.

    By bedtime Kevin had drawn a picture of his dog smiling. He had drawn a tree with its branches(树枝) blowing in a high wind. He had also written a3asking his friend to go to the movies on Saturday.4he had not written a single word of his story.

    On Wednesday, Mrs. Scott, Kevin's English teacher, asked the class to5the first draft of their stories. Kevin had to turn in the only work that he had—the page with his name, the6, and the note.

    Kevin wasn't7when Mrs Scott asked him to stay after class the next day. But he was surprised by what8said to him. "Kevin, this is a fantastic story—the dog, the movie, the tree in the9I can't wait to find out how they all fit together. I think you have the idea of a story there. Look at your note and the pictures and try to see10a story comes to you."

    That night Kevin sat at his desk, and this was what he wrote: "One Saturday Tom went to meet his friend at the11it looked as if it might rain, so Tom12his umbrella. Suddenly a big storm blew in. The noise of the wind13like Tom's dog Spotty. Spotty really hated storms and barked whenever he wanted to be let inside. Then Tom saw Spotty running after him down the busy street, barking. The sound was full of blame(责备). Tom felt14because he had left Spotty outside. He turned and headed home with Spotty. Tom let Spotty in the door just and the rain started to pour down."

    Kevin had a story after all. The last thing he did was to write his name15at the top of the page.