Learning experiences happen to us throughout our lives, and not too long ago, I had one that I would like to 1 . This story began with a 2 three years ago. It's a story of pizza and being3of buying ice cream with a US $20 bill.

    I was going to Marblehead, Massachusetts, with my racing team on the highway and we were all 4Luckily, we saw a rest area5. I had a brand-new US $ 20 bill, and I had 6had that kind of cash before. Spending it on food 7to me like throwing it away.

    We all rushed into the pizza line. 8 I got a cheese pizza and drink. Halfway through the 9, I realized I had not actually 10 any money to the cashier. I felt terrible. I just couldn't go back to the cashier and11my stolen pizza. I would feel embarrassed.

    I was so upset that I refused to give myself the12of an ice cream in fear that someone would say, "Hey, Jeff, why don't you 13 the change from the pizza instead of that nice, new US $20 bill?"

     was not so proud of my 14 now.

    For the next two years, whenever I was15of the "Pizza incident," I 16my eyes and said to myself, "Not gonna think about it, not gonna think about it…"

    I think this 17the saying, "A coward (懦夫) dies a thousand deaths, a hero dies 18." I was a coward and have felt19 about that incident at least a thousand times. If I had been a "hero" and gone 20up to pay for the pizza, then I would have felt a little embarrassed about it only once, or maybe twice.

    When I was 8 years old, I once decided to run away from home. With my suitcase 1 and some sandwiches in a bag, I started for the front door and said to Mom, “I'm leaving.”

    “If you want to 2, that's all right,” she said. “But you came into this home without anything and you can leave the same way.” I 3 my suitcase and sandwiches on the floor heavily and started for the door again.

    “Wait a minute,” Mom said. “I want your 4 back. You didn't wear anything when you arrived.” This really angered me. I tore my clothes off—shoes, socks, underwear and all—and 5, “Can I go now?” “Yes,” Mom answered, “but once you close that door, don't expect to come back.”

    I was so 6 that I slammed (砰地关上) the door and stepped out on the front porch. 7 I realized that I was outside, with nothing on. Then I noticed that down the street, two neighbor girls were walking toward our house. I ran to 8 behind a big tree in our yard at once. After a while, I was 9 the girls had passed by. I dashed to the front door and banged on it loudly.

    “Who's there?” I heard.

    “It's Billy! Let me in!”

    The voice behind the 10 answered, “Billy doesn't live here anymore. He ran away from home.” Glancing behind me to see if anyone else was coming, I begged, “Aw, c'mon, Mom! I'm 11 your son. Let me in!”

    The door inched open and Mom's smiling face appeared. “Did you change your 12 about running away?” she asked.

    “What's for supper?” I answered. 

    I enjoy reading all of moving ideas from the wonderful site about people giving on their birthday. So, I1this would be my chance to experience the joy of giving on my special day.

    My husband took me to the Olive Garden, where we often had meals, and our 2was very nice. We had a great dinner experience there. Then Karina brought our 3I knew it was my time to give4she came back to the table to get our credit card, I placed the gift bag on the edge of the table and 5said, "I want to6you with a gift 7my birthday, "Oh, the8on her face! She said." No, not for9! It's your birthday!" Then she said, "Can I open it in front of you? "And I said that would be 10

    The first thing she 11 was the color of the gift bag which was purple. Purple is her favorite color, She actually12a purple tie! She opened the card and said, "It's Christmas in July. "As she was taking the gift out of the13 she said she was excited. It's wonderful to give to someone who is 14to receive! She opened the box and saw it was a purple mug(杯子). Inside the mug was a smile card and forty five dollars, a dollar15each year of my life. After seeing the16 she looked at my husband and said we did not have to 17a tip. He just 18her words and left her the tip anyway.

    Karina was so19 what she had received. I thanked her for receiving my gift. I am thankful to God for another year of life and the 20to see that every day is a great day to give.

    A teacher affects eternity(永久)：no one can tell where his influence stops. ——Henry Adams

    Mrs. Barrow, room 501, room 501, I repeated to myself as I scanned the hallways looking for the room number. It was my first day fifth grade and I was really 1.

    I came to the end of the hall and found an open door. Stepping into the room, I suddenly felt out of 2. I tried to act normal, but Mrs. Barrow saw right through me.

    “Good morning, Courtni. You may pick your 3. ”

    I 4 about the room and took an empty seat near a girl named Wendy Barer. As the year slowly 5, Wendy and I became good friends. I felt no closeness to Mrs. Barrow, 6.

    Mrs. Barrow had us write a paper on what we wanted to be when we grew up. Some kids asked7. She explained that when her former students8, she liked them to come back and share their fifth-grade dreams together, as a9 of their childhood. I10right then and there that I like Mrs. Barrow.

    Then, my grandmother, who lived with us, was diagnosed with cancer and about a month later died. Losing her was 11 for me. At the funeral, I was sitting there feeling sorry for myself12 I looked up and saw Mrs. Barrow standing there. She13me by reminding   me that now Grandma had no more pain or suffering. It had never occurred to me that it was 14for my grandma this way. All I thought about was how sad it was for me.

    After the15, we went to my aunt's house to see the flowers that had been sent. My mom handed me a pretty ivy plant in a pink pot. The attached card16：

    Courtni, I'm sorry about your grandmother. Never forget, I love you. You are like one of my children.

With love,

Mrs. Barrow

    I never thought a teacher could care that much about her17：now I know. I say this with all my heart：Anyone who is lucky enough to have a teacher like Mrs. Barrow in their life, even for a short while is privileged 18words. She may not know it, but she means more to me than she'll19 know. I can only hope this gives her inspiration and20 to her a tiny portion of what she has done for me.

    To Mrs. Barrow—love you very much. You're much more than a teacher—you are like a mother to me.

    He really did look like a tourist, with a camera around his neck and a bottle of sunscreen sticking out of his bag. The fat man sat on the terrace (草坪), drinking lemonade, a little bit each time, and 1 to look at a smooth and shiny cruise brochure. His sunglasses2 his eyes, but I knew he wasn't looking at the brochure: he hadn't turned a 3 for the last ten minutes.

    As I brought him what he had ordered, he coughed up a “thank you” and looked at me 4. I tried not to stare at the tiny scar across his left eyebrow.

I walked back inside with my 5 tray (托盘), shaking my head. He looked 6 but I couldn't quite place him.

    Then it 7 me. The car accident. The 8 stranger who helped me out of my smashed car, 9 before it exploded. I 10 back to his table.

    He was gone.

    I moved his saucer and found his tip, along with a 11.

    I am deeply 12 to you. The night of your car accident, I was on my way to 13 a jewelry store. Saving your 14 brought things back in perspective (看法).I now live an honest life, thanks to you. God bless you! Mr. D.

    I trembled. The night of my car accident, I was 15 for an interview in a shady dance club. Seeing human kindness through his 16 gesture turned my life around and brought17 back into my life.

    I 18 the tip he left. Among the one-dollar notes was a 100-dollar note with a pen mark 19 “In God We Trust”, which first appeared on paper money in 1957.

    I said a silent 20 for him and got back to work, smiling.

    Everybody seems to pay more attention to my little sister Lisa. I've 1 enough of this big-sister thing!

    So I decide to 2, with my favorite toys and other 3 like clothes. Mother 4 my running away. However, she's not as upset as she 5 be, "Are you going to Grandma's?" I can't believe she can even 6 this out. She's like a witch!

    I don't 7 her and go out. So 8 on my leaving, I'm unaware Mother is 9 me. Finally I get to Grandma's. 10 I even knock, the door opens. I realize Mother has 11 ahead.

    Mother comes in and sits down, patting her thigh (大腿), "Come here." I don't want to, but I'm hot and tired, so I 12 her thigh. She pushes my hair behind my ear and asks 13, "Dear, why have you left?" And it all comes out: "It's 14 and all the time with Lisa, I get into trouble..."

    Taking my face in her hands, Mum says, "I don't want you to be so 15. If it's hard for you, I'll call the orphanage and send her away tomorrow." I start to 16 and I beg her, "No. Don't send her away!" Seeming 17, Mother agrees.

    18, whenever we have a(n) 19, if I say, "Mum, Lisa's being mean to me!" Mum smiles, "You had your 20."