Chris's parents were proud of him when he graduated from college. But it's been six months and he hasn't gotten a(n) 1 yet. In fact, he hasn't looked for it 2. He has no idea what he wants to do and he's always thinking of his old grad school(校友).

    He's 3 at home with his parents and their relationship are getting tense, especially with his father, who 4 Chris for being lazy and afraid to 5 the real world.

    Chris thinks his dad is being totally 6, after all, he's only young once and he needs some "space". During a recent 7, Chris said, "I'm not you, Dad. I have my own way of doing things. I want a job I 8." His dad replied, "That's a nice  9, but in the end they call it "work" because it's about making a productive living—not having fun."

    There are many youngsters like Chris who are having trouble getting 10 with a serious job and becoming self-reliant. Some, like Peter Pan, just don't want to grow up. Some are afraid of 11 a wrong decision or of being rejected. Others are  12 of what psychologists call "magical thinking." They believe that when the time is right, everything will fall into place, so they 13 good chance to come knocking or until they feel encouraged to take their next step.

    Unfortunately, it doesn't 14 that way. What's important is to begin. Things happen and opportunities 15 most often when we're moving, not standing 16. The ability to keep developing or being more 17 is very important. Basic physics says it's easier to 18 the course of a moving object than to start movement at the beginning. In the end, it's not really about finding yourself, 19  it's about making yourself.

    The first steps are the 20, but the key to success in anything is getting started.

    Jack Baines is a self-made millionaire, but his beginnings were very lowly. He was the youngest of eight children. His father had a1in a cotton mill (纱厂), but he was often 2to work because of poor health. The family couldn't 3to pay the rent or bills, and the children often went4. After leaving school at the age of 14, Jack was 5what to do when Mr Walker, his old teacher, offered to lend him ￡100 to start his own6.

    It was just after the war. Raw materials were not enough, and Jack saw a7in scrap metal(废弃金属). He bought bits of metal and stored it in an old garage. When he had built up a large amount, he sold it and8plenty of money.

    Jack9working hard. After one year he succeeded in10 the ￡100.

    By the time Jack was 30 years old he had11 his first million, and he wanted to12this achievement by doing something “13”. With all his money it was14to build a beautiful home for himself and his parents. In 1959, “Baines Castle” was built in the 15of the Lancashire countryside. It was one of the finest buildings in the country.

    Jack has recently sold “Baines Castle” for ￡500 million,16Jack still can't get used to 17the good life. He can 18be found drinking with the locals at the local pub(酒吧).

    “I remember being very19as a child, but never 20as a child,” says Jack, “and I will never forget where I came from and who I am.”

    Just before Christmas, my daughter Katie and I went over to my dad's place to decorate. While we worked on the tree, grand babies Decie and Johnny 1their great-grandfather Papa Cox. Their laughter and2arguments must have reminded Papa of the past days when my brother and I were just their 3because I saw a twinkle in his 80-year-old eyes.

    Hanging the 4decorations on Papa's tree, I couldn't help gently touching the very oldest of the glass balls. Those I made sure to5from the uppermost branches, safely out of reach of tiny hands. When the tree was beautifully dressed and glowing, we bid my dad goodbye with lots of hugs and kisses and6for home. Later that night, in the quiet darkness, I pulled my 7up close and lay down to rest and remember.

    The Christmas I turned 16, while decorating the tree with Mama, I 8dropped and broke a decoration. The old glass ball was blue and its surface began to fall9 it had been on our tree for as long as I could remember.10 I bent to pick up the broken pieces and was surprised to find a tiny sheet of paper among the pieces. Unfolding it, I recognized my father's penciled writing. Lifting my eyes, I saw my mother's 11expression.

    “Your daddy wrote that and12it in that blue ball during our first Christmas together, just before you were born,” she said with a smile. I wouldn't have believed it13the proof there in my hands. The daddy I knew always looked upon getting the tree decorated as a chore he wanted 14part in. In fact, sometimes he could be a bit of a lazy and mean man around the holidays! And yet this bit of15paper proved that long ago my daddy had done something apparently romantic at Christmas.

    Carefully laying the note aside, I cleaned up the broken pieces, wishing I could somehow16the pieces. “ It's OK , ” Mama said , encouraging me with a hug. “Just pick out another of the17ones and folded the note back inside.”

    18 as we celebrate the holidays without Mama, who we lost to cancer, my19becomes more bitter. Each year as I decorate Papa's tree, I relive the moment I shared with her that winter afternoon and tears of a sadness welled out.

    As I carefully handle those old decorations, I love knowing that one holds a 20between Papa and Mama—one that was obvious to all who knew them. The note inside one of those old glass balls on Papa's tree holds the heart of my parents' marriage in three little words: “I love you.”

    When I think about what my hero means to me, I realize that most of my special memories and feelings toward my hero come from the little things he does every day. My hero is not a celebrity or such a recognizable face. My hero is not a national hero or a multi – millionaire. He has never saved me from a burning castle or an avalanche（雪崩）, but he does 1 me and tell me to have a good day. He is just an 2, quiet man, whom I honor.

    My dad is my hero because he is brave, skilled, and 3. I know many people say their dads are their heroes, but my dad teaches me about becoming a man, which is extremely important for a young boy.

    Respect goes a long way with my dad, as does patience. As a(n) 4, my dad must deal with people every day, some of whom are nice and some are not. Either way, he 5 his well-mannered attitude.

    Dad is not afraid of many things, or if he is, he doesn't tell me 6he wants to seem tough. He may not be a big guy but since he works with his 7 all day, he is very strong. Dad works outdoors in all kinds of 8 but the worst thing he has to do is 9 up and work in an attic (顶楼) in the middle of the summer. Trust me, this is the 10 place you will experience as an electrician and when you come back 11, what is in your lungs will make you 12 for hours.

    My dad and I have a very good 13. We talk about almost everything. We go hunting, fishing, and everything a dad and son would do. My dad and I enjoy 14 most because it gives us time outdoors together and there is nothing like that. He has 15 and taught me everything I need to know about 16.

    I am 17 to be the son of Mike C. , and would not have it any other way. People come up to me all the time to 18 me I have a good dad. It makes me feel 19 that a lot of people think so 20 of him. He is a good teacher of my life and would do anything for me. This is why my father is my hero.

    Several years ago, my company experienced a slowdown in business. We hoped that it was only 1. We had work enough for only four days of the week. So we decided that we would 2 from Monday through Thursday, and take Fridays to do 3 projects in our hometown.

    One day, we went to a very old gentleman's 4 to do a total cleanup. When we arrived, an elderly woman 5 us at the door. We thought she was the wife, but it turned out she was the 6. She was 75, and her father 97! Soon, we began to 7 the house and the yard. It was 8 how much work a group could get done when everyone was working 9. That gentleman's house went from dirt to a sparkling clean palace by the time we 10.

    The thing I most remember about that day, 11, was not the great cleaning job that we did, but something 12. When we walked into the house, I noticed the wonderful drawings that 13 the walls. The daughter told us that her father had 14 them, and that he hadn't 15 art until he was 80 years old. I was 16: these drawings were works of art that could have easily been hanging in a museum. At the time, I was in my early 30s and wanted to do something that would 17 my creative and artistic competence more than being president of a company would 18. I had felt that it was too 19 to make a change at this "advanced" stage of my life. Boy! My 20 belief system got expanded that afternoon!

    A lady wanted a birthday gift from her husband. For many months she had liked a beautiful 1, and knowing her husband could 2 it, she told him that was all she wanted. On the morning of the 3 husband told her how 4 he was to have such a good wife, and how much he loved her. He 5 her beautiful gift package (盒). She opened it and 6 a Bible. 7, she raised her voice and said to her husband. "With all your money, you give me a Bible?" She was so 8 that she left him.

    Many years passed and the lady was very 9 in business. She owned two large companies. She 10 her husband was very old, and thought perhaps she should go to 11 him. But before she could, she 12 a letter telling her that he had died, and gave all of his possessions (财产) to her. She needed to come back 13 take care of things.

    When she arrived at his house, sadness 14 her heart. She saw the still new 15, just she had left it years before. With 16 she opened it and began to turn the pages. A ring 17 from Bible to the floor and a 18 could be seen. She picked it up and found it was the ring she wanted in those days. And on the card was the date of her birth, and the words "LOVE YOU ALWAYS".

    19 your gift is not packaged the way you want it, it's because it is better packaged! Always appreciate little things; they usually lead you to bigger things in the world! The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched for they must be felt with the 20.