In 2005, I had a stroke and was taken into hospital. I was paralyzed down one side, with only a pad and a pen to 1 . But on my first day, after writing a note to the nurse, I found my right 2 wandering across the page. It was so 3 because I just copied a cartoon as a child, and I hadn't drawn since then. The act was 4; 5 when a nurse asked me what I was doing did I look down to see patterns all over the paper.

    From then on I woke up every night at 2 a.m. And kept drawing until dawn. It didn't feel 6. I'd never drawn before in my life but now couldn't 7.

    The 8explained that very occasionally, following a stroke, a patient's brain rewired itself to avoid the damaged area. Sometimes this can 9 a new ability in a patient: in my case, 10.

    I'd never had the 11 interest in art in my life. I was an engineer by trade, and now, 12, memories and thoughts appeared to me as abstract 13 . It was just something that happened. Drawing had become like breathing: something I did instinctively and without 14.

    In 2007, I heard about Second Life, the online virtual world. Inside, I 15art galleries selling digital art for real 16 and I decided to 17 my work for the first time. Two months later, someone 18 me saying he had bought two of my pictures online and wanted one in real life.

    Now I'm a 19 artist—in my first year I've earned around ￡30,000. I've been featured in some art exhibitions, 20 many of my pictures appeared on the cover.

The spirits of giving

    Two weeks before Christmas, two girls were walking down the street, laughing on some ice that remained from a recent snow. Merrily they shared what they hoped to 1from Christmas.

    They stopped to talk to an old man named Harry, who was on his knees2weeds around a large oak tree. He wore a pair of 3garden gloves. His fingers were sticking out of the ends, blue from the4.

    Harry told them he was getting the yard in 5as a Christmas gift for his mother, who had died several years before. He said with his eyes 6with tears,"My mother was all I had. She loved her7and her trees, so I do this for her at Christmas."

    His words8the girls and soon they were down on their hands and knees helping him 9around the trees. When they were finished, Harry pressed a quarter into each of their hands and said, "I wish I could 10 you more, but it's all I've got right now."

    The girls had often passed his house, and as they 11 on they remembered that the house was always12. No decorations to add cheerfulness were anywhere in sight. Harry sat behind curtain windows, looking 13.

    The quarter in one little girl's palm(手心) seemed to burn a hole of guilt 14 they walked on. The next day she called her friend and they 15 to put their quarters in a jar marked "Harry's Christmas Present". Then they began to seek out small jobs to16more. Every nickel, dime and quarter they earned went into the jar.

    Two days before Christmas, they had enough money to buy new 17and a card. Christmas Eve found them18Harry's doorstep singing carols(圣诞颂歌). When Harry opened the door, they presented him with the gloves wrapped in pretty paper and a19pumpkin pie a mother had just baked. With 20hands he tore open the paper from the gloves, and then to their surprise, he held them to his face and wept.

    To celebrate the end of our exams, my friends and I went to a fast food restaurant. We1hamburgers and Coca Cola at the counter. When our2came, I started walking towards an empty table. By bad luck, my purse strap(带子)got3on a chair and the tray(托盘)that I was holding slipped4my hands and went flying in the air. The tray, and its contents5on a man who was just about to6a bite of his sandwich. I stared, greatly7 as the drinks soaked(浸湿)his white shirt.

    Then I8my eyes and prepared myself for his burst of9Instead, he said “It's OK” to10me before he disappeared into washroom.

    Still shaky and unsure11to do next, my friends and I went to a table and sat there, trying our best to look12 A moment later, the man came out of the washroom and13our table. My heart almost stopped14I thought he was going to ask for my father's15and call him.

    To my surprise, he merely smiled at us, handed us some cash and said, “16yourself new hamburgers. ”He then walked17without even finishing his food.

    He could have made what was already an uncomfortable situation worse, 18he chose a different way and gave us a reason to believe that there is still19in this world. I'll never20his actions.

    Last Sunday. I went to the neighborhood cafe with my friend. On the way, 1 an old lady,2 cart had been knocked over and her goods were scattered across the pavement. She was 3 her goods. People passing by were 4 her as if she were a beggar.

    I hesitated. Many things were running through my mind. “What should we do?” I asked my friend 5“It's none of our business. 6 you may get both of us into trouble and 7 it if you help,” my friend said 8 and then continued to walk ahead. However, I had great 9 on this poor lady. “She really needs help.” I said seriously and began to 10 the lady.

    I cautiously 11 beside the lady, helping her. I could feel the passers-by eyeing me 12 I knew they were thinking that I was 13 for helping her or that I had knocked over her cart and therefore I was assisting her out of  14.

    “Thank you!” She whispered.

    “You are welcome!” I murmured, offering a 15.

    She also smiled. After all goods were picked up, she slowly rose 16 her feet. She thanked me again, and continued walking down the street. Yet I knew that her smile and 17would always he impressed on my mind.

    At that moment, I didn't care anymore 18 other people thought.

    I smiled to myself because although I had helped that lady in such a 19wav, she had helped me more by showing me how I could be 20 in the world.

    Steve was a seventh grader, a big boy, looking more like a teenager than a 12-year-old. Yet, he went unnoticed-- he had been 1every examination since first grade—until Miss Wilma.

    In the middle of the first semester of school, the entire seventh grade was2for basic skills.

    “You all did pretty well," Miss Wilma told the class after going over the3 "except for one boy. And it4my heart to tell you this, but…" she5 ， “the smartest boy in the seventh grade is failing my class." Steve6his eyes an carefully examined his fingertips.

    After that, Steve still wouldn't do his homework. Even if Miss Wilma7punished him, he remained8.

    “Steve, please! I care about you!” 9, Steve got it! “Someone CARES ABOUT ME?!”

    One Monday a couple of weeks later, Miss Wilma gave a10on the weekend homework. Steve11through the test and was the first to hand in his paper. With a look of12 ， Miss Wilma 1ook his paper and began to look it over.

    Miss Wilma's face was in13shock! She glanced up at Steve, then14, then up. The smartest boy in the seventh grade had just passed his first test!

    From that moment, nothing was the same for Steve. He discovered that not only could he remember and understand15, but he could translate what he learned into his life. He became16.

    After high school, Steve enlisted in the Navy, and he had a(n)17military career. During his naval years, he inspired many young people who might not have 18 themselves without him. A19took place within the heart of a boy all because of one teacher, who 20 .

    When I was in school, I joined an undergraduate program to chat with specific patients and then discuss it with others. On one special visit, I1entered a darkened room to find an elderly man lying in the bed. When I moved a little closer to the bed, I realized that he was quite 2, but also very confused and anxious. He3wanted to communicate something to others. He seemed weak, and I couldn't tell if he was in 4, or just scared. He obviously didn't want me to leave.5 I felt so lost and uncomfortable that I had to leave the room after a couple of minutes.

    The next time I was at the hospital, I was asked to make follow-up visits with the same6of patients. I expected my time7 the confused man to be just as short as the last time if he was even still alive. As I arrived at the 8, his daughter was there chatting with him. He was sitting up in the bed and looked a bit better than before. I introduced myself to the daughter and explained to her that I had come by before.9 the patient, I then suggested that I was certain he didn't 10 me at all.

    To my surprise, he 11 me immediately. "I remember you. You were the 12 !" he said excitedly. I thought he must be 13 me for someone else, but he then accurately told me enough details of our first 14. I was so confused about that. During my first visit to this weak patient, I did absolutely15 to help this man but 16. Then he explained that my 17 last time gave him hope to live, I must 18 that a stranger in hospital whose name I even didn't know changed my attitude to the life with a single19, It makes me want to offer whatever kindness I can to others, and I try to recognize and 20 the kindness that others offer to me. Obviously, we couldn't know the impact our actions, or even just our presence, has on life.