Value Now No Longer Missed

    John, a famous musician, took his priceless antique zither(齐特琴)and played it in the crowded subway station. The music emanating from the zither was delicately streaming1the whole station. However, during the one-hour play, only six or seven people were truly2the charming music. John only got 52 dollars for his work that day.

    However, in normal days, when John is about to hold a 3, one ticket can be sold at more than 100 dollars and it is extremely 4to buy a ticket even at such a high price. Therefore, later, many passers-by in the station that day felt deeply5for not recognizing the famous musician and missing such a valuable but 6music feast.

    I have a very7friend who had totally changed after knowing that his wife8an acute illness. He cooked by himself for the family and took a walk with his wife every day. Nonetheless, his wife still did not manage to9the illness and passed away after three months. After that, he often sighed 10that due to his past busy life, he had missed a lot of beautiful time with his wife. But now, it is11to make up for it.

    It is no use crying over spilt milk. We have12a lot of precious things in our life without knowing how to13them. Actually, I also missed something 14before. The reason is simple: we had thought that we could still own them tomorrow.

    Nevertheless, tomorrow is actually15reliable. There was a famous Buddhist monk saying that in many people's lives, they have only done two things: waiting and 16 . The result is that they were always too late to cherish 17they had before they lost it. We would often claim to do something when we 18, or when we have money or when we become old, etc. However, when we reach the19, we could no longer realize our20, because we have lost it by then.

"Whoa! What are you doing? " I asked. I had just walked into my daughter's room as she was1a science project. Normally, I would have been pleased at such a(n)2But this time, her project involved much sand.3she'd put some plastic under her work area, it wasn't nearly enough. The sand was4 all over our newly renovated(整修的) floor.

My daughter immediately felt my displeasure and began to5herself. "I used plastic!" she responded angrily. I responded more6, "But the sand is getting all over!"

"Where else am I supposed to do it?" she7.

    Why won't she admit when she has done something8? I felt my9, thinking of the future: what would her life look like if she couldn't admit her mistakes?

    My fear translated into more anger, this time about how10it was for her to admit mistakes. We had a11  She said something that I felt disrespectful to me and I12my voice. Both of us ended up 13terrible. I wished this  14happened before.

    So I thought that I needed a good15to respond to my daughter. For this, I went to my wife, Eleanor, who was truly a master. I asked her how I should have 16it.

"Sweetie," she said, role-playing me in the17with my daughter, "There's a lot of sand here and we need to18it up before it destroys the floor, how can I help?

    That's really a great way to deal with it: first19the problem, next state what needs to happen and then offer to20 . It's simple, right? However, it's really helpful in solving some problems in life.

    I was on my way to the library to do some studying for history class. That's when I 1 my friend and her family knocking on doors.

    As I was standing outside one house my friend's brother 2 past me and went to the 3 of the house. When the resident（住户） answered, I 4 him say, "Excuse me. Hi! I am raising 5 for my mom. She needs to have a surgery(外科手术)6 we don't have enough money. Could you please 7 with a donation?"

    The lady8 him some coins and he said, "Thank you so much! God bless you." Then he walked on to the next house.

    I could see he didn't have 9 and I also saw he had been crying.

Instead of going to the 10 , I went to the bank, I told them I wanted to 11 all my savings. The lady in the12 said to me, "But, sweetie, I 13 you were going to use that money to get into university."

    I told her something else 14 so she gave me the money. Then I walked to my friend's house. They had only 15 nine hundred and sixty dollars, which wasn't even a quarter of what they16 I told my friend to take my money. When she saw it, she17immediately it was my university money.

The idea of going to 18 had been a very exciting one for me—-assuming I got accepted—-but she needed the money19 I did. Now her mom will be going into surgery in the next two days.

    I hope all goes 20 for her and her family. My love and prayers go out to them.

    Many years ago, I was working in an office in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We had large 1 that look out over a busy street. I was standing by one of those windows one day when a woman in a 2 car looked up and made eye contact. Naturally I 3 as she turned and tried to identify me, a quiet laugh 4 my lips. My co-workers began taking an interest, and stood back watching the 5 I received, and laughing happily. Then the stress of work was 6 away.

    Christmas approached, and job 7 were announced. Several of my co-workers were losing their jobs, and everyone was 8. While I was working a night shift, a red jacket, a box of foam (泡沫橡胶) packing and strips of tape in the corner attracted my 9. They could be Santa's jacket and beard! Then I folded a red file into a hat and tied the 10 to it. With the red jacket, a Santa's Costume appeared.

    The next day I walked 11 down into the office in the costume. My co-workers 12 around me and laughed for the first time in weeks. Suddenly, my boss came to me, 13, shook his head and then left. I feared 14. Then the phone rang.

    With a bead of sweat 15 my forehead, I entered the boss' office. 16, he laughed: "Thanks, Mike! It's been hard to enjoy the Christmas season. Thanks for the laugh. I 17 it."

    That evening, I stood 18 by the window and waved at my fans, with my heart 19 with joy. For a few minutes of that day, we'd been able to forget our 20.

    Sarah, a classical dancer from India, had to have her right leg cut after a car accident. She was also 1 on her career（事业） road.

    Though the accident brought her bright career to a 2, she didn't give up. In the 3 months that followed, Sarah met a doctor who developed an artificial (人造的) 4 made from rubber filled with sponge (海绵). So 5 she wanted to go back to 6 after she had been fitted with an artificial leg. Sarah knew that she believed in 7and could realize her dream, 8 she began her courageous journey back to the world of dancing ­ 9to balance, bend, stretch, walk, turn, twist and twirl.

    After every public recital (个人表演), she 10 ask her dad about her performance. "You 11 have a long way to go" was the answer she used to get 12. In January 1984, Sarah made a historic13by giving a public recital in Bombay. She performed in such a great manner that it 14everyone to tears and this 15 pushed her to the number one position again. That evening when she asked her dad the 16question, he didn't say anything. He just touched her feet as a praise.

    Sarah's comeback was 17 moving that a film producer 18 to make the story into a hit film. When someone asked Sarah how she had 19 to dance again, she said quite simply, "YOU DON'T NEED FEET TO DANCE." 20is impossible in this world. If you have the will to win, you can achieve anything.

    One day, I watched a video of a man who was throwing empty wine bottles in a rage (泄愤屋) room. I felt a(n)1to go and smash (砸碎) some glass myself. Everyone was keen to show how2their lives were.

    I handed over the cash and3protective overalls (防护服) and a mask before entering the rage room with a friend. We started4but were soon giving it everything. I started with glass bottles, but I soon,5to heavier goods. It was partly the6of work that led me to the rage room. I am an entertainer in film and television, but I still need to7the rent. Standup comedy and small acting roles help me8.

    Before discovering the rage room, I9all kinds of ways to deal with stress: karaoke and the gym. Going to the gym is about getting10looking good, but when I'm smashing things, the intention is11. When I behave like a caveman (野人), I leave any12behind.

    The rage room is a place of honest13. During one session, a year and a half after we14, the words of my ex (前女友) came into my head: "I just don't think you put enough effort into our relationship." I thought this15was unfair. In a flash of broken glass, I realized I had been16that thought for too long.

    I still haven't fully realized my dream. But17the rage room has taught me anything, it is that I am not a(n)18person any more. I don't experience rage before, during or after a session.

    The whole19feels like a calm and controlled release. It is extremely20. I think everyone could pay a visit.