Among a group of middle-aged men and women，who were discussing bringing about quality education(素质教育)，was a young man dressed in a white shirt．Within minutes, he was called onto the dais(讲台)．Twenty-two-year-old Babar Ali was surrounded by educators from across India．He was popularly known as the world's youngest head teacher．

    The school that Babar started in poor Bhabta village has completely changed．When he was nine years old, he had only eight students in his school．Now the school has 300 students and 10 teachers. The school is called Ananda  Siksha  Niketan. It is recognized by the West Bengal government．

    Today Babar is a student in the morning．He is learning English literature at Berhampore Krishanath College．But he comes home in the afternoon to teach his students．

    Baber was discussing education at the National Summit on Quality in Education(NSQE)．The meeting was held in Bangalore，capital of Karnataka State in southern India．

"It all started as a game when I used to teach my sister, my first student, in my backyard．Later, some children from the village often came to my classes and that was how the school was born," he said．

    His biggest achievement is that six of his students have now started teaching in his school after their college hours．

    In another month, Babar's dream of a school building will soon come true．Many people, a large part of whom are from Karnataka，have helped him realize the dream．They have given his school a lot of money．   

Although he has received so much attention and recognition(认可)，he is still not fulfilled ． "There are people in my village who do not go to school．And there is a long way to go as so many children still need to receive an education，"he says．

    Life can be so wonderful, full of adventure and joy. It can also be full of challenges, setbacks and heartbreaks. Whatever our circumstances, we generally still have dreams, hopes and desires—that little something more we want for ourselves and our loved ones. Yet knowing we can have more can also create a problem, because when we go to change the way we do things, up come the old patterns and pitfalls  that stopped us from seeking what we wanted in the first place.

    This tension between what we feel we can have and "what were seemingly able to have is the niggling  suffering, the anxiety we feel. This is where we usually think it's easier to just give up. But we're never meant to let go of the part of us that knows we can have more. The intelligence behind that knowing is us—the real us. It's the part that believes in life and its possibilities. If you drop that, you begin to feel a little "dead" inside because you're dropping "you".

    So, if we have this capability but somehow life seems to keep us stuck, how do we break these patterns?

    Decide on a new course and make one decision at a time. This is good advice for a new adventure or just getting through today's challenges.

While, deep down, we know we can do it, our mind—or the minds of those close to us—usually says we can't.

    That isn't a reason to stop, it's just the mind, that little man or woman on your shoulder, trying to talk you out of something again. It has done it many times before. It's all about starting simple and doing it now.

    Decide and act before overthinking. When you do this you may feel a little, or large, release from the jail of your mind and you'll be on your way.

    I arrived at my mother's home for our Monday family dinner. The smells of food flew over from the kitchen. Mother was pulling out quilt (被子) after quilt from the boxes, proudly showing me their beauties. She was preparing for a quilt show at the Elmhurst Church. When we began to fold and put them back into the boxes, I noticed something at the bottom of one box. I pulled it out. “What is this?” I asked.

    “Oh?” Mom said, “That's Mama's quilt.”

    I spread the quilt. It looked as if a group of school children had pieced it together; irregular designs, childish pictures, a crooked line on the right.

    “Grandmother made this?” I said, surprised. My grandmother was a master at making quilts. This certainly didn't look like any of the quilts she had made.

    “Yes, right before she died. I brought it home with me last year and made some changes, she said. “I'm still working on it. See, this is what I've done so far.”

    I looked at it more closely. She had made straight a crooked line. At the center of the quilt, she had stitched (缝) a piece of cloth with these words: “My mother made many quilts. She didn't get all lines straight. But I think this is beautiful. I want to see it finished. Her last quilt.”

    “Oh, this is so nice, Mom,” I said. It occurred to me that by completing my grandmother's quilt, my mother was honoring her own mother. I realized, too, that I held in my hands a family treasure. It started with the loving hands of one woman, and continued with the loving hands of another.

    Scientists are using robots to study the health of waters in and around Venice, Italy. The robots are designed to act like fish, other underwater creatures and plants. The scientists are working with several universities and research centers as part of a group called subCULTron. The European Union gives money to the project as part of its Horizon 2020 program whose aim is to take great ideas from the lab to the market and support science and innovation (创新) in Europe. The scientists want to use the artificial intelligence of the robots to help humans understand what is happening under the water of the Venice lagoon (潟湖).

    SubCULTron, a collective artificial intelligence project, plans to create the biggest shoal (鱼群) of robot fish in the world. The project's aim is to improve knowledge of the seabed and try to turn human abilities into hi-tech items.

    Alexandre Campo, a computer scientist, says the scientists have looked at the way animals learn to work in groups to understand how robots can learn to work together. The subCULTron project wants its robots to learn to work together so they can watch out for changes and new problems in the water.

    One problem the researchers had in the beginning was how the robots would communicate with each other. Wi-Fi and GPS equipment don't work underwater. Instead，the robots can use sonar (声呐) and an electric field.

    Another problem was charging batteries. The robots come up to the water's surface and stay near a boat or a power station to charge without any electrical cables. Besides, how to be water- proof, especially for some key pads of the robots, was really tough. Fortunately, a special mixture has been created to be pinned on the robot, which successfully stands the test of water.

    The health state of the lagoon is pretty good. There are no industrial polluters, and the city now has a modem sewer (污水管) system. It's not like before when all the waste flushed directly into the water. The robots in Venice will continue their work until 2019. The subCULTron project hopes they develop into “an artificial society underneath the water surface” that serves “a human society above the water”.

A popular saying goes, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” However, that's not really true. Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn't matter if the words come from someone else or ourselves — the positive and negative effects are just as lasting.

    We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We're usually too embarrassed to admit it, though. In fact, we really shouldn't be because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit.

    This “self-talk” helps us motivate ourselves, remember things, solve problems, and calm ourselves down. Be aware, though, that as much as 77% of self-talk tends to be negative. So in order to stay positive, we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves. We should also be quick to give ourselves a pat on the back. The next time you finish a project, do well in a test, or finally clean your room, join me in saying “Good job!”

    Often, words come out of our mouths without us thinking about the effect they will have. But we should be aware that our words cause certain responses in others. For example, when returning an item to a store, we might use warm, friendly language during the exchange. And the clerk will probably respond in a similar manner. Or harsh（刻薄的）and critical language will most likely cause the clerk to be defensive.

    Words possess power because of their lasting effect. Many of us regret something we once said. And we remember unkind words said to us! Before speaking, we should always ask ourselves: Is it loving? Is it needed? If what we want to say doesn't pass this test, then it's better left unsaid.

    Words possess power: both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope, build self-esteem（自尊）and motivate others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things. Will we use our words to hurt or to heal? The choice is ours.

    How's your happiness quotient (指数)? Science tells us that if you want to increase your "happiness quotient" every day, it's important to take time and accept the present blessings (恩赐) in your life.

    I wanted to share a moment of feeling about some of my blessings and what's in my life to be grateful for as Thanksgiving approaches.

    One of our family traditions at our Thanksgiving meal is to go around the table and to let each one share something we're especially thankful for.

    I'm going to recite lots of things, including that I'm grateful for my health, my loving husband, and the wonderful relationship we share. My husband joins me for 3-mile walk to start our day. The exercise habit keeps our moods in check and the ups and downs of life easier to manage. We talk as we walk, sharing ideas, worries and good feelings too. Sometimes we argue a little until we figure out what to do. We always come up with something. What a blessing that is!

    It is so much to be grateful for. I feel I am the luckiest woman alive. It's my wish for you that you'll be able to spot something in your life. I hope yet you will savor (体味) and appreciate it.

    Many of us spend the holiday with our aging parents or other loved ones. In my work at AgthgParents.com, we just reminded everyone that you never know if there will be another Thanksgiving with these loved ones. We can't take the day for granted. Just be in the moment. We suggest that you verbally give thanks to your parents, no matter what conditions your aging parents may be in now. Do what you can to be tuned in to what you need as well as what your family needs.