In 1895, when he was 52, my grandpa, Dennis Fitzpatrick Sr. , had a young man's dream. He1 to own land and build a barn(谷仓) and house on it. In order to2 the dream, he left Hubbardston, Michigan and went to north to Slabtown. In the place, there was 80-acre wasted land with 3 fence(篱笆) and big bushes everywhere. Grandpa walked around the land, dreaming of the day when he would 4it into green meadow(牧场). where there are fields of crops, wandering 5, a big barn and a new house.

    He 6 there and started working. In the summer, a 4-acre field 7 a lot of crops and in the fall, he started working on a new8, carrying stones from a mile away. After the bam completed, a new house was started. By the age of 82, his dream had 9 30 years after he started.

    But by the 1990s the barn was in bad need of 10 or it would fall apart. So we worked to make it as strong as before. During the past years, it had 11 family, gathering, wedding reception, neighborhood parties 12 music and dancing, Christmas ball and more.

    Grandpa is gone now, but his 13 is still with us. Now I, his great-grandson, 14 the land that he cleared. All seven of my 15 live on or within a mile of the farm. Grandpa's dream so long ago—green meadow, fields of crops and a big barn—is now 16by his many descendants(子孙) more than a17later.

    Grandpa taught us very 18 lessons. It is never too late to 19 If you have one, work at it 20and you'll turn it into reality.

    I was hungry, so I took my 8-year-old Shih Tzu, ”Jack”, on a walk to my favorite cafe, about a quarter-mile from my home. They have a nice outside patio（天井）area which* in the late afternoon, is usually1 I ordered a burger and iced tea and went outside to await my 2.

    While waiting for my meal, a homeless man on a bicycle 3 to ask if there was a grocery store in the neighborhood. After I gave him 4 he asked if I had graduated from Santa Clara University. I was wearing a SCU T-shirt at the time. I told him that I graduated from the university some time ago5 did I know that this simple response would 6a 90-minute conversation.

    The man, Michael, told me he was 50 years old. He was intelligent and very intelligent.7 drug use had derailed （使出轨）both his formal 8 and his pursuit of success in the world of work. He drifted from one topic to another,9 the fact that my lunch had been brought to me. He10 had more of a need to11than I did. I made every effort to give him my full attention, never expecting that our conversation would go on and on and on……

    Eventually, I did eat my meal, bite by bite 12 responses in our conversation. Michael was a bit “out there” in terms of his interests and 13. We had little in common, but he was14 talking with, as he 15 it, “intelligent people. “I consider myself fairly well-educated, but I don't think of myself as being overly 16. Rather, my “gift" is common sense.

    I have to admit that I wished our conversation had been17 ten or fifteen minutes, but 18 Michael finally rode off on his bike, he thanked me for listening so attentively to him and for my 19 to talk with him for so long. It was then that I realized that, just maybe, that was my20 in life for today—to be there, in that place, at that time, to engage in that conversation.

    Two weeks earlier, my son, Ben, had got in touch. He'd moved to England with his mum when he was three and it had been 13 years since I'd 1 seen him. So imagine my 2 when he emailed me saying he wanted to come to visit me.

    I was 3 ! I arrived early at Byron Bay where we were supposed to 4 . The bay was5 in sunshine, and there was a group of kayakers around 150m off the shore. Getting a little 6 .I realized one kayak（皮划艇）was in 7 . "Something's not 8 !" I took off my T-shirt and 9 into the water. I saw there were two instructors on board and a man lying across the middle. He was 10 violently. Linking arms with one of the instructors. I helped 11 the young man out of the water. He was unconscious and as I looked at his face, something 12 to me. Those brown eyes were very 13 . "What's his name?" I asked the instructor. "Ben," he replied, and immediately I 14 . That stranger was my son!

    The instructors called for an ambulance. 15, after a brief stay in hospital. Ben was well enough to be allowed to 16 and later the family met up for dinner. We chatted about everything and then Ben 17 to me. "I'm just want to say thank you," he said, "You 18 my life!"

    I still can't believe what a 19 it was. I'm just so glad I was there 20 to help my son.

    On a recent trip to California, I was introduced to Smile Cards. I promised myself to 1 an act of kindness before I left California. I 2 thinking about it but I didn't know what to do.

    I reached the airport and the 3 was about to begin when I saw an ice cream store. I went in and told the guy at the store that I 4 to do an act of kindness. The guy, named Jose, looked confused. 5 I explained I had just attended a conference, where I was told Smile Cards and 6 to do an act of kindness. Jose showed 7. I told Jose, "Whoever is your next 8, treat them to some ice cream and then give them this Smile Card." Jose 9 read the card and agreed with a smile that was both grateful and 10 at the same time.

    Since this was my first time, I wanted to know the 11 of the receiver. “Jose, I have to catch a 12, but here is my cell phone number. Would you be 13 enough to call me and tell me the person's reaction?" He 14.

    I went to my gate, and as I was about to board, Jose 15, "I did the act of kindness. The person was very 16, and asked me to express thanks to the person who paid for it！" I again thanked Jose and boarded the flight feeling 17.

    I really want to 18 this practice of kindness. I am a professor and I love my work 19 it makes a difference in the lives of others. And now, I realize that I can do that everywhere. The whole world is my 20.

    I was driving on the freeway when I noticed heavy clouds roll in. A storm was coming. Glancing at the boxes of 1in the back seat, 1 smiled to myself. The rain began beating 2against my car window, making driving impossible. I 3onto the shoulder of the road and stopped. The rain 4me of Hurricane (飓风) Katrina.

    Hurricane Katrina struck when I was nine years old. I had 5it would strike us in Houston. It missed us, 6other cities were not so lucky. I remembered watching the 7. A reporter stood inside the Houston Astrodome (体育馆), 8people. Many wore dirty and 9 clothes, and some had no shoes on their feet. I noticed a little boy behind the reporter 10an old teddy bear. Watching him, I knew I had to do 11.

    The next day, my friends 12me at our volunteer club and we came up with a plan. We wanted to 13toys and give them to the kids at the Astrodome, which would bring some 14into the lives of these families. We 15the word to our schools and other organizations. Three days later, the donation bins were overflowing with new toys! When we 16the Astrodome with our gifts, children 17toward us from all directions, smiles lighting up their faces.

    BZZZZ. My cell phone brought me back to the present. To my joy, the storm had 18. "Hector. We have more 19of yesterday's tornado." "Well, I've brought clothes I'd like to donate to them. The 20 delayed me, but I'll be there soon!" I eased my car into the suddenly busy traffic. It felt good to know that I was making a difference again.

As a child, I dreamed of becoming a writer, but the pursuit of dreams was never encouraged — leaving me to write secretly in my room. Life progressed and an interest in interior design surfaced in my teens. However, at my parents' insistence, I enrolled in secretarial school and worked in that area for twenty years. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

So I signed up for a two-year interior-decorating course. I crammed two years of work into nine months to ensure that I received my diploma for my fortieth birthday. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}

The next step was to get some hands-on experience at a design firm. A visit to a newly opened interiors showroom ushered me into a dream job that opened more opportunities for me than I could have ever imagined. I worked as a decorating consultant at the showroom and I was on my way to creating the career I envisioned.

Opportunity knocked at my door in 1997. I peeked the possibility of writing a decorating column for a woman's magazine. The editor liked the idea and the monthly column debuted in February 1998. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} To master the finer skills, I signed up fora freelance (自由撰稿) writing course. Encouraging feedback from tutors gave me the confidence to submit my work for publication on the Internet. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}From around the world, people emailed to say that they identified with my experience to redefine myself and pursue my dream. Some even asked for advice. Soon, this hobby developed into a passion that consumed me. I now write two regular columns and my website is under construction.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#} I am doing what I love. On my journey, I have learned that it is never too late to pursue and live your dream.

A. I met my self-set deadline with twelve days to spare.

B. The response from readers was unexpected and overpowering.

C. My family tells me that I look younger and seem more energetic.

D. At 39, I felt a growing restlessness and a desire for a more creative life.

E. I realized that I was involved in doing something I dreamed of as a child.

F. Happy marriage with two kids and a job reawakened my teenage interest.

G. I promised to myself I would let nothing prevent me from being a freelance writer.