Vandna loved sports and did well in her lessons at her high school in California. When a headache disturbed the 15-year-old girl's walk to class, she 1 it.

    “It was 2.” she thought, “Just a headache—harmless”

But when walking to her next class, she was 3 and collapsed to the floor. 4 she could hear other talking, she couldn't speak. She was 5 to the hospital in an ambulance. Tests indicated Vandna had a stroke affecting the right side of her brain, thus affecting the 6 side of her body.

    What was worse, the stroke caused her brain to began to swell, and she needed operation to 7 the pressure the swelling was putting 8 her brain. The doctors 9part of her skull（头骨）to make room for the swelling. 10 the swelling went down（消退）, her skull was placed back again.

    While the doctors predicted that she would never live a normal life, Vandna 11 improved. She was in a rehab center（康复中心）for about 3 months and began to realize how 12 her daily life might be. She had to wear a brace（支架）on her left leg to support her 13. Her left arm 14 lightly, and she often became tired. Though 15 on a campus wasn't easy, she finished high school and 16 a degree in speech therapy at University of Redlands.

    After the stroke, Vandna became 17 with the American Heart Association. She shared her 18 at public events and urged others to stay 19. She said if you 20 a tough time, remember tough times don't last, but tough people do.

    I grew up in a small town. There was a man named Joe, who was uneducated and couldn't talk1. He was good natured but not very smart,2every one teased him.

    One day when was sitting on the porch, he came walking by, I was about 12 and thought it would make me 3grown up to play jokes on him as some 4did.

    He asked what I was doing, I told him that my father had 5his job and that we were short of money. I could see my friends nearby6so I went on with the7.From his8 expression, I'm convinced that I had fooled him 9.

    I knew he lived a 10life with low income, so it was funny when he asked11we needed anything. I told him that we didn't know if we would have enough to12he replied "you poor thing. "

    That night I heard the door13softly. I thought it was the wind whipping against the door, so I 14it. The next morning I found a small box of food outside my house, I knew it was from Bob. I looked into the box of canned food with15in my eyes. I felt ashamed for taking advantage of his 16towards me, I 17the whole story to my father and said I wanted to return the box. My father scolded me and 18that I keep the box; otherwise it would hurt Joe's feelings.

    Although the good was not19 I knew Joe gave the best he had. I did not20the gift.

    After the quake hit northeast Japan on March 11, many moving stories that I saw with my own eyes happened around me.

    I had to walk home since all the 1 had stopped after the earthquake. On my way home I 2 an old lady at a bakery shop who was giving out free bread, which made my heart 3. A man was holding a sign that said, “Please use our 4.” He was 5 his house for people to go to the restroom.

    My friend wanted to 6 others. He stood in the cold with a sign “If you're okay with a motorcycle, I will 7 you to your house.” And then I saw him take one gentleman home, all the way to a faraway place! 

    Then next day I drove to 8 my car with gas. There is a lack (缺乏) of 9  now and many gasoline stations are either closed or have very 10 lines. I got 11, since I was behind 15 cars. Finally, when it was my 12, the man smiled and said, “13 this situation, we are only giving $30 worth gas per person. Is that alright?” “14. I'm just glad that we are all able to 15,” I said. His smile gave me so much comfort.

    I saw a man at the evacuation (疏散) center 16when people brought food to him. It was the first time in three days that food was brought to their center. However, after he wiped the tears, his next 17 surprised me. “I am very 18 that we are provided with food. But people in the city next to us haven't 19 any food at all. Please go to that center as well.” And when hearing that, I realized there is a bright future in the 20.

    Shayla Mitchell, 16, was diagnosed with the terminal stage of cancer. As a father, Mitchell always stayed home to care for her. He said the 1 1eft them financially worse off. Then a group called Growing Hope 2 in with $1,800 to help with his living costs.

    3, he wanted to pay them back. In his 4, he had once been a 5. So at age 40, Mitchell took up the 6 again, participating in two fights in Fairfax. Mitchell was 7 out in the first and second rounds, but he still 8 to raise $ 20,000 that he gave to Growing Hope. During this time, he 9 his daughter. “I fell into a dark bottom,” Mitchell said, and for six months, he did little but 10.

    One day, Mitchell 11 upon a Mark Twain quote- The two most important days in your life are the day you are born, and the day you 12 why. “After I read that quote, I was going to spend the rest of my life helping kids with 13 and their families,” he said.

    Mitchell thought of creating a foundation, though boxing did not seem 14any more for fund-raising, due to his age. Then he found that 15 could be a source to raise money. In the Corps Marathon, he cut a striking figure on the course. 16 by this success, he set his sights higher. He 17 each of the miles of the race to a different child with cancer, and he carried their 18 with him. Years after his daughter's death, Mitchell now 19 up in the morning knowing his 20.

    This is so easy, inexpensive, and has always brought either of two 1: a look of shock or a big smile. I am a cane(手杖) walking senior lady with mobility 2, especially in cold weather but I have a sharp 3 for useful bargains and since I still 4, I can do this without having to get in and out of the car to help people.

    Here is how it "works". When I see gloves, warm hats and scarves on sale (new or in good condition from a second-hand store), I buy them very 5. If laundering(洗涤)is 6, I do it to 7 tiny stains, so everything looks good.

    I have a large basket that I keep in the passenger side of my car and I "file" these things in it, where I can 8 reach over and get whatever I determine is most 9 for someone who is without and out in the cold.

    I am always 10 of things and people around me in parking lots and along the walkways of my small hometown. But when I see someone obviously 11 and without what will help them, I 12 beside them, roll down my 13, and ask if they will 14 and wear all three things or whatever is needed...and then as they stare at me in 15, I always add: "I have things right here in my 16 to share. Please me by 17 them to stay warm when you are outside."

    Not yet have I 18 hostility (敌意)or felt in any danger, but since so many of the items are "cheerful" colors, I often see the persons I gave them to walking down the street. It 19 my heart to know that my items are being used and 20.

    It started four years ago. My wife would see a 1 man near where she worked. It was the week before Christmas and she said she wanted to purchase a new coat for him because his coat was 2. We don't have a lot of 3. We are really a step away from being homeless in rags most months but we try to 4 when we can.

    We talked and found a way to get some money together to 5 him a coat. I 6 that since we were giving a coat to him, we should look at what else he might 7. We decided to fill a 8 with some useful 9 things—a toothbrush, soap, clothes, a hat, gloves and some food. A small gift and Christmas card was put in it as well.

    We haven't had money to exchange 10 for birthdays or Christmas for many years, too. It feels wonderful to have someone 11 you at Christmas but I've always been a little 12 when friends ask "What did you get for Christmas?" It always makes my wife feel bad that she can't 13 to give me anything and I feel the same. So I would 14 and say she bought me this thing or that. But that year we could say we 15 something to others instead and that's 16 what happened.

    People asked and we said what we did. They also wanted to help the following 17 and we made ten more backpacks the following Christmas, and this year we really 18 the gifts.

    I still can't afford to buy my wife some gifts to 19 on Christmas day, but the 20 we feel makes up for it ten times!