When I was 13 my only purpose was to become the star on our football team. That meant 1 Miller King, who was the best 2 at our school.

    Football season started in September and all summer long I worked out. I carried my football everywhere for3.

Just before September, Miller was struck by a car and lost his right arm. I went to see him after he came back from 4He looked very5, but he didn't cry.

    That season, I6 all of Miller's records while he7the home games from the bench. We went 10-1 and I was named most valuable player,8 I often had crazy dreams in which I was to blame for Miller's 9.

    One afternoon, I was crossing the field to go home and saw Miller 10going over a fence-which wasn't11 to climb if you had both arms. I'm sure I was the last person in the world he wanted to accept 12 from. But even that challenge he accepted. I13him move slowly over the fence. When we were finally 14 on the other side, he said to me, ”You know, I didn't tell you this during the season, but you did 15.Thank you for filling in for16 .”

    His words freed me from my bad 17.I thought to myself, how even without an arm he was more of a leader. Damaged but not defeated, he was 18 ahead of me. I was right to have 19 him. From that day on, I grew 20 and a little more real.

    “So, how's your brother doing?” Such a common question nowadays. I 1 give long answers on what he was doing each day of the week, but now I just respond, “He's fine.” I've gotten 2of the question. While everyone wants to know how my brother is doing, no one 3 asks me how I'm doing.

    I lived with him for over seventeen years of my life, and for some reason, no one thinks it would be4 for me to let him go. But it is. He was the 5of my world. My entire life went around him. I wore what he wore. If it was fifty degree outside, and he wore shorts, I6wear shorts, too.

    I lived in my brother's 7_for over seventeen years. He was popular with everyone. Before, I thought that people liked me. But no. People liked my brother. They were8_to him, and I just happened to be there.9 now, away from him, I'm facing a world so much bigger than before. He used to 10_me from the brunt(冲击) of the adult stuff, and I walked11_him, only seeing the nice stuff.

    But now I can see 12_the world is really like. And I'm ready to13 it on my own. I may never be popular, but I can be friendly and make new friends. I'm ready to step out from his shadow and let my own shadow fall on the ground. Maybe they won't like me.14_, it's better than just being a copy of him. It's time to 15_ from behind his shadow. It's time to let the sun warm me up, instead of standing in my brother's cold shadow.

    A group of children would gather frequently at each other's homes. They1what was happening in their lives. Their friendship was beautiful to see, and surprising thoughts flowed from these2minds.

    The mother of one of the children would occasionally join their3and tell them stories. When she spoke of her “jewel box”, her most4possession, she sent their5soaring.

    She emphasized that the jewel box was so6that its contents could never be stolen! Of course, the children's minds were 7with dazzling pictures of diamonds, jewels, pearls, and other priceless items. They daydreamed of her being an heiress(继承人) of a8family, even though her simple life did not9vast material wealth.

    One day the children asked her what was in the jewel box. Looking at the children's 10 upturned faces, she11at each child, and then12them to gather around her and sit on the grass. “Let me tell you a wonderful13 she whispered, “The jewel box is not a14box!”

    The children's eyes were big with15. The mother continued, “In reality, it is a16box of your heart. And everyone has one! Its17are the feelings of love, joy, peace, gratitude, and faith. It is an inner experience, and the treasure of knowing which18with you forever.”

    The children asked many questions that day. Most of them never19the story of the jewel box, and appreciated it more as they20adulthood.

    A few years after Dad died, my 82-year-old mom moved away from the family farm near Almonte into her first apartment, which meant 1 for her to go for groceries. We were also 2 that she was living alone and hoped this 3 would really widen her social 4.

    As she and I 5 her belongings, Mom shared with me all kinds of 6 about her and my father's life together. Then we drove to town, 7 the unwanted items at Almonte's secondhand store, where they could be 8 and the money would go to charity.

    A local gentleman, who had 9 one of Mom's old suitcases, found a black-and-white negative (底片) in an envelope, with the word "Daddy" 10 in pencil on the front. Knowing that this film certainly 11 something to someone, he took it to the Almonte Gazette, attempting to find its rightful 12 through the paper.

    A week later, a big photo of my father appeared in our local paper, with a story to 13 it. Readers responded immediately; they 14 "Daddy" well — it was their uncle, brother-in-law, neighbor, friend, favorite bus driver…

    So Mom and I went to the Gazette right away to 15 our film. We thanked the staff and also called the 16 to express our heart-felt gratitude for 17 Mom, Daddy and me.

    What a(n) 18 act! It meant the world to us. Mom eventually moved into a nursing home. She passed away in November, 2018, at 98, and until then 19 a day went by that she did not look at, in her words, "that famous 20 of Daddy," on her bedside table.

    Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a famous concert. After they were seated, the mother1a friend and walked over to greet her. Seizing the2to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy got up and explored his way3a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE (禁止进入)". When the lights became less bright and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her4and discovered that the child was missing.

    Suddenly, the curtains5and the lights focused on the stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard,6Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.

    At that moment, the great piano master, Paderewski,7on the stage, quickly went to the piano and8in the boy's ear, "Don't9. Keep playing."

    Then, leaning (倾斜) over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began10in a bass (低音的) part. Soon his right arm reached11to the other side of the child and he added a beautiful piece of music.12, the old master and the boy13a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative14.

    That's the way it is in life.15we can complete on our own is16noteworthy (值得注目的). We try our best, but the17aren't exactly graceful or flowing music.18when we put our trust in the hands of greater power, our life can be truly beautiful.

    The next time you set19to create great performances, listen carefully. You can hear the20of the master whispering in your ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing."

    I learned a valuable lesson from my 13-year-old son last week. We were hiking in the woods on our very hilly, rocky farm. He stopped near a cliff (悬崖) and started1some rather large stones towards the edge, seeing how2he could break them into pieces on a large rock lying at the3. I got tired of4him do this after about 20 minutes and suggest that we5on. He refused and kept on his constant picking,6and throwing stones.

    Finally after some time I said, “Do you7that you have been-picking up stones for more than half an hour? This is just the8task as Dad asks you to do every weekend to help9the fields. But you always do it for no more than two minutes, and then find a( n)10to quit." His reply was, "But this is11!"

    This hit me like a rock. How many tasks that we are tired of can be12something fun? I know this sounds like a13because sometimes things are just not fun at all.14, with some creative thinking, I bet there are15. For example, you can try turning on some pleasant music and then dancing16the vacuum cleaner (真空吸尘器), or you can write a secret message in the dust on your dresser and erase it when you clean it.

    For17, organizing competitions for your employees can create some fun and increase18. If you19a business yourself, you can compete just with yourself. Simply set your goals and choose a(n)20for your completion. The idea is to make achieving goals fun. So, make your work fun and get it done.