Recently, my family and I visited Kaikoura, a coastal town in New Zealand. The first evening it seemed a1 place, but the next day I remembered what I'd 2about it in a magazine. It was often 3 to see dolphins (海豚) and whales there!

    My family and I 4  on a grey, windy morning on a small boat. 5, the sky turned blue ten minutes later. Soon we  6 the place where we were supposed to go swimming. To my 7, this was more than 40 km from land. I was quite 8by this time, and wondered why we came all the way out there, when 9someone shouted “Dolphins!”

    All I could 10were fins (鱼鳍) everywhere — there were about one hundred dolphins, all 11towards our boat! Many of them were jumping around in the water12they were asking us to come and play. I 13my snorkel (潜水通气管) and jumped into the sea. Then I tried to make 14in the water to attract them. What made me 15was that they heard me and came to swim around me. Amazingly, a dolphin kept following me, but then changed his 16and swam in another direction. It really made me realize how 17these animals are.

    About an hour later, it was time for us to get back onto the 18. I really enjoyed myself, but I was a little cold and 19 to leave the water. I noticed that everyone on board was smiling and I realized what a very20moment we'd had.

    “Look, it's Baldy!” A boy shouted in my direction across the playground. Even though I was used to regular insults (侮辱) because of the1on my head, it was2horrible to hear. I sighed as I headed back to the class.

When I was just 20 months old, I suffered serious3after a bowl full of hot oil fell on my head. I was4to hospital and had to stay there for weeks while the doctors5to save my life. “Holly's very6to be alive,' "they told Mum and Dad. “But she'll be7with scars on her head, and of course her hair won't grow there. ”

    As a child, I cared much about my scars, so I8wore a scarf to cover them up when I left home.9I didn't, people would call me horrible names like Baldy. Although my friends were always comforting me, they never10understood how it felt.

Then through the hospital I was11to a children's burns camp, where children like me can get any help. There, I1214-year-old Stephanie, whose burns are a lot more serious than mine. But she is so13that she never lets anyone put her down. "You shouldn't14what people say about what you look like because we're not different from anyone else, Holly,” she15me. “And you don't need to wear a scarf because you look great16it! ” For the first time in my life I could speak to someone who'd been through something17.So weeks later, at my 13th birthday party,18by her bravery, I gave up my scarf and showed off my scars. It felt amazing not having to19away behind my scarf.

    Now, I am20of what I look like and much happier, because I have realized it is your personality(个性) that decides who you truly are.

    On Christmas Eve despite the fun and laughter from relative reunions, 13-year-old Frank Wilson did not cheer up. It was true that he had1all the presents he wanted. And he also2the big Christmas dinner with family members.3 ， Frank was not happy because this was his first Christmas without his brother, Steve, who was killed in a car accident. Frank4his brother and the close companionship they had together.

    Frank said good-bye to his parents and relatives, saying he was leaving early to see a friend. Since it was cold outside, Frank5his new jacket, his favorite gift from Grandma. He placed the other6on his new sled (雪横）and then headed out.

    As Frank went down the street toward home, through one front window, he saw a room with old7hanging over an empty fireplace. A woman was seated nearby, crying. The stockings8him of the way he and his brother always9theirs side by side. The next morning they would find presents.

    A sudden 10struck Frank. He knocked on the door. “Yes? The 11voice of the woman answered. “May I come in?” asked Frank. “You are very welcome,” she said, seeing his 12full of gifts and thinking he was making a13of gifts. “But I have no food or gifts for you. I have 14for my own children.” “That's why I am here.” Frank said. “Please 15whatever presents you would like for your children from the sled.” “Why? God bless you!” the 16woman answered. She took some candies, a toy plane and a doll. Finally, the stockings were 17  The woman thanked Frank and he left.

    Frank's18was full of happiness. Later he gave his jacket to a poor boy. At last, he 19all his presents. Now Frank was wondering how he could 20to his parents where his presents had gone.

    I enjoy reading all of moving ideas from the wonderful site about people giving on their birthday. So, I1this would be my chance to experience the joy of giving on my special day.

    My husband took me to the Olive Garden, where we often had meals, and our 2was very nice. We had a great dinner experience there. Then Karina brought our 3I knew it was my time to give4she came back to the table to get our credit card, I placed the gift bag on the edge of the table and 5said, "I want to6you with a gift 7my birthday, "Oh, the8on her face! She said." No, not for9! It's your birthday!" Then she said, "Can I open it in front of you? "And I said that would be 10

    The first thing she 11 was the color of the gift bag which was purple. Purple is her favorite color, She actually12a purple tie! She opened the card and said, "It's Christmas in July. "As she was taking the gift out of the13 she said she was excited. It's wonderful to give to someone who is 14to receive! She opened the box and saw it was a purple mug(杯子). Inside the mug was a smile card and forty five dollars, a dollar15each year of my life. After seeing the16 she looked at my husband and said we did not have to 17a tip. He just 18her words and left her the tip anyway.

    Karina was so19 what she had received. I thanked her for receiving my gift. I am thankful to God for another year of life and the 20to see that every day is a great day to give.

    When I was just out of college,I managed to get my dream job as a trader in New York City on the floor of the American Stock（股票）exchange.

    Though it was a proud1,the job was simply too physically2—I must stand in a crowd every day,which often3me in a mindset（心态）that held me back.

    Manhattan is a walking town and it's difficult to4when you have a disability.Taxis are expensive and riding the subway5dozens of steep steps to get below6.This left me only one7—the bus.

    One night,after the8for my job,I was aching with self-pity9it started to rain on my walk to the bus stop.I became more and more10without an umbrella,thinking I'd never11it in this city.Telling myself,"this city is just too hard" and "maybe it is just not possible for a guy like me".

    And then,I12the most beautiful,short moment.A couple came rolling by on roller skates,hand13hand as they skated what seemed like the tango.They were all wet but they saw the14as an opportunity and romance.

    I suddenly became grateful for waiting in the rain because I15have missed this beauty16if I had been in a taxi or on the subway.This,although17,was an important moment on my journey to discovering the18of achieving health and happiness.When I change my mindset,19for a moment,to what is possible and work to get rid of the self-limiting beliefs that20my daily actions,I will be on the road to a healthier,happier life.

    After a failed marriage, depression, not working for four years, and sending out over 200 resumes in the last five months, today I got a $60,000/year job in my field of1.

    I'd been in the running for this job for one and a half months. They received 140 2, interviewed 20, and it was3to me and one other person.

    But three days ago I got a call from them saying they had 4 to move forward with the other candidate. I 5them for the opportunity. They wished me luck in my 6, and I spent the entire day7.

    Then yesterday my would-be-boss called, and said she and the HR manager who initially 8 me couldn't get me off their 9 because of my enthusiasm, attitude, and the excitement I couldn't 10.

    She told me the president of the company11 hired the other candidate because he was 12 in a particular software program, which I am only slightly familiar with. The president is old school, so he went with the13 bet.

    The woman told me she went to bat for me with the 14 these last couple of days 15she believed I was the one the company16.

    She also told me I was the only person out of 20 interviews who 17 them afterwards and said thank you for the 18 of meeting with me. The ONLY person.

    I've had some very hard truths to face and had to19 who I am. It's been a(n)20few years, but those little sunshine rays are finally touching me.