"What's it like to have a gap between your teeth?" a girl asked me one day.

    Nobody had ever 1 before. My hand unconsciously rose to cover my mouth. But, as she looked at me, sincerely waiting for2, 1 realized she was not trying to be rude. "I never think about it," I truthfully replied. She nodded and turned away. I was left wondering if people3 me and saw only gappy teeth.

    Later that day at home, I began to 4 my teeth again. I felt upset. I thought my life would be somehow better if my teeth were not gappy. How I wanted the perfect teeth that everyone else seemed to have!

    Of course, Mom 5everything . She has lived her entire life with gappy teeth, and tried to convince me that there was nothing to 6. When I refused to listen, she told me I could get the surgery to close the gap if it was that important. "Let's be 7, though," she said. "If everyone got surgeries to become pretty, everyone would be exactly the same. There is beauty in differences."

    Her 8 made me consider my teeth seriously. The thought of losing my gap was more terrible than the reality that people were going to notice it. I realized how important it was to me. It is part of my9.

    Nowadays many people do ridiculous things to realize their dream of "perfection." The10 is that no one is perfect. When all potential for ugliness is removed, so is all of the potential for11.

    So if that girl ever asked about my teeth 12, I would truthfully answer. "You know? It's really cute."

    “Paul must have been trying to carry his waste paper to garbage can and dropped a few pieces.” I1picking them up.2later I found more pieces. No quiet sighing this time. I 3“Who is throwing garbage?” No answer. Instead, I saw more bits of paper silently floating4from upstairs. Looking up, I saw my seven-year-old son, Paul.

    “Stop making a mess.” “It's not a mess. They're5.” “Sorry, what did you say?” I hadn't heard him clearly.

    He didn't answer me. Paul has autism (自闭症) and6answers a question, especially when he's 7attentively on something else. He ran down the stairs. “Where are my other butterflies?” he asked,8around. Every time Paul 9five or more words together, my heart says a 10of thanks. But lately he seems to 11that the benefits of forming complete sentences when communicating are12of the effort.

    Butterflies. Of course. I rushed to13them from the garbage,14them off and handed them to my young artist. “Want to see them15again?” he asked with a shy smile. “Oh yes! They're beautiful.” I whispered. He ran back upstairs to float his 16down again. They really did look like beautiful butterflies.

    That day Paul 17me to look up at 18instead of down at garbage. How many other masterpieces (杰作) do I miss because I'm too caught up in my 19to take time to appreciate what's right in front of me? Life is not what happens to us. It's 20we look at it. Now, I look up.

A Love Note to My Mom

    When I was a little girl, I would often accompany you as you modeled for fashion photographers. It was years later that I finally understood what role modeling 1 in your life. Little did I know you were 2every penny you earned to go to 3 school.

    I cannot thank you enough for 4 you told me one autumn afternoon when I was nine. After finishing my homework, I wandered into the dining room where you were buried 5 piles of law books. I was 6. Why were you doing what I do—memorizing textbooks and studying for 7? When you said you were in law school, I was more puzzled. I didn't know Moms 8 be lawyers too. You smiled and said, "In life, you can do anything you want to do."

    As young as I was, that statement kept 9 in my ears. I watched as you faced the 10 of completing your studies, starting companies with Dad, while still being a 11 and a Mom of five kids. I was exhausted just watching you 12. With your words of wisdom in my 13 mind, I suddenly felt unlimited freedom to dream. My whole world 14. I set out to live my life filled with 15 seeing endless possibilities for personal and professional achievements.

    Your words became my motto. I 16 found myself in the unique position of being either the first (woman doctor in Maryland Rotary) 17 one of the few women (chief medical reporters) in my field. I gained strength every time I said, "Yes, I'll try that."

    Encouraged by your 18 , I have forged ahead (毅然前行) with my life's journey, less afraid to make mistakes, and 19 meeting each challenge. You did it, and now I'm 20 it. Sorry, got to run. So much to do, so many dreams to live.

    When I was in primary school, I had a big argument with a boy in my class. I can't remember what it was about, 1 I have never forgotten the 2 I learned that day.

    I was 3 that I was right and he was wrong. However, he strongly believed that I was wrong and he was right. The 4 decided to teach us a lesson. She came up with a good idea. She5 both of us to the 6 of the class and 7 him on one side of her grey desk and me on 8, In the middle of the desk was a large, round object. I could 9 see that it was black. She asked the boy 10 color the object was. "White," he answered in a loud voice.

    I couldn't believe that the object was whites 11 it was certainly black! One more 12 started between the boy and me, this time about the13 of the object.

    The teacher told me to go stand where the boy was standing and told him to come stand where I had been. We changed 14, and then she asked me what the color of the object was. I 15 answer, "White." It was then that I knew what was wrong. It was an object with two 16 colored sides, and from his side it was white. 17 from my side was it black.

    My teacher taught me a very important 1esson that day: You must 18 in other person's position (位置) and look at the 19 through their eyes in order to20 understand their ideas.

    When we're young, especially in our twenties or even thirties, we may feel uncertain about our future. For years I have had no idea what I have been doing with my life, I was a thirty-year-old lawyer in New York. 1 being a lawyer was never my dream or goal in life. I honestly wanted to be a writer. I have a great 2 and would write amazing stories in my head. But I always knew that being a writer was 3 possible for me because it was a better 4 decision to stay a lawyer.

    Lately, I couldn't fall asleep 5 my usual time of 10 p. m. and when I did fall asleep I had the same dream 6. The dream starts with me in the ocean 7 to go for a swim and I'm searching for something, but I start to 8 and have no control over my 9. Then a light shines through the waters and when I look up, all I can 10 is myself in a bright white mom writing a 11. Then I hear a voice say 12, “Now is the time to try something new: now is the time to try something new.

    Something indescribable always stayed in my mind. It wasn't just a dream; it was my 13 to make something good out of my life. That afternoon, I 14 my job at the law firm and I couldn't have been any 15. My life started at 30, and every day 16 that point I haven't stopped enjoying life. I started to 17 and have been on the best-sellers list for the last two months. Things have definitely 18 well.

    19 is a good thing; it gives us an opportunity to take a chance. So my two favorite words I live by and so 20 you are "change and chance".

    I became a gardener when I was twelve. My early 1 of gardening may not have come from my love for nature. It was to 2 my parents.

    At that time we had a big yard in which a beautiful maple tree stood. But my mother often looked with 3 at this work of natural art. Those golden leaves seemed like tons of rubbish to her, something else to 4. Seeing the neighbors busy with gardening, my father even thought it a waste of time.

    At that age, I always did something 5 to whatever my parents did! If gardening were something they found 6, I would plant a garden!

    I planted some lily seeds in the yard. But they failed to 7, I continued to plant sunflower seeds and roses. Wild 8 joy, I found the first rose bloom (开花). One by one, the flowers bloomed their heads off. 9, I was touched by this land of wonder.

    10, my parents showed no interest in my garden. My father even 11at me because he found it was 12 to move around my garden to the driveway. To my mother's 13, I put in her vase my real roses which in her eyes were simply weeds 14 flowers.

    Regardless of their 15, I kept on planting my garden and 16 to enjoy the pleasure of gardening. Plants make such good companions: they breathe, they bloom, they 17 to care and love.

    It has been many years since I made my first garden out of my desire to 18 my parents. Today I become known as Mrs. Green thumbs (手指), teaching gardening and hosting a gardening show, which makes my parents feel very 19. And now I could say it my affection for 20 that makes me a real gardener.