A Commitment to Life

    The snow was falling and the roads had become dangerous. The schools were dismissed early, but much to my surprise, my1wasn't canceled. So I went, feeling especially heroic. As far as I could see, I was risking my life to keep my2. Snow or no snow, I would be on time for my scheduled donation at the local 3 center.

    When I got there, I discovered I wasn't4. Four more “hero-types” were already lying back in donor chairs with lines5to their veins, and machines quietly pumping away to6their lifesaving gifts.

    Seeing my fellow donors honoring their own commitments, I realized why I was there. I lay back in my donor chair, ready to make a difference in the life of someone I would never7.

    To be honest, I'd never really thought about why I donate. I just do it. But a few months ago, during one of my8donations I learned that my blood was specifically for a cancer patient and for a newborn baby—both patients needed what I would give in order to live. I've viewed my visits to the blood center9 ever since.

    My wife Karen is a 10  too. And more importantly, she has been on the bone marrow (骨髄) list for fifteen years, ever since she signed up to provide bone marrow to a kindergartner with leukemia (白血病). That little girl died before Karen's bone marrow could help her, 11Karen was called again recently. Her test results were still on file, and it turned out she was a potential 12 for someone else. The caller asked Karen if she would still be willing to become a bone marrow donor. “Yes,” she said and then immediately began answering questions on the pages of paperwork for further testing. It was a race13time.

    I wish I could say that this 14was won. It wasn't. The caller later thanked Karen for her participation and asked a few more questions—including whether or not she'd15 on the donor list. “Of course,” Karen answered.

    Last week Karen gave blood and next week I'll make my usual donation. I'll16an afternoon from my schedule and make an appointment. I don't know whose life my donation may 17 .Most likely it will be a 18  but on any day the person needing a blood product could be you or me or maybe a loved one. It is worthwhile to 19our time to donate.

    I really do feel 20 every time I donate. And I like the feeling.

    27- year - old Ross OC Jennings has become an online celebrity for his bagpipe-playing (演奏风笛) photos across the globe. He calls1 the First Piper.

    The seed for the world traveling idea 2 him when he attended a travel expo in London, where he met adventurers who shared their 3 from across the globe. Ross was attracted by their stories.

The 4 began on a night in Tunisia in May 2014 by chance. Ross 5 his bags without knowing much about the North African country.6Tunisia, he traveled across Western Europe, the mountains of China, played in front of the Taj Mahal in India and Cambodians ancient temples. But his greatest7was in Kenya.

    On the way to Nairobi, Ross arrived at a famous 8 sanctuary (禁猎区) and hotel in Kenya. He begged the hotel owners to ask if he could play the bagpipes there. They answered 9“Of course the house was built by a Scotsman.” “the minute I started playing all these giraffes started 10towards me, rocking. It was the most 11 audience I've ever had.

    Ross has three 12when traveling. First, pipe in a school to interact with students; second, challenge himself to play in a dramatic place; and last, play in public. His Facebook is filled with 13 taken from around the world.

    Ross's journey is all 14 thanks to his unique music career, which started at the 15 of thirteen when he was offered the chance to play bagpipes at school. After leaving university, he16“the last thing I wanted to do was work behind a desk”. Inspired by the travel expo and equipped with his bagpipes, he made his wish to 17a real desk.

    18 planning what to do in the countries Ross visits, the plans seem to find him. He said, “Chance is a big part of it. That's why I partly, intentionally, don't try to plan too much.” The music connects people in uncommon and wonderful 19“Without having this dripping in clichés（陈词滥调）, it is amazing how 20 does connect people and how it makes people smile,” Ross said.

    “Mom, you're always on the computer！” Laure complained.

    “No, I'm not，” I1.

    “Every day I come home from school you're working on the computer.”

    “Well, at least I'm here 2you！”

    My daughter was right. Day after day, in my home office, I would stare into space as my 3 typed out the thoughts of a speaker or research completed for an article.It seemed that my work as a writer and speaker 4 my fingers to the keyboard and my mind to valuable ideas.What Laure did not 5 was that during her day away, I'd also be doing a lot of housework.It was only around three in the afternoon that I'd 6 seat myself at my desk for a few 7 moments of deep thought.Then she'd come from school.

    I was8of myself on being available to my children.After all, I am a speaker on child behavior and parenting.But Laure's observation9 my heart.In her eyes, I must have been a mom who was 10 but unapproachable.I wouldn't make such an image (形象) before her.My relationship with my children is more 11 than any other work.

    “Laure，” I called, “come here a minute.”

    She wandered to my doorway.I had decided to have her 12 me when I was too devoted to work.I wanted her to have the 13 to let me know when she thought I was cold.

    After I explained my 14 and the fact that I chose home office to be accessible to her and her sister, I offered Laure the following 15.

    “Whenever you feel I'm ignoring you or you need my 16 ， I want you to 17 me，” I said.“Just come up and give me a little hug.That'll be our signal that you 18 me.”

    Years later we still have that 19 sign.I've become much more sensitive to my daughters' comings and goings.20 she always gives me a little hug to remind me of the real reason why I work at home.

    Last year I went on holiday to Spain. But 1, after two days in Madrid, I started to get severe 2 pain. I was in such suffering that I went to the local hospital for a(n)3.

    No sooner had I arrived than I was 4to a small room, and I had not been waiting too long5 a surgeon came to examine me. He didn't speak English and I only spoke a few words of Spanish. He 6that I had to remove my clothes and he gave me one of those funny hospital gowns （罩衣） which hardly 7anything.

    He then asked me in Spanish if I was embarrassed. "Si, unpoco （Yes, a little）", I replied with my face turning red. You see, not only did I feel embarrassed at 8 my clothes in front of a stranger but also this 9stranger was an extremely handsome man. He looked at me as though I was out of my10 and then he quickly 11 down the passage.

    I was beginning to 12what had happened to him when he suddenly reappeared, this time with a group of 13students, and again asked the same question in Spanish. Now I was feeling 14, and shouted in English, "Yes, I'm extremely embarrassed. I think you would mind too if you had to talk to a crowd of strangers with almost no clothes on." Then a female doctor in the group 15 my arm gently and 16 in perfect English, "I think I see the problem. My17 wants to take a photograph of your back﹣an X﹣ray﹣so he wants to know if you are 18a baby. You see, embarazada means pregnant in Spanish."

    No sooner had she told me this than I realized the 19of the misunderstanding. We all had a laugh, 20 I must admit that I felt rather stupid as well.

I suffered my brain injury from a car accident. I was rear-ended(追尾) twice 1 , which caused my head to hit the headrest each time I was hit. I had received news over time from my doctor, which was mentally and emotionally 2 for any 18-year-old to accept. I was 3 , and did not know what this meant for me and my future. Throughout the journey, I tried to 4 why I didn't feel like myself two years after the accident and recognized things I never had 5 with before, such as being unable to remember pretty much anything. My 6 had increased and I did go through days of depression. I wanted to be a 7 but I felt as though that dream would never be reached.

       Sitting in bed feeling 8 , I tried to focus on why I wanted to be a lawyer. I 9 myself that I was the only one holding myself back from making that 10 a reality. Thinking of this, I pulled myself together and have been fighting for my dream ever since. And I am 11 with my bachelor's degree in criminal justice and two pre-law certificates in 3 years at Florida International University.

12 I have to work ten times harder than I would have if I hadn't had this 13 , I wouldn't take it back. I am 14 now due to the things that have happened to me. Nothing is impossible, but it is how you take on a(an) 15 that will get you to where you want to be.