One day I went to a store to get some needed items for my family. I gathered up my goodies and headed for the 1 counter, only to be 2 in the narrow aisle (通道) by a young man who 3 to be about sixteen years old. I wasn't in a hurry, so I 4 waited for the boy to realize that I was there. It was obvious now, he was mentally 5 and a little shocked as he turned and saw me standing so 6 to him, waiting to 7. I said, “Hey Buddy, what's your name?”

    “My name is Denny and I'm 8 with my Mommy,” he responded proudly.

    “Wow,” I said, “that's a(n) 9 name; I wish my name was Denny, but my name is Steve. How old are you Denny?”

    “How old am I now, Mommy?” he asked his mother as she slowly 10 from the next aisle. “You're fifteen years old, Denny”. Then he headed toward the toy section.

    Denny's mom 11 me for taking the time to talk with her son. She told me that most people wouldn't 12 look at him, much less talk to him.

    I told her that it was my 13 and that there are plenty of red, yellow, and pink roses in God's Garden; 14, “Blue Roses” are very 15 and should be appreciated 16 their beauty and distinctiveness.

    You see, Denny is a Blue Rose and 17 someone doesn't stop and 18 that rose with their heart and touch that rose with their kindness, then they've 19 a blessing from God. So, the next time you see a BLUE ROSE, don't turn your head and walk off. 20 to smile and say Hello.

    “Daily Star, sir,” called Jason, carrying some newspapers under his arm. The little boy had been running up and down the street, but there were still twenty1left. His voice was almost gone and his heart was2. The shops would soon close, and all the people would go home. He would have to go home too, carrying the papers3money. He had hoped to sell more papers tonight to make more money to buy a4for his mother and some seeds for his bird. That was why he had bought the papers with all his money. He almost5as he thought of his failure to sell all his papers.

    “You don't know the6of selling papers. You must shout, “Hot news! Bomb bursting(炸弹爆炸)!” another newsboy Chad told Jason. “7 such news is not in the paper at all,” replied Jason. “Don't be so honest. Just run away quickly8they have time to see, and you'll9out the paper and get your money,” Chad said.

    It was a new10to Jason. He thought of his bird with no11and the cake he wanted to buy for his mother, but was12that he would not tell a lie. Though he was13a poor newsboy, he had been14some good qualities.

    The next afternoon Jason went to the office for his papers15. Several boys were crowding around Chad, who declared with a16smile that he had sold six dozen papers the day before. He added that Jason17money because he would not tell a lie. The boys18at Jason. “You wouldn't tell a lie yesterday, my boy?” A gentleman at the office came up and patted(轻拍) Jason's shoulder19, “You're just the boy I am looking for.” A week later Jason started his new20. He lost the sale of twenty papers because he would not tell a lie, but got a well-paid job because he told the truth.

    My mom died when I was two years old. She died in an accident when 1 to visit her parents. I was in the backseat, and wasn't2. I don't remember anything about her. The only few things I know are from the3my dad tells me. I4with only my dad and myself. I love my dad, but sometimes it was5like being in elementary school when Mother's Day was coming, kids would decorate cards, and so on. Then to make it 6 there was “Tea Party with Mom” day for 2nd and 3rd grade when kids and their7would come during the school day and have8and snacks... except my dad would let me9those days, and we would do something 10together like going to Disneyland. I never exactly felt 11even though I didn't have a mom.

    My dad worked very hard. My mom died right as he 12from Harvard Law, and he tried to be both a good 13and a great dad, but also he tried to play both14as dad and mom. I remember all the other girls in my 2nd grade class had hair braided (辫子), and I15that too. So my dad would braid my hair every morning before 16 It makes me smile just to 17 it.

    I think about not having mother occasionally, and18it does bother me, like the19that on Mother's Day my dad and I visit my mom's grave, and bring her 20yellow roses.

    Maybe I don't have exactly what I want, but I have what I need.

    It was January 2000, and I had just finished the final term of my year abroad in Auckland, New Zealand. Warm feelings and happy thoughts1 into my mind. I began thinking about the 2 I was due to take with my friends over the summer, across New Zealand.

    I went shopping for gifts to take back to my family in Malaysia. Then I made my way home. I have always been very careful of3 safety. But, for some reason, on that day I quickly ran across the 4 without looking. At that moment, a 5 turned the corner. I was in the driver's6 spot so he did not see me, nor I him. I was hit by the minibus and was 7 under its wheels.

    When opening my8, I learned that it took 15 minutes to. 9 me from the wheels. A(n)10 team from a local hospital had to lift the minibus off me with their hands.  A tourist in the crowd had come to help, holding my hand and 11 me in the ambulance(救护车). When I arrived at the hospital, 12told me my injuries were life-threatening. They also told me there was a13 chance I could never walk again.

    However, although I14a lot, I was not paralyzed(瘫瘓的). It took me six months to15. I was sad to miss out on the trip across New Zealand but my friends comforted me a lot. 16I was able to attend my graduation, crossing the stage with walking sticks; it didn't matter, because I was just happy to be17. The accident changed my18; it made me think about the terrible things that could have happened. It regularly19me to step back and think twice about my problems, to be20for the second chance I got at life.

    As I sat motionless on the steps of the pool, watching everyone else swim back and forth, I realized that I had spent most of my life watching others enjoy themselves. It was then that I 1 a little girl staring at me with a look of confusion. I smiled at her, hoping to 2 the ice by talking to her. Unfortunately, my 3 failed and she just kept on staring. My 4 increased as a little boy swam up to me and said, “I feel sorry for you.”

    After the 5, a thought struck me, I had to change 6 the world viewed me. Because it was children who stared at me the most, I decided to write a children's book that taught them about 7 in a fun way. This is when KatGirl, a super hero in a 8 who helps children that are being bullied, came into my mind.

    I quickly 9 inside my apartment and began creating the story. As I wrote each word, I could 10 my future as a world-renowned author and public speaker. My excitement 11 like wildfire. Over the next two years, the story 12 many changes before it saw the world in the spring of 2011. My perseverance 13 paid off.

    One day I was invited to speak to the students at a neighboring school. I confidently wheeled into a classroom filled with students who 14 at me just like the little girl in the pool. “How do you feel when you see me?” I asked them. The kids bravely 15 “I feel sorry for you.”

    I opened my book and started reading. Immediately I noticed the children's stares turned to 16.“How do you feel when you see me?” I asked again. Without 17 they replied, “You are so cool! Does your 18 fly too?” I just smiled, “No, not yet, but maybe some day.” I knew in my heart that this was 19. The past two years had proven to me that with 20 anything is possible.

    I was often told that God loved me. I wanted to believe that so much.

    For nearly a 1 I was shuttled between adoptive families and group homes—14 of them. Some families were nice. Others were 2, like evils in a dark fairy tale. At the age of 12, I was finally 3, by Gay and Phil Courter, a couple with two adult sons. Gay said, "We lived for a 4, and we believe that reason is you."

    I'd been lied to by adults so many times in the past years. I wasn't sure they 5 loved me. "There will be no 6. All those parents were pretty much the same," I said to myself. I 7 to call them Mom and Dad. I was particular about the home-cooked meals Gay 8 prepared. I hid in my room as much as possible. I wanted to make them 9 so they'd show their true colors.

    One Friday night in the eighth grade, I really 10 things to the limit. A neighborhood girl had persuaded me to 11 out of the house with her to meet some boys. I put Advil(镇痛药) in my parents' drinks after dinner, 12 it would make them sleepy. Wow! I'd never seen them so 13. "Now they would surely send me back", I thought. Instead they said. "Ashley, we are family, we have nowhere to send you back to, we must 14 this like a family."

    I ran in 15 to my bedroom, where I spent the weekend. Seeing how much I'd disappointed them made me 16. No one had ever cared for me like that. I didn't deserve this 17.

    Sunday night, Gay came into my room. She 18 down and kissed my cheek. "Love you, sweetie," she said. For the first time ever, I kissed her back. "Love you too," I said. That word-love-sounded so 19, yet felt so true. I was discovering that love is what makes a(n) 20.