Before I came to college, I was sure I knew all about it, since I had met some college students and had seen more than my share of old "college" movies where the 1 belonged to "playboys" and the heroines to sophisticates(圆滑世故的人）. But, now, after one semester as a college student, many of my old ideas have2 completely.

    I used to imagine bossy upper-classmen, for example. I thought they would be know-it-all rulers of the campus who 3 freshmen for fun. I pictured being 4 to the wrong classrooms, being ignored. But, in fact, the upper-classmen turned out to be quite 5. They offered to help me and inspired me to6 my tough courses.

    The upper-classmen weren't the only ones I worried about. I was also 7 about the other freshmen. I was afraid they might think I was too fat, too shy, too 8, or even too dumb to bother with. 9, I was wrong. When I finally got to college, I discovered that most students felt exactly as I did. They were as uneasy with me as I was with them, and as we started to open up, we began to10 one another. We began to become curious about each other's backgrounds and interests; the differences among us actually became11.

    I changed my mind about other things too. I had 12 homework to be a book-filled nightmare, which would keep me from meeting 13 dates. I did have some 14 tests; I did break out in a clammy sweat, and 15 a stomach upset and a gigantic headache, but contrary to expectations, I passed all of my exams with good grades.

    I've always been 16. Then if the worst happens, I'm just ready for it. I have planned to live 17 this principle before. But after this, I know not all schools would be the same. This one 18 to be much better than I thought it would be — a good 19 in not jumping to conclusions. No doubt my 20 toward college will shift still more as I go on, but I know I'll never be as negative as I was before I got to college.

    When my sister Diane began playing the violin, she was seven. How did she sound? Terrible. But she didn't 1. At twelve, she asked our parents if she could 2 a full-time music school. They said no. Actually, everyone agreed that my sister 3talent.

    I was better at my 4. My teacher had told my parents that I had great potential. So my parents found the best piano teacher in the area to 5me. But the only time he was 6was Saturday afternoons at 3 p.m. Back then, I was 7about the British TV shows "The Avengers", which was aired every Saturday at 3 p.m. I let nothing take up my "Avengers" hour. So I 8 this amazing opportunity. Today, I don't even have a 9 in my house.

    My sister became an engineer, but she 10 stopped making music. When she was in her 40s, she switched careers. She went back to college, got a(n)11in music education, and became a music teacher. She starts kids out on their first instrument and gives them all the encouragement and support she never12.

    Recently, she and a pianist pal put on a recital. A big crowd of friends and family13for her. As she played, I looked around at the audience. Everyone was 14enjoying the music. It occurred to me that I was the only person who remembered that 7 -year-old kid making those perfectly15sounds and knew how far she had come, despite everything.

    Talent is important. But enthusiasm is even more important.

    A Michigan man, named Bob, was alone when he left his farmhouse on New Year's Eve to collect firewood. Expecting a journey of only several meters, Bob was just 1 long johns (秋裤), a shirt and slippers (拖鞋) when he went outside,2 the temperature being around -4℃. 3, he fell down and broke his neck. He4 for help but his nearest neighbor is about a quarter mile5and it was 10:30 pm.

    6 , Bob's Kelsey, a five-year-old Golden Retriever (金毛寻回犬) came. She kept Bob warm by 7 on top of him, and kept him 8 by licking (舔) his hands and face. She kept barking for 9 but never left his side. Bob said: "With Kelsey keeping 10 with me, I knew I had to 11 this and that it was my choice to stay alive."

    By morning Bob's voice was gone, but Kelsey didn't 12 shouting still. Bob's neighbor  13 discovered him after hearing Kelsey's shouts and called 911. When Bob arrived in hospital, his temperature was14 21 ℃. Normal body temperature is 37 ℃, so Bob was 15 to find out that he didn't have any injury16 cold. "I'm sure it was because of Kelsey's 17to keep me warm and aware," said Bob.

    And to the surprise of doctors, Bob made a quick 18 from his neck injury. "I think animals can help and his 19 hero did keep Bob alive and really make a big 20 ," said Chaim Colen, MD, Neurosurgeon (神经外科医生) at McLaren.

    Devon Gallagher, a college graduate from Philadelphia, wants the world to know where she's been during her great worldwide vacation in a(n) 1way.

    The traveler, who was 2 with a bone disease, had her right leg 3 at the age of four. 4 the amputation (截肢) caused hardships for Gallagher early on, she, at the age of 22 now,5 it as an inspiration for making the 6 of her life.

    To spread that7, Gallagher has 8 to social media, 9 she shares photos of her travels across the world, but instead of 10 using a geotag (地理标签), she draws her location across her artificial leg before taking a picture.

    Now she has been taking pictures 11 Europe. "I get a new leg every two years and I can choose the design on it. One day I had a sudden 12 that my new leg could be used as a blackboard," Gallagher said. "My mum and grandmother weren't too 13 the idea, but my friends thought it was great and told me to go for it, so I did."

    Gallagher said people often stare when she's 14 on her leg, but once she shares the photos, she 15 only praise and encouragement. "My leg hasn't 16 me from doing anything I've wanted to do," she said. "I don't know 17 it is my determination to prove to myself that I can do it, but anyhow, I've been able to 18 up with my peers and lead a pretty great life."

    Gallagher shows us that you should never let anything stand in the 19 of your dream. And if you meet with an obstacle (障碍), get 20 with it— if life gives you an artificial leg, make art.

    I recently asked for a raise from a friend and she agreed.

    I met her at a playground, and told her I 1 another child in addition to my two during the week, and that I wanted to 2 it. She was actually looking for low-key care like that for her 2-year-old and the following week she 3. I threw out a 4 price. I don't know why really, I just tend to do that sort of thing.

    After weeks passed, I 5 it wasn't making much sense for me 6 to continue and I had to address it. In a text I told her I needed to up the price a bit. I 7 that the number we 8 agreed on wasn't covering my time and expenses. I threw out the amount I thought was 9 and fair, and do you know what I said next?

    Thank you.

    "Thank you for letting me feel10enough to be honest."

    What I really wanted to say was sorry. My11 was the exact thing I wanted to 12 for, but I didn't.

    Normally I would have but I consciously 13 "sorry" with "thank you". This 14 made me feel so much more 15. At first I was surprised that word choice could have so much 16 over my feelings, but then it occurred to me that it's not just my 17 that changed, but the actions I take before speaking them. 18 trying to obtain bits of 19 in apologies, I give them to myself. I no longer wait to be 20 when I've done nothing wrong and I feel a greater sense of confidence and worth. I've found the more I honor myself, the more others honor me, too.

    I believe in miracles(奇迹) because I've seen so many of them. One day, a patient was referred to me who was one hundred and two years old. "There's a1in my upper jaw," she said. "I told my own dentist it's nothing, but he 2I come to see you."

    Her eighty-year-old son accompanied(陪伴) her. He would3to add something, but she stopped him. She wanted to tell everything herself. I found a large cancer that spread over much of the 4of her mouth. A careful examination later 5that it was a particularly bad sort of cancer.

    During her next appointment, I explained to her the6of the problem She held my hand in hers and said, "I know you're worried about me, but I'm just7."

    I thought otherwise. After a great deal of 8on my part, and kindness on her part because she wanted to 9me, she agreed to have me refer her to a cancer surgeon. She saw him, but as I expected,10treatment.

    About six months later she returned to my office, still energetic and11.

    "How are you?" I asked.

    "I'm just fine, honey," she responded in 12 spirits. "When can I get started on fixing my dentures(假牙)?"

    Surprised to see her at all, I answered 13 ,"Let me take a look in your mouth and we'll see about it. "

    I couldn't believe my eyes. The cancer that had 14 nearly the entire roof of her mouth was gone—only one small area of redness 15.

    I had read of such things happening, but had 16seen them with my own eyes. That was my first miracle. Since then I've seen many others, because they keep getting 17to see. In fact, miracles are daily events for me now. And people are in miracle,18through them we have a chance to know ourselves and to19the miracles of one another.

    Since my first miracle, I've come to understand that a miracle is20we choose to find it.