My senior year of high school was very busy. If I wasn't studying or worrying about1, I was taking part in many activities after class or attempting to make my plans for2.

    As the senior year began to slow down, I got a3job working at a local coffee shop. I had expected that the job would be 4, but there are5 when I was angry at the human race as a whole, simply because I couldn't seem to 6anyone. There was always too much sugar, too little ice, or not enough milk. However, I7 working at this coffee shop.

    One day, one of my 8 customers came in, looking depressed and defeated. I asked what the 9 was and if I could help, but the customer wouldn't say any details. He just said that he felt like lying on the bed, 10 the sheets up over his head, and staying there for a few years. I knew exactly11 he felt. Before he left, I handed him a bag with his coffee. He looked at me 12 because he hadn't ordered anything but the coffee. He opened the bag and saw that I had given him his favorite cookies. “It's on me.” I told him.

    The next day that customer came again. 13ordering anything, he 14 me a pink rose and a thank-you note saying that not too many people took the time to care about15 and that he was 16 there were still people like me in the world.

    As time went on, I came across many 17customers. But anytime I felt 18, I thought of that little 19. Then I would smile, hold my head up high, clear my20 and ask politely, “How can I help you?”

    A large cat arrived at a farm where many mice lived. None of them dared go outside for fear of being 1by the cat.

    The mice decided to hold a 2to find a way of stopping themselves from being in3.One day, when the cat was out, mice of all ages4into the meeting room.

    “Let's build a big trap,” one mouse5.When this idea was6,another said, “What about poisoning(毒死）her?” But7knew where to buy the poison. One young mouse, whose mother had become the cat's food,8said, “Let's cut her teeth, so she can do no more harm,” But the meeting did not accept his9. At last, one mouse,10than the rest, jumped onto a table. Waving a bell, he called for11. “Be quiet!” we'll tie this bell to cat's tail, so we'll always know12 she is! We'll have13to escape, and the slower and weaker mice will hear her coming and he able to14!”Hearing the words, everyone got15and they congratulated him on his good idea.

    We'll tie it so tightly(紧紧地）that it will never16!”

    “she'll never be able to walk17again! Why, the other day, she suddenly appeared right in front of me! Just imagine....”

    However, the wise mouse said, “We must18who is going to tie it on her tail.” There was not a sound in the room. Nobody was19enough to put the plan into action. The meeting ended without any decision being made.

    It's often very20to have bright ideas, but putting them into practice is a more difficult matter.

    My earliest memory of Dad was grabbing his hand while we walked together. As I grew1I remembered my father and I listened to basketball games on the radio. I always fell asleep2the game was over. When I woke up in the morning, the score sheet with the3score on it would be lying 4me.

    On cold mornings my father would bring his bread truck by the house. I used to ride on the floor of that bread truck5he delivered the bread to the stores. The6and the warmth from the bread made my mouth water and kept me warm.

    My father would7all my games. One night before an important game my father told me8that he wouldn't be able to watch the game because he had to deliver the bread and it was a three-hour9from his route. The next day as the game time approached, I thought about my dad. I happened to look across the field and10saw his bread truck pulling into the stadium. He managed to11it to the game.

    Years later I became a teacher. I'd never forget the voice on the phone early one morning telling me Dad had just been 12in a traffic accident. I could hear my heart13in my ears. I14the phone and went back to my bedroom. After that, nothing really15to me. I still taught in school16I couldn't focus on my teaching. One day, I was on the playground when a little boy walked up to me and17my hand. His hand held mine the same way I used to hold my father's by the last two18.At that moment I found my 19in life again. You see even though my father was gone, he left something with me. He left me his smile, compassion and touch. My purpose was to use those20as he did. From that day on I started.

    “Wanted: Violin. Can't pay much. Call …”

    Why did I notice that? I wondered, since I rarely looked at the classified ads. I laid the paper on my lap and closed my eyes, remembering what had happened during the Great Depression, when my family 1to make a living on our farm. I, too, had wanted a violin, but we didn't have the 2.

    When my older twin sisters began showing an interest in music. Harriet Anne learned to play Grandma's upright piano, 3 Suzanne turned to Daddy's violin, simple tunes soon became 4 melodies as the twins played more and more. 5 in the rhythm of the music, my baby brother danced around while Daddy hummed（哼唱）and Mother whistled. I just 6.

    When my arms grew7 enough, I tried to play Suzanne's violin. I loved the beautiful sound of the firm bow drawn across the strings. Oh, how I wanted one! But I knew it was 8 the question.

    One evening as the twins played in the school orchestra, I closed my eyes tight to capture the picture firmly in my 9. “Someday, I'll sit up there.” I vowed（发誓）10.

    Unfortunately, it was not a 11 year. At harvest the crops did not bring as much as we had hoped. I, however, couldn't 12 any longer to ask, “Daddy, may I have a violin of my own?”

    “Can't you use Suzanne's?”

    “I'd like to be in the orchestra, too, and we can't13 use the same violin at the same time.”

    Daddy's face looked 14. That night, and many following nights, I heard him 15 God in our family prayers, “… and Lord, Mary Lou wants her 16 violin.”

    One evening we all sat around the table. The twins and I studied. Mother sewed and Daddy wrote a letter to his friend, George Finkle, in Columbus. Mr. Frinkle, Daddy said, was a fine 17.

    As he wrote, Daddy read parts of his letter out loud to Mother. Weeks later I 18 he'd written one line he didn't read aloud: “Would you watch for a19 for my third daughter? I can't 20 much, but she enjoys music. And we'd like her to have her own instrument.”

    I grew up on a big farm in the small rural community of Catevisa, Missouri, as the sixth of seven children. My parents, Archie and Altha, often 1 during meals how everything on the table came from the 2.

    Besides running the farm, Dad was also a 3. In the fall of 1970, he was working on a house when the ladder broke 4. His back was fractured in two places and 5needed rescue.

    He stayed in the hospital for three weeks, 6 his back to align (校准) correctly so the bones would 7 perfectly.

    On Thanksgiving, Dad was still in the hospital. We always killed pigs the day after the holiday so that we had enough pork 8 for the next year, and that year my uncle 9 with a couple of cousins to help my three older brothers prepare our year's supply.

    After Dad returned home, he was in a back brace, saddened for 10 to work. Worse still, the doctor told us his chance of complete recovery was 11. I was too young to realize our family had no money coming 12 as Christmas approached.

    One night we heard a car coming up the long driveway and we kids were 13 about who was visiting. Peggy Phelan, my neighbor, was at the door, holding an envelope 14 with money which, according to her account, she had 15 in the community. And she was there to 16 it!

Dad tried to 17 but Peggy would have none of it. I can still hear her saying, "Archie, whenever someone's baler (压捆机) is broken, you help them to bale their hay. Every time someone passes away, Altha is cooking. It's our18."

    That evening, I understood what being a good neighbor was, and that 19 my parents were good neighbors, their 20 would be paid back.

    We have all heard how time is more valuable than money, but is it 1 to have too much?

    I 2 back in high school I spent most of my day at school since I also 3 a team sport. By the time I got home, I only had a few hours to do my homework, so I had to do it 4.

    When I got into college, things 5. I suddenly found myself out of class before noon time. Because of all this 6 time, there was no sense of 7 to do my school work immediately. I was performing this action of waiting until it later became 8. Once that happened, I just kept 9 my studying further and further back in my day. Then I got to the point where I was 10 really late at night to get my work done.

    One day I 11 a former classmate of mine who was 12 a lot of money running a sideline (副业). Since his regular job was 13. I asked him why he just didn't do his sideline full-time. He said without the job, he would 14 have too much time and would just do what I did back in 15. He said that if he 16 the job, he would lose his 17 to work and succeed.

    So, try 18 up your time with other work. This is why there is a 19 that if you want something done, ask a 20 person to do it.