“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.

    Once upon a time, there was a poor man. His 1 was also very poor — a small and empty house, which was 2 with spider webs (蜘蛛网). People tried to 3 coming into his house as they didn't want to come to such a 4 place. And the poor man thought that poverty (贫困) was the 5 for his unlucky life.

    Then, the poor man 6 a wise man and told him about his poverty. The man felt sorry for the poor man and gave him a vase (花瓶). “This will save you from 7,” the wise man 8. The poor man took the 9 from the wise man and wanted to 10 it at first and then spend the money on drinking, as usual. Besides, why would he 11 such a beautiful thing? But then he started 12 the vase carefully and decided not to take it to the market. He brought the vase back to his 13, put it on the table and started watching it again.

    “It's not 14 for such a beautiful thing to be 15” the poor man thought. So he 16 some flowers and put them into the vase. It became even 17. “Not good that such a beautiful thing stands next to a spider web,” the poor man 18 again.

    So the poor man started 19 his house. He cleaned the dust, washed the floor and whitened the walls. And it became clear that his house wasn't poor, 20 rather warm and comfortable. And the poor man wasn't a poor man anymore, but a hard-working host, who had no time to think about poverty.

    My dad has been driving a truck for almost his entire life. He's usually1all the weekdays and comes home only at weekends. Sometimes he stays2for two weeks at a time.3I don't get to see him as often as I wish, we remain very4.

    My dad is the type of person who doesn't let you5up anything that you start. When I was eleven, my father bought me a piano. At first I was so6about it that I would spend hours and hours learning how to play. Then it got 7.I was so tired of it that I asked if I could stop. Much as I tried, he8me to go on. Now I have been playing for almost five years. I love it and I'm glad I9my dad's advice.

    My dad is10talented, for he has been playing the guitar for over 20 years. Under his influence, I also like11now. Sometimes my dad can be my biggest12.He makes me smile even when I lose in a talent show13sometimes he can be my biggest critic (批评家). He14ignore the small mistakes I make. He encourages me never to lose15because he thinks that all my efforts will16one day.

    My dad is generous. Every Thursday night, he17to read to the children at a children's club. When he reads, their18light up with curiosity about what will happen next. I feel19of having a person in my family who cares enough to volunteer to20.

    I love dad with all my heart. He's a hero in my heart and the most wonderful person in the world.

    I was afraid to fly alone, but Dad put me on board anyway and a steward was keeping an eye on me through the flight.

    1 came to land.

    As we broke through the clouds, I could see lights below and knew we were getting close to the 2. When we came to the runway(跑道),however, I realized we were going too  3! I turned and looked back: no one seemed to be acting 4—it seemed to be fine. The lights were gone when suddenly someone shouted, "Look, the runway's 5 !"

    I looked up ahead and saw a busy road. There were lots of 6 that must have seen us became some of them 7 their cars. We crossed the road, and I felt 8 , not knowing whether we were going to ran over or be hit by the cars! 9 was with us, but not for long.

    We 10 nose down onto some ground. The steward came, "Have to 11 !" I didn't 12 and immediately unfastened my seat belt. Through the window I saw 13 sign. A14 thought crossed my mind that the plane could be sitting on gas tanks and it might 15!

    The exits were opened and crow crew 16 to help get people down out. When I did touch the ground. I wanted to 17, still fearing the explosion. The gas tanks were 18 and the flight attent passed me my cell phone by which I called my grandparents, who were waiting for 19 from me. Although they knew no one was dead, they were still glad I was 20 !

Nailed it

    Last July, Peters, 36, rolled her wheelchair into a nail（指甲）salon with the idea of doing her nails. But Peters, who has cerebral palsy（大脑性瘫痪），was 1 The salon, she says, told her that they were afraid it would be 2difficult to properly paint her nails given that her hands 3 What was meant to be a day of beauty happiness for Peters was now a 4.

    5 the interaction from a few feet away was a Walmart cashier（收银员）about to go on her 6 . Ebony Harris, 40, 7 in Peters, a Walmart regular, a similar spirit. "She's a girlie girl," Harris told ABC 12 of Flint, Michigan. "She'^,s just like you, me, my daughter, anybody. She wants to look 8. So why can't she?"

    Harris 9 Peters. "Do you want me to do your nails?" she asked. A smile 10 across Peters's face. "Yeah!" They shopped for nail polish and 11on a bright blue ­ a statement color that would catch every eye. They then made their  12 into a neighboring Subway, and found a table for two. Harris 13 took Peters's hand into hers and carefully began painting her nails.

    "I was a little nervous and was shaking too because I didn't want to 14 her nails up," Hams admitted to ABC News. "I told her she's a blessing to us, to anybody, not 15 me. She makes me look at life and appreciate it much 16 than I have."

    Watching it all with 17 was Subway employee Tasia Smith. What struck her most was the ease and gentleness 18 by Harris as she painted Peters's nails, all the while chatting 19 they were old friends. Smith was so taken by the scene that she wrote about it on Facebook." She was so 20 with her," she wrote. "Thank you to the Walmart worker for making this beautiful girl's day!"

    Danielle was living in a new city with no local bank of her own. She desperately needed to find a bank to cash her paycheck. For more than two weeks, she made 1 one after another but in vain. How could she continue to 2 herself and her two children as a single mother?

    Taking a break from her3, Danielle decided to attend a meeting at the local women's resource center. The women there had been a strong source of encouragement since she fled her home 4 for her safety. Sitting next to Danielle, Amy began to share the details of her desperate situation. She was just days away from  5 her home and her car. Her phone and electric services were both scheduled to be 6 . Her husband had gambled away their money. She had nothing left. Nothing!

    As Amy described the degree of the situation, Danielle  7 God's soft whisper in her heart: "After the meeting, give Amy twenty dollars." Danielle immediately thought, "But I can't. I only have forty dollars." She heard the voice again. Danielle knew she needed to follow. When the meeting concluded, she reached into her purse and 8 handed twenty dollars to Amy. Knowing Danielle's situation, Amy was9 to accept it at first. But as a crowd of women 10 to give Amy hugs of support, Danielle told her that God wanted her to have it. Then Danielle left.

    Now with just twenty dollars left in her wallet, Danielle decided to try cashing her paycheck at just one more bank before heading home. 11 she expected the rejection she had received at so many other banks, she was 12 filled with renewed confidence and optimism. Hopefully, she walked into the bank next to the women's center. Moments later, the bank 13 her paycheck with no questions asked. Wearing a big smile, Danielle returned home.

    As for Danielle, it has been three years since that day. Realizing true hope has no 14, she continues to be 15 for the lifetime supply that she received for just twenty dollars.