My husband kissed me goodbye, stroke (轻抚) the baby's cheek and then rushed out of the door, into his busy day. With the cold of the morning fading, I fed my baby and it fell fast asleep. Usually I would place it in bed and quickly have the house somewhat in 1.

    However, this morning, I stayed seated, just 2, with the baby in my arms. The thoughts ran into 3of the mornings with my husband, a father rushing out of the door to meet the obligations of life. It was only a small jump to thoughts of my own 4.

    My mother passed away when I was ten, and as I looked 5, I could see how much of a family man my dad was. He went to work every morning and 6 to his family every evening. He 7 food, clothing, warmth, and protection. He was a faithful father.

    Setting the baby down, I dialed the 8 number. I had just realized the 9 of the ordinary－the daily life going on around us that we often took for granted, and that it needed to be 10.

    "Hi, Dad." I said, 11 back tears.

    "Hey, Bud. How are you?" 12 was in his voice.

    "Fine, I'm just calling to say … thank you." I got it out before my throat 13 too much for me to speak.

    "What for?"

    "For getting up and going to work every morning of my life. Now that I have my own 14 and I see my husband doing the same, I just wanted to thank you for being 15."

    There was 16 for a moment as my dad composed himself, and with a small 17 in his voice he said, "You're welcome, Bud."

    I don't remember much of the rest of the call, 18 that moment of revelation (显露) about my father, I will never forget. There are those who are known for their heroic 19, and also those who are known for their fortunes and fame, but it is the 20 everyday fathers who are the true heroes. I'm thankful that my father was one of them.

    A young girl is smiling at me from a picture frame on my desk as I write this. She is my child I 1 sponsored from the Philippines. Even though I have never met her in person, she has found a 2 place in my heart. It doesn't 3me much to help her, about a dollar a day.4, millions of people in this world live on less. The 5 that helping her gives me, however, is beyond 6. It connects me to her, to life,7 to love.

    I can still 8 the first time that I decided to help a child overseas. It was many years ago. I was only a teenager myself and had a little extra 9 each month. I didn't feel like 10 anything, though. We had 11 everything we had in a house fire a few years before.12 that had taught me a lot. I had learned that I didn't need a lot of “stuff” to be 13. I had also read a lot about the 14 of children in poor countries around the world. It seemed like a far better thing then to give what I could to help them. With my Mom's love and 15, I soon found a few organizations like Children International that were 16 others around the world. It felt so good being able to reach out and help another 17. It felt so good being able to make even one life better. I could feel the compassion and 18 growing within me and beginning to change me.

    Empathy (同情) does change us. It helps us to 19, to be kind, and to make this world a 20place.

    Like many military wives, I had to stand the long separations until my husband retired. Though I supported him in his chosen career, I1every moment away from him.

    To 2 our separations, I wrote letters every day. I made up dozens of small 3 for him which I secretly put into his bag, so that he could 4 them when he was out to sea. To this day those notes are still 5 to us.

    6in 1996 my husband retired from the Navy. But the only job 7 for my husband was six and a half hours of driving away in Norfolk, Virginia.

    We spent eight months 8. That was our hardest separation, perhaps because we had 9 planned to be apart again. He 10 to apply for jobs in the area where we hoped to live. We expected we would soon be able to be 11 again.

    One day Louie called me with the good 12 . He found a job in southwest Virginia. We were excited! There was only one small 13. Louie would have to live in a camper (露营车), while our daughters and I lived in a little house an hour and a half of driving 14. My daughters were 15 enough to take care of themselves? So I left them and stayed with Louie.

    Louie and I spent several 16 weeks together. One morning after he left for work, I sat 17 in the camper trying to remember any possession that was as priceless as the 18 we stayed together. I couldn't 19 a single thing. Then all of us moved into that camper and lived there for a year. It was pure joy! I've learned that the greatest 20 I have is the time I've spent with the ones I love.

The Chess Competition

    I had signed up to play in the School Chess Competition two months before. I'd been counting the days, filling my afternoons with practice games and begging everyone I knew to play 1 with me.

    Soon the competition was about to begin. I would be competing against twenty 2, and all of us would be battling for just a few trophies. Glancing up at the prizes, I could just 3 one of them sitting on my bookcase.

    My daydream was interrupted by the announcement of the 4 round. "Shake hands and start playing" said the judge. I 5 across the board and saw that my first opponent (对手) was almost too small to see over the top of the table. "Aha" I thought. "This will be a(n) 6 win."

    One unexpected game later, I 7 my overconfidence. My opponent, the nine-year-old girl, had beaten me in only 10 minutes! I hid my disappointment and 8 her. "Good game! You're a fantastic player," I said with a sincere smile.

    The next three rounds went by very quickly, with each game proving more 9 than the one before. By evening I had one win and three losses. After the second game, I was ready to go home and give up, 10 I stayed anyway, smiling and sincerely congratulating each of my opponents.

    As the trophies were being awarded, I listened 11, applauding each winner as his or her name was called.

    It was hard to hide my disappointment, but I tried. 12, I heard the announcer say my name. "For excellent chess etiquette (礼仪), a friendly 13, and great determination, the Good Sport Award 14 to Dustin Hodges," the judge declared. It was amazing and I smiled broadly as I walked up to accept the prize. Although it wasn't the trophy that I had hoped for, the gold cup looks pretty good on my bookcase. I think it won't stay there forever, and I plan to 15 it with the championship trophy next year.

    One evening, Mr. Green was driving his car along a lonely country road. He had drawn $10,000 from the bank in town. Suddenly a man in rags (破旧衣服) stopped him and asked for 1. Mr. Green told him to get in and continued on his way. 2 he talked to the man, Mr. Green learned that he had just broken out of prison. Mr. Green was very afraid at the thought of his 3. Suddenly he saw a police-car and had a 4 idea. He put on speed and drove as quickly as possible. Then he found the police-car running 5 him. After a mile or so, the police-car passed him and 6 him to stop. A policeman came up. Mr. Green had hoped to tell him about the trouble but the man put a gun to Mr. Green's 7.

    The policeman said he wanted Mr. Green's name and 8 and Mr. Green told him. The policeman wrote it down in his notebook and put it in his 9. "You must go to the police station." He said. Then he talked to Mr. Green about dangerous 10. Mr. Green started up his car again. He had 11 all hope of his $10,000, but as he reached a more lonely part, the robber said he wanted to 12. Mr. Green stopped and the man said, "Thank you. You've been so 13 to me. This is what I can do in 14." And he handed Mr. Green the policeman's 15 which he stole while the policeman was talking to Mr. Green.

    I was a shy girl and I was afraid to talk to people I didn't know. I enjoyed the1 of exploring nature. 2, at school I had to spend all day in the company of others. My3was reading. I spent a lot of time studying and was 4  good grades. My only failure was Spanish — I'd get all As on my written work and tests, but Ds and Fs on the5 part.

    Eventually I went to college. During my third year of college, I had6of being shy and determined to change my outlook and behavior. One day while at school, I noticed an advertisement for7on the local classical music radio station. I had8listening to classical music, and I could easily pronounce names such as Tchaikovsky and Chopin.

    I had no background in radio, and absolutely no hope of getting the job. The idea of9thousands of listeners in "radio land" terrified me. However, I10survived the interview. I was given brief descriptions of symphonies（交响乐）and a public service announcement to read, and a list of composers' names11 . It wasn't hard for me. I left the recording session（录音场次）with a sense of relief and a sense of12. About two weeks later I actually landed the job. It was a13 job, but I grew to14 it greatly. I began to feel comfortable talking to people.

    Although I now spend many hours each week talking with people, I'm15basically a quiet person. Perhaps it is my soft voice and my16nature that helps draw people out when they respond to my questions when I17 them. My former shyness is a18, as I can relate to people who feel discomfortable when they talk to reporters. I still enjoy moments of loneliness and the19found in nature. But I'm also glad I decided to make a20in my life that has opened many doors and opportunities that I never knew existed.