Jason, our son, was born one month early and so he was weaker than most children. My wife Margaret and I often comforted him as he faced many 1 in his childhood.

    In his seventh grade, Jason 2up for the school running team, which made me both proud and worried. One afternoon, Jason returned home in tears, covered all over with food. He threw his bag on the floor and shouted: “I'm never going to 3 again!” As we later learned, a few older students made fun of his performance on the playground and then threw 4 at him on the school bus on the way home.

    I called the school leader about what happened on the bus, and Jason never experienced that again. He stayed on the team, even though the trouble 5.

    One day in October, we had a heavy 6.As the other kids exercised in the gym they noticed one runner—Jason—7 around the snow-covered playground.

    A few weeks later, Jason had something to tell us. “Mom, Dad, sit down,” he said. I was ready for the8.

    He told us that each month, students chose an “athlete of the month”. The coach would list the top athletes, and the other students 9 for the winner. Jason's name had never been listed.10 that day, one of the students said: “Sir, I would like to choose Jason for athlete of the month.”

The coach looked surprised.

    “He works 11 than any of us, Sir,” the student continued.

    “Does everyone 12 with this?” the coach asked.

Tears formed in Jason's eyes as he told us what happened next. “Mom ... Dad ...13 in the team put their hands up.''

His mother and I, also in tears, looked on as he14showed his certificate (证书).

    Whenever I am sad, I think of this story. I remind myself that challenges are not overcome (克服) by15 but by patience, determination, and faith.

    Jason is in university these days and often holds the highest mark in his class. He is also training in martial arts. I am completely sure he'll wear a black belt someday, and wear it proudly.

    As a high school coach, I did all I could to help my boys win their game. I cheered as hard for 1 as they did. A dramatic 2 however, following a game in which I was a referee(裁判), changed my 3 on victories and defeats.

    It was a league championship basketball game between New Rochelle and Yonkers High. New Rochelle was 4 by Dan O'Brien, Yonkers by Les Beck. The gym was5, and the noise made it impossible to hear. The game was well played and 6 competed. Yonkers was 7 by one point as I 8 at the clock and discovered there were but 10 seconds left to play. New Rochelle, the home team, took 9 of the ball, passed off and shot. The ball 10 around the rim(篮筐边沿) and off. The fans11. New Rochelle recovered the ball, and tapped it in for what looked like victory. The noise was 12.

    I looked at the clock and saw that the game was over. I hadn't heard the final buzzer(终场哨) because of the noise. I 13 with the other official, but he could not help me. So, I 14 the timekeeper, a young man of 17 or so. He said, “Sir, the buzzer 15 before the final tap-in was made. ” Yonkers won!

    I had to tell O'Brien the sad news. His face 16. The young timekeeper came up and said, “I'm sorry, Dad. The 17 ran out before the final basket. ”18, like the sun coming out from a cloud, O'Brien's face lit up. He said, “that's okay, Joe. You did what you had to. I'm 19 of you.” The two of them then walked off the 20 together, the coach's arm around his son's shoulder.

    “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.

    When I was growing up, I loved playing sports. This is partly 1 my dad was a high-school athletic 2 who passed his love of sports down to me. The problem was that in the 1960s there weren't any organized sports for young 3.

    In the seventh grade, I finally had a 4 to try out for a team--the cheerleading team (拉拉队). It was the only sport my junior school offered girls, and that was 5 to support the boys' basketball team. I really wanted to play sports, but I devotedly tried out for cheerleading.

    Actually, trying out for cheerleading was a really big 6. It 7 a very organized tryout and a lot of rehearsing (排演练习). I practiced in front of the mirror in my bedroom for days. "I was very 8 and I was an athlete. Why wouldn't I 9 the cheerleading team?” I thought to myself.

    When the results were posted on the locker-room (衣物间) door, my name wasn't on the 10. I was so 11about such a failure. For a week, I didn't want to go to school. I 12 myself as a great athlete, 13 I couldn't even make the cheerleading team! My parents encouraged me. They 14 me that 15 I got to high school, I'd have a chance to play sports. I would go on with life and do just fine. It was my first lesson in coming back from 16.

    When I got to high school, I played on the field-hockey (曲棍球) and basketball teams. I got a scholarship to play basketball in college, and after college I played 17 in France. I went on to have a very successful career in sports, which all 18 with failing to make the junior-high cheerleading team.

    Life is like that. You don't always get what you want. But if you come back 19 after suffering a 20, you can succeed.

    A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales meeting in Chicago. They had1to their wives that they would be home on Friday evening. In their2to catch the plane home, one of these salesmen accidentally kicked over a table which held a display of apples.

    Apples flew everywhere. Without3or looking back they almost all managed to reach the plane in time.

    ALL BUT ONE! He 4, took a deep breath and felt sympathy for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned. He 5 his friends to go on without him, asking one of them to call his wife when they6and explained his taking a later flight. Then he7 to the place where the apples were all over the floor.

The girl was8blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in9and at the same time helplessly groping (摸索) for her spilled apples 10 the crowd walked past her ,no one stopping or11her trouble.

    The salesman knelt on the floor with her, 12up the apples, put them back on the table and helped 13her display. As he did this he 14that many of them had become bruised (碰伤的).So he set these 15 in another basket. When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl ,"Here please take this $40 for the 16 we did." "Are you okay?” She nodded through her tears.

    He continued, "I hope we didn't17your day too badly." As the salesman started to walk away, the confused blind girl called out to him "Mister..." He paused and 18to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, "Are you Jesus?"

    He stopped and wondered. Then slowly he made his19to catch the later flight with that20 burning in his soul: "Are you Jesus?"