In February of 2005, Phil Belfiore was teaching one of Robert Frost's poems “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” He liked it that he recorded it on his home answering machine, which would lead to one of the most unusual1of his life.

    When Phil returned from his vacation, he listened to his voice 2  One gentleman caller 3for dialing the wrong number. But, he added, he'd really 4the poem. Phil laughed and thought nothing more of it— 5the phone rang a few days later.

    Phil 6John's hollow voice immediately, who said sorry to7, but he was calling to hear the8again. The two men talked. It turned out that his brother's phone number was9from Phil's by one digit(数字), thus the wrong number. Before hanging up, Phil told John to 10anytime, whether to hear the poem or just to have a chat.

    That was 11 years ago. They've spoken on the phone a few times a month ever since. It is John who is 11the starter of most calls. However, Phil will ring if a long while has passed. Not 12  John has been in poor health. His special voice is just the 13of some heart trouble. They seem to always 14when there's been a big sports event. The man like to discuss 15most. John will also 16Phil on his life. Slowly, their conversations have grown much more 17  When asked what drew them together, Phil18that they were old friends. They planned to meet twice, but circumstances went19them. Their friendship is based on the simple act of picking up the phone. “My best friend is someone I've not yet met 20 ” says John. It's as simple as that.

    My name is Timothy. I'm 21 years old and I've been diagnosed with autism(自闭症) since the age of 2. I'd like to 1 my story with you about my life with autism.

    Firstly, autism makes me a loner. I can't easily2too much human-to-human communication at the same time. I find it difficult to process all that spoken and unspoken information. I also3some other stuff that has been a rocky roadblock during my life. It's very4to live through the times that I put up with during my life5 teasing, struggling to adapt to new6like schools, on and off depression.7seeing my relative's death and the struggles with my disability. Well,8all of those horrible barriers that tried to cut me down, I have overcome them.

    Those things I mentioned are just a(n)9part of my life.10 there are good things in my life. Currently, I work at a local library to get some11. Outside of that, I'm a writer and motivational speaker to reach people and12their spirits. Now, I'm writing a book titled Through My Eyes: Tim and his Poetry, which is about my life and the 5013I've written.

    Every day, there will be14challenges that are going to fall on me, but I will get stronger as I conquer them. Now, autism can still15me and I go back into my own little16for a short time, then I bring myself back by trying to be as17as I can. I have a few18to be sociable with people. The first one is to ask others about how their day is going19the reply, and then try to talk about something we have in20

    Volunteering abroad comes with a bit of a social stigma(耻辱).  From my 1this couldn't be further from the truth.  Volunteering isn't so expensive that it's only a2 for the well-off. I spent 10 weeks volunteering in Arizona with America Conservation Experience(ACE), helping3America's natural beauty.

    The 4 was arranged through BUNAC, a work and volunteer organization.5it cost me around $1,000 — a sum which I6 mostly by working part-time.

    The self-indulgent(放纵自己的) image is7 to overseas volunteer projects.  However, the work can be8 I spent my time maintaining trails, building fences and carrying out projects in some of the national monuments of America. Summer temperatures in Arizona stay well above 35℃9pleasant if you're carrying 50kg of concrete for 10 hours at a time.  And then there was the wildlife to deal with, which10my strength of character and made my 11of the English household spider disappear.

    12 do most people volunteer for? Probably they want to 13 things to the world.  But in reality, you 14 just as much as the local communities and ecosystems you're helping.

    Spending 10 weeks in America's most beautiful national parks and forests was 15 I gained a far deeper16 of the local environment than the average tourist17 ex-national park rangers(护林者) who knew18 of the area's history and ecosystem.  But best of all, my 10 weeks were spent volunteering with young people from a mix of19 — from Belgians to South Koreans.  When I left Arizona, I returned home having made a lifelong 20with people from around the world.

    I remember how hard the rain was in New York City one morning. It was as if pebbles(鹅卵石) were 1 from the sky. I was walking to the 2 and saw a little girl huddling（蜷缩）under her mom's arms, doing her best not to get 3. Our eyes met as her mom asked her to 4 as the light was about to turn red for them to walk across the street.

    I was feeling 5 and all of a sudden the rain was a shower of help as opposed to a problem. I offered my 6 to them and they were so overcome with the 7 that the mom offered me money. I 8 and said, “You just 9 the umbrella and give the money to your daughter 10she gets good grades.” The little girl 11 up and down and 12 her mom to take the umbrella. She did and we smiled. I told them to have a good dry 13 and I walked into the supermarket.

    I found the few goods that I needed and went to the checkout counter. But I noticed that the 14 was the longest I had ever seen. The woman who was next 15 that I had just a few items and 16 her place. I smiled and thanked her. I 17 my items and went home 18- and cooked one of the best breakfasts for myself as I watched the beautiful blessings of rain outside my 19. I love kindness; I will take and receive 20 everywhere I go.

    As my husband, Doug, stood on the busy New York city street to stop a taxi, I tried to protect my daughter from the cold December wind and rain. I put my head down to kiss her1face.

    Frustrated and wet, my husband gave up his attempt to hail a taxi. I knew the feeling. Just after her first birthday, we were told our daughter Katie has a2brain illness. Since that moment, Doung and I felt like3in a marathon race where the finish line kept disappearing. We knew Katie was running out of4. It had taken months before we finally had a name for the5, but we were told only a few specialists in the world knew how to6it. Now, as we finally found a brilliant doctor to7our girl, we were in a strange city in the cold rain.

    Just at the moment, a middle-aged woman8and said, “Pardon me? May I offer you a(n)9?

    Before we could say10, she continued, “It's really no11for me. Just get in.”

    It was then that I noticed her thick Irish12, which13me up like hot soup. We14said, “Thanks! Roosevelt Hospital, please,” as we got in her car for the ride.

    “Are you going for the baby?” she asked us.

    I nodded my head, holding back my15.

    At the hospital, we16her a dozen times for the ride. As the woman hugged me, I noticed her face was17with tears. She promised to pray for us before she left.

    After three more visits to New York and two more18surgeries (手术), Katie is cured. But the voice of the Irish Angel still rang as a constant19of a tiny ray of light that appeared in our20days.

    Axel Winch was born nearly 13 weeks prematurely (早产地). He 1 2 pounds, 12 ounces and had bleeding in his brain, vision and hearing 2. After a week in the 3 in Grand Junction, where parents Melissa and Adam Winch live, he 4 a life-threatening intestinal (肠道的) condition. Doctors 5 to airlift (空运) Axel and Melissa more than 200 miles to Children's Hospital in Aurora.

    His health remained 6 over the next few weeks as his lungs shut down. "There were many times we didn't think he was going to 7." Adam said. 8, support was on the way. Melissa, 39, is a police officer. The police department in Grand Junction 9 officers in Aurora. Soon, members of the Aurora police department 10 the hospital with offers of help. One brought them banana bread. A detective gave the 11 a place to stay.

    But then things got 12 again. After weeks of caring for Axel in Aurora, the couple had to briefly return to Grand Junction on two separate 13. First, their house had been under contract and they had to 14 in two days. The second time, Melissa's 15 had run out, so she had to return to work for a few days. They hated having to abandon their son, who had improved but was still facing 16 surgeries.

    "We were afraid he was going to die while we were gone," Adam says. Aurora police Mike set up a 17 for his officers to spend time with Axel—when his 18 couldn't he there. They 19 the parents photos of themselves asleep with Axel and updates from the nurses. After four months in the hospital, Axel was 20 enough to go home.