When I heard the news, tears ran down my face. Some years ago on a hot summer day, a little boy decided to go for a 1 in the lake behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the 2 water, he ran out of the back door. He flew into the water, not 3 that an alligator（鳄鱼）was swimming toward the 4. His mother in the house was 5 of the window and saw the alligator 6 it got closer and closer. In fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her sin as 7as she could.

    Hearing her voice, the little boy became 8 and made a return to swim to his mother. It was to 9. Just as he reached her, the alligator 10 him. From the shore, the mother grasped her little boy by the arms just as the alligator grasped his legs. The alligator was much 11 than the mother, but the mother was much too struggling to let the boy go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard her 12, raced from his truck, took aim and 13 the alligator.

    14, after weeks in the hospital, the little boy 15. His legs were scarred by the animal and, on his arms, were 16 scratches where his mother's fingernails scratched. A newspaper reporter, who 17 the boy, asked if he would show him his 18. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious 19, he said to the reporter, “But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my mom wouldn't let me go. They are my mother's 20 for me.”

    On the very first day, God created the cow. He1 to the cow, "Today I have created you!2 a cow, you must go to the field with the3all day long. You will work all 4 under the sun! I will give you a life5 of 50 years."

    The cow objected, "What? This kind of a 6life you want me to live for 50 years? Let me have 20 years, and the 30 years I'll give back to you." So God agreed.

    On the second day, God created the dog. God said to the dog, "What you are7 to do is to sit all day by the door of your house. Any people that come in, you will have to8 at them! I'll give you a life span of 20 years."

    The dog objected, "What? All day long to9by the door? No way! I'll give you 10 my other 10 years of life!" So God agreed.

    On the third day, God created the monkey. He said to the monkey, "Monkeys have to11people. You've got to make them laugh and do monkey 12 I'll give you 20 years life span."

    The monkey objected. "What? Make them laugh? Do monkey faces and tricks? Ten years will13, and the other 10 years I'll give you back." So God agreed.

    On the fourth day, God created14 and said to him, "Your job is to sleep, eat, and play. You will enjoy very much in your life. All you need to do is to enjoy and do nothing. This kind of life, I'll give you a 20 year life span."

    The man objected. "What? 15a good life! Eat, play, sleep, do nothing? Enjoy the best and you16me to live only for 20 years? No way, man! Why don't we make a(n)17? Since the cow gave you back 30 years, and the dog gave you back 10 years and the monkey gave you back 10 years, I will 18them from you! That makes my life span 70 years, right?" So God agreed.

    AND THAT'S WHY...

    In our first 20 years, we eat, sleep, play, enjoy the best and do nothing much. For the next 30 years, we19all day long, suffer and get to 20 the family. For the next 10 years, we entertain our grandchildren by making monkey faces and monkey tricks. And for the last 10 years, we stay at home, sit by the front door and bark at people!

    Last summer I went on a two-day river rafting trip with my teenage daughter as the river guide. I was proud to see my baby girl 1 and confidently moving our raft through a variety of2 white-water conditions. I also found it3to have my daughter giving commands and barking4 as to when and how to paddle(用桨划船).

    As we approached the largest5 on the river I could feel my heart beating faster. Upon 6 the turbulent(湍急的) water, our boat got 7 on a large rock. I was in the front of the boat and reached 8 with my paddle, thinking I would help 9 us away from the rock. In the next instant I could feel myself falling out of the boat and into the river. I did have my moments of 10 and terror.

    This resistance disappeared quickly, 11 I landed in the cold, powerfully turbulent water. 12 my high-quality flotation vest, I was pulled underwater, 13 thankfully, within seconds I popped(冒出) back up to the 14. A few moments later one of the other trip leaders called for me to 15 toward his boat, where I was quickly pulled up and in. I was shaken, out of breath, and quite 16to be out of the turbulent water.

    An equivalent of this experience happens all the time in our lives. This is life. You cannot count on things going 17. When we do, we often 18 disappointed and unhappy. Resisting 19, which often arrives suddenly and unexpectedly, keeps us from 20  the scenario(可能要发生的事) unfolding before us clearly, and it can keep us from acting in ways that are smart and effective and that lead to results that make us feel good and proud of ourselves.

    I'm a seventeen-year-old, counting down the days till graduation, just like every other senior in the world. I've1a lot in my short seventeen years of life, but I have also made mistakes. I'm not2. I'm on the path of self-discovery, which as I've come to realize is not3.

    After many years, I still4remember the last time I had to5. At that moment, starting a new6wasn't really that big of a deal. I spent the next four and a half years in Mountain Home. I made four7friends anyone could ever ask for. When I had to8them, I was depressed.

    I soon9that starting a new high school was different from being the “10girl” in elementary or even middle school. It wasn't as easy to gain the “approval(认可)” of my11now as it had been back then. Back in elementary or middle school,12I was a freshman, I had my friends and people I knew. I could very easily13well over ninety percent of my class.14, at this new school, I15no one.

    I've been told over and over by my mom that I'll16have to enter the “real” world and that the17I have over all of these things will soon disappear. What adults18to realize is that every day in a teenager's life is a battle. We're no longer children, but not quite adults. We struggle to19who we are.

    Although I still have about a year and a half left, I honestly believe that being a teenager has been the hardest20in my life, something I'm sure I'll carry with me for the rest of my existence.

    On a cold winter evening, I was walking home, tired and hungry, when suddenly came screams (呼喊声) from behind some tress. 1, I slowed down to listen, and2that what I was hearing were the sounds of a fight. A woman was being3not far from where I stood.

    "Should I go to help her?" I thought. I was worried about my own4, and I regretted having suddenly decided to take a new way home that night. "What if I'm5too? Shouldn't I just6to the nearest phone and call the police?" But already the girl's7were growing weaker. I knew it was time for me to act fast because I could not8to the life of this unknown woman, 9it meant risking my own life.

    I am not a10man. I didn't know where I found the11and physical strength (体力), but once I had finally12to help the girl, I became suddenly changed. I ran behind the bushes and13the attacker off the woman. Struggling, we fell to the ground, where we fought for a few minutes14the man jumped up and escaped.

    15heavily, I stood up and came up to the girl, who was crying behind a tree. In the16, I could not see her clearly, but I could certainly17her shock. Not wanting to frighten her any further, I at first spoke to her from a distance.

    "It's OK," I said18. "The man ran away. You're safe now. "There was a long stop and then I heard the words, said in both wonder and19. "Dad, is that you?" And then, from behind the tree, stepped my youngest20, Katherine.

    Years ago, when I was working as psychologist at a children's institution in England, a boy showed up in the waiting room. It was David.

    David's face was pale, and he started at his feet 1. He had lost his father as a baby and when David turned 13, his mother was killed in a car accident. He was very depressed, 2to talk to others.

    The first two times we met, David didn't say a word. As he was about to leave after the second visit, I put my hand on his shoulder. He didn't shrink back, 3he didn't look at me either.

    "Come back next week," I 4 a bit. Then I said, "I know it hurts."

    He came, and I 5 we play a game of chess. He nodded. After that we played chess every Wednesday afternoon in complete6 and without making any eye 7. It's not easy to cheat in chess, but I admit that I made sure David 8 once or twice.

    It seemed as if he enjoyed my 9, though he never looked at me. Perhaps he 10 that I respected his suffering. Until some months later, suddenly, he looked up at me, "It's your11," he said. After that day, David started 12. Since then he really started to live his own life.

    Maybe I gave David 13. And David showed me how one – without any words – can 14 out to another person. All it takes is a hug, a 15to cry on, a friendly touch, a sympathetic nature and an ear that listens.