I truly feel that my mother led me here, to Morzaine, and to my future as a happy wife and businesswoman. When Mum1  in October 2007, I was a cook. In December that year, a pearl (珍珠) necklace Mum had left me 2 . I was distraught (忧心如焚的). Some days later, I was 3  that a guy who was working with us that day，“could probably have made a fortune 4  the necklace he found”5 ， he returned it. When he heard how I'd6  Mum for six months before her death, he said, “Winter is coming, and I think this Christmas would be  7  for you. Why not go out to the Alps(阿尔卑斯山)for a couple of weeks？”

    I came to Morzaine, a small,8 village in the Alps and immediately fell in love with it. What was 9 to be a stopgap (权宜之计) trip turned into a new life. I kept travelling between London and here and felt 10  than I had in months. In December 2008, I was11as a hotel manager and moved here full time.

    A month later, I met Paul, who was traveling here. We fell in love. In the beginning, I didn't want to discuss 12 ， because the sadness of losing Mum 13 felt great. Paul understood that and never  14 me. But, by summer, we got married. A year later, we used his savings, and the money from the sale of Mum's house, to build our own 15. We want to give our guests a  16 feel, so each room is themed(以……为主题) around memories from our lives. There are also styles to remind me of Mum—a tiny chair which 17 be in her bedroom is set in one room.

    We are having a wonderful life and Mum18 naturally part of it,19  there's no way we would be here if it wasn't for the 20 she gave me. I know she's here in spirit, keeping an eye on us.

    Today my son didn't feel well and came home from school early. I decided to take him to lunch. On the way, he saw a woman pushing her cart along the street. He said to me, “Ma, she's wearing baseball cleats(夹板) as 1. I just wish I made enough money to be able to 2 a pair of comfortable shoes for 3 I see that doesn't have shoes.”

    We drove to a shopping center and he went inside. He 4 thought out what he'd get. He 5 the most comfortable and the longest lasting shoes that would keep her 6too. He 7 two pairs: athletic shoes and also boots for the winter, along with a six pack of socks.

    We drove back to find her and give her this 8. I had no intention of taking a 9, but I was holding my phone as I saw her reach up to 10 him. It choked me up and I couldn't 11 that moment. I opened the camera as quickly as I could and 12 it. It brought tears to my eyes as he hugged her and then helped her 13 the tags and put them on. He quietly got back into the 14 and he sat there for a minute or so. When he looked over at me he said, “Ma, today is her birthday. She was so 15.”

    He didn't ask questions or talk 16 about her situation. He simply 17. He took basically one week of his pay and made this lady's birthday 18. I challenge everyone to love a 19 with the 20 of a child. Show compassion and give what you can. It doesn't have to be a lot. 

    As we slowly drove down the street on that cold December evening, we spotted the porch（门廊）light. “This 1be the house." I told our "Positive Teens In Action" group with certainty. We2in front of an older home with the porch light shining. We gathered up our 3 books, walked up the steps, and4on the door. We heard a 5 voice from inside say, "Come in. The door is open." We opened the door.

    There in a rocking chair 6 an elderly woman with a big 7 on her face. "I've been8you,"she said weakly. Ruth was one of our "Meals On Wheels" stops I had9. I had phoned her and told her about it. Going along with me were the10 church members who 11 singing carols（颁歌）.

    We 12 Ruth the basket of delicious food the teens had prepared earlier that evening. Then I asked Ruth what carols she would like to 13Ruth was smiling cheerfully when she 14 singing each song.

    15we hugged Ruth good-bye, she said to me with tears in her eyes, “The day you 16 I was still in bed. l had just finished17 .I asked God if it would be possible to have some Christmas carolers come to my home and18 this year. Thank you for being the 19to my Christmas prayer."

    Wow, what an awesome 20 to have the opportunity to make Ruth quite content!

    All of us in Monte Vista Christian School know we'll one day have graduation photos for the yearbook taken. As the time 1, the girls start to have a 2 about what they'll wear and where to take the photos, while the boys 3 hardly talk about it. As for me, I 4 for my photos to be taken by the sea.

    When I arrived there, I met my photographer, Annie. She asked me to make some poses and I 5 her advice. After that, I asked if she could make me look 6 by taking photos in a different way, 7 I'm less than 1.6 meters tall. To my 8 she responded, "I will make no 9 to make you look like someone you're not. You look good in your own way." She 10 that she wouldn't try to edit the photos either.

    I was shocked by what she said. Girls always 11 to look perfect by using different visual angles. When you go to a photo studio, photographers always try to hide your 12 by telling you to stand in a certain way. And picture editors can easily 13 your look by making you appear any you want to. 14, that's not the case here. Seeing I was 15, Annie explained: "Everyone has his uniqueness. You need to 16 your own beauty. You cannot live in a world of 17 photos."

    It was the first time that I had met a photographer who doesn't 18 photos at all. After the shoot, I saw the photos — they are 19 special and natural. But what's even more special are Annie's 20, which will always stay in my heart.

    I believe that life's toughest lessons are best learned through personal experience. Throughout my childhood, my grandmother 1 me with unconditional love but always stressed, "You're not 2 than anyone else, but you're just as good as anyone. Treat others with 3, and you would earn respect 4."

    However, I never really 5 it until I was seventeen and got a summer job as a janitor. As I 6 floors and toilets, I watched people walk right by me and ignore my 7. This made me feel angry and wonder why they treated me so poorly.

    When I 8 to my grandmother, she offered me some words of 9 and reminded me never to forget the feeling of being "10" and to do the best job, because it was still my work, in which I should take 11. She added that it would make me a better man someday.

    Make me a better man someday? She must be 12, I thought to myself. But I needed the job to 13 college and there were few other jobs available, 14 I bit my tongue and kept on working as best as I could for the 15 of the summer.

    Today, when asked what job helped prepare me to gain the 16 of a key university, I tell people it was my summer job cleaning restrooms that 17 me as a man and, down the road, as an educator.

    As you can see, 18 can only be understood by walking in a lot of different shoes. So I suggest students 19 of their comfort zones and get deeply involved in different work and community experience. It's essential for people to find 20 in every person, no matter who they are or what they do for a living.

    A businessman was in heavy debt. The sponsor cut off his investment (投资), 1 the supplier was urging payment. The businessman felt it 2 to get out of the trouble. He sat on a bench in the 3, with his head 4 in his hands, thinking hard on how to avoid bankruptcy (破产).

    Just at this moment, an old man suddenly appeared and asked him, "Are you in any 5?"

    Hearing the businessman's story, the old man said, "I can 6 you." The old man asked the businessman's name and then handed him a 7, saying, "Take this, let's meet here again in one year. I believe you will surely pay me back."

    "Oh, thank you very much, I promise I will."

    Then the old man left. The businessman 8 the $500,000 check, and found the signature on it was John D. Rockefeller, a billionaire's name.

    "So the problem was solved easily," the businessman thought to himself. Thanks to the check, he could possibly find a 9 to save his company. 10, he decided not to use the money until he had to. With such thoughts in mind, he became positive about his 11. Therefore, a second talk with the supplier went 12 and he gained the permission of 13 delay. After that, he made several deals 14. A few months later, he paid off all the 15 and his business improved and began to make profits again.

    One 16 later, he came to the park as 17, the $500,000 uncashed check in hand. Soon the old man came. The businessman was just about to 18 the check to the old man when a nurse ran over and seized the old man. "I 19 him," the nurse shouted, "I hope he didn't 20 you, sir, he always runs away from the nursing home and tells everybody that he is John D. Rockefeller." The nurse took the old man away with the words.