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. 

View life from new angles

    When I was 14, life felt dull and boring. The high school I went to had over a thousand students, I didn't really 1 to notice the differences between us all.

    Butth is dull view of mine 2 when my parents bought me a camera for 3Even though I didn't 4 the first thing about photography, I dived headfirst into the medium. It was after a month of playing with my new camera when I realized I had no 5 for taking pictures. My photos were clearly 6 something of importance and lacked 7. After a while, I became so 8 with my lack of artistic talent that I quit my new hobby.

    During the summer break, I suddenly decided to pick it 9 again. I went for a walk on the railroad track behind my house. Surprisingly, this walk on the tracks was 10 began my love for photography. When I was walking on the train tracks 11 a model to photograph and only 12 around me, I 13 how important it was to look at the details of things. I didn't worry about trying to create something beautiful. Instead, I just 14 photos of the beauty already around me. I quickly became 15 to color, lighting, shape, shading and everything in between. After months of studying outdoor 16, I was finally able to create beauty of my own and my work has been 17 in two small magazines.

    Slowly, my photos became something I was 18 of. They're not masterpieces, but they're important to me. And they're signs of how much my artistic abilities have 19: I went from zero artistic talent to being published.

    20 this Christmas gift from my parents, I now have a new way of looking at the world.

    Around twenty years ago I was living in Seattle and going through hard times. I could not find 1work although I had a lot of experience and a Master's degree.

    To my 2, I had to drive a school bus to 3my family. At the same time, I had some 4with different companies but they all5to say I did not get the job. I went to the bus barn（车库）, feeling6.

    Later that afternoon, 7doing my rounds through the town I had an inner wave rise from deep 8 me and I thought "Why has my9become so hard?"

    Immediately after this internal（内心的）scream, I 10the bus over to drop off a little girl. As she11, she handed me an earring saying I should keep it12somebody looked for it. The13was stamped with words "BE HAPPY". Then it struck me. I had been putting all of my14into what was wrong with my life rather than what was15!

    One night there was a phone call for me from the16at a large hospital. She asked me whether I17do a one-day training for 200 hospital workers. I said 18and got the job.

    My day with the hospital workers19very well. I got a great20and many more days of work. To this day I know that it was because I changed my attitude to life.

    Right after lunch, Mother found she had got a cold. She did need a rest in bed. But first she had a few things to do. Prepare the meat for 1. Leave a note for the cleaners…

    At last, she fell into bed, soon asleep…

    Then the door banged(砰地一声) open as the 2 came home from school. "Mom! Mom! Where are you?" "Didn't you even get up yet?" "What about dinner?"

    "I'm sick. And I can't do anything. I'll have to leave all to 3 . Cook the potatoes. Take care of the baby. Put plates, spoons and forks on the table."

    "Wonderful!" "No problem!" The children ran off 4. Mother was left in her quiet room. She felt terrible! But everyone else seemed great. In fact, there seemed to be a party going on with loud laughs 5 the children.

    There was a sudden crash (破碎声). Then a voice shouted, "Get the baby out of the way —6 he cuts himself. Don't break Mom's rest!"

    Another crash came! The younger girl rushed in with news. "They 7 your plate and the dog ate all your dinner."

    The girl ran off. There was more noise until, finally, the children appear, 8. They were proud of what they brought. There is a glass of water, three beans, a cold boiled potato and a small piece of burned meat.

    Suddenly, Mother felt 9. As the children watched carefully, she ate her cold dinner. "Everything 10so good," Mom smiled. "Thank you, my kids. I feel better now."

My mother has taught kindergarten for 39 years. She used to collect and wash old tennis balls. 1 my father drilled holes in each one. Once my dad finished them，the balls would fit 2 onto the feet of a standard school chair and 3 the annoying noise that let out every time kids moved the chairs. When you are in 4 of a classroom filled with kids who have never been to school before and turning them into students, the little things 5.

One day, a boy was transferred (转学) into my mom's 6. He had a long record of misbehavior, including eight suspensions (暂时停学) from his 7 school. His teacher still remembered being 8 about how he would influence her classroom. However, my mother welcomed him with a smile and kindly 9 the rules and expectations for her class. The next day, he 10 directions with, "What are you going to do if I don't do it?" My mother still smiled at him. She explained that she was there to help him and 11 he could do well. Day after day, she praised everything he did that was 12. It was a few tiring months but well worth the 13. He gradually turned into one of the best students that year.

By 14 a loving heart with right classroom management measures, teachers can do 15 in a single school year.

It's my dream. I'm nine years old now, but have been1competitively since I was six. I love it, because it makes me feel good. I have a lot of2to use up and I can do it by just moving my legs.

One recent Sunday morning, my mum drove me to a 5 km race in Minnesota.

The starting line was3because there was also a 10 km race. That morning, I was running confidently and feeling4. At one point, I came to a5in the course. A woman who was directing us6the route I thought I was meant to take and told me to go the other way. I was confused, but I had to follow her7.

After a while I saw route directions for a 10 km race. I was worried, thinking I was8, but had to keep going. My body started to get 9. I said to myself, "You're almost there. Just keep10."

11I saw the finish line. I couldn't believe it. I didn't even know I was running a 10 km and I had12it. I didn't do this on purpose. It was a

13. I felt happy and proud. It was my first time running such a(n) 14 .

It has made me want to do more 10 km races. I hope my story 15 other people to run, too.