I believe in the power of holding on. What do I mean by holding on? Hugging, or holding on, is the power we possess when we put our arms around someone. It can change relationships, makes a patient a person, an acquaintance a friend.

    My grandmother taught me about holding on, whenever she gathered me in her strong, loving Irish arms. She always hugged even when her back became curved .My mother hugs my children the same way—heart open and arms wide, breathing them into her soul.

    Once I became aware of its power, I started experimenting: I held my mother-in-law a moment too long then moved onto my sisters-in-law, aunts, nieces, nephews, and cousins. I tried it with a friend who had made my life rich with laughter, but I was too embarrassed to tell her, and acquaintances that I wanted to be friends with. Some were bothered, others accepting, but all had one thing in common—the next time I hugged them, they hugged me back.

    For me, holding on has become more than a physical interaction; it has become a way of thinking. My answer to life's dilemmas and tough choices, it's a mixture of acceptance, forgiveness, and patience—not always easy or understood but it guides me to be quiet and listen, look for the good, have a sense of humor and laugh, stop worrying and be patient because if I let it, something will change.

    I've often wondered how different my life would have been if I hadn't learned the power of holding on. If during that time in my life, when I was crumbling into myself, my mother had stopped holding on to me, I might have missed something so vital to my existence. I believe that a hug is like a battery charger—a good one can keep me going for a long time.

    Enough sleep is important to health. The amount of sleep needed depends on the age of the person and the conditions in which sleep takes place. The young may need more sleep than the old, but usually eight hours are enough for the health of grown-ups. Some can do with less than this amount, but others may need more. Every person knows his own need. It is then a matter of good judgement to satisfy his need. Sleep should always be enough to make one bring back his strength and get ready for a day's work.

    Fresh air is necessary to sound sleep. It is not without reason for some people to think that it is practicable to sleep in the open air. When one can keep himself warm, out-of-door sleeping probably gives the body its most complete relaxation (放松).

    Ability (能力) to sleep lies largely in habit. The conditions referred to only lead to sleep. Out-of-door exercises, a good habit of regular hours and the avoidance (避免) of late eating and worry, which are largely within the control of any person, are all helpful to sound sleep.

    A bath at bedtime, neither hot nor cool but of body temperature may be helpful to sleep. Sleep-producing drug (药) should never be taken except when suggested by a doctor.

    An 80-year-old man was sitting on the sofa in his house along with his 45-year-old son. Suddenly a crow landed on their window. The father asked his son," What is that?" The son replied," That's a crow."

    After a few minutes, the father asked his son for the second time. The son said," Father, I told you just now. It is a crow." After a little while, the father asked his son the same question for the third time," What is that?" This time, the son said to his father in a low and cold tone," It's a crow, a crow."

    After a moment, the father yet again asked his son for the fourth time," What is that?" This time his son shouted at the father," Why do you keep asking me the same question again and again? I have told you already, ‘IT IS A CROW.' Are you not able to understand this?"

    A minute later the father went to his room and came back with a diary, which he had kept since his son was born. On opening a page, he asked his son to read that page.

    "Today my little son aged 3 was sitting with me on the sofa when a crow suddenly landed on the window edge. My son asked me 23 times what it was, and I replied him 23 times that it was a crow. I hugged him lovingly each time he asked me the same question. I did not at all feel angry, but instead felt affection for my son."

    If your parents reach old age, do not look at them as a burden, but speak to them gently, and be kind to them. From today say this aloud, "I want to see my parents happy forever. They have cared for me ever since I was a little child. They have always showered me with love. I will take care of my old parents in the BEST way no matter how they behave."

    The skin under the eyes is delicate, which is why it sometimes appears sunken and has darker coloring than elsewhere on the face. Aging and health problems play a role in sunken eyes but other factors can contribute, so it may affect younger people as well.

Dehydration

    The most common cause of sunken eyes is dehydration, or not having enough water in the body. Consuming too much coffee, soda, and prepackaged drinks may increase production of urine(尿液), which may lead to dehydration.

    Vitamin shortages

    Shortages of vitamin C, vitamin K, and iron can cause eyes to become sunken. Vitamin C helps with absorbing iron and decreasing bruising(瘀斑), while vitamin K is responsible for blood thickening, causing unhealthy skin. Easy bruising and unhealthy skin will result in sunken eyes.

    Weight loss

    Most people tend to lose weight in their face first. Sometimes, the weight loss is sudden enough to make blood vessels(血管)below the eyes easy to see, and the skin clear, producing the appearance of sunken eyes. Sudden weight loss may also cause nutritional shortages, which can lead to sunken eyes.

    Not enough sleep or poor quality sleep can cause sunken eyes and a person's DNA or the habit of smoking can also contribute to sunken eyes. Most cases of sunken eyes relate to the quality of an individual's nutrition and healthy living. When these causes are corrected, sunken eyes can be resolved without further treatment. This means that causes can be avoided or treated in good time to prevent the recurrence of sunken eyes.

A mix of anxiety rising in my chest and a voice at the back of my mind shouting ‘what's wrong with me?'-it's how I've felt about rejection my whole life.

 The earliest rejection I can remember was on my first day of school. I started the term late due to illness and the teacher asked the class who would play with me at break. The silence was deafening. Now, a bit of online dating sees us rejected by half the town before we've even started our day. There's not a break at work. Is there a worse feeling than hitting the final slide on your presentation, boldly asking 'any questions?' and looking around the room to see everyone on their phones?

We need to build resilience. For me, this has come in two stages. First, I spent time listening to the voice of fear that saw each rejection as proof that there was something wrong with me. When I analysed it, I could see it was rarely about me. Perhaps the guy I was talking to was too busy to reply. It was likely that the magazine I'd sent a passage to already had an article on that topic. Now, I assume it's about me 20 per cent of the time-and I can live with that.

 The other thing I do is practice rejecting. Because I hate rejection, I shy away from being the rejector, which means I either please people or avoid tricky situations. Instead, I've come up with a few lines for when I want to say no: 'That sounds great but it's not for me; thank you for asking but I decline; it was lovely but I think we should leave it there.' It's never pleasant to reject a person but there is a kind way to do it. With resilience and clarity, we can see the plus sides of rejection: it frees us up to do something else, be with someone else and be happier. We can't complain about that.

The Aquarium(水族馆) of the Pacific is Southern California's largest Aquarium. Beyond its world-class animal exhibits, the Aquarium offers monthly events for people of all ages. Here are the upcoming events for this November.

Photographers Night

On this night only, the Aquarium is accessible to photographers for the purpose of getting their dream photos without having to worry about being disturbed by the general public.

DATE: Saturday, NOVEMBER 4, 6:00—10:00 pm

COST: $44.95 per person, $41.95 for members. Ticket sales will be limited.

* Exhibits that will not be lit: Lorikeet Forest & Diving Birds because they will be getting their rest.

Seniors Day

The Aquarium will open its doors for free to people aged fifty and above on Seniors Day. It will feature special presentations, door prizes, and 20% off in the gift store for our senior guests.

DATE: Monday, NOVEMBER 13, 9:00 am—2:00 pm

COST: FREE to ages 50 and over with a valid photo ID. Advance reservations required.

Autism(自闭症) Families Treat

Spend a special evening at the Aquarium only for families with adults or children with autism. On this evening, guests can enjoy the peacefulness of the Aquarium's exhibits.

DATE: Sunday, NOVEMBER 19, 6:00—9:00 pm

COST: $12 per person, and free for Aquarium members and children under age three. Advance reservations required.

STEAM Fest

Spend the morning surrounded by STEAM science, technology, engineering, art, and math!

This event will feature interactive booths where you can learn about the ocean and the environment, make observations, and ask our animal care staff lots of questions.

DATE: Saturday, NOVEMBER 25, 9:00 am—1:00 pm

COST: $44.95 per adult(ages 12+), $29.95 per child(ages 3—12), and free for Aquarium members and children under age three. Advance reservations required.