Joy in the Journey If you have ever been discouraged because of failure, please read on. For often, achieving what you set out to do is not the important thing. Let me explain.

      Two brothers decided to dig a deep hole behind their house. As they were working, a couple of older boys stopped by to 1. “What are you doing?” asked one of the visitors.“We plan to dig a hole all the way through the   2!” One of the brothers volunteered 3.

     The older boys began to 4, telling the younger ones that digging a hole all the way through the earth was 5. After a long silence, one of the 6 picked up a jar full of spiders, worms and many other kinds of insects. He   7 the lid and showed the wonderful 8 to the scoffing（嘲笑的）visitors. Then he said quietly and 9, “Even if we don't dig all the way through the earth, look at what we have found  10  the way!”

      Their goal was far too ambitious, but it did cause them to dig. And that is   11    a goal is for — to cause us to move in the  12  we have chosen, in other words, to keep us 13! But not every goal will be fully  14. Not every job will end 15. Not every hope will come to pass. Not every love will last. Not every dream will be 16. But when you fall  17 of your aim, perhaps you can say, “Yes, but look at what I found along the way! Look at the wonderful things  18 my life because I tried to do something!” It is in the digging 19 life is lived. And I believe it is the joy in the journey, in the end, that truly  20.

    This was my grandmother's first Christmas without grandfather. When we reached her house, it did seem a little 1 without grandfather.

    Grandfather had always said the Christmas 2 was the most important. So we set to work assembling (组装) the beautiful 3 tree that was stored in grandfather's closet (储藏柜). After we finished, we stepped back to 4 our work. It looked wonderful. But something was 5.

    "Where's the star?"I asked. It was my grandmother's 6. As we emptied box after box and found no star, my grandmother's eyes 7 with tears. Grandfather had given it to grandmother fifty years ago. Now, on her first Christmas without 8, the star was gone, too.

    "Let's 9 in the closet where the tree was, "my sister Donna said. We 10 under beds and over shelves, inside and outside 11we had excluded every possibility. We could see grandmother was 12, although she tried not to show it. By now, it was 13 outside, and time for bed, as Santa would soon be here.

    The next morning, my sister and I 14 early to see what Santa had left under the tree. After breakfast, the family sat together to 15 presents."The last gift is to grandmother from grandfather. "Father said, in a puzzled voice.

    "From who?"There was 16 in my grandmother's voice.

    "I found that 17 in the closet when we got the tree down, "Mother explained.

    My grandmother opened it. Her face lit up when she pulled out a(n) 18 golden star. There was a note attached. Her voice trembled (颠抖) as she read it:

    Don't be 19 with me, dear. I broke your star while putting away the tree. Thought it was time for a new one, I hope it brings you as much 20 as the first one. Merry Christmas.

    I was walking home from school one day and it happened to be a particularly cold and windy day. It was 1and I was crazy enough to forget my hats and scarf. You can imagine my cheeks were rosy 2 and my hands were as numb as they can be.

    All of a sudden, an old lady 3 up beside me and asked if I would like a ride 4. At first, I said it was OK and her 5smile melted(融化) away the thought that I should never talk to 6! We had an amazing chat and she was just 7 a good woman. She told me her 8and she dropped me off.

    I didn't see her or talk to her for about a month and one night as I9 her kind gesture, I decided to return the favor. So, I made a lot of 10 and walked down to her house with my friend. At first I was a bit 11she wouldn't remember me or think that I was a bad man who poisoned cookies but luckily, I was 12 wrong. She was so happy, and she hugged me and kissed me and seemed so 13 that someone would do something like that!

    When I got home my mom told me that she 14and told my mom on the phone that she 15because she was so touched. She said she would never 16 the kindness that was given to her! That filled me with such 17! There really is nothing else joyful like helping 18and making someone's day 19!

    Let us never forget the joy we get 20 giving others a hand!

    My grandfather died in 1970, leaving my grandmother living in their old house alone. Shortly after that, we went to the animal shelter(收容所) and picked out a little 1 to accompany(陪伴) Grandma. The dog was named Penny.

    Grandma and Penny quickly became very attached(依恋)to each other, and that attachment grew much 2 as years passed—they became very close. When Grandma went to 3, Penny walked along and lay beside her until she woke up.4 Penny aged, she could no longer jump up on the 5 to lie next to Grandma, so she lay on the blanket beside the bed. Grandma never went anywhere without her partner by her side.

    The time came when both my grandmother and Penny were becoming 6. Grandma had been sent to hospital several times, and Penny couldn't 7 around very well. When Grandma was in hospital, Penny would sit at the window 8 out for the car bringing Grandma home and would 9 wait at the door when Grandma came through it. Each homecoming was a great meeting again between the two.

    On Christmas Day in 1985, Grandma was again taken to the hospital. Penny, 10, sat watching out the window for the car bringing Grandma home. Two mornings later, I 11 she couldn't stand and wouldn't eat. Later, she had difficulty in breathing. I quickly 12 her to the hospital where Grandma stayed to let her see her owner for the last time. There, as soon as Penny saw Grandma, Penny's eyes brightened suddenly and then slowly 13.Grandma left this world, several 14 later.

    After fifteen years of loving friendship, Grandma and Penny passed away on the same day. God had it all worked out—Penny was waiting at the door to 15 her when Grandma came home.

    I arrived at my school one morning. As soon as I walked in, the 1immediately felt sad and uncomfortable. I knew exactly why the mood felt this way. The people around me were 2their emotions, trying to keep their 3steady. Today was the day when our teacher would 4 and move to another school. Mr. Smith was finally saying goodbye to our school after five years'5 here.

    Mr. Smith was a(n)6 likable man. He would tell a lot of jokes during the class 7 so you would remember it. He was very easy to talk with and to have 8 with. He was cool, relaxed,9 was always friendly when you would see him. It was 10 hard not to like him.

    I felt sad and 11.I couldn't even imagine how things were going to be 12 him: all the good times I've had with him. The 13 he said that made me laugh, the countless hours of watching him play the guitar, and the warm 14 he kept on his face. These thoughts 15 my mind, and I became 16.Why did Mr. Smith have to go? This is so 17.I was lost into my thoughts.

    "Hey, are you all right?" My friend Peter 18.

    "Yeah, I'm all right. I'm just kind of sad," I 19.

    "Yeah, me too. I wish he was our teacher forever. Mr. Smith is the best," he 20.

Adam Wolfers believes that his son's autism(自闭症) has a positive impact on his hobby of photography. 10yearold Morgan has always possessed a 1 eye for capturing the world around him through his camera. Diagnosed(被诊断) with autism at the age of 3, Morgan has had a hard time 2 with others. 

3 these difficulties, he has shown an exceptional talent for noticing details that 4 others. Morgan has found clarity and focus in nature, particularly in the vivid colors and shapes of plants, leading him to 5 the art of nature photography. 

Not 6 with merely capturing pictures, Morgan has even established his own photography business, becoming one of the top sellers in a local shop. 7 , he donates ten percent of his 8 to support autistic artists through the Blue Ribbon Arts Initiative. 

However, his motivation for photography 9 financial gain, as he simply wants to share the beauty he 10 with others. His work has gained 11 , with one of his photos picked by National Geographic for 12 in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 

His parents teared up as they told what his photography means. Morgan's photography has become his saving grace(体面) because it gets people to look 13 his issues. "He's going to make his 14 , " his mother said. 

Morgan advises all of us to try new things and explore our 15 and what we want to do. In other words, don't be afraid to see things differently.