I used to hate being called upon in class mainly because I didn't like attention drawn to myself.And1otherwise assigned（指定）a seat by the teacher,I always2to sit at the back of the classroom.

    All this3after I joined a sports team.It began when a teacher suggested I try out for the basketball team.At first I thought it was a crazy4because I didn't have a good sense of balance,nor did I have the5to keep pace with the others on the team and they would tease me.But for the teacher who kept insisting on my "6for it",I wouldn't have decided to give a try.

Getting up the courage to go to the tryouts（选拔）was only the7of it!When I first started8the practice sessions,I didn't even know the rules of the game,much9what I was doing.Sometimes I'd get10and take a shot at the wrong direction which made me feel really stupid.11,I wasn't the only one "new" at the game,so I decided to12on learning the game,do my best at each practice session,and not be too hard on myself for the things I didn't 13"just yet".

    I practiced and practiced.Soon I knew the14and the "moves".Being part of a team was fun and motivating. Very soon the competitive15in me was winning over my lack of confidence.With time,I learned how to play and made friends in the16—friends who respected my efforts to work hard and be a team player.I never had so much fun!

    With my17self-confidence comes more praise from teachers and classmates.I have gone from "18" in the back of the classroom and not wanting to call attention to myself,19raising my hand—even when I sometimes wasn't and not 100 percent20I had the right answer. Now I have more self-confidence in myself.

    Yesterday, I posted a story and afterwards donated a little money after I read others' sad stories. Later, as I got into bed and completed my1 and self-examination on the day, I came to the realization that I was 2money. Wow! It was just a  3  to see this in myself.

    It is 4 enough that in the real world I have money in the bank but don't give away  5 . I don't have a lot of money,6 enough to pay my bills and help my daughters. Also I save some money for a 7 day. I know I could give more but 8  and fed some comfort in a little pile of money. I'm quite 9 to see in myself that it is hard to practice the beautiful 10 in the real world. The belief is that the needs of people 11 are more important than having a little pile of money to feel 12 with.

    So here I was doing the same 13  thing-saving but not giving away much money! With so many people waiting to be helped, it was pretty terrible for me to 14 how much I 15  seeing that little pile of money in my hands. I have already16 today that even if it is hard to give it all away in the real world, I am going to guarantee more17will come my way.

    There will always be enough money for me. I am not going to let 18 pile up anymore. I am going to give it away when I19 it because love is  20  what makes the world go round.

    Mother's Day, 2017 was the last time that all my three kids would be kids at home. I was 1 a Mother's Day to remember.

    That morning, I got up early and left for2 since I was the math teacher in the same school with my boys. The boys and I were going3as usual, so I expected the time I'd have with the three of them surrounding me during break. I entered the office after my class4the crowd for their faces. I didn't find the boys, but wasn't too worried5their classes often ran late. I found a row with plenty of room for all four of us6seats for my handsome young men.

    The longer I sat there, the more7and angry I got. How could they 8their mother on this of all days? I couldn't9my work, only on how I'd been wronged10the time the last morning class ended, I could hardly wait to get home and give them a piece of my mind.

    Arriving home, I noticed a pile of roses on the ground. I looked closer and saw the roses were the11of a track made from fresh flowers, which led to our room. As I 12the flowers, the door got opened and three 13faces greeted me. They let me see what they'd been working on all14.

The words were 15the entire floor, “Happy Mother's Day, We Love You. ”They were placed with16.The space was 17with sweet of roses and other flowers. They'd asked for a(an)18and worked all morning, gathering fresh flowers and arranging them into surprise message.

    I immediately realized I'd been much too hurried in my19of the situation. While I had been feeling unloved, they'd spent their time writing a 20to show how much they really cared.

    There was my mother, standing in a fuzzy (毛绒绒的) pink bunny(兔子）costume. This can't be, 1 I thought to myself. Being ten was 2 enough.

    Our class was taking a trip to a convalescent home（疗养院) that day.I had 3 to stay at home pretending I'd caught some rare disease. My mother who's a(n) 4, sent me to school anyway.

    When we got there, I 5 wished for that 6. I'd fall to the ground and be 7the humiliation (耻笑) of anyone ever knowing that I 8every day after school there, dressed as a bunny.

“Hi, Shelly!” The residents waved at me, “ Do you know them?” someone asked. “No! They 9 me for someone else. I'm Machille,” I responded. I didn't look up 10 I might make eye contact with them. Then, Mrs. Deist, our teacher, handed us tulips (郁金香) to give to the residents. I quickly went to the back of the 11. My mother just went along her way— hopping（单足跳跃）. Last year, we hopped together. 12, “I'm too old for that now”, I thought.

    I hid behind my class. “ Shelly, how about a game of Fish?” Lou asked. My class and teacher 13 and stared. “ Machille, do you know these people?” Mrs.Deist asked me.

“Um….yes！”  

    “Well you should 14 the way,” she said, smiling. So I stepped forward, handed a tulip to Rose, waved to Frank and gave Mr. Blusso a high-five.

    “My mother is in a convalescent home. I wish she could have someone like you to 15 her.” Mrs Deist said. My mother hopped over then. “This is my mom. Every day she looks after these special people who need nurses' care.” I stood straight as I 16 the information. My mother then explained a program where kids can 17 after school. The residents cheered at the18, and my class seemed excited, too.

    I realized how 19 it made me to make other people smile and feel good. I should never be 20 of that.

    "What an excellent thing is knowledge," said a sharp-looking, talkative man to one who was 1 older than himself. "Knowledge is an 2 thing, as everyone can see,"3  he. "My boys know more at six and seven years old than I did at twelve. They can read all sorts of books, and 4 on all sorts of subjects. The world is a great deal wiser than it used to be. Everybody knows 5 of everything now. Do you not think, sir, that knowledge is an excellent thing?" " 6  , sir," replied the old man in surprise, looking 7 in manner, "that depends 8 upon the use it is applied. It may be a blessing or a curse(诅咒）. Knowledge is only an 9 of power, and power may be bad, 10 a good thing" "That is what I can't understand," said the 11 little man. "How can power be a bad thing?"

    "I will tell you" calmly replied the old man and thus he went on: "When the power of a horse is under control, the animal is 12in bearing burden, drawing loads, and carrying his master, but 13 that power is out of control, the horse 14 his bridle (缰绳），dashes to pieces the carriage that he draws, or throws his 15. " "I see!" said the little man.

    "When the ship is operated alright, the sail that she 16 enables her sooner to get into port, but if operated 17 ,the more sails she carries, the further she will go out of her course" "I see!" said the little man, " I clearly see! "

    "Well then，"18the old man, "if you see these things clearly, I hope you can see, too, that knowledge, to be good thing, must be rightly applied. God's grace in the heart will make the knowledge of the head a blessing but 19 this, it may 20 to us no better than a curse." "I see! I see! " said the little man, "I see! "

    I work with Volunteers for Wildlife, a rescue and education organization at Bailey Arboretum in Locust Valley. Trying to help 1, displaced or sick creatures can be heartbreaking; 2 is never certain. However, when it works, it is 3 beautiful.

    I got a rescue call from a woman in Muttontown. She had found a young owl(猫头 鹰)on the ground. When I arrived, I saw a 2-to-3-week-old owl. It had already been placed in a carrier for 4.

    I 5 the chick(雏鸟)and it seemed tine. If I could 6 the nest, I might have been able to put it 7, but no luck. My next work was to construct a nest and 8 it in a tree.

    The homeowner was very 9. A wire basket was found. I put some pine 10into the basket to make this nest safe and comfortable. I placed the chick in the nest, and it quickly 11 down.

    Now all that was needed were the 12 but they were absent. I gave the homeowner a recording of the 13 screams of owl chicks. These 14 the presence of chicks to adults; they might also encourage our chick to start calling 15I gave the owner as much information as possible and headed home to see what news the night might bring.

    A 16 night to be sure, but sometimes the spirits of nature 17 on us all! The homeowner called to say that the parents had 18 to the recordings. I drove over and saw the chick in the nest looking healthy and active. And it was 19 by the greatest sight of all — LUNCH! The parents had done their 20 and would probably continue to do so.