My dad has been driving a truck for almost his entire life. He's usually 1 all the weekdays and comes home only at weekends. Sometimes he stays2 for two weeks at a time. 3 I don't get to see him as often as I wish, we remain very 4.

    My dad is the type of person who doesn't let you 5 up anything that you start. When I was eleven, my father bought me a piano. At first I was so 6 about it that I would spend hours and hours learning how to play. Then it got 7. I was so tired of it that I asked if I could stop. Much as I tried, he 8 me to go on. Now I have been playing for almost five years. I love it and I' m glad I 9 my dad's advice.

    My dad is 10 talented, for he has been playing the guitar for over 20 years. Under his influence, I also like 11 now. Sometimes my dad can be my biggest 12. He makes me smile even when I lose in a talent show 13 sometimes he can be my biggest critic(批评家). He14 ignores the small mistakes I make. He encourages me never to lose 15 because he thinks that all my efforts will 16 one day.

    My dad is generous. Every Thursday night, he 17 to read to the children at a children's club. When he reads, their 18 light up with curiosity about what will happen next. I feel 19of having a person in my family who cares enough to volunteer to 20.

    I love dad with all my heart. He's a hero in my heart and the most wonderful person in the world.

    A few years after Mom died, Dad handed me a plastic bag. That evening, I 1 the bag to find dozens of shells, each one2 in white tissue paper（纸巾）and having Mom's handwriting.

    The shells were pretty 3, but to Mom, they were evidence of her endlessly magical life and 4 me of the seashore trip with her. She was 61 when she 5 these shells, and already showing 6 of the lung disease. We knew something was 7 and Mom needed an adventure. She suggested a dinner and a movie. But two friends and I had bigger 8.

    Mom had been to the ocean only twice, but she 9 the seashore. Her kitchen was decorated（装饰） with souvenirs from those two trips. I told Mom that we would 10 for Jersey Shore. Mom was so 11 that she screamed and Amber, her dog was 12 to jump onto the floor.

    One of my favorite 13 on the road was a discussion about movies. Mom often got the titles wrong. “Ohhhh,” she said, “what was that movie about a teacher at the boys' school?” Before anyone could 14, she shouted, “The Dead Man's Poet!” I looked back and saw a back seat full of 15. “Mom,” I said. “You mean Dead poets Society?” “That's it!” Mom yelled. 16 filled the car.

    Once we got to Stone Harbor, she began to 17 the trip, greeting strangers and spending hours gathering shells. The morning we left, I found her photographing every inch of her bedroom. “I don't ever want to 18 this,” she said.

    For a long time, Mom's shells stayed 19 in a drawer. Last month, I 20 them again while searching for something else. I put them in a visible place as a reminder from a mother who never lost her sense of wonder.

    “Paul must have been trying to carry his waste paper to garbage can and dropped a few pieces.” I1picking them up.2later I found more pieces. No quiet sighing this time. I 3“Who is throwing garbage?” No answer. Instead, I saw more bits of paper silently floating4from upstairs. Looking up, I saw my seven-year-old son, Paul.

    “Stop making a mess.” “It's not a mess. They're5.” “Sorry, what did you say?” I hadn't heard him clearly.

    He didn't answer me. Paul has autism (自闭症) and6answers a question, especially when he's 7attentively on something else. He ran down the stairs. “Where are my other butterflies?” he asked,8around. Every time Paul 9five or more words together, my heart says a 10of thanks. But lately he seems to 11that the benefits of forming complete sentences when communicating are12of the effort.

    Butterflies. Of course. I rushed to13them from the garbage,14them off and handed them to my young artist. “Want to see them15again?” he asked with a shy smile. “Oh yes! They're beautiful.” I whispered. He ran back upstairs to float his 16down again. They really did look like beautiful butterflies.

    That day Paul 17me to look up at 18instead of down at garbage. How many other masterpieces (杰作) do I miss because I'm too caught up in my 19to take time to appreciate what's right in front of me? Life is not what happens to us. It's 20we look at it. Now, I look up.

    I found out one time that doing a favor for someone could get you Into a lot of1.I was having a final test at the time2the test, the girl sitting next to me 3something, but I didn't understand. So I 4over her way and found out that she was trying to ask me 5 I had an extra pen. I 6to have one,so I took it out and put it on her desk.

    Later, after the test papers had been 7the teacher asked me to stay in the room when all the other students 8As soon as we were alone, she began to talk to me about what it meant to 9up.She talked about how important it was to be 10for my own acts. For a long time, she talked about 11and emphasized(强调)the fact that when people do something dishonest,they are really cheating 12She made me promise that I would think 13 about all the things she had said,and then I could leave.I walked out of the room14why she had talked to me about all those things.

    Later on,I found out that she thought I had15 in the nest.When I leaned over to talk to the girl,it looked as if I was16answers from her test paper.I tried to17about the pen,but it seemed very 18to her that I hadn't talked of anything about it the day she talked to me.19I tried to explain that I was just doing the girl a 20I am sure she continued to believe that I had cheated on the test.

    I never forget the single act of kindness that changed my life over 25 years ago. During a vacation trip, I needed to find my 1 to the Greyhound bus station, some 30 miles away. Being a 2student, I had little money to get there.

    I3to call various taxis and shuttle（往返汽车） services but they were all to4or too far away to pick me up. Then, I got one person on the5who managed to make out that I needed a ride to the Greyhound station but only had limited financial 6 and he agreed to transport me! He came to pick me up about 45 minutes 7. The driver was older and I remember8why the shuttle didn't have a meter (计时器) but his ID was there and I could see this was his9. The driver was so kind. He knew I was10so he distracted me with stories and good11. He said I looked like his granddaughter.

    At one point, I asked him why he12so little to the others. Then, he patiently explained that he was13retired and hadn't removed his number from the phone book but when I called, clearly upset, he felt 14to help. This man drove an hour out of his way to help a person he didn't know for a fee that only15his gas, if that! Because of his 16, I knew things were going to be okay. This man's kindness warms my heart every time I think of him. 17 , I didn't get his name and his face has18gradually from my memory but he is on my mind often and I wish I could thank him19 "Thank you Mr. Angel Shuttle-Man! I hope your granddaughter knows what a(n)20grandfather she has!"

    My dad has been driving a truck for almost his entire life. He's usually1all the weekdays and comes home only at weekends. Sometimes he stays2for two weeks at a time.3I don't get to see him as often as I wish, we remain very4.

    My dad is the type of person who doesn't let you5up anything that you start. When I was eleven, my father bought me a piano. At first I was so6about it that I would spend hours and hours learning how to play. Then it got 7.I was so tired of it that I asked if I could stop. Much as I tried, he8me to go on. Now I have been playing for almost five years. I love it and I'm glad I9my dad's advice.

    My dad is10talented, for he has been playing the guitar for over 20 years. Under his influence, I also like11now. Sometimes my dad can be my biggest12.He makes me smile even when I lose in a talent show13sometimes he can be my biggest critic (批评家). He14ignore the small mistakes I make. He encourages me never to lose15because he thinks that all my efforts will16one day.

    My dad is generous. Every Thursday night, he17to read to the children at a children's club. When he reads, their18light up with curiosity about what will happen next. I feel19of having a person in my family who cares enough to volunteer to20.

    I love dad with all my heart. He's a hero in my heart and the most wonderful person in the world.