I never thought I'd be a “runner”. I was the girl who 1 slowest in the PE class. A few years ago, I was walking with a group of2 in the Race for the Cure, a 5KM race designed to 3 money for the fight against breast cancer4 one lady caught my 5.

    She was one of the weakest-looking women I've ever seen. She must have been close to seventy years old,6a T-shirt with the word “Survivor.” She was so small that it seemed as if she could even be  7by a swift wind. But she was running. And she was 8 me my group of friends. She ran slowly, but 9—as if each step pushed her cancer further into her past. Right at that moment, I 10that in the next Race for the Cure, I'd be running along with her.

    A week later, I found myself in the11, running on the treadmill (跑步机). Three minutes after I started, my face was bright red. I felt like my lungs were going to12. I had to slow down to a walk. I thought of the 13at the race. I kept it up. I was able to go a little  14 each time. Three and a half minutes. Four minutes. Five.

    A year later, I was 15 at the Race for the Cure, but this time, I 16 with the runners. When the race started, the other runners passed me by. I ran forward. I wondered if I'd be 17 to do it. But then, I remembered the brave woman. I ran as fast as I could until I finally crossed that finish line. I had just 18 my first race! I looked down at my legs, 19. They had done something I'd never thought 20. I have never felt stronger than at that moment. And, I knew that I wanted to do it again.

    My elder brother,Steve,in the1of my father who died when I was six,gave me important lessons in2that helped me grow into an adult.For example,Steve taught me to face the3of my behavior.Once when I returned in4from a Saturday baseball game,it was Steve who5the time to ask me what happened.When I6that my baseball had flown through Mrs.Holt's basement window,7the glass with a crash,Steve encouraged me to apologize to her.After all,I8not have played in the path between buildings.9my knees knocked as I explained to Mrs.Holt.I10to pay for the window if she would return my ball.

    I also learned from Steve that11property is a sacred（神圣的）thing.After I found,a silver pen in my fifth-grade classroom,I wanted to12it,but Steve explained that it might be important to13else in spite of the fact that it had little value.He reminded me of14I'd hate to lose the small dog my father gave me to someone else.I returned the pen to my teacher,Mrs.David.

    Yet of all the15Steve gave me,his respect for16is the most vivid in my mind.When I was twelve,I killed an old brown sparrow in the park with a BB gun.17with my accuracy,I screamed to Steve to come from the house to have a look.I shall never forget the18he stood for a long moment and stared at the bird."Did it19you first, Mark?"he asked.I didn't know what to answer.I really felt terrible then,but that moment20out as the most important lesson my brother taught me.

When I was a young man I had much ego (自负). I thought I 1 everything. I looked forward to fame and success. I can even remember once in college2 telling one of my friends: “If only everyone listened to me, then they would all be happy.” I 3 left school, ready to take on the world. Little did I know the world was about to take on me.

    In the 4following college, instead of success, I found struggles. I had 5 in finding work. My jobs were either temporary or were 6 badly. When my wife and I had children, we were 7 to learn that both of our sons had Autism (自闭症) and would need to be 8 for the rest of their lives. I had no 9why this had happened to us.

    In time, however, I began to 10. My ego was decreasing fast. Instead of success, I found my 11 in moments of love. Playing and 12 with my sons brought me so much happiness. My boys 13me more about peace, patience, joy and love than I could have ever learned on my own. I began to share the 14I learned through my writings and my life. I finally realized that my 15 in this world had nothing to do with fame or success.16 it had everything to do with allowing love and light into my life and 17 it with everyone I could.

    You may not be happy 100% of the time18 can be in this world. Yet, you will find a joy no earthly (世俗的)19 could ever give. Put all of your moments, days, and years to good use then20 them with love.

    When Mom pulled in the driveway, Grandpa Joe was weeding his garden. He stood up and 1 us with wide-open arms. In his muddy gloves and jeans, he looked2 like the well-dressed grandfather I remembered. The super professional bank president who loved numbers had retired(退休) and let his hair run3. I wasn't4 him to look so different.

    After the hugs and kisses, Grandpa couldn't5 to show off his garden, pointing out his almost-ripe tomatoes and 6 about the rabbits eating his lettuce. The man who had been 7 for ages with interest rates(利率) now cared only about gardening.

    Once Mom was gone for business, Grandpa8 me and said, "Now, Anthony, if I remember 9, you like pasta(意大利面) with pesto sauce." I eagerly nodded. "That's perfect!" Grandpa said. "We'll make some."

    We10 some vegetables from the garden, and then drove 15 miles to the nearest grocery, where Grandpa bought cheese and nuts. On the drive home Grandpa asked, "What's the11 of having a grandpa if he never makes you a big home-cooked meal?"

    Then Grandpa showed me how to 12 eggs with flour to make pasta and then how to prepare the sauce. When everything was ready, he proudly 13 me a large plate of pasta. I 14 a forkful into my mouth and it was just15.

    "So," Grandpa said, his eyes16, "what do you think?"

Before answering, I thought about our 17. The garden, the shopping, the 18 "I… I… love it, Grandpa!" I said.

    Then his face broke19 a smile so warm that I was sure I hadn't told him a20.

    When I was a boy we had several gardens around our old house. The largest one of all was used just for 1 potatoes. I can still remember those potato 2 days. The whole 3 helped.

    4 my Dad had tilled(耕地)the soil，my Mom，brothers，and I went to work. It was my job to 5 the little seed potatoes in the rows while my Mom dropped 6 of fertilizer (肥料)beside them. My brothers then covered them all 7 the freshly turned earth.

    For months afterward I would 8 over at the garden while I played outside and wonder what was going on underneath the ground. When the harvest time came I was 9 at the huge size of the potatoes my Dad pulled out of the soil.

    Those little seedlings had grown into sweet food. They would be 10 meal after meal of baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, fried potatoes, and my 11 favorite: potatoes cooked in spaghetti sauce.

They would 12 the entire family well fed throughout the whole year. It 13 was a miracle to be held.

    Thinking back to those special times makes me wonder how many other 14 I have planted in tills life that have grown 15 in the hearts and minds of others.

    How many times has God used some little thing that I said 16 did to grow something beautiful? How many 17 has Heaven used these little seedlings to 18 another's soul with sweet food?

    I hope then you always 19 the garden around you with care. I hope that you plant only goodness, peace, and20 in the lives of everyone you help. I hope that everyday you help miracles to grow.

    Nick was not the kind of boy I had expected to spend my summer with. I was hoping to have a1the summer before my busy senior year, but my mother asked me to do her a2. One of her colleagues needed a full-time3. "You planned to volunteer at the local hospital, why not volunteer to4Nick instead?" Then she told me that this six-year-old boy was not a5 child.

    Nick was a lovely little boy who suffered from many disorders. Normal day-care centers would not6him. As a baby, he had serious ear infections which left him with equilibrium(平衡) problems.

    He couldn't7or run properly. I was8if I was to take the job when my mother9.

    "Don't you want to be a nurse in the future? I doubt if you even have the10."

    Then I told her I was11for the job.

    The day started at 7:00 a.m. Nick was my wake-up call! With so much energy and very little 12, he was quite a mix.

    At the park, when he saw all the other children play on the jungle gym and swings(秋千), the boy's face 13up—How he wished he belonged to the group of his age! You would think it would be 14to get a child to go down a slide. Believe me, it wasn't! It took time, a lot of time. But with patience and support. Nick took one step up the slide each day. We worked together to face his 15and gradually he got closer to taking the slide of his life.

    Halfway through the summer, he16it to the top of the slide. With my arms holding him tightly, we flew down the slide! I waited for his17. After realizing that he was safe and sound, he gave me a big18and asked, "May I go down again, alone?"

    I had never been happier in my life when I saw this little child climb the ladder and enjoy what other children19for granted.

    This20child taught me that being a nurse means respect, kindness and patience.