In March 2007,I was recovering from an operation for breast cancer and going through a terrible time. I spent my days at home1everything to myself. Then one of my colleagues suggested2“Why don't you pick a couple of days and go to Ireland and escape?” I3the tip.

    The trip was fun, but when I got on the4to go home ,I wasn't feeling well. My plan was to sleep for the5journey, but the guy next to me looked good-hearted for a conversation6he had kind eyes.

    “I had an operation,” I said7'I had breast cancer.' 'He paused for a moment and said,“ What's wrong with that? Breast cancer is just a small8of you, like going to college or getting married.”

    I could feel my eyes9up with tears.

    “Don't think too much of your problem,” he said. “Instead, think about how many people you could help.”

    I had tears coming down my face, and said, “I can't10I'm crying in front of you, I don't11know you.”

    “Look, you have a12in life,” he said. “You can either13your things deep in your pockets and take them to your grave, or you can help someone.”

    I've always been a very14person, and aside from the few people who needed to know, I'd kept my illness secret. I didn't want to be15by my weakness.

    But this man, whose name was Ken Duane, showed me that my illness gave me16-because it gave me the ability to17someone else's load. I decided at that moment that I was going to try to help others by sharing my story18,in hopes of inspiring those who were in the same or similar situation. Later that year, I talked about my illness and my19with Ken on air.

    I am forever20that I never took a nap on that flight over the Atlantic.

    People from every corner1into the streets that Christmas Eve. "Frosty the Snowman," and "Jingle Bells"2in stores; on the pavements, the street singers performed happily. Everyone was3by someone else, delighted and cheerful. I was alone.

    As one of 8 kids of a Brazilian family, brought up in America's crowded apartment, I'd spent several years searching for aloneness. Now4 at 27, a college student after the5with my girlfriend, every cell inside me wanted to be alone6not at Christmas. My family had returned to Brazil and my friends were7with their own lives. Dusk was approaching, and the fact that I had to return to my8home made me sad. Lights from windows blinked , and I hoped someone would 9from one of those homes to invite me inside with a Christmas tree decorated with shiny fake snow and beautiful10.

    At a market, I felt more11when people were buying lots of goods, which12the gifts we received as children in my mind. I missed my family and wanted to cry for wanting to be alone and for having achieved it.

Outside the church, a manger(小耶稣) had been set up . I stood silently watching the 13 some of people were crossing themselves,14.As I walked home, I realized that leaving Brazil was still a painful experience as I struggled with15 I had become in 15 years in America. I16 the losses, but for the first time, I recognized what I'd gained. I was independent17and healthy. My life was still ahead, full of18

    Sometimes the best gift is the one that you give yourself. That Christmas, I gave myself19for what I'd obtained up to now and promise to go forward. It is the best gift I've ever got, the one that I most20.

    While Andrew was getting ready for work one Friday morning, he announced to his wife that he had finally decided to ask his boss for a salary raise. All day Andrew felt nervous1Mr. Larchmont refused to2 his request? Andrew had 3 so hard in the last 18 months4 he should get a wage increase.

    The thought of walking into Larchmont's office left Andrew weak at the knees. Late in the afternoon he finally gathered the 5to approach his superior. To his 6 and surprise, the ever-frugal（一贯节省的）Harvey Larchmont agreed to give Andrew a7!

    Andrew arrived home that evening, to find their dining table 8 with their best china, and candles lit. His wife, Tina, had prepared a delicate meal 9 his favorite dishes. Immediately he 10 someone from the office had broken the message to her!

    Next to his plate Andrew found a beautiful lettered 11 It was from his wife, which12“Congratulations, my love! I knew you'd get the raise! I prepared this dinner to show 13how much I love you. I'm so proud of your accomplishments!” He read it and stopped to 14 how sensitive and caring Tina was.

    After dinner, Andrew was on his way to the kitchen 15he observed a second card had slipped out of Tina's pocket. He picked it up. It said: “Don't worry about not getting the raise! You do 16 one! I prepared this dinner to show you how much I love you 17 you didn't get the increase.”

Tears 18in Andrew's eyes. Total acceptance! Tina's support for him was not 19 upon his success at work.

    The fear of rejection is often softened and we can undergo almost any setback or rejection when we know someone loves us20 our success or failure.

    “Mom, you're always on the computer！” Laure complained.

    “No, I'm not，” I1.

    “Every day I come home from school you're working on the computer.”

    “Well, at least I'm here 2you！”

    My daughter was right. Day after day, in my home office, I would stare into space as my 3 typed out the thoughts of a speaker or research completed for an article.It seemed that my work as a writer and speaker 4 my fingers to the keyboard and my mind to valuable ideas.What Laure did not 5 was that during her day away, I'd also be doing a lot of housework.It was only around three in the afternoon that I'd 6 seat myself at my desk for a few 7 moments of deep thought.Then she'd come from school.

    I was8of myself on being available to my children.After all, I am a speaker on child behavior and parenting.But Laure's observation9 my heart.In her eyes, I must have been a mom who was 10 but unapproachable.I wouldn't make such an image (形象) before her.My relationship with my children is more 11 than any other work.

    “Laure，” I called, “come here a minute.”

    She wandered to my doorway.I had decided to have her 12 me when I was too devoted to work.I wanted her to have the 13 to let me know when she thought I was cold.

    After I explained my 14 and the fact that I chose home office to be accessible to her and her sister, I offered Laure the following 15.

    “Whenever you feel I'm ignoring you or you need my 16 ， I want you to 17 me，” I said.“Just come up and give me a little hug.That'll be our signal that you 18 me.”

    Years later we still have that 19 sign.I've become much more sensitive to my daughters' comings and goings.20 she always gives me a little hug to remind me of the real reason why I work at home.

Sharing Hope with Refugees(难民)

    The night before she had a test at school, eight-year-old Trisha Rao was worried. To give herself 1 , she wrote a poem about believing in herself. Her words gave her courage, and she 2 the test.

    One day while listening to the news with her father, Trisha learned about the war in Syria. Conditions in the country were tough, and many people were leaving for safer regions. "I was 3 that they lost their homes and some of them lost their family," Trisha said. "They didn't have enough money to buy lunch even."

    It made Trisha think. If the poem she had written the night before her test had given her 4 , maybe it could do the same for the refugee children.

    Trisha worked on her poem and turned it into a book called Believe in Yourself. It's the story of a puppy named sunshine and his father, Papa Dog. The dogs travel around the jungle. From fellow animals, they learn 5 about persistence, teamwork, loyalty, hard work, courage, and kindness.

    Trisha illustrated (加插图) the book, too. With the help of her mother and a family friend, she 6 the book in English and Arabic.

    For a family vacation, Trisha asked 7 she and her family could go to Turkey. Many Syrian children who lost their homes in the war were living there now, and Trisha wanted to 8 their spirits up.

    Her family got in touch with Support to Life, an agency that provides emergency relief after a disaster. 9 the group's assistance, Trisha was able to meet refugee children and read her book to them.

    For every book she sells, Trisha gives away a free copy of Believe in Yourself to children around the world. Her purpose is simple but 10: "I hope it will give them hope and that they will learn many lessons from the book and believe in themselves."

    I'm a seventeen-year-old, counting down the days till graduation, just like every other senior in the world. I've1a lot in my short seventeen years of life, but I have also made mistakes. I'm not2. I'm on the path of self-discovery, which as I've come to realize is not3.

    After many years, I still4remember the last time I had to5. At that moment, starting a new6wasn't really that big of a deal. I spent the next four and a half years in Mountain Home. I made four7friends anyone could ever ask for. When I had to8them, I was depressed.

    I soon9that starting a new high school was different from being the “10girl” in elementary or even middle school. It wasn't as easy to gain the “approval(认可)” of my11now as it had been back then. Back in elementary or middle school,12I was a freshman, I had my friends and people I knew. I could very easily13well over ninety percent of my class.14, at this new school, I15no one.

    I've been told over and over by my mom that I'll16have to enter the “real” world and that the17I have over all of these things will soon disappear. What adults18to realize is that every day in a teenager's life is a battle. We're no longer children, but not quite adults. We struggle to19who we are.

    Although I still have about a year and a half left, I honestly believe that being a teenager has been the hardest20in my life, something I'm sure I'll carry with me for the rest of my existence.