We have a small back garden with several trees，so bird nest in abundance. Therefore, it is1 year after year to find many young birds don't2 .

       One morning two years ago, I found a young blackbird sitting still, very cold, in a corner. I3it up and moved it to a raised warmer spot, 4it with tissue and made silly bird noises in the hope that it would5. It was breathing, though very weak and wouldn't open its beak (喙). I knew it had 6 and was dying but it did start to feel warmer so there was7.

I kept coming to check on it, keeping our three8inside the house, as I didn't want them to9it, as Toby, my cleverest dog had already spotted it. One time, I went to see the bird, it had 10down, legs outstretched (伸直), so I placed it 11back onto the tissue. Its eyes opened12and it seemed to look in my direction,13at times its head also moved round, which was not a good sign. I kept making bird noises and14it, saying “Come on, be strong.” I just felt so 15, but I wanted it to know that there was someone who16. Unfortunately, it died. I did feel so regretful because I tried my best but I17.

      To my18, last year I spotted two young blackbirds keeping each other company in one of our trees, and I'm19one of them had at least survived as one has been visiting20since and helping itself to seed from our feeders.

    There is a well-known story about a farmer1 found an eagle(鹰) egg. The story reminds us of the importance of developing our full potential(潜力).

    One day, a hardworking 2 found an eagle's egg lying on the ground of his farm. He was in a hurry 3 he paid no attention to it and 4placed it together with all the chicken eggs. After several days, the egg hatched(孵化）and the little eagle 5 into the world.

    The eagle thought he was 6 same as the other chickens, 7 the eagle pecked(啄食）and dug for worms. He ran about and sometimes jumped around, flying a few 8 in the air like the chickens. Over the years, the eagle grew old and tired. One day he saw a splendid bird 9 overhead, and asked, “ 10 is that?” “That's the king of the 11— the bald eagle,” replied a chicken. “The sky is her home. We're chickens -- our home is 12 the farm.”

    And so the eagle lived and died 13 a chicken, for that's what he believed he was.

    Are you an eagle tha 14 like a chicken? 15 , many people have great talents bu 16 bring them to use. Actually, we 17 make our talents take off by developing our character strengths. Suppose there was a young man who 18 in the world. He asked questions about his environment, explored new neighborhoods where he lived, and soon he mentally mapped out the city he lived in. He used his curiosity to make the 19 of his talents for spatial(空间的）intelligence.

    When we use our character strengths, we will 20 that we are eagles.

    LoAnna and Kris' kids were playing outside on a sunny Saturday. Suddenly LoAnna heard a huge sound, She 1outside to see a wide mud, sand, and rock 2down the hill. She phoned Kris 3and Kris sped back home. But traffic had come to a 4. Kris had to run.

    Suddenly, he heard a woman screaming for help. As he 5the sound through mud, he only saw an arm reaching up, holding a boy. Kris kept her talking while 6the wood, metal trapping the mother and child. Finally, he was able to 7the baby. By this time, other citizens had 8it to the site. With others taking the 9in rescuing the woman, Kris continued his way home.

    Soon. he heard a(n) 10moan(呻吟) from the ruins again. The man buried was about twice Kris' weight and, 11, he'd have to wait for more help. Hearing a helicopter above, Kris climbed up on the roof, and led a rescuer to the trapped man. 12the rest of the helicopter crew arrived, Kris left to find his 13. Hours later, Kris reached home. His truck was 14, and so were LoAnna and the others. He 15cars and houses nearby to find other 16and then walked back to the rescue team. Not long after he arrived, his truck came into 17. LoAnna pulled over and ran to him. He hugged her tightly and spoke 18, “Let's go home.”

    Over the next several weeks, 43 bodies were 19Just nine survivors were luckily pulled from the mud, all of them on that day. Kris was 20by the Red Cross for his heroic deeds.

    I was running a few errands in my car the other day. The sun was out, the radio was playing, and I was1along. The song was a joyful one and even my weak voice sounded good singing it. Then it happened,2. The 3 sound of the music ended and was replaced with the dreaded news break.

    I drove on while the announcer droned on. Gas prices were going higher again4 the competitive speculation(投机)on Wall Street. The 5 for the Presidency was getting nastier and nastier, rioting(暴乱)had 6 when fans of a sports team had gone wild, celebrating their team's championship.

    Finally, I could take no7 and turned off the radio. Silence seemed preferable 8 listening to anything else about the crazy, competitive society we live in. I slowed down as I entered a local town and 9 the people as I drove by.

    A tall muscular(壮硕的)man was helping an elderly lady out of a car and helping her position her walker so she 10 go into a local store.

    A smiling woman was tossing birdseed into her backyard while a dozen robins flew down to enjoy the11 being laid out before them.

    A young man was walking along, carrying his two-year-old daughter12 in his arms. He tickled her gently when she pulled the hat off his head and they13 laughed. I laughed too as I looked at all of this 14. It felt like a glimpse of Heaven. The radio may have been 15in my car, but in my heart I was still singing.

    In truth, this world could use a little more kindness and a lot16 competition .Kindness makes us all winners in this life. Kindness 17 us that we are all God's Children. Kindness shows us that we don't have to 18 others in this world.

    We just have to love them. May all of your moments here then19kindness, love, and joy. And may your only competition be with yourself: to be the best 20 you that you can be.

    Experts say boredom is good for kids. It forces them to be creative, 1 their imaginations, and helps them discover new things. A(n) 2 in point is 13-year-old Luke Thrill from Dubuque, Iowa.

    Luke was 3 of playing video games and riding his bike, so he decided to build a tiny house in his backyard instead. He made money from cutting lawns (草坪) and 4 exchanged some services, such as gaining the help of an electrical engineer 5 sweeping his garage. Luke also 6 spare materials from his grandmother's house and other 7 materials from his neighbors for some of the windows and the door.

    The 89-square-foot home cost $1, 500 to build and 8 18 months. Inside there's a kitchenette, a back sitting room, a table and a mounted (镶嵌的) TV, and an upstairs bedroom can be easily 9 by stairway.

    Although Luke did the 10 and learned how to do all the work, he had his father's 11 throughout the project. Greg Thrill was very happy that his son learned to stay on 12 and deal with grown-ups. 13, he had some simple rules when Luke 14 the house: "You 15 the money. You build it. And you own it."

    Luke is now in love with 16. He has a YouTube channel and hopes to 17 other kids to start building. 18, he wants to build a bigger tiny house to live in, but for now, he 19 in his new home a few nights a week, does homework there, and uses it to take a 20 from his twin brother.

    I recently joined an organization called Kindness Water, which was 1 by Phillip Wagner. One day when he was reading the newspaper, he 2 a story about Africa and was 3 to learn that 3.6 million people died every year. The reason why they died was  4 there was not enough clean drinking water. He knew he had to help. So he 5 money from friends and churches to help the people in a Malawai village to dig a well (水井). Then he set up a bottled water company and 100% of the money he made was used to 6 more wells. Within a year, he gave a hand to more people in Uganda. Since then，there have been 550wells in 19countries and more than 325000 people have been helped.

    But here is what really 7 me: It all started with one man, Phillip Wagner who wanted to make a difference. He saw a need and he did what he could to help those in trouble. Thousands of others who read the same 8that morning might have also been surprised when they learned the 9that so many people didn't have clean drinking water. But all those people didn't  10. They thought, "Oh well. That's too bad. 11, somebody will help those12don't have any clean water."

    Phillip Wagner decided to be that somebody, and 13  the help of thousands of others who have joined, he is making a difference to the world. You see, 14 change starts with ordinary people doing their  15. I want to be one of those 16makers.

    As a video of children smiling and swimming in clean water rolled in the background, Phillip Wagner said, I just want you to know that I 17my all, did my best, brought happiness to someone and 18 this world a little better just because I was here."

    Let's live out those words today. 19 you choose to help the homeless people or 20 any other good things for those in need, let's be difference makers. Let's leave this world a little better.