When I was eight, I wrote my first poem. My mother read and cried, “Buddy, you didn't really write this beautiful poem!” Shyly, but 1, I said yes. She poured out her 2.“It was nothing short of talent!” “What time will Father be home?” I asked. I could 3 wait to show my work to him. I spent quite some time 4 for his arrival. I wrote the poem out in my finest flourish(花体字), drew a fancy border around it and 5 I placed it right on my father's plate on the dining table. My father had begun his motion-picture career as a writer. I was sure he would be able to 6 my poem.

    At almost 7 o'clock my father burst in. He seemed 7. He circled the dining-room table, complaining about his employees. 8 he paused and glared at his plate. “What is this?” He's reaching for my poem. “Ben, Buddy has written his first poem!” my mother began. “And it's beautiful, absolutely amaze...” “If you don't mind, I'd like to decide for myself.” Father said. I 9 my head as he read that poem. It was only ten lines. But it seemed to take hours. Then I heard him dropping the poem back on the table. Now came the moment of 10. “I think it's terrible,” he said. I couldn't look up. My eyes were getting 11.

    “Ben, these are the first lines of poetry he's ever written,” my mother was saying. “He needs encouragement.” “I don't know why.” My father held his ground. “Isn't there enough 12 poetry in the world already?” I couldn't 13it another second. I ran from the dining room crying. Up in my room I 14 myself on the bed and cried the worst of the disappointment out of me.

That may have been the end of the story, but not of its 15 for me. I realized how 16 I had been. I had a mother who said, “I think it's wonderful!” and a father who drove me to hear with “I think it's awful.” Every one of us needs that mother force, from which all creation flows; and yet the mother force alone is 17. It needs the balance of the force that 18, “Watch. Listen. Review. Improve.”

    Those 19 voices of my childhood ring in my ears through the years, like two opposing winds blowing me. 20 the two poles of confirmation and doubt, both in the name of love, I try to follow my true course.

    A woman couldn't find her wallet at Gilleece's bar. She didn't 1 about her $1500 in cash as her wedding ring was in side.

    Gilleece disliked the 2that a theft could have occurred. So he was 3 to help. He spent hours 4footage(影像)from security cameras and he saw a boy put something into his pocket and walk off. Gilleece 5a clip(片段)on the bar's Facebook page. "I didn't want to 6 him," he said." I just asked if anybody knew the guy was. "Within hours, Gilleece got a text from 17-year-old Rivens Prather. who admitted doing it because he was7 He said he opened the wallet and saw the ring, thinking it was fake, so he took the money and threw the wallet 8 the docks(码头)into the ocean. Gilleece told the teen to meet him at the docks where Cilleece, a father of two, saw him for what he was: more of a kid than a(n)9

    But the 10 were high. The police were already on the 11; Prather could be facing theft charges. I had to help him 12,"says Gilleece. He 13 two local divers to search the waters.14, a detective was waiting there. A crowd had 15 to watch the two divers search in the icy water. Hours passed, with no 16 of the ring. And then a diver17, ring in hand. Cheers erupted from the crowd. When Gilleece called the wallet's owner, she burst into tears.

    It wasn't 18 for Gilleece. He'd been troubled about Prather sleeping in the cold woods, hungry. Gilleece took Prather into his home and helped him find a 19.

    "Most people would have thought I was a thief while he chose to help me, "Prather said." I feel 20every day."

    Whenever I felt disappointed I often thought of what my mother had said to me, "Everything happens for the best. If you1, one day something good will happen. And you'll realize that it wouldn't have happened but for that previous2. "

    As it3, mother was right. In 1932, I ended my college life.4that, I had decided to try for a job in radio, and then could work my way up to a sports5. I went to Chicago and knocked on the door of every6－but got turned down every time. In one studio, a7lady told me that big stations couldn't risk hiring a person who lacked8. "Go to9 town and find a little station that will give you a chance," she said. I then10to Dixon. While there was no radio-announcing jobs in Dixon, my father said Montgomery Ward had opened a store and wanted an athlete to11its sports department. Since Dixon was where I had played high school football, I12. The job sounded just right for me. But I wasn't 13.

    My disappointment must have 14. "Everything happens for the best," Mom 15me. Then I 16WOC Radio in Davenport. The program director named Peter MacArthur told me they had already17a contract with another announcer.

    As I left his office, my disappointment18over. I asked aloud, "How can a fellow become a sport announcer if he can't get a job in a radio station?"

    I was waiting for the lift when I heard MacArthur calling, "What was that you said about sports? You know something about football?" Then he stood me before a 19and asked me to broadcast a live game.

    I often20what direction my life might have taken if I'd gotten the job at Montgomery Ward and if I didn't persist.

    It started on a Friday 1 when the 5-year-old and his older brother were playing 2their home near the resort town of Aspen, Colorado. Hearing the sound of 3, the mother raced to her front yard to find a 4 sight: A mountain lion was bent over her 5-year-old son, biting him. The poor boy was completely under the cat and was 5 to get free.

    So the mother 6 she charged the animal, pulled away one of its 7 suddenly with a lot of force and discovered her son's whole head was in its mouth. She didn't back down. The mother 8 the lion's mouth and got it open,9 the boy. She then quickly picked him up and ran away.

    The boy's father had just returned from a run when the 10 occurred. He 11 into the car with his wife and son and called 911 shortly before 8 p.m. As they 12 to a hospital in Aspen. The boy suffered cuts to his 13, face and neck. The mother 14 bite marks on her hand and scratches on her leg. Aspen valley Hospital reported that the child was not seriously injured and in 15 condition and has since been 16 to children's Hospital in Denver for his recovery.

    The mountain lion was estimated to be about 2 years old and was not fully grown. It was, perhaps, forced out to hunt on its own. Young lions may be keen on easy 17, like pets and small children.18, it wasn't a big cat. Had it been a 110-pound lion- which was once seen around there - this would have been a much 19 story.

    The mother, who had to physically remove the lion's paws from her son's face, is credited with 20 his life. She's a real hero.

    It was December 22. The bitter wind swept the countless snowflakes across my front yard. My dad was there sweeping the 1. His nose was red as a cherry. With every breath he took, a white puff 2 into the air.

    Inside, my mother was 3 the last of the boxes. As I entered the front door, the 4 that after today I wouldn't enter through that door 5 again burned a hole in my stomach. I picked up my dog and sat Indian style with him in my lap on the 6, wooden floor. I had no 7 but to sit on the floor, for there was no longer any furniture occupying my house. I sat there in a daze (恍惚), just 8. There was no reason for my parents to make me, a once 912-year-old kid, 10. I had two best friends right across the street; I did well in school and I always kept my room clean. 11, this was "my house". By no means did I want a couple of 12 living here. These recurring (重复) thoughts danced around in my mind and I couldn't find a(n) 13.

    Out of the front window I could see the orange top of a truck pulling in the cleaned driveway and I knew it was the other U-Haul. Instantly three men came 14through the back door like World War III was starting.

    I watched 15 as the men, my mother and my dad loaded the truck. My dog even winced(畏缩)as he stared out of the window. I wondered if he was 16, too, or if he just wished to play outside in the snow.

    My mum came in, looking solemn(凝重)for my sake, I imagined. She turned 17 the overhead light, put the 18 in my arm and followed me out of the back door. A totally 19 feeling filled my inside. For the first time in my life, I wondered what 20would be to me tomorrow.

    When my wife, Jane, and I were 16, we were in the same class. About a week before Thanksgiving Day, we found out that our teacher Edward was having some 1challenges. We wanted to do something to help, so as a class we 2to gather food, clothing and gifts to 3his family had a good Thanksgiving Day.

    When Jane told her family about our plan, her mother was 4. Together they searched their house for things they could 5. Her mother went to the kitchen, 6 a big turkey and saying, "Thanksgiving Day won't be 7without a turkey dinner." To this day, Jane remembers how moved she was by her mother's 8.

Before making our 9, we said a prayer of appreciation for the wonderful 10 to help others. I will never forget the surprised 11 of our teacher and his wife when they 12 the door; their four children gathered around them as we handed out the gifts. It was a cold night; we all felt warm inside, 13.

    Last month while I was in a meeting, my secretary informed me, "Your high school teacher Mr. Edward is wondering if you could 14 him a few minutes. He's sitting in your office right now!"

    I left my meeting and went to my office 15. My teacher and I hugged and began to 16 the last 42 years. He told me he 17 remembered that cold winter night when we brought the 18of Thanksgiving Day to his family. The food and gifts were certainly appreciated, 19what warmed his heart that night was to see a group of teenagers who understood the 20of Thanksgiving Day.