I remember quite well a day 17 years ago. That day, our twin sons, Chad and Brad, 1 their car and left home to attend college. I realized that our 2 would soon become a "table for two". 3 , the boys would come home on the weekends, but 4 , I knew our family life would never be exactly the same again.

    The boys walked around each room to 5 they hadn't forgotten anything they needed. I packed a cooler with 6 and their favorite cold snacks. I found a box and filled it with essential 7 items. I thought they might go to bed hungry that night. I 8 my wallet and placed the little bit of 9 I had in their hands.

    We all walked 10. Chad and Brad gave me big 11 and quickly got into their car. I 12 as they drove away. When their car was 13, I sat down on the driveway and cried 14 than I had cried in a long time. My husband Roy tried to 15 me, but I could see grief in his eyes, as well.

    There are many parents who would 16 this period. Bittersweet feelings will be 17 while I cannot explain them adequately. I can still remember 18 I felt when we began that new chapter in our lives.

    19 time going by, however, Roy and I are now accustomed to our table for two and we enjoy our lives together. I have to admit I still miss our children and the old 20 we had together.

    At the age of three, I was discovered to be totally deaf. Having consulted many specialists, my parents made a(n) 1 that would forever change my future. 2 sending me to a special education school for the deaf, they chose an ordinary one for me. All of my schoolmates and teachers there would have 3 hearing.

    I experienced great 4 throughout my primary school because, in addition to the problems of 5 with the other students, I also 6 with most of my school work. I seemed to spend every spare moment doing homework just so I could7.

    8 for me, Mrs. Jordan, my 5th grade teacher, changed all of that with a simple three-word phrase.

    One morning, she asked the class a question. I 9 her lips and immediately raised my hand. Here was an opportunity to impress the powerful teacher and even my classmates. Although a little afraid when I heard my named called, I felt unusually 10 because I was sure I had the right answer. I took a deep breath and 11 answered Mrs. Jordan's question.

    Her response12 all of us. Mrs. Jordan enthusiastically13 her right foot on the floor and turned her right hand around in a full circle 14 it pointed directly at me. With shining eyes she cried, "THAT'S RIGHT, STEPHEN!"

    For the first time in my young life, I was an instant star. My heart burst with 15. Smiling widely, I sat a little taller in my chair. My confidence 16 like never before. I decided right then and there that I would make a(n) 17 in this world. No matter how many 18 I might come across in life, I knew I could overcome them.

    The very three-word phrase entirely 19my young life. From that day on, my grades and speech improved greatly, my 20 among my classmates increased, and my viewpoint on life did a complete turnabout.

    Easter is a holiday celebrated all over the world. A lot of people like to do 1 things during the Easter weekend. One year my friends Katherine and David decided to 2 on the weekend. They lived in Houston and I lived in San Antonio, about 250km away.

    I was very 3 to go to the wedding. I 4 a new black suit, new black shoes, and a great wedding gift for Katherine and David. After having breakfast in my apartment, I was ready to go and got into my car. I started the car and was 5! The car made a very loud scratchy 6. It didn't start. My car was 7!

    I 8 called my other friends who were going to the wedding. They were all in Houston already. I was so 9. I really wanted to go to the wedding. Then I 10 one more person that might still be in San Antonio. The girl I 11, Emily.

    I called Emily to see if she was still in town and she was! She came to my 12 and we drove to the wedding together. I was a little nervous 13 I liked her very much, but I didn't dare to ask her out. On the way, we had a great14 and we were both really excited for David and Katherine and couldn't 15 to get there.

    The wedding was beautiful. There was so much delicious food at the16, and because it was Easter, the entire wedding was 17 in very bright colors. The best part was that Emily and I danced all night together. I got to know her very well and we decided to go on a 18 when we 19 to San Antonio. My car breaking down was the best thing that 20 to me that Easter weekend!

    A family of Iraqis live in my neighborhood. The 1 of the family, Ali, served as a(n) 2 for the American Forces for ten years.

    3 the Americans were withdrawing they gave my friend's family visas to come to  4. They didn't give them 5 else. Ali came to the USA. He was able to get two of his sons out of Iraq and they got jobs at Walmart and ATT. They have 6 English skills and are college educated.

    My friend Ali is in his 7 and had worked as an English interpreter much of his life. He had worked for some very important international companies 8 business in the Middle East. But here in America he is just an old Muslim man 9 to get a job.

    We became friends when my dog got 10 from the dog park and 11 a cat into his yard. I tried to help him get a job by making phone calls for him and help him 12 some of the American culture. A year later, he finally got a job as a security 13 for a shopping center.

    I am very 14 of his wife and daughters-in-law. I haven't done much for them except try to be a good 15. When his second American grandson was 16 I took a box of oranges and my smile to 17 the new baby.

    I've tried to be empathetic(有同感) to a family in a place completely different from 18they knew as home. They are 19 to be here and to live in safety and comfort. I am happy that they are 20 in a world where so many are not.

    I often show my students inspiring videos to start their day. I never know which ones will make a huge impact, 1 I know they always reach the kids on some level. I recently showed my kids a video, where the 2 was “I am enough.”

    When the 3 was over, I had each child say out loud, “I am enough.” It was 4 to see their backs straighten and their faces 5 as they declared this for themselves.

    I posted about this on my Facebook page and how 6 I felt to get to work with such openhearted, amazing kids. A friend of mine 7 the post, watched the video, and felt moved. So moved, 8, that a few days later I went to my mailbox and9 a beautiful ring stamped with “I am enough.” It was such an unbelievable gift of kindness and I 10 how this simple video was going.

    The following day I was leaving my classroom, and I 11 my warm-up white board had been changed. Instead of the instructions I had for the following morning, one of my students had written, “I am enough. You are enough. ”I 12 the addition of “You are enough” 13 it shows they are not only thinking about their value but the value of others. How 14 is that?

    I also received an email from one of the 15 of my students. She told me she found a picture of hearts and the 16, “I am enough, you are enough'' on her daughter's desk. I couldn't 17 this simple saying was reaching so 18 and so far. It made my heart filled with 19 thinking how blessed I am to get to 20 with these kind little souls every day.

Juleus Ghunta is a published children's author and award-winning poet. But when young, he could 1 read.

He grew up with his three sisters in rural Western Jamaica, raised by their single mother. Life was tough, and proper schooling was out of the question due to 2 resources.

When Ghunta finally went to school, he couldn't 3 on reading. Not only had he been kept home from school as a child, but he had not been 4 to books.

By sixth grade, he could spell his name, but still couldn't make out words or read with 5 . He struggled in school with a deep sense of 6 and worthlessness.

At age 12, a young teacher-in-training 7 a special reading program for 8 students. Ghunta was the first to join. That teacher, whose name he does not 9 now, became Ghunta's unsung hero — the person who changed his life.

The teacher was incredibly kind to him. Under her guidance, Ghunta's reading skills saw marked improvement, and his sense of inadequacy began to 10 .

"She had left me with the gift of literacy," he said. "And a deeper 11 of my talent."

After Ghunta's experience with the teacher, his life course 12 . He graduated with academic 13 and is now the author of two children's books, including "Rohan Bullkin and the Shadows."

Years later, Ghunta returned to his old school and asked the principal and teachers if they knew her 14 , but none did. Carrying this memory, however, he still hopes to find and thank her for seeing his 15 and being a source of light and hope in his life.