You Did More Than Carry My Books

    Mark was walking home from school one day when he noticed a boy ahead of him had dropped all of the books he was carrying, along with a baseball bat and several other things. Mark 1 down and helped the boy pick up these articles. 2 they were going the same way, he helped to carry some of them for him. As they walked, Mark 3 the boy's name was Bill, that he 4 computer games, baseball and history, that he was having a lot of 5 with his other subjects and that he had just broken 6 with his best friend.

    They arrived at Bill's home first and Mark was 7 in for a Coke and to watch some television. The afternoon passed 8 with a few laughs and some shared small talk, and then Mark went home. They 9 to see each other around school, had lunch together once or twice, and then both ended up from the same high school. Just three weeks before 10, Bill asked Mark if they 11 talk. Bill 12 him of the day years ago when they had first met. “Do you 13 wonder why I was carrying so many things home that day?” asked Bill. “You see, I 14 out my locker(橱柜) because I didn't want to leave a mess 15 anyone else. I had planned to run away and I was going home to 16 my things. But after we spent some time together 17 and laughing, I realized that 18 I had done that, I would have 19 a new friend and missed all the fun we would have together. So you see, Mark, when you picked up my books that day, you did a lot more. You 20 my life.”

    When I was 13 my only purpose was to become the star on our football team. That meant 1 Miller King, who was the best 2 at our school.

    Football season started in September and all summer long I worked out. I carried my football everywhere for3.

Just before September, Miller was struck by a car and lost his right arm. I went to see him after he came back from 4He looked very5, but he didn't cry.

    That season, I6 all of Miller's records while he7the home games from the bench. We went 10-1 and I was named most valuable player,8 I often had crazy dreams in which I was to blame for Miller's 9.

    One afternoon, I was crossing the field to go home and saw Miller 10going over a fence-which wasn't11 to climb if you had both arms. I'm sure I was the last person in the world he wanted to accept 12 from. But even that challenge he accepted. I13him move slowly over the fence. When we were finally 14 on the other side, he said to me, ”You know, I didn't tell you this during the season, but you did 15.Thank you for filling in for16 .”

    His words freed me from my bad 17.I thought to myself, how even without an arm he was more of a leader. Damaged but not defeated, he was 18 ahead of me. I was right to have 19 him. From that day on, I grew 20 and a little more real.

    A nurse took a tired and anxious soldier to the bedside of an old man, “Your 1 is here.” She had to repeat the words several times 2 the patient's eyes opened.

    Heavily drugged with sleep because of the 3 of his heart attack, the old man could 4 see the uniformed soldier. The soldier held the old man's hand, expressing a(an) 5 of love and encouragement. All through the night the soldier sat there beside the bed, 6 him words of love and strength. Now and then the soldier said a few 7 words. Along towards dawn, the old man 8.

    Finally, the nurse offered words of sympathy（同情）, but the soldier 9 her.

    “Who was that man?” he asked.

    The nurse was 10. “He was your father,” she answered.

    “No, he wasn't,” the soldier replied. “I never saw him before.”

    “Then 11 didn't you say something as I took you to him?” asked the nurse.

    “I knew 12 there had been a mistake, but I also knew he 13 his son for his last moment, and his son just wasn't here. Knowing he was too 14 to tell whether or not I was his son, knowing how much he needed me, I15.”he answered.

    After 21 years of marriage, Bill Henrichs and Mary Ziegler concluded that they were no longer a good match. The couple politely divorced in 1995 and went their 1 ways, but they continued to see each other when meeting their 2at their school and sporting events. In February 2018, 3 , she and Henrichs learned they were a match in a different way.

    Henrichs's kidneys(肾)were 4, and he was in need of a 5.After nearly 40 family members and friends were tested as possible 6 , the result surprised all—only one person 7 to be a perfect match—Ziegler.

    So on Oct.16 more than four decades after they said "I do, "she and Henrichs, 62 , were 8into an operating room, and one of Ziegler's healthy kidneys was 9 and given to her ex-husband. The surgery went well, and the transplant is 10 well and continuing to improve as Mr. Henrichs 11 from the surgery. Henrichs was beyond grateful for his ex-wife's sympathy and 12 , but he was also worried in the hours before the 13 .

    Just three weeks after the transplant, she was back to work and doing yoga—a quick turnaround considering that the 14 kidney donor needs a healing period of six to eight 15."This entire experience has brought us all 16."She and Henrichs hope that by sharing their story, other 17 will realize that divorce is not always a reason to 18ties.

    "Divorce is divorce, but there's no reason to 19 , "Henrichs said."There are lots of reasons why it's 20 to get along." He pauses and laughs." Someday, you just might need a kidney."

    During my second year at the city college, I was told that the education department was offering a "free" course, called Thinking Chess, for three credits. I 1the idea of taking the class because, after all, who doesn't want to 2 a few dollars? More than that, I'd always wanted to learn chess. And, even if I weren't 3enough about free credits, news about our 4was appealing enough to me. He was an international grandmaster, which 5 I would be learning from one of the game's 6. I could hardly wait to 7him.

    Maurice Ashley was kind and smart, a former graduate returning to teach, and this 8was no game for him: he meant business. In his introduction, he made it 9that our credits would be hard-earned. In order to 10the class, among other criteria, we had to write a paper on how we plan to 11what we would learn in class to our future professions and, 12, to our lives. I managed to get an A in that 13and learned life lessons that have served me well beyond the 14.

    Ten years after my chess class with Ashley, I'm still putting to use what he 15me: “The absolute most important 16that you learn when you play chess is how to make good 17. On every single move you have to 18a situation, process what your opponent(对手）is doing and 19the best move from among all your options." These words still ring true today in my 20as a journalist.

    The stage lights dimmed, and I took a quick look from behind the heavy black curtains into the audience. Blinded by the lights, I quickly 1. It seems that a great number of eyes were looking at me. I took a deep 2 as the music of my dance began to play. I entered the stage and began my 3, the graduation test of the classical Indian dance.

    After a decade of learning this art form, I had 4 been considered ready to take on the most difficult act. The test is the most important event in a dancer's life as it pays 5 to all the factors in one's life that 6 the dance form: one's culture and family.

    The performance is undertaken only by the most 7 and determined students. It is a difficult process that requires much 8. For more than six months, I spent two to three hours every day9 these dances. Many times, I 10 myself to my physical and mental breaking point, but still I would not stop. I could not give up. There was always so much more to do and so much more to 11.

    I 12 a lot about myself in those tiring hours. I learned that I was far too 13 to give up, and I was too proud to prove myself 14 after I had set an unrealistic goal. Even with physical pain and mental 15, I forced myself to meet my 16. Even when I was at the end of my 17, there was always something driving me on, forcing me not to give up.

    Fortunately, I made it. What I had done 18 the success. It was in those hours that I learned what a dancer 19 is. Those time was evidence that I could 20 something I set out to do.