In 2012, I had just recovered from a serious illness when I received an invitation to a writer's conference in Orlando, Florida. My family persuaded me that a(n)1might be just what the doctor ordered, so off I2.

    Arriving in the Sunshine State was rather tiring, but I3to catch a taxi to my4and settle in. The next morning, I took another5to the shopping centre to buy a few souvenirs.6I went to a cafe to have lunch, but all the tables were7. Then I heard a friendly voice saying, "You can8my table."

    I gratefully sat down with the9lady and we had a happy lunch together. As the10drew to a close she asked how long I would be in Orlando. I had already told her that I hadn't11a car, and  hadn't  realized how12taking taxis would he. After a while she said, "My dear, don't use any more taxis. I'm retired and it would be my pleasure to13you wherever you wish." I told her that I couldn't put her to that14,but she brushed aside my protests(反对). She asked me where I was15and the next morning she was waiting at my apartment at the16time to take me to Disney World. She spent some time with me before leaving me to17alone. At the end of the day, she18to take me back to my accommodation. I19her money but she refused to take any.

    I'll never forget that wonderful lady who, through her20, filled my brief holiday in Florida with wonderful memories.

    Once upon a time, there was a poor man. His 1 was also very poor — a small and empty house, which was2 with spider webs (蜘蛛网). People tried to 3 coming into his house as they didn't want to come to such a 4 place. And the poor man thought that poverty (贫困) was the  5 for his unlucky life.

    Then, the poor man 6 a wise man and told him about his poverty. The man felt sorry for the poor man and gave him a vase (花瓶). “This will save you from 7,” the wise man8. The poor man took the 9 from the wise man and wanted to sell it at first and then spend the money on drinking, as usual. Besides, why would he 10 such a beautiful thing? But then he started 11 the vase carefully and decided not to take it to the market. He brought the vase back to his house, put it on the table and started watching it again.

    “It's not 12for such a beautiful thing to be empty,” the poor man thought. So he pick some flowers and put them into the vase. It became even 13. “Not good that such a beautiful thing stands next to a spider web,” the poor man 14 again.

    So the poor man started cleaning his house. He cleaned the dust, washed the floor and whitened the walls. And it became clear that his house wasn't poor, 15 rather warm and comfortable. And the poor man wasn't a poor man anymore, but a hard-working host, who had no time to think about poverty.

Hope in my arms

    Last year, I was invited to participate in a carnival（嘉年华） for Tuesday' s Child, an organization that helps children with AIDS.

    All the children that had 1 at one special room could paint a square on a piece of cloth. Later the squares would be sewn(缝) together to2 a quilt. The quilt would be presented to a man who had devoted his life to the   3 and would soon be retiring.

    The kids were given paints in bright colors and asked to paint something that would make the quilt beautiful. As I looked around at all the squares, I saw pink hearts, blue clouds, orange sunrises and red flowers. The pictures were all bright and 4. All except one.

    One boy was painting a heart, but it was dark and lifeless. It lacked the bright colors that his fellow artists had used. I asked why. He told me that he was very5 and so was his mom. He said that his sickness was not ever going to get better and 6 was his mom's. He looked7into my eyes and said, "There is no hope in my life."

    I told him I was sorry and I could understand why he had made his heart a dark color. I told him that8 we couldn't make him better, we can give 9, which can really help when you are feeling sad. I told him that if he would like, I would be happy to give him one so he could see what I meant. 10, he crawled(爬上) into my lap（大腿）. I thought my own heart would burst for this sweet little boy. He sat there for a long time. Finally he slipped 11to finish his coloring.

    As I was getting ready to12 home, I felt a tug (猛拽) on my jacket. Standing there was the little boy,13. He said, "My heart is changing14. It is getting brighter. I think those hugs really do 15." On my way home I felt my own heart. It too had changed to a brighter color.

    My least favorite part was participating in sport meets, for I loved running by myself. When faced with running against fellow athletes, I was 1. I had butterflies in my stomach and the sudden urge to go to the nearest 2. This year, 3, I was encouraged to join in a long distance running competition by my coach.

    The 800-meter event was approaching, meaning that I would 4 soon. I breathed deeply and tried to 5 my worries. I walked over to some of the 6 who would run with me and started to 7 with them. We were all loosening up and getting ready to run as 8as possible.

    I stepped up to the line for the event. The starter raised his cap gun and 9. About twenty-five runners 10. With these runners around me, I 11 my coach's words, “You may be small, but you have 12 power.” So, I kept up with athletes twice my 13. I picked up the runner in seventh place and based my steps on him, making it a little bit faster. One by one, I 14 to make it to the top four, bursting around the lap.

It was the last lap before the final straightaway. I 15 I had the possibility to win. So I widened my steps, speeding up my 16. I caught up with the runner in first place and we ran side-by-side down the last 100 meters — I 17 him by a hair at the finishing line.

    My coach gave me a 18 hug as I headed back to see him. He was 19 because I had shortened my original 20 by twelve seconds at least.

    At an airport I overheard(无意听到) a father and daughter in their last moments together. They had announced her plane's1and standing near the door, he said to his daughter, "I love you; I wish you enough."

    She said, "Daddy, our2together has been more than enough. Your love is3I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Daddy." They kissed good-bye and she left.

    He walked over4the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see he wanted and needed to5. I tried not to interfere(干涉) his6, but he welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say good-bye to someone7it would be forever?" "Yes, I have," I replied.

    Saying that brought back8I had of expressing my love and9for all my Dad had done for me. Recognizing that his days were10, I took the time to tell him face to face how much he meant to me. So I knew what this man was11. When I asked why it was a forever good-bye, he said he was12and her daughter lived much too far away. He guessed this departure might be the13before his funeral. When I asked him why they said "I wish you enough", he explained that had been14from other generations. His parents used to say it to15, by which they wanted other people to have a life filled with enough16things to support them.

    "I wish you enough sun to17your attitude bright. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit18. I wish you enough pain19the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. I wish you enough gains to20your wanting. I wish you enough "Hellos" to get you through the final 'Good-bye'."