My wife and I were attending a wedding at St. John's Church. The sound of 1rang to the heavens as the ceremony continued.

    At the church, I 2an old friend, Casper, who happened to be at the3. Now 73, Casper was a brilliant and 4softball pitcher（投球手）back in the Men's Leagues of Philadelphia in the mid-60s. I did not 5the now silver-haired fellow until my brother-in-law John mentioned his name to me！After a very pleasant 6, Casper asked if I remembered a letter of 7I had written to him back in 1964. It appeared Casper fell on hard times, as professional pitchers8do, and he wasn't pitching too well for a period of time. I did not 9the letter, but he said, “Yes, I still have it and I read it anytime 10aren't going too well.” He said that he had read the letter many times, and the situation always seemed to improve. I was 11and speechless!

    He continued, “You don't remember?” I said, “Sadly, no, I don't.” But I did ask if I could have a(n) 12of the letter. He said he would email it to me. After the 13, we met on the steps of the church. Casper came up to me and 14the letter. He lived a block from the 15 and had run home to get it. The envelope was 16 and turned yellow, and so was the letter inside. That letter had to be nearly 50 years old.

    In 17 terms, the letter read: “These hard times are 18！Keep your enthusiasm for the 19. Never quit and you'll be back on the top again 20. Hang on there!”

    Sudha Chandran, a classical dancer from India, had to have her right leg cut after a car accident. She was also 1 on her career road.

    Though the accident brought her bright career to a 2, she didn't give up. In the 3 months that followed, Sudha met a doctor who developed an artificial 4 made from rubber filled with sponge (海绵). So 5 she wanted to go back to 6 after she had been fitted with an artificial leg. Sudha knew that she believed in 7 and could realize her dream, and 8 she began her courageous journey back to the world of dancing — 9 to balance, bend, stretch, walk, turn, twist and twirl.

    After every public recital (个人表演), she 10 ask her dad about her performance. “You 11 have a long way to go” was the answer she used to get 12. In January 1984, Sudha made a historic 13 by giving a public recital in Bombay. She performed in such a great manner that it 14 everyone to tears and this 15 pushed her to the number one position again. That evening when she asked her dad the 16 question, he didn't say anything. He just touched her feet as a praise.

    Sudha's comeback was 17 moving an event that a film producer 18 to make the story into a hit film. When someone asked Sudha how she had 19 to dance again, she said quite simply, “YOU DON'T NEED FEET TO DANCE.”20 is impossible in this world. If you have the will to win, you can achieve anything.

    Once there was an old farmer, with a horse which was almost as old as himself. He 1 one morning with his young son 2 the horse before it died. Father and son walked, 3 the farmer did not want the horse to be 4.

    They met two men on the road 5 said:"Why are you walking, farmer? You have a horse. It's 6 to market."The farmer knew that this was 7, so he rode on the horse, 8 his son walked.

    Then they met two old ladies. " 9 are you doing up there, farmer? Can't you 10 how tired your boy is?"11 the farmer got down, and his son rode 12 .

    13 , three old men stopped them. One said:"Why are you walking, farmer? 14 . It's too hot for an old man like you to walk today."So the farmer got up 15 his son, and they 16 . 17, a young woman passed them."Why aren't you walking?"she asked. "It isn't 18 to market. Give your poor old horse a rest." So the farmer, and his son, got down 19.

    It is a fact that you cannot please（使喜欢；使满意）20the people all the time.

    His palms were sweating. He needed a towel to dry his palms. The sun was as hot as the 1 he faced today at the National Junior Olympics. The bar (横竿) was set at 17 feet. That was three inches higher than his personal best. Michael Stone faced the most 2 day of his pole-vaulting (撑竿跳高) career.

    You couldn't tell whether Michael Stone was surprised, excited or vain about clearing the bar at 17 feet. As soon as he 3 on the inflated (充了气的) landing mat, Michael immediately began 4 for his next attempt at flight. He seemed 5 the fact that he had just beaten his personal best 6 three inches and that he was one of the first two competitors in the pole-vaulting 7 at the National Junior Olympics.

    When Michael 8 the bar at 17 feet 2 inches and 17 feet 4 inches, again he showed no 9 . At the same time, he 10 the people sigh(叹气), he knew the other vaulter had missed his final jump. He knew it was time for his 11 jump. Since the other vaulter had fewer misses, Michael needed to clear this vault to win. A 12 would get him second place. It was nothing to be ashamed of, 13 Michael would not 14 himself to have the thought of not winning first place.

    He rolled over and found his pole, stood and stepped on the runway that 15 the most challenging event of his 17-year-old life.

    As he sprinted (冲刺) down the runway, something felt wonderfully different, yet familiar. When he took a deep breath, it happened. He began to 16 like an eagle.

    He later went on that day to clear 17 feet 6 inches: a new National and International Junior Olympics record.

    With all the media attention and sponsorship possibilities, Michael's life would never be 17again. It wasn't just because he won the National Junior Olympics and 18 a new world record. And it wasn't because he had just increased his personal best by 9 inches. It was simply because Michael Stone is blind.

    A challenge can sometimes make a 19 to the life, and bring 20 the best in us.

    “Come on, Cindy!" Darcy sounded so impatient, “We'll be late for class."

    “Darcy, I can't find my1." I dropped my book bag to dig through my coat pockets. “My money was in it."

    “Someone took it." Darcy said. As usual, she was quick to point away from the2side of things. “Oh. I'm sure I just misplaced it." I hoped. Even though we were best friends, Darcy and I were just so3.

   We rushed into class. Darcy4the news about the theft. By last period in gym class, I was5of having to say over and over again, “I'm sure I just left it at home."

   After gym, we went into the locker room. I was changing6I heard a gasp from Darcy. I looked at her and found her face was white with7. There, at her feet, was my wallet.

    “It fell out of her locker!" Darcy pointed at Juanita, a “new girl" in our class. “She8it."

    Everyone began to9Juanita at once.

    “Darcy caught her red-handed."

    “Report her!"

   I looked over at Juanita. She picked up the wallet and held it out to me. Her hands were10. “I found it in the parking lot. I was going to give it to you."

    Darcy spit the words “I'm so sure!" at her.

    “Really, it's true." Juanita's eyes began to fill with tears.

    I11for my wallet. I didn't know what to think,12when I looked over at Darcy, her attitude made me sick inside. I looked at Juanita. She was scared but looked13. I knew I held her14in my hands.

    “I am so glad you found it," I smiled. “Thanks, Juanita."

    The15around us broke.

    “Good thing she found it," everyone but Darcy16.

    “If there is any money left in your wallet."

    “Not now. Darcy!"

    “You are so naive!"

    It wasn't until others left there that I opened my wallet.

    “It's all here." I couldn't help but feel17. A folded piece of paper fluttered from my wallet. I opened it to see what it was.

    “She just didn't have time to18it yet."

    “Darcy, maybe you spend too much time19people."

    Darcy grabbed the note, read it and threw it back at me. “Whatever!" she said and stomped off. I knew that something had20between us.

    I read the note again.

Cindy,

    I found your wallet in the parking lot. Hope nothing is missing.

Juanita

    P.S. My phone number is 55-3218. Maybe you could call me sometime.

    And I did.

While watching videos on Douyin one day, I came across a very unique profile（轮廓）: an 88-year-old farmer livestreaming trendy products in a rural setting. I clicked his page and saw that he was livestreaming because he needed to cover his wife's medical expenses. Curious, I decided to contact him and learn more about his story.

Now a retired farmer, Wu relies on government subsidies（补贴）. One rainy day, he returned to his rundown one-floor cottage in the suburb of Henan province and found his wife lying on the ground in great pain. She had broken her leg and lost the ability to walk.

A great burden befell this already poverty-stricken family. The medical expenses for Wu's wife are about 800 yuan per month. Her daughter, a mother of three and a housewife, has no means of supporting Wu financially. As a heavy user on Douyin, Wu's daughter thought that perhaps they too could try livestreaming as a way to help their family. With a 9.9 yuan phone holder, they began livestreaming on Douyin, and Wu became one of the oldest livestreamers on the platform.

Every day, Wu livestreams for a total of six hours, separated into morning and afternoon sessions. With a broad smile and soothing（宽慰的）voice, he explains the products on his table, which range from water bottles, makeup removers and vegetables to traditional Chinese clothing that Wu himself wears in front of the camera. Thousands of viewers are drawn in by his moving story and amiable（和蔼的）personality. They refer to him dearly as "my uncle Wu" or "Laoxiang".

During my interview with him, Wu would laugh warmly. His strong Henan dialect was sometimes hard to understand, but his tone was full of comfort and optimism. "I enjoy livestreaming. One day, one of the viewers came to visit me. I was so happy." Wu spoke about the friendships he made after becoming a livestreamer, and his voice was so contagious（感染力的）that it put a smile on my face.

He also does not avoid showing affection for his wife: "I will buy her good food when I have the money." I am moved by his ability to see the optimistic side of life despite being struck by hardships and his resilience（坚韧）sailing through the low tides of life.