The Person Who Influenced Me the Most

    I opened the box and took out the shining gold bracelet. “For me?' I could barely talk. Yes, of course, said my Aunt Estelle, I really shouldn't have been 1 because she was like that, unexpected and golden.

    When I was younger, I knew that I could always go to my Aunt Estelle for comfort, advice and 2  She was my best friend and my guardian angel. I could always be 3with her and tell her anything that was on my mind. She also knew when I was trying to 4something. Aunt Estelle gave me advice when it was sought and guided me5many difficulties.

    Last December, I was faced with one of the most difficult 6I ever had to make in my life. She was dying of cancer and I was 7to go to Israel for two weeks for a research project. 8  I sought Aunt Estelle's advice but for the  9time I didn't like her response. When I went to the hospital to visit her for what turned out to be the last time, she was waiting for me with a book about Israel on her bed and made it very clear that she10me to go—that it was her greatest wish for me to go—haw could I 11her. Aunt Estelle was the most unselfish person I ever knew and would not even consider my 12about going. She called me 13I left for Israel to tell me that she loved me and that she would always be with me.

    I went to Israel and had the time of my life. When I returned, my parents 14me up, I told them I couldn't wait to tell Aunt Estelle about my journey. They became15and I knew before they said the words that she had died. Aunt Estelle's unselfishness was her greatest16.

    The gold bracelet she gave me for my sixteenth birthday was the one that I had always admired on her. Each time I look at it I am17of an even greater gift from my aunt, the gift of her 18.

    Whenever I find myself becoming too self-centered and19the needs of those around me, I recall her selflessness and20to follow her example to make the needs of others a priority.

    It has always been my dream to attend college. When I was younger, I would watch TV shows with college students having lots of 1.It looked like a great experience－going to parties,2with

    friends and letting the good times 3 When I entered high school, however, I started learning the real4 of college－to get a good education and a well-paid job. Therefore, with a passion for success in life, I expressed my 5about attending university to my parents. They were6I'd chosen the path, but were disappointed because they couldn't 7the cost. Upset and stressed, I started looking for 8to pay myself.

    My search for money began online. I went to every free scholarship search engine and spent up to five hours each day looking for scholarships I 9for. It was hard, but I knew it would10When I'd found almost all the scholarships I could apply for, I11them by deadline, which  gave me a way to prioritize my schedule. After12 everything, it was time to fill out the applications. Despite the amounts, ranging from＄100 to ＄40,000, I took each scholarship13because together they would fund my goal. With this in my mind, the hardest part began: writing the essays. To 14my writing, I asked friends, relatives and teachers to15over my work. Now I've won16scholarships and can attend college for free.

    The scholarship search truly made me a17person. I learned the importance of setting a(n)18 and accomplishing it.19 I did have to read several rejection letters, those made me stronger. I'm thrilled I had the opportunity to learn more about my20to succeed no matter what difficulties got in my way.

    My little daughter, you are teaching me how selfless(无私) real love is!

    My wife called ,“How long will you be with that1?Will you come here and make your darling daughter eat her food?” I threw the paper away and 2to the place .My daughter Sindu,sat there, tears welling up in her eyes .In front of her was a big bowl of rice.

    I 3the bowl and persuaded:“Sindu, why not take a few mouthfuls of the rice?”

    “OK, Dad .I will eat — not just a few mouthfuls,4 the whole lot of this. But...” Sindu hesitated .“Dad ,if I eat the whole rice ,will you give me 5I ask for?”

    “Promise.” I 6.

    After eating the rice painfully ,Sindu came to me ,her eyes wide with 7Now I became a bit 8“Dear, you shouldn't insist on9a computer or any such 10things. Dad does not have that kind of money right now.”11 “I want to have my head shaved off(剃掉),this Sunday!” was her requirement ,which was far 12my belief.

    On Monday morning ,I 13Sindu at her school and watched her walking towards her classroom. She turned around and 14.I waved back with a smile. Just then ,a boy, who just got out of a car,shouted,“Sindu, please wait for me!” What 15me was the hairless head of that boy.

    “Sir, your daughter is16indeed!” Without introducing herself, a lady standing beside me continued, “That boy is my son, who lost all his 17because of a disease .He 18to come back to school for fearing the unintentional(无意的)but 19teasing(取笑)of the schoolmates. Sindu visited him last week, and promised him that she would take care of the teasing problem. But I 20imagined she would cut her lovely hair for my son!”

    Madison Williams,aged 13 ,was studying in her bedroom in Dublin, Ohio. Suddenly,her mother,Leigh Williams,rushed in saying1"A little boy fell into a septic tank（化粪池），and no one can2him.”

    They ran to the neighbor's yard,where they found the boy's desperate mother and other people3a septic tank opening that was slightly wider than a4The boy,only 2, had slipped in.

    Madison quickly5the situation. She was the only one who could6 through the small hole. Without7she got on her stomach next to the opening, placed her8out in front of her9told the adults, “Lower me in.”

    Leigh and the others10her waist and legs. She moved her arms and shoulders from side to side until she got through the11Inside,the tank was dark ,and the air was sick. She used her hands to12the boy in the dirty water, and jammed her left wrist13 a hidden pole, injuring the muscles in her wrist and arm. Ignoring her14Madison continued. Minutes ticked by before she15grasped his foot.

    Then, ten minutes after Madison had16the tank, she and the boy were17.But the boy wasn't out of18He had been kept from oxygen long enough that he wasn't19An adult gave him several hard hits on the back. It was only when Madison heard him cry that she knew he was 20Madison's action made her a hero.

    Next week, strangers with a truck will 1 everything we own, except the clothes on our backs, the car we will drive, and as much stuff as we can pack into it.

    It's called 2 . Some people do it often. For others, like me, it's a rare experience. In all my adult years, I've moved only 3 .

    My first husband and I moved into our first house with a bed, our clothes and a few gifts. That was 4 ago. Over the years, I filled that house with three children, a few dogs and enough stuff to reach the ceiling(天花板).

    Then the kids grew up, I lost my 5  to cancer, and I began to learn about 6 .

    First, I let go of the idea of being 7. Life isn't about being in charge of what happens; it's about being in charge of what we do with it.

    Next, I let go of 8 the things I care most about. I began to put important things first like keeping in touch with the people that mean the most to me.

    I let go of the people whose lives are about anger or hatred( 憎恨), and tried instead to 9 myself with those who shine with 10 .

    Finally, I let go of being 11－I remarried.

    I eventually moved to a new city with my new husband, and after that move, I promised I'd stop collecting meaningless things. But 12 years later, here I am, still learning about letting go. Yesterday while cleaning out a dresser, I found a box filled with old keepsakes(纪念品). Nothing in that box may mean much to anyone, except me. They are treasures for me which 12 me of the 13 they preserve. We finally decided to hold onto to them and never let them go.

    We'll all move someday from this world to the next, but we won't need a truck to do it. We'll take nothing with us and but 14 a memory of the life we lived, the mistakes we made, and all the love and kindness we tried to show That memory might not be a treasure, but 15 , someone will keep it and hold it close and never let it go.

    Can you love someone too much？1 you can express the wrong kind of love, but I'm sure you can't 2 too much.

    One of my favorite stories tells of a woman who finally 3 to ask her boss for a raise in salary. All day she felt4. Late in the afternoon she worked up the 5 to speak to her employer. To her delight, he 6 a raise.

    The woman arrived home that evening to a beautiful 7 set with their best dishes. Her husband had come home early and8 a festival meal. She wondered if he 9 knew that she would not get turned down.

    She found him in the kitchen and told him the good 10. They kissed and then sat down to the wonderful meal. Next to her plate the woman found a beautifully lettered 11. It read, "Congratulations, darling! I knew you'd get the raise! These things will 12 you how much I love you."

    After supper, her husband went to do some 13. As he left the room, she 14 a second card that had fallen from his pocket. Picking it off the floor, she read, "Don't worry about not getting the raise. You 15 it anyway! These things will tell you how much I love you."

    The measure of love is when you love without measure. What this man tried to show his wife was 16 acceptance and love. Whether she17 or not, he loved her regardless. Sometimes his love might celebrate her victories and other times it was there to give 18.

    Upon receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, Mother Teresa said, "What can you do to promote world 19? Go home and love your20." Yes, love your family, and also love your friends. Love them without pressure. And don't worry about spoilage（变质）. So remember, "Potatoes spoil, people don't spoil."