When my oldest son was in high school, he planned to1 a Christian contemporary concert with the youth group from our church. To my 2 Aaron invited me to go along. I3 accepted; however, by the time the date of the concert arrived, my youngest son had been ill, and I was4 about him. I hesitated (犹豫). Then my husband5 me to attend the concert, promising he would take care of our youngest.

    Finally, the6 was made. Aaron was sixteen years old. How many 7 would I have to do something fun with him8he went away to college? And how many youths actually would 9 their mothers to attend a concert with them that was clearly for teens? I would not miss this opportunity.

At the concert, I 10with Aaron in the third row, putting cotton in my ears to block out the 11 ear-splitting music of the first performer. I stood when the kids stood, clapped when they 12 and never let anyone know how13 I was to feel the floor shaking beneath my feet. Aaron and his friends were 14at my enthusiasm (激情).

    By the time we left the concert, my ears were ringing, but it quickly passed.15 did my son's teenage years.16he was in college and away from home. I missed him more than I could say. Whenever I felt17 I would think back to the concert we attended and be thankful once again that I didn't 18an opportunity to spend time with my son.

    Aaron is now grown and has a family of his own, but he often calls just to 19and tell me about his day. I drop everything and 20the moment.

    My family suffered a lot three years ago when my father died in a car accident. It1my mother, two younger brothers and me alone.

    At that time, I was in senior high school. As the2 son, I had no choice but to3of school and work in a factory. Life went on without any 4I dared not ask for more and just thought about5 my two brothers. However, it wasn't easy, for I couldn't6 their tuition even if I worked day and night without rest. I also had to look after my sick mother. I wanted to go back to school, but it seemed to be a(n)7 idea, since I needed to work to support my family.

    A thread of8 appeared during those gloomy days. It was a rainy dusk when I went outside into the rain and walked in the street9 the rain stopped! I raised my head, and found that “the sky” was in fact a dark blue umbrella. Then I heard a deep voice say, “Why not10 without an umbrella?” It was a one-legged man,11 you run, you won't get so wet.” His words12 me deeply. Without my father's protection, was I only a slave to 13?

    While walking together in the rain, I knew that his dream was once14by an accident. He was glad that he didn't lose15 and still “ran” on the road of life… Facing this guy, I had no pity16admiration.

    Inspired by his17 I went to a city in the south and became an assurance representative. After two years' “running”, I got somewhere and my family situation became better18 I went back to school and eventually succeeded in being19 to a university.

    Everything is so simple: to run without an umbrella! When you run out of the 20season of your life, there will be a bright sky ahead of you.

    I first went to hear a live rock concert when I was eight years old. My brother and his friends were all 1of a heavy metal group called Black Wednesday. When they 2 that Black Wednesday were going to perform at our local theatre, they all bought 3 for performance. However, at the last minute, one of the friends couldn't go, so my brother 4 me the ticket. I was really 5!

    I remember the buzz (嘈杂声) of excitement inside the theatre as we all found our 6. After a few minutes, the lights went down and everybody became 7. I could barely make out the stage in the 8. We waited. Then there was a roar from the crowd, like an explosion, as the first members of the band 9 the stage. My brother leaned over and shouted something in my ear, but I couldn't 10 what he was saying. The first song was already starting and the music was as11 a jet engine. I could 12 the drum beats and bass notes in my stomach.

    I can't recall any of the songs that the band played. I just 13that I really enjoyed the show and didn't want it to 14. But in the end, after three encores (加演), the show finished. We left the 15 and walked unsteadily out onto the pavement. I felt a little dizzy, as if I had just 16from a long sleep. My ears were still 17with the beat of the last song.

    After the 18, I became a Black Wednesday fan too for a few years before getting into other kinds of music. Once in a while,19, I listen to one of their songs and 20 I'm back at that first show.

    A girl complained to her father about her life and how things were so hard for her.

Without a 1, the father took his daughter to the kitchen. He filled three pots with 2 and placed each on a high 3. In one he placed carrots, in the second eggs, and in the last coffee beans. The daughter sucked her teeth and waited 4, wondering what he was doing. In about twenty minutes the father turned off the heat. He 5 the carrots and eggs out and placed them in two plates. Then he poured the coffee into a cup.

    He asked 6, "Darling, what do you see?"

    "Carrots, eggs, and coffee." she replied.

    He asked her to 7 the carrots. She did and said they were 8. Then he asked her to take an egg and 9 it. After pulling off the shell, she 10 the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he asked her to drink the coffee. She 11, as she tasted its rich aroma (芳香).

    "What does it 12, Father?" She asked.

    He explained that each of them had 13 the same adversity (困境), boiling water, but each reacted 14. The carrot went in strong and hard but it turned soft and 15. The egg had been fragile, but after sitting through the boiling water its 16 became hardened. The coffee beans were 17, however, after they were in the boiling water, they had 18 the water.

    "Which are you?" Father asked his daughter. She was then wordless as if 19 in thought.

    When adversity knocks on your door, how do you 20? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

    A boy named Nick dialed 911 this Thanksgiving. He just wanted to give 1 to his local police office. Nick asked the police officers to 2 him and his family for their holiday dinner at their home.

    "With all the 3 calls we take on a daily basis, this one was a welcomed happy call that made all of us 4," said Monica from the police office.

    The boy admitted that he'd 5 the number soon. "I had told him to do that for 6 only." The boy's mom, Mary Ann 7.

    When two officers 8 Nick's house to thank him for his 9 offer, she said her young son began crying because he thought he was 10.

    "The policemen had to 11 my son, so did I," Ann said.

    "The officers told Nick that it was 12 to know someone that young was still thinking about them over the holiday and that they were very proud of him, " she 13.

    The officers didn't 14 eating any of the family's turkey, but they did give the boy a badge(警徽) and let him take 15 inside their police car. While he now knows that the number 911 16 be used for non-emergencies, Nick also has his 17 set on becoming a policeman when he's older.

    "It just goes to show that policemen aren't just about 18 people and putting them in prison," Monica told the local media.

    "Nick's call 19 all of our days, and the officers' surprise visit gave Nick a sweet Thanksgiving 20 that will stay with him for the rest of his life. It is a special holiday for Nick and us."

    I was driving in my car the other day. The sun was out, the radio was playing, and I was 1 along. The song was a 2 one and even my weak voice sounded good singing it. Then it 3, however. The sweet sound of the music 4 and there came the 5 news. Gas prices 6 again. Fans of two sports teams got into fight. I sighed and wondered about this 7 world we live in.

    8, I could take no more and turned off the 9. Silence seemed preferable to listening to 10 else about the crazy, competitive society we live in. I slowed down as I entered a town and 11 the people as I drove by. A tall man was 12 an elderly lady out of a car and helping her place her walker so she could go into store. A smiling woman was 13 food onto the square while a dozen birds flew down to enjoy the 14 being laid out before them. A young man was walking along, carrying his 15 safely in his arms. When the daughter pulled the hat off his head, they both 16. I laughed too as I looked at all of his 17. The radio may have been off in my car, 18 in my heart I was 19 singing.

    In truth, this world could have more kindness and less 20. Kindness makes us all winners in this life and our life is full of kindness, love and joy.