You may be surprised to see “making sure children never suffer” as a mistake. The following 1 may help you understand how rescuing children from all suffering 2 weakness.

    A little boy felt sorry for a butterfly 3 to emerge from its chrysalis(蛹）. He decided to 4 the butterfly. So he peeled the chrysalis open for the butterfly. The little boy was so 5 to watch the butterfly spread its wings and fly off into the sky. Then he was horrified 6 he watched the butterfly fall to the ground and die because it did not have the muscle and 7 to keep flying. In fact, the butterfly's struggle to 8 the chrysalis helps the butterfly become stronger.

    Like the little boy, 9 too often want to protect their children from struggle in the 10 of love. They don't realize that their children need to struggle, to experience 11, to deal with disappointment, and to solve their own problems. Only in this way 12 children strengthen their emotional strength, become 13 and develop the skills necessary for the even bigger struggles they will meet throughout their lives. Children experiencing sufferings can 14 the ups and downs of life.

    However, it isn't helpful either in this case when parents 15 lectures(训斥), blame and shame to what the child is experiencing. Mothers 16 to say, “Stop crying and acting like a spoiled boy. You can't always get what you want.” These 17 words should be avoided. Instead, parents can offer loving support. You can say, “Don't lose 18. Be brave! You will succeed if you try again.” Then comes the tough part—no 19 and no lectures. Simply allow him to discover that he can 20 his disappointment and figure out what he can do to get what he wants in the future.

    Seven years ago, I began accompanying my father to the local market to sell vegetables we harvested from our farm. At the beginning , I did what I could to1him while I also communicated with other participants in the market.

    As time went by, I increasingly2the craft of gardening,3I began planting a garden of my own to4a seller myself. The market soon became my5for many summers to come. The sellers in the market were6and more than willing to share their gardening experience. Many sellers were the new generation of farmers and acquired knowledge through the experience of their7. The years I participated in the market helped me grow, taught me many new skills and opened doors to success I8imagined.

    Responsibility came rather quickly as I 9to manage my own gardening business. There was a huge of work being self10. I had to do everything by myself. I learned that self-discipline(自我约束) and time management were important in order to11a productive garden. Rising 12in the morning at 4 a. m. to arrive at the market with my13produce ensured I would be there to greet early 14 .

    The market opened a door of opportunity I never dreamed of. It15me to make a profit to start a greenhouse business. It is a(n)16feeling when I see the seeds come out and raise them as they continue to17until they are ready for sale. I've learned18because it is impossible to rush Mother Nature! It takes time and work to make the plants grow and become mature. It is not an overnight19. Several weeks are required for the plants to be ready, but the 20is worth all the time I spend and all work I do.

    With supper finished, it was our time with Dad. Cindy, Tom and I climbed onto our couch. We all 1 Mom to turn on the old tape player.

    Dad had been piloting airplanes in Vietnam for the Air Force for a year. Through the year, our family received at least one 2a week from Dad. Mom played a part to us every day. Every day when Mom turned on the tape player, Dad 3by asking each of us how our 4had gone and what we had done.5 to the tape machine as if he could hear every word, each of us told him about our6. Because Mom wrote down our responses, Dad was kept7. In the following tape, he8our good deeds and 9corrected our errors. After 10 told Dad their tales, he read to us from the book Mom had sent.

    The day Dad was to11, all of us were playing around the 12. Then the gate in the fence opened. A tall man in a 13walked through the gate.

    My eldest sister jumped off the diving board and ran towards the man. Mom ran behind. The man embraced Mom and kissed her.

    14by the scene, Tom and I looked at each other. Soon, the tall, uniformed man arrived at the pool's edge and smiled 15at us. With the innocence of a four-year-old girl, I looked up and  16 , “Are you my father?”

    He burst into tears, knelt down, 17us into his arms and said, “Yes, I'm your father.” 18 I heard his voice, I 19him as my father because it was the same20that I heard so frequently on tape.

    I sat and waited for Kathleen to speak. “Annie,” she said, “A food bank that serves the elderly is asking for 1. I'd like you to organize the event.” “Well, errr…sure.” As I stuttered(结巴地说) through my 2 , all I could think was, “What? Why me?”

    I walked back to my office wondering where to 3. This was a time 4 the economy was fading. The rise in unemployment forced many of my coworkers to 5 to survive. How could I ask them for more?

    That evening I drove home, depressed. Then I remembered once my father was out of work. Mom wrote a note to Jim, the milkman, asking him not to 6 any more milk. Two days later Jim picked up the 7 and left four liters of milk. He left a message, 8, “Kids need milk.” The milk delivery 9 as usual and Jim never collected a cent 10 us.

    The memory of Jim's 11 fired my enthusiasm. Perhaps I'd be in for a pleasant surprise.

    The next morning I 12 signs about our food drive all over the cafeteria and on every notice board I could find. Each sign said, “Food drive to support the poor elderly! 13 of non-perishable(不易腐的) foods are greatly needed.”

    Within a few days I had to locate empty office space to 14 a large number of contributions we had 15. One of my coworkers, Maggie, made the rounds with me every day from one department to another to pick up the canned goods and other 16. Though over sixty, she 17 manage to push our food trolley(手 推车) around like a woman half her age.

    I asked her where she got all the enthusiasm. She said, “With the unemployment rate touching 10 percent, I can't think of a better way to be 18 for keeping our jobs 19 so many have lost theirs. Sure money is tight. But when isn't it? People need food.”

    As I listened to Maggie, the milkman's words 20 in my ears, “Kids need milk.”

My Hero

    What does it mean to be a hero? I think a hero is someone who goes out of his way to make others happy. My hero is Mr. Wright, my chorus(合唱队) teacher.

    When I was 12 years old, my grandparents passed away. I was really close to them, and losing them was the hardest thing I've ever had to 1through. I couldn't eat, sleep, or think; I felt like I couldn't even breathe. It was as if my whole world had fallen down from under me, and I2into this huge hole of depression(抑郁).

    3I was battling depression, I was determined to make my high school years the best of my life. It was difficult to be 4, but I had to try. I joined Women's Choir. Mr. Wright was the choral director and he was so funny that the first day, I just knew I had made the best 5of my life.

    As the year progressed, I loved the chorus more and more. I began to smile again and really enjoy 6.

    Then one day that all changed. My friends—or those that I thought were my friends—started talking about me behind my back. I was 7, and I sat by myself. Mr. Wright came over and asked what was wrong. The look in his eyes told me that I could 8him. Trying hard to 9back tears, I told him the whole story.

    When I finished, he nodded and told me,“If you never learn anything from me, learn this: No one is worth 10your joy.”What Mr. Wright said really 11a chord(心弦) in my heart. He12cared about me and what was going on. I'll never be able to thank him enough, because he not only saved me but has13every day of my life since. Any time I feel like giving 14, I remember Mr. Wright's words and push forward.

    I'm proud to say that I 15my depression, and I'm now a senior. I'm still a 16of chorus, and now I'm also in the best choir at my school.

    Mr. Wright is a hero 17everyone he meets. He cares about every single person who walks through his door, and he loves what he does more than any other teacher I've known. That's 18he deserves to be Educator of the Year. He deserves the 19not just this year but every year.

    I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet you, Mr. Wright. You are an 20teacher, and I hope you realize that. You're my hero.

    One night, when I was eight, my mother gently asked me a question I would never forget. "Sweetie, my company wants to 1 me but needs me to work in Brazil. This is like your teacher telling you that you've done 2 and allowing you to skip a grade, but you'll have to 3 your friends. Would you say yes to your teacher?" She gave me a hug and asked me to think about it. I was puzzled. The question kept me 4 for the rest of the night. I had said "yes" but for the first time, I realized the 5 decisions adults had to make.

    For almost four years, my mother would 6 us from Brazil every day. Every evening I'd 7 wait for the phone to ring and then tell her every detail of my day. A phone call, however, could never replace her 8 and it was difficult not to feel lonely at times.

    During my fourth-grade Christmas break, we flew to Rio to visit her. Looking at her large 9  apartment, I became 10 how lonely my mother must have been in Brazil herself. It was then that I started to appreciate the tough choices she had to make on 11 family and work. 12  difficult decisions, she used to tell me, you wouldn't know whether you made the right choice, but you could always make the best out of the situation, with passion and a 13 attitude.

    Back home, I 14 myself that what my mother could do, I could, too. If she 15 to live in Rio all by herself, I, too, could learn to be 16. I learnt how to take care of myself and set high but achievable17.

    My mother is now back with us. But I will never forget what the 18 has really taught me. Sacrifices 19 in the end. The separation between us has proved to be 20 for me.