The journey my daughter Cathy has had with her swimming is as long as it is beautiful.

    Cathy suffered some terrible 1her early childhood. After years of regular treatment, she 2 became healthy.

    Two years ago, while Cathy was watching the Olympics, a dream came into her sweet little head—to be a swimmer. Last summer,she wanted to3 out local swim team. She practiced hard and finally 4 it. The team practice, 5 was a rough start. She coughed and choked and could hardly 6 her first few weeks. Hearing her coughing bitterly one night, I decided to7 her from it all. But Cathy woke me up early next morning, wearing her swim suit 8 to go! I told her she shouldn't swim after a whole night's coughing, but she refused to 9 and insisted she go.

From that day on, Cathy kept swimming and didn't 10 a single practice. She had a 11 intention within herself to be the best she could be. My ten-year-old was growing and changing right before my eyes, into this 12 human being with a passion and a mission. There were moments of 13 of course: often she would be the last swimmer in the race. It was difficult for Cathy to accept that she wasn't a 14—ever. But that didn't stop her from trying.

      Then came the final awards ceremony at the end of the year. Cathy didn't expect any award but was still there to  15 her friends and praise their accomplishments. As the ceremony was nearing the end, I suddenly heard the head coach 16, “The highest honor goes to Cathy!” Looking around, he continued, “Cathy has inspired us with her  17 and enthusiasm.  18 skills and talents bring great success, the most valuable asset(财富)one can hold is the heart.”

     It was the greatest  19 of my daughter's life. With all she had been 20 in her ten years, this was the hour of true triumph(成功).

    One of my favorite things in life is my monthly date with my daughter. Now it has become our 1to include some kind of Smile Card activity whenever we can. It's very2today, so we planned to make our3act something cool. We went to an ice cream shop,4 at the table near the counter.

    As we5our ice cream, we said that we'd like to6ice cream for the next person who came to the counter. After knowing my intention, the cashier was so excited and couldn't7for the8person. My daughter was also excited to9our victim(受害者) secretly.

    About five minutes later the cashier told us, "Oh, a mother and two little kids are coming!" As the woman10their ice cream and11for her wallet, the cashier told her that someone wanted to buy her family's ice cream. She couldn't 12it. "Seriously?" she asked with 13. Rachel and I14not to notice.

    The cashier came over to "wipe our table", leaving our15without being seen. She was as16as we were about our act of kindness. We took a piece of paper and  17a note to the cashier thanking her for helping us. We placed the note and a Smile Card on the counter, leaving the shop before we were seen.

    When we got home, my daughter was still excited to tell her mom what we did. I love my date with my daughter more than18in the world. What's more, I19every moment with her. It is even more special that we20our Smile Card adventure together.

    In a clean, clinical room, ray best friend was dying in my aims. His eyes, dark brown and trusting, would soon 1 forever. Heartbroken, I said, "Flash, you 2 so much happiness to me. I will do something good as a 3."

    Flash came into my 4 when I was nine. From the moment my parents brought this cute dog home, he 5 my family with joy.

    Then, 6 happened. My mum was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 11. Then my grandma, who was my 7, passed away. My sister developed Crohn's Disease and while being tested, 8 a heart attack. I was being bullied at school and started to 9 classes and avoid seeing people.

    Flash soon gave me all the 10 he could offer. There were times when I felt there was no  11, but a pair of brown eyes and loving face would somehow ease me. I knew he was 12 there for me. I knew he understood.

    Now after 15 years, Flash was 13. I thought doing charity work was the best reward for him. I 14 in a non-profit organization in Southampton and contributed about 3,500 hours to 15 children with special needs, which completely changed my life. I learned to love the 16 I had been on, and even accept the 17 bits.

    I still miss Flash. It was him that had somehow 18 me to helping others. Flash's death was one of the 19 moments of my life. But it was also an inspiring moment that 20 who I was-in the best possible way-forever.

    I believe that life's toughest lessons are best learned through personal experience. Throughout my childhood, my grandmother 1 me with unconditional love but always stressed, "You're not 2 than anyone else, but you're just as good as anyone. Treat others with 3, and you would earn respect 4."

    However, I never really 5 it until I was seventeen and got a summer job as a janitor. As I 6 floors and toilets, I watched people walk right by me and ignore my 7. This made me feel angry and wonder why they treated me so poorly.

    When I 8 to my grandmother, she offered me some words of 9 and reminded me never to forget the feeling of being "10" and to do the best job, because it was still my work, in which I should take 11. She added that it would make me a better man someday.

    Make me a better man someday? She must be 12, I thought to myself. But I needed the job to 13 college and there were few other jobs available, 14 I bit my tongue and kept on working as best as I could for the 15 of the summer.

    Today, when asked what job helped prepare me to gain the 16 of a key university, I tell people it was my summer job cleaning restrooms that 17 me as a man and, down the road, as an educator.

    As you can see, 18 can only be understood by walking in a lot of different shoes. So I suggest students 19 of their comfort zones and get deeply involved in different work and community experience. It's essential for people to find 20 in every person, no matter who they are or what they do for a living.

    It was a normal Monday morning at an assembly, and the old headmaster was giving the students a speech about important things in life and about1ourselves to what is important to us. This is2the story went: An old man lived in a certain part of London, and he3wake up every morning and go to the4, where he got the train right to Central London, and then sat at the street corner,5. He did this every single day of his life. He sat at the same street corner and begged for almost 20 years. His house was dirty, and it smelled6. The neighbors could not7the smell anymore, so they asked the police officers to8the place. The officers knocked down the9and cleaned the house. There were small bags of10all over the house that he had11over the years. The police counted the money, and they soon realized that the old man was a12. They waited outside his house expecting to share the good news with him. When he arrived home that evening, he was met by one of the officers who told him that there was no need for him to beg any more13he was a rich man now. He said14at all; he went into his house and locked the door. The next morning he woke up as usual, went to the street and15to beg.16, this old man had no great plans, dreams or anything important for his life. We learn nothing from this story other than staying17the things we enjoy doing. We should remain true to our course, which may mean devoting yourselves to things that people around you may disapprove. Let nothing prevent us from being happy, let nothing else decide our fate (命运), but18. What makes us happy is what19in the end…not what we gain.

    This particular story is one such lesson that I will never forget. Every time I don't focus on courses, I20myself of this story.

    As s businesswoman, I care deeply about my customers. But like anyone for whom you feel affection, 1 can also drive you mad. They'll come rushing in, 2their handbag's been stolen. They'll 3 that they left it in the changing room, create havoe (混乱) and then 4 it had been in their car all the time. They'll have out half the 5 in the shop, and want the only style you don't have left in a 6 colour. I do know how upset the shop staff can get, but I try to persuade them to keep 7.

    I remember the first really 8 customer we had at Covent Garden. She was. 9 absolutely everything, nothing was right and I was rather 10 that she became a "regular". After a while, she 11 for the way she behaved at the beginning. She had split up with her husband the week before, was living in a flat 12, and since she'd found it too much to cope with (应对), she'd taken it out on 13 people.

    That taught me a valuable 14 and I pass it on to the people who 15 in the market. Don't take it 16. If a customer is rude or difficult, just think "Maybe she's had a row with her husband. Maybe her child's not 17." Always water it down and don't let your ego (自我) get 18. If you do, you won' be able to 19 it and the whole thing develops into an unpleasant scene and that 20 everyone's day.