Armed with a bachelor's degree in medicine, I left Jammu, my hometown, for Delhi hoping to find a good job. Those were testing time — I was 1 my resume at every hospital and clinic in the capital, and facing upsetting 2responses. These big-city folks seemed too busy to care about a 23-year-old, jobless girl. Then a friend told me about the “Technical Recruitment Cell”,3 near the Income Tax Office (ITO), where I could 4 for a government job.

    The next day I reached the ITO area and 5 in the sun for an hour asking everybody for the Technical Recruitment Cell, but no one had any idea 6 it was.

    It was 7 and the heat unbearable. I then reached a big book shop, full of books on law and finance. Maybe I'll 8 inside, I thought as I walked in and found a man aged about 40 busy at his PC.9him, I asked if he knew the address. Seeing me drenched in sweat (大汗淋淳)，he asked me to take a 10 and offered me a glass of water. He then googled “Technical Recruitment Cell”, but without 11. I must have looked frustrated.

    “Don't get 12.” he said, as he continued his search. “We'll find it.” He'd spent several minutes searching when an older man who also 13 in the shop, came by and asked us what we were looking for.

    “Beta, it might be the Delhi Subordinate Board,” he suggested. “They 14 people for government posts.” We searched for that and found it 15 — actually the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board. They then gave me a printout of the 16

    “What do I 17you for the Internet time and the printout?” I asked the first gentleman.

    “Oh, nothing. Good luck!”

    “Thank you,” I said to the pair. The older man then told me the 18 of the bus that would get me there, the fare, even the best 19 to take, finally saying “God bless you!” as I walked out.

    I was happy in the discovery that not all city folks are too 20to help other.

    Mother's Day, 2017 was the last time that all my three kids would be kids at home. I was 1 a Mother's Day to remember.

    That morning, I got up early and left for2 since I was the math teacher in the same school with my boys. The boys and I were going3as usual, so I expected the time I'd have with the three of them surrounding me during break. I entered the office after my class4the crowd for their faces. I didn't find the boys, but wasn't too worried5their classes often ran late. I found a row with plenty of room for all four of us6seats for my handsome young men.

    The longer I sat there, the more7and angry I got. How could they 8their mother on this of all days? I couldn't9my work, only on how I'd been wronged10the time the last morning class ended, I could hardly wait to get home and give them a piece of my mind.

    Arriving home, I noticed a pile of roses on the ground. I looked closer and saw the roses were the11of a track made from fresh flowers, which led to our room. As I 12the flowers, the door got opened and three 13faces greeted me. They let me see what they'd been working on all14.

The words were 15the entire floor, “Happy Mother's Day, We Love You. ”They were placed with16.The space was 17with sweet of roses and other flowers. They'd asked for a(an)18and worked all morning, gathering fresh flowers and arranging them into surprise message.

    I immediately realized I'd been much too hurried in my19of the situation. While I had been feeling unloved, they'd spent their time writing a 20to show how much they really cared.

    I spent last summer volunteering at a hospital. One morning, I was called to a room in which an 1 woman was staying.2she wanted to go to a nearby gift shop, I got a(n)3 and helped her into it, heading for the shop.

    When we got there, the shop wasn't 4yet. It was merely a 30-minute wait so we went over to the 5 area and I read her bits and pieces of the newspaper aloud. After 30 minutes, we went into the gift shop. Pushing her around, I could see the 6 on her face as she looked at everything. She happily chose some window decorations and then 7chocolates. She asked me to push her8 that direction. I helped her9all the different chocolate arrangements. She 10 decided on three different boxes.

    As she was checking out, she asked the cashier for a 11 and asked me to write the numbers l, 2, and 3 on the boxes. She 12 that the nurses were taking such good care of her, so she 13 chocolates for each of the three shifts of nurses. The moment I wheeled her back up to her room, she gave the 14shift of nurses their box of chocolate, who 15offered some to me before taking some themselves. There were 16 all around.

    17her generosity and getting the opportunity to spend time with someone who got so much pleasure from life was a 18 in itself. Gratitude has an amazing way of bringing people 19 especially in a place where health is so highly20.

    My friend Dom recently set himself a 21-day kindness challenge. Dom took up this challenge because he had been 1 some difficult times after a relationship breakup. Instead of feeling2 for himself, he turned a negative into a positive.

    He started Mother's Day by 3 his mother at her work with his brothers. He had won some money before, so on Day Two he donated some of his 4 to a local disability organization. Later that day, the local district was 5 by strong winds so he 6 his elderly neighbour's gutters (排水沟) on Day Three.

    On Day Four he 7 some elders in the retirement village, chatting with them. Trading in his car 8 for a bicycle helmet (头盔)for the next two days was Dom's way of being 9 to the environment. On Day Seven and Eight he picked up rubbish that was10 the river shore and he drove to the blood bank to make his blood 11 And then on Day Nine he bought a lottery ticket (彩票) and put it in an envelope with Act Of Kindness 12 on it before sending it. On Day Ten my daughter and I found ourselves 13 in a supermarket car park with a flat battery. I called Dom, who came to our 14 with a smile and 15started the car so we could get home.

    And so Dom's kindness continued for 16 eleven days. He 17 people to check his Facebook wall each day to see what he had achieved with the18 that others would feel inspired. His posts attracted more and more likes19the days went on. I have loved every minute of this, he posted on the last day. I encourage you all to 20 your comfort zone to continue the challenge.

    Life is colorful. Sometimes it's just like potato salad; when it's shared, it became a picnic.

    With three young children to bring up, my husband John and I were very 1. "Can we go on a picnic, Mom?" my six-year-old daughter, Becky 2. "Please." I had said no so many times in 3 months, and I decided the usual Saturday morning chores could 4. To her 5, I agreed.

    I prepared a few sandwiches and 6 a cooler with ice and drinks and called John 7.

    My eleven-year-old twin sons loaded the cooler and the picnic basket in the trunk and off we went to spend some 8 time together as a family.

    About the time I got the lunch 9 out on the table, John arrived on the 10. That was one of the happiest meals we ever shared together. The meal was full of 11. We felt a closeness that had been hidden by work and school responsibilities for so many months. John and the boys 12 rocks into the lake, Becky fed the ducks and I sat quietly at the picnic table, 13 God for blessing me with such a wonderful family.

    That night as our children went to bed, I kissed their cheeks. It 14 me what a wonderful life I had. As I walked out of the room it dawned on me that even the busiest 15 could become a picnic when it's shared with the ones you 16. Even though kids have now grown up and 17 from home, I can still remember how I felt that day while sitting at the picnic table.

    Maybe today would be a good time to 18 potato salad, call all of my 19 kids, feed some hungry ducks and skipped a few rocks into the lake. Since life is like potato salad, let's make it a 20.

    One day when I was 15 years old, I had some friends over to hang out. While we were making food in the 1, my brother came in. He 2 his beef next to my thick one and said, "Courtney, your beef is bigger than mine. You don't need to eat; you're already fat enough." Then he walked out, laughing.

    3 comments on my physical appearance were nothing new. Something inside me 4 to his idea that my legs were unacceptable, and that became the last day that I ever willingly wore 5 until I was 30 years old. For the next 15 years, I spent summer after summer roasting in long pants.

    But then I 6 Ragen Chastain, and she changed everything. I couldn't believe that this woman who, like myself, almost 7 300 pounds was so 8 and happy in her own skin. I listened 9 she shared her own journey to recovery and self-love. She talked about how amazing our bodies are, just by 10 of the things they do every day-like 11, pumping blood to every ceil, blinking and walking..

    Walking! I was suddenly aware of how foolish I'd been for so long. There're people who are born 12 legs, or who lack properly working legs, or who 13 their legs, and I'd been 14 my perfectly strong, healthy, beautiful legs in 15 because I had allowed someone to 16 me that they weren't good enough. The next day, I bought three pairs of shorts and a sundress and spent the entire summer letting my legs see the sun and feel the 17.

    The next time anyone comments on your body in a 18 way, look them straight in the eye, smile and say, "If what you see 19 you so much, feel free to practice the ancient art of looking somewhere else." That's Ragen's original, but I don't think she'll mind 20 you use it.