I was invited to attend a presentation at the Kentucky School. That evening I found gratitude had amazing1 to change our attitude and our life.

    The young musician Mr. Patrick was 2onto the stage in his wheelchair and began to play the piano. His fingers danced across the keys3 he made beautiful music. He then began to sing as he played, and it was wonderful. But what shocked me most was his4smile.

    Patrick was born with no eyes and an illness in the legs, which5him lame for life. However, as a child, he was6with artificial eyes and placed in a wheelchair. Before his first birthday, he discovered the piano. When his mom hit any7on the piano, and within one or two tries, he′d8 By his second birthday, he was playing “ Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”. His father was9 “We might not play baseball, but we can play music together.”

    When Patrick was at the University of Louisville, his father attended 10with him. He was also a part of the 214-member marching band！He was a blind, wheelchair-bound trumpet player; and he and his father did it together. His father11the night shift（夜班）in order to accompany his daytime band practice. Patrick says, “My dad′s my12”

    But even 13his unbelievable musical talent, it was Patrick′s “attitude of gratitude” that14my soul. On the stage, between songs, he talked to the audience about his life and about 15blessed he was with a great father. When his performance was over, Patrick and his father were on the stage together. The crowd 16 to their feet and cheered for over five minutes.

    We all face misfortune in our lives.17it′s not the hardship but how we18to it that will determine the joy and happiness in our lives. During19times, do we spend too much time feeling sorry for ourselves,20can we, with gratitude, learn how to dance in the rain？

    A Michigan man, named Bob, was alone when he left his farmhouse on New Year's Eve to collect firewood. Expecting a journey of only several meters, Bob was just 1 long johns (秋裤), a shirt and slippers (拖鞋) when he went outside,2 the temperature being around -4℃. 3, he fell down and broke his neck. He4 for help but his nearest neighbor is about a quarter mile5and it was 10:30 pm.

    6 , Bob's Kelsey, a five-year-old Golden Retriever (金毛寻回犬) came. She kept Bob warm by 7 on top of him, and kept him 8 by licking (舔) his hands and face. She kept barking for 9 but never left his side. Bob said: "With Kelsey keeping 10 with me, I knew I had to 11 this and that it was my choice to stay alive."

    By morning Bob's voice was gone, but Kelsey didn't 12 shouting still. Bob's neighbor  13 discovered him after hearing Kelsey's shouts and called 911. When Bob arrived in hospital, his temperature was14 21 ℃. Normal body temperature is 37 ℃, so Bob was 15 to find out that he didn't have any injury16 cold. "I'm sure it was because of Kelsey's 17to keep me warm and aware," said Bob.

    And to the surprise of doctors, Bob made a quick 18 from his neck injury. "I think animals can help and his 19 hero did keep Bob alive and really make a big 20 ," said Chaim Colen, MD, Neurosurgeon (神经外科医生) at McLaren.

    My husband kissed me goodbye, stroke (轻抚) the baby's cheek and then rushed out of the door, into his busy day. With the cold of the morning fading, I fed my baby and it fell fast asleep. Usually I would place it in bed and quickly have the house somewhat in 1.

    However, this morning, I stayed seated, just 2, with the baby in my arms. The thoughts ran into 3of the mornings with my husband, a father rushing out of the door to meet the obligations of life. It was only a small jump to thoughts of my own 4.

    My mother passed away when I was ten, and as I looked 5, I could see how much of a family man my dad was. He went to work every morning and 6 to his family every evening. He 7 food, clothing, warmth, and protection. He was a faithful father.

    Setting the baby down, I dialed the 8 number. I had just realized the 9 of the ordinary－the daily life going on around us that we often took for granted, and that it needed to be 10.

    "Hi, Dad." I said, 11 back tears.

    "Hey, Bud. How are you?" 12 was in his voice.

    "Fine, I'm just calling to say … thank you." I got it out before my throat 13 too much for me to speak.

    "What for?"

    "For getting up and going to work every morning of my life. Now that I have my own 14 and I see my husband doing the same, I just wanted to thank you for being 15."

    There was 16 for a moment as my dad composed himself, and with a small 17 in his voice he said, "You're welcome, Bud."

    I don't remember much of the rest of the call, 18 that moment of revelation (显露) about my father, I will never forget. There are those who are known for their heroic 19, and also those who are known for their fortunes and fame, but it is the 20 everyday fathers who are the true heroes. I'm thankful that my father was one of them.

    Chris Emch was a pretty unhappy guy. He 1 years working as a police officer. After a career-ending injury, he'd opened a shop in Thousands Oaks, California, but the 2 was struggling. And only months before a Scuba(潜水)trip, he'd been 3 with skin cancer and had endured a 4 divorce.

    In desperation, Chris Emch joined in a group Scuba trip to Indonesia. About 11 meters 5 water, he removed a borrowed earplug(耳塞), causing 6 to his ear drum. The injury forced Emch to 7 the Scuba trip. He 8 have packed up and gone home. Instead, the 41-year-old man decided to have a look around the 9 islands. So Emch hired a local 10 named Fritz to show him around. He was 11 by the local attractive sights and unique cultures. But 12 affected Emch most was his conversations with Fritz.

    Fritz earned about $140 a month, lived in a 13 house and took on odd jobs to provide for his wife and son. But Emch realized that Fritz was 14. Emch told Fritz that he wanted to see his family, so off they went to Fritz's home. Emch met Fritz's family members. He sipped sweet tea and chatted with them. They looked content though they were 15.

    "I had everything I could ever want and still 16 all the time," he said. "I realized how happy my life was and how 17 I was to have the life I had been given.

    "From that point on, Emch had a new 18 on life. "Things taste better and things smell better now," he said. He always tries to see the good 19 in people and he has become confident and cheerful again.

    "Travel truly 20 my life, and changed my outlook," he said. "Compared to who I was a year ago, some of my closest friends don't recognize who I am anymore."

    People in the world sometimes are affected by natural disasters. When Hurricane Harvey hit Texas, Reader's Digest wrote about impressive rescues. The spirit of serving can be incredibly 1. Here is a story from Annalysa Longworth, a survivor of Hurricane Maria, in her own 2 .

    “The total 36 hours of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico was 3 the scariest event we've ever gone through. Our house sits on the north-west coast of Rinc6n. In the 4 , over 100 mph winds changed direction causing a great amount of water flooding our 5 . The only place left dry and safe was our kitchen floor, where we were 6 to ride out the rest of the storm. It has been 50 days since the 7 , and we are still without power and water. During our regular afternoon showers, we are glad to 8 rainwater but are quickly reminded of the people living without roofs, and how 9 it must be for them. Our emotions are consistently in a state of 10.

    Recently, our good friends told us about a video interview they were doing with Watts of Love, a solar light company. The company generously gave us a headlamp for our personal 11 and a box with 50 headlamps to distribute throughout our town. Rincón was completely blacked out, so making a simple walk through a parking lot to our car is 12 . We used to rush to get things done before 13 , but now I continue daily chores in the dark. What 14 our lives most was being able to share this gift with others. We 15 the lamps house by house to the people in the mountains who needed them most, as even batteries and candles are 16there. Even though 17 have come slowly, people have been out of work and can't afford to 18 their electric bill. I'11 always be 19 to Watts of Love for allowing us to pay it forward and be witnesses to the smiles that 20 can bring. ”

    I grew up on a 40-acre farm in the small rural community of Illinois, as the fifth of six children.

    My parents, Robert and Patti, often noted during meals how everything on the table except sugar and wine came from the land.1 running the farm, Dad was also a carpenter. In the fall of 1980, he was working on a house when all of a sudden the ladder broke. His back was broken.

    He stayed in hospital for almost a month with his head and feet down, 2his back to align (成直线) correctly so the bones would heal.

    On Thanksgiving, Dad was still in hospital recovering from his back injury. Normally he would take us to butcher pigs the day after the holiday, and that year my uncle 3 up with my four cousins to help my two elder brothers 4 our year's supply of pork.

    When Dad came back home from the hospital, he was still in a back brace (支架) and 5 to work. I was too young to realize our family had no money coming in as Christmas 6 . Another day we saw a car coming up the long driveway. Always longing for company, we kids were7 about who was visiting. Rose Anderson, our neighbor, was at the door, holding an envelope stuffed with money. She told my dad she had8 money in the community and came to deliver it.

    Dad tried to refuse,9 Rose insisted. I can still hear her saying, "Robert, whenever someone's baler (压捆机) breaks down, you bale their hay. Whenever someone passes away, Patti cooks. It's our 10."

    I learned later that we also 11 gift baskets from more than one organization. That Christmas, I, a 6-year-old kid, understood what being a good neighbor was, and that as my parents were good neighbors, their12 would be returned. These tales of Christmas kindness will 13 our heart, too.

    My parents were accustomed to being the 14, not the receivers of such generosity. They had a bit of pride to swallow, but continued all of their lives to show us kids the 15of kindness.