During the war, my husband was stationed at an army camp in a desert in California. I went to live there in order to be 1 him. I hated the place. I had never 2 been so unhappy. My husband was ordered out on a long-term duty, and I was left in a tiny shack(棚屋) alone. The heat was 3-almost 1250F even in the shade of a cactus(仙人掌).4 a soul to talk to. The wind blew non-stop, and all the food I ate, and the every air I breathed, were 5 with sand, sand, sand!
I was so sorry for myself that I wrote to my parents. I told them I was 6 and coming back home.I said I couldn't stand it one minute longer. I 7 be in prison! My father answered my 8 with just two lines-two lines that will always sing in my 9 - two lines that completely changed my life:
Two men looked out from prison bars
One saw the mud, the other saw the stars
I read thosetwo lines 10 I was ashamed of myself. I made up my mind I would find out what was good in my present 11; I would look for the stars.
I made friendswith the natives, and their 12amazed me. They gave me presents of their favorite artworks which they had 13to sell to tourists. I studied the delightful forms of the cactus .I watched for the desert sunsets, and 14 for seashells that had been left there millions of years ago when the desert had been an ocean 15.
What brought about this 16 change in me? The desert hadn't changed, 17 I had .I had changed my 18. And by doing so, I changed an unhappy experience into the most amazing 19 of my life . I was excited by this new world that I had discovered I had looked out of my self-created prison and 20 the stars.
There is a well-known story about a farmer1 found an eagle(鹰) egg. The story reminds us of the importance of developing our full potential(潜力).
One day, a hardworking 2 found an eagle's egg lying on the ground of his farm. He was in a hurry 3 he paid no attention to it and 4placed it together with all the chicken eggs. After several days, the egg hatched(孵化）and the little eagle 5 into the world.
The eagle thought he was 6 same as the other chickens, 7 the eagle pecked(啄食）and dug for worms. He ran about and sometimes jumped around, flying a few 8 in the air like the chickens. Over the years, the eagle grew old and tired. One day he saw a splendid bird 9 overhead, and asked, “ 10 is that?” “That's the king of the 11— the bald eagle,” replied a chicken. “The sky is her home. We're chickens -- our home is 12 the farm.”
And so the eagle lived and died 13 a chicken, for that's what he believed he was.
Are you an eagle tha 14 like a chicken? 15 , many people have great talents bu 16 bring them to use. Actually, we 17 make our talents take off by developing our character strengths. Suppose there was a young man who 18 in the world. He asked questions about his environment, explored new neighborhoods where he lived, and soon he mentally mapped out the city he lived in. He used his curiosity to make the 19 of his talents for spatial(空间的）intelligence.
When we use our character strengths, we will 20 that we are eagles.
Once when I was facing a decision that involved high risk, I went to a friend. He looked at me for a moment, and then wrote a sentence containing the best advice I've ever had: Be bold and brave — and mighty forces will come to your aid.
Those words made me see clearly that when I had fallen short in the past, it was seldom because I had tried and failed. It was usually because I had let fear of failure stop me from trying at all. On the other hand, whenever I had plunged into deep water, forced by courage or circumstance, I had always been able to swim until I got my feet on the ground again.
Boldness means a decision to bite off more than you can eat. And there is nothing mysterious about the mighty forces. They are potential powers we possess: energy, skill, sound judgment, creative ideas — even physical strength greater than most of us realize.
Admittedly, those mighty forces are spiritual ones. But they are more important than physical ones. A college classmate of mine, Tim, was an excellent football player, even though he weighed much less than the average player. “In one game I suddenly found myself confronting a huge player, who had nothing but me between him and our goal line,” said Tim. “I was so frightened that I closed my eyes and desperately threw myself at that guy like a bullet — and stopped him cold.”
Boldness — a willingness to extend yourself to the extreme—is not one that can be acquired overnight. But it can be taught to children and developed in adults. Confidence builds up. Surely, there will be setbacks (挫折) and disappointments in life; boldness in itself is no guarantee of success. But the person who tries to do something and fails is a lot better off than the person who tries to do nothing and succeeds.
So, always try to live a little bit beyond your abilities—and you'll find your abilities are greater than you ever dreamed.
I had never expected such an answer from my son.
I was 28 at the time and my son had just been1 into elementary school, and was sitting on a park bench(长凳) with me, telling me all about his friends and teachers in the new school. He was extremely2 , I could tell. Looking up into the cloudy blue sky while I 3 , I was having a hard time thinking of questions to ask him about his new4 , probably because he was answering every single one of them before I even5 them.
Being in America, there were people of many different races and 6 that lived here, 7 I decided to ask him about those people. He loved8 , and if he heard someone who had a different 9 or something like that, he would ask them where they were from. It was 10 for me. I thought he was being rude and didn't 11 it. But the people would always12 and tell him where, whether it was the UK, China, you name it. 13 , he would get into his seat in my car and demand that I take him to the 14 so that he could learn about those places. I would 15 do it, giving him every bit of 16 he craved(渴望). He would even tell me fun facts, things that I didn't know about. He was 17 the word “foreigner”, even though he had no idea what it 18 . I signed and spoke, “So, David, are there any 19 at your school?” He looked at me 20 the biggest smile I had ever seen, swing his legs back and force on the bench.
“No, Daddy. Just kids.”
I volunteered to work at my local Oxfam shop in North London in 2010 for nearly four months. It was a typical charity shop. I would go in a few times a week to work for a/an 1 of hours.
My responsibility as a volunteer for Green Initiatives in Shanghai has been very different. I 2 to China in September 2014 to work as a teacher in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province, a neighboring city of Shanghai. I also wanted to 3 my interest in the environmental sector.
In early September, I met Nick and Nitin, founders of Green Initiatives, at one of their events and, in 4 of my teaching background, they decided that I would be a good fit for their student outreach program, an environmental education-training program for high school students in Shanghai.
I was given the 5 of creating their student modules and since then I have put together four higher-level student modules, which introduce key environmental issues such as food waste, recycling and sustainable consumption. I am also currently working 6 another two modules focused on energy conservation.
It involves a lot of research, and I usually end up 7 around 10 to 15 hours a week searching through science textbooks, online articles and government websites to find relevant and accurate 8.
I find the research 9 because I get to find out about what new 10 and technologies are being developed to deal with environmental problems. 11 to working in a shop, I find this job is quite rewarding, since I am 12 something that can not be obtained from books.
I also 13 many of the Green Initiatives events. These events are one of the best things about volunteering because I get the 14 to network and meet 15 people who have ideas about 16 to make Shanghai ‘greener.'
When I am at the events, we often have Chinese speakers, and so the events have also been an interesting 17 experience for me.
One of the biggest differences between my experience 18 at Oxfam and Green Initiatives is the motivations of the people you meet and work with. At Oxfam, the motivations were varied. People were there to ‘do their bit for charity,' to earn a living, or 19 because they could only afford the things we sold.
Speaking to people in China, motivations are also varied but the main driver is the environmental degradation, such as air pollution, which affects, or at least concerns, many of these people in their everyday lives.
As the student modules are coming to an end, I am looking forward to being involved in the upcoming projects in Shanghai, especially when the sun comes out and we can 20 more outdoor events.
As a child, I was afraid of everything. At the age of 8. I even became1of getting Halloween candy.2, on October 31, my twin brother and I went out and3to every house in the neighborhood. Most of the houses only had a few steps to the door. It was easy. However, when we4one of the bigger houses with 10 tall steps5to the front door, which were known to have the best candy, my fear6me. My brother was already up the stairs, while I stood7at the bottom.
It was8that I'd be able to climb all that way. I was afraid that I might fall over in the dark and9my bag of candy. I might10my clothes on something, and not be able to get away. I wanted the candy, but there was no11I would go up those stairs to get it. I failed. I lost more than just candy. I lost my12.
Fear of the unknown13me for a long time. After six years in nursing, I was14with the career I had chosen. I faced a15: step out into the unknown or16the rest of my life at the bottom of those steps, never17the best candy.
Finally, with only $100 in my savings account, I started my own business. Whenever I would lose a client, the old fears18. However, I'd tasted the candy, and now I don't keep19when I face difficulties. I believe that, though20things can happen when we step out, worse things happen when we don't.
Summer was supposed to be free of worries for a high school graduate like me. No studying, no1 —at least not till the fall. I even had a good job so I could go off with some2in my pocket. But one afternoon3crowded in: I'd always lived in the same small town. How would I4it out there in the big, scary world?
“Bye-bye,” I said to my boss. Mom's car5in the burning sun. I got 6 the wheel and headed home. Then everything went7.
I opened my eyes in a strange room. I tried to sit up, but I couldn't move. The8was all my fault. I'd made the worst9of my life. I was 10 unconscious.11 no one was hurt, except me.
After I left the hospital, a police officer came to the house, 12me a court date. Mom and I went to see her car. It was completely 13 On the seat we saw a handkerchief in blood. “That must 14the man who helped you,” said Mom. “We should return it to him.” Finding the man 15out to be easy enough. Coming face-to-face with someone who'd been so kind to me only 16 my guilt. I held back tears.
I still had a lot of 17 The judge had me 18a community class on road safety and write an essay about how I could improve my driving. Both helped me a lot. By the time I left for 19I was ready for the big world out there. I knew I'd be okay, 20I would be more careful.
I was eight years old then. Looking1I remember the time in a baseball field passing the team that we had just2. We shook their hands and said, ”Good game!”
It is3to do that when you win! When you lose, you have a tendency(倾向) to slap (拍) the hand-instead of shaking it-and4the ground instead of the eyes. This is not only true for an eight-year-old; it is true for adults, too.
A few years ago, in a softball league, we lost 15 games! And we thought it was5. But during the “Good game” handshake after each6, I looked each player in the eyes and shook their hands. I couldn't look my opponents (对手) in the eyes and congratulate them on a good7when I was eight. Somehow I took the loss as a8on my self-worth and felt my self-confidence had been slapped;9-I did what most eight-year-olds do and I slapped the opponents' hands, not giving them the satisfaction of a shake. I was wrong to do this. I'm happy today as a(n)10 that I have learned this11: There is something to be said for losing well.
12it is a baseball game or an important examination, you can13a lot about a person by now they deal with defeat. The person who deals with defeat as an14blow is not allowing the event to define (定义) him, while someone who cannot15defeat is allowing the event to16his self-worth. In my opinion, when you17in something-though it may be18-look at your opponents in the eyes, and shake their hands in a19way as you say, “Good game!”20to allow the event to define your life. You might find yourself winning the next game.
The other day I was offered two tickets to a special preview of the latest movie for free. I wasn't interested1 I knew my two boys would be.
That evening, we were a bit 2 for time. So instead of having dinner at home, we had fast food near the movie theater Oscar. There went the3 of eight movie tickets.
Then I met up with a friend and we sat around 4for a while , and another movie ticket went into a cup of coffee, After that, we figured we might as well 5around until the movie ended to pick up the boys. To help6 the time, I bought snacks. However, the7 went for an hour longer than expected. To watch the free movie, we always have to 8 an hour of ads.
Oh, did I 9parking and fighting my way through the 10 to get to the right theater? I could have sent the 11 to a movie theater in walking distance and had enough 12left over to watch ten mare movies!
Next time I'm offered something free, I'll 13 refuse it.
I should have known better14 in 2004, I built my own business. One of my marketing strategies is that I often offer free gifts, I said “probably” because “free” is just the most irresistible 15 in your marketing language. And it always 16.
If you don't believe me, next time when you do a promotion17this test: one with and one without the free 18You will be amazed by how many people will 19hundreds of dollars to get something for 20!
You never know what nature has prepared for you as a gift. Years ago, when walking alone on a beach in remote southwest Florida, I was so 1 to hear splashes（水溅声）coming from the water. As I walked in the 2 of the sounds, I saw a manatee(海牛)show its head out of the water, 3 a great snuffling(带鼻音的)breath. It seemed that it was in 4 and trying to get out of it.
I'd never seen a 5 like this before. I wanted to ask for help, but there was no one 6. So I went into the shallow water and went toward the animal. I came 7 enough to make out the manatee. Then, a second manatee, much smaller, appeared beside it.8, the other manatees were also moving toward me. Soon, I was 9 by several manatees. I could clearly see the larger manatee 10 the little one up with her flipper(鳍状肢)and pushed it to the surface beside me.
As the two slipped underwater, two other manatees moved up from behind, one on either side, 11 gently against my body as they swam past. They circled and 12 the action, this time 13 by the mother and her baby. I held my hand out touching their back as they passed me. Since they obviously enjoyed touching me, I began 14 each of them as they swam by.
I stood there enjoying the scene, 15 to move, until finally the rising tide 16 me back to the shore. Later I knew exactly what took place that morning. The manatees involved me in their celebration of a birth and I was welcome to meet the 17 member of their family.
During that unexpected scene, I felt more involved in the rhythms of 18 on our earth than ever. Each year, I head for that 19 for a quiet little birthday picnic on the shore. After all, you never know who might 20 up for your party.
For me personally, I could write for days about many different situations where adversity (逆境) 1my life. Now let me tell you one experience where I almost let adversity 2.
We had a glass studio, which was located 50 feet from our home. A couple of years ago we experienced an 3 winter; we had a lot of snow and ice. The 4 of the ice and snow 5 the roof on our studio, taking with it one of our sources of income. 6 it did fall down, we got on the roof and tried to7 the snow and ice, but when you have 5 feet of ice and temperatures of minus 20 Celsius, it was pretty 8 to do.
We had a partner come in to help us try to 9the roof by supporting. In the end, there was 10 that could be done. The roof came down. We had moved a lot of our goods and tools from the studio 11 we lost a lot also: glass, kilns, workbenches, to name only a few of the items. It was a 12experience.
Here we were in the middle of winter with our studio collapsed. We couldn't work as we had almost 13 all the material in a building we were not using. We could have done one of two things: we could simply say that we can no longer 14 our glass business. Let me tell you that this was certainly a thought that 15 our mind. Or we could find a way to get our studio back up and running.
We picked the 16 option. We had a large barn that we were not using. So we renovated (翻新) the barn, 17 our working area and today we have a nicer studio than we 18 had. If the adversity we were 19 had not happened, we probably would 20 be working in the old studio — a studio that was less efficient.
From Selling Books to Selling Life
Charing Cross Street is the most famous bookstore street in London. From the largest female bookstore in Europe to the first detective novel store in Europe, from independent bookstores to large chain ones, 1, it is a scenic spot worth visiting over and over again. The 84 Charing Cross Street, 2 as the Love Bible, tells the story of the New York woman writer Helene Hanff and the London bookseller Frank Percy Doel. It has been 3 into dozens of languages. Broadcasting, stage plays, and movies continue to interpret this friendship based on books. Charing Cross Street has thus become a 4 landmark in London, attracting many literary enthusiasts and tourists with its unique literary charm.
However, today's situation is no longer the same. With the closing of a number of chain bookstores, some independent bookstores have begun to think about how to 5the British literary tradition with dignity. Recently, British book agents, writers, bookshop operators and other groups gathered here to explore the 6 model of the future bookstore.
Judging from the current business model, those who can survive are completing the 7 from selling books to selling life. Perhaps the literary lifestyle of the British, which is deep into the bone, should be considered as the most 8 secrets. As the largest independent bookstore in the United Kingdom, Waterstone is currently undergoing design changes by LDS, a British architectural firm. Architect Alex said they 9 improving customer experience and planned to build multiple space. "We will have some small rooms full of books, like private study rooms, in which one can discuss his works with the author." The focus of the future physical bookstore is on creating an atmosphere. 10, bars and cafes are an essential part of the bookstore. Booksellers and authors generally believe that bookstores must develop in the direction of a cultural 11 so that people come here for a lot of money, attending concerts, watching movies, or participating in discussions.
Some writers say that physical bookstores can 12 their business beyond selling books and provide cultural services to customers. Other writers believe that bookstores can 13 a membership system. 14 discounts, members are given the opportunity to attend lectures, literary gatherings and meetings with authors, and corresponding membership activities are 15 for children and students, and visiting bookstores has become part of the daily lives of more people as a cultural leisure method.
If your home were on fire, what would you try to save? Our area was just a few miles from the largest wildfire in Colorado's history. On getting the call to evacuate(疏散), we had to consider what we couldn't live without, 1 whatever we could save and leaving immediately.
We 2 suitcases with necessary clothes. We took the 3 financial records —- who wants to 4 himself with the government over 5 documents? Now, what else? We seized the valuable family 6 from the walls, which couldn't be replaced.
Then we took a hard look at all that 7. A lamp that 8 my great grandmother. A9 my wife learned to play as a kid. A large tent we spent months 10 money for camping. Bedroom furniture we wanted to pass down to our 11 some day. The gifts that decorated our house from our treasured friends. These things 12 our love as a family and friends. It was 13 to move everything from our home. 14 at all that we might lose, I found it difficult to say goodbye. But 15, I felt warm.
We were 16 with memories as we 17 at these items. Each had stories to tell just like the photos. They told about where we'd been, where we 18 were and where we were going. They were 19 of those people we had loved and who loved us. Now I didn't think my "things" meant that much to me. Indeed, the spirit of them was all that truly 20.
Hope in my arms
Last year I was invited to participate in a carnival for Tuesday's Child – an organization that helps children with AIDS.
All the children that had 1 in one particular room could paint a square on a piece of cloth. Later the squares would be sewn(缝) together to 2 a quilt. The quilt would be 3 to a man who had devoted his life to the 4 and would soon be retiring.
The kids were given paints in bright colors and asked to paint something that would make the quilt 5. As I looked around at all the 6 , I saw pink hearts, blue clouds, orange sunrises and red flowers. The pictures were all bright and 7 . All except one.
One boy was painting a heart, 8 it was dark and lifeless. It 9 the bright colors that his fellow artists had used.
I asked why. He told me he was very sick and that his 10 was not ever going to get better. He looked straight into my eyes and said. "There is no 11 in my life." I told him I was 12 and I could understand why he had made his heart a dark color. I told him that even though we couldn't make him better, we can give 13 , which can really help when he is feeling 14 . I told him that if he would like, I would be happy to give him one. He crawled onto my lap. I thought my own heart would 15 for this sweet little boy. He sat there for a long time. Finally he 16 down to finish his coloring. As I was getting ready to 17 home, I felt a tug (猛拽) on my jacket. Standing there was the little boy, 18 . He said, "My heart is changing 19 . It is getting brighter, I think those hugs really do 20 ." On my way home I felt my own heart. It too had changed to a brighter color.
The small town of Allen Crossing, Indiana, has been the place I've called home for all 16 years of my life. That's where I spend hours just 1. Looking at how the wind blows the wild flowers to create a magical 2 of color. Looking at the way insects move hurriedly among plants. The beauty of nature has always been what 3 me to create art. I used to think that artists get inspiration from 4. Then I went to New York and something happened that really made me 5 that idea.
I was offered two-week courses at an art college there. When I took the train to the college for the first time, I had some serious 6 about whether I had made the right choice about coming. I was so used to the 7 countryside. New York, however, was noisy and 8. People pushed past me to squeeze through the doors of the subway cars. Everything moved at such a 9 pace that I felt I had no time to process it all.
Art classes were another story. 10 I started making art, I felt like myself again. Working from memory, I made a series of drawings of natural scenes. "Your images are very 11 and accurate," one teacher told me. "Why not try using brighter colors and bolder shapes and motions?" I followed her advice and was amazed at the 12.
One day my cousin Ken came to see my drawings. "Gosh! These are great! They remind me of graffiti (涂鸦)." He exclaimed.
I looked at my drawings and was 13.To me graffiti was not art, it was
14 messy, unreadable writing on walls.
"Cool," Ken continued. "If you're into art, you should come with me." I followed him to a huge factory that was completely 15 with graffiti. The walls were covered with bright colors, portraits, words and calligraphy-like symbols. What I saw was art not unlike what I had been making. The big 16 was that the artists drew images from city life, such as crowded subway trains and tall, shiny buildings. In every sketch, there was a(n) 17 that reminded me of that first subway ride, only it was a creative one.
Now I know that 18 is different for everyone. What drives one person crazy can be the thing that drives another person to 19. I may not look at the city the way street artists do, but they may not see nature the way I do. I 20 the way the city's energy inspires them. And now I use that energy wherever I am to create my own art.
I remember the day shyness took over my life. I was 14 and having a French lesson. The teacher told us to 1 ourselves speaking about a holiday. Perfect! I recorded myself with 2. Then, I pressed "play" to listen back. All I heard was a little kid talking. My immediate 3 was to assume I was listening to someone else's recording. But that was my voice. I 4 there was something strange about myself.
My little voice has made me feel really shy. And my 5 has caused me to avoid attending events,6 ideas to myself and not to make important connections. As a shy person, I think working from home, hiding behind my computer was 7. But the more time I spent 8, the more my comfort zone shrank (缩小). Everyday interactions, like ordering a coffee, became 9 awkward and uncomfortable.
And then, one day I was at a big conference and it suddenly 10 me like lightning. All speakers were confident, comfortable with being seen. There were no quieter 11. But the 12 is, if the loud voices are the only ones you hear, we quiet people feel even more13. The world needs a mixture of 14. Success is not just about who can shout the loudest. The world needs quieter people, too. That day I chose to stop hiding and 15 my shyness. No more feeling like I needed to change who I am in order to succeed. No more living a small life.
Then I created the Shy and Mighty Society, a 16 for shy people like me to 17and 18 the process of helping others, I could also push myself 19, bit by bit. Now, I'm happy to tell people I feel shy. I'm not ashamed any more. And I know that I'm not 20.
As I opened my eyes, a jet flew above me at high speeds. I watched my parents and my sisters talking and laughing at the front of the1Many boats, 2with families and friends, were on the lake. Another jet flew past. I thought about how much the world has 3and how little people4the one thing time cannot change: relationships.
Pilots in their jets flew by at high speeds. At that moment, our life seemed comparatively5. We casually listened to each other6the pilots performed above. How7these times seemed8the trials and skills required of the men high above travelling at record-breaking speeds.
Just as the jets9, so does our daily life. Lifestyles change with time, but time will never change people's10. Parents love their children the same as they did thousands of years ago. 11, children now and the children of the past love their parents12Friends and family have played important roles in our lives for centuries; 13We don't appreciate them enough when we are together. Why not14the one thing time has not changed.
Two jets passed overhead. I sat up and15my back against a lifeline(救生索) on the side of the boat. I felt16 as the air show approached its end, yet renewed by my17attitude to the world. I stood up to18my sisters at the front of the boat and sat beside them. They turned, their eyes met mine and I smiled. 19not to be excluded(排除在外) a moment from my family, I added a comment and contributed to the20filling the front of the boat.
A friend of mine met with an accident driving in darkness. His legs were so hurt that he couldn't move. What was the1was that he found himself unable to ask for help— his mobile phone went out of 2as a result of exhausted battery. Nothing could be done but to 3 in cold wilderness. It was eight hours later that day broke, and then the arrival of the rescue (营救).
It is almost 4 that he could stand the horror in the darkness for so long. Even more surprising was his 5 , "First of all I checked up my physical conditions and found myself not in mortal danger. As there was no 6 to call for help, I leaned back in my seat trying my best to keep the wound from bleeding. In this way I dozed off."
His story put an end to my regret for the 7 of an exploration adventure that happened last year. A group of young men 8 to explore a mountain cave and got lost. 9 to find a way out in the dark cave they were frightened and ran anxiously without a sense of 10 . Finally they all fell dead in fear and exhaustion. According to the rescue workers who found them, the place 11 they got lost was only about 10 meters away from the opening of the cave. If they stayed on the spot when they lost their way and tried to 12 themselves, they would probably sense a faint light glimmering not far away.
Don't you think that you can compare it with 13 itself? When you meet with obstacles (障碍) in life and work, you are lost in darkness. Mind you it's unclear yet and you needn't put up a struggle 14 . It seems to be a negative (消极的) attitude, 15 a person who can afford to do so must have foresight as well as a great courage in the first place.
After working an inhuman 8-hour shift at a factory unloading parts for cheap furniture, I got on the bus, dirty, tired and hot. I 1that place every day looking like I worked in a coal mine.2, 1 still felt a bit proud of myself as I had held this tiring job for 3 months, which was extremely rare. So when I took my seat on the bus going home, 1 decided my 3life would not lower my spirits today.
I was dreaming about a better and new life when I was4by our new passenger. She was a middle-aged woman with worn-out clothes and messy hair. She got on, aggressively（挑衅 地）and 5 pushed her way into a front seat, and then turned her glare and 6 on whoever dared to look her way.
All I could feel for this woman was 7.There was no disgust（厌恶）.Only pity and the familiar knowledge of being faceless, nameless, and 8to no one. Suddenly, she turned her threatening eyes towards me and very loudly yelled, "Why you so 9 , man?"
With a smile, I said, "I just came from work. " She then loudly asked if I worked in hell（地 狱）and 10 laughing, so I laughed too— 11her and told her that was funny. Then I asked her her name as I explained why I was so dirty. Her name was Karen.
In front of all of us on the bus that day, the power of12showed its beauty. In front of all of us this woman13. Her language, her posture, and her voice, even the way she tilted（倾斜）her head when I spoke to her as a 14changed.
As Karen was getting off the bus, she touched me 15 on the arm. With tear-filled eyes, she asked whether I'd be riding the bus the next day. I promised I 16. We waved to each other and then I got what my life had needed all along: affirmation（认可）.
Everyone on the bus had been watching us and then an old woman spoke to me, "Sir, you just changed that woman with your heart. She will never forget how you17her. You are great. "Other passengers gave me thumbs-up signs showing their18.
That day was the first day when I realized I am 19. People say I gave Karen something that day but actually she 20me so much more. I now work in the field of mental health. I often tell the story of the power of kindness, and I talk about Karen and unlimited possibilities.
I enjoy feeding birds in my garden. About three years ago, a baby chipmunk (花栗鼠) which I named Chip came to this festive display. Over that summer, I watched it 1. The next summer, the chipmunk was back, and I wondered whether it would 2 me to feed it by hand or let me pet it. Before Chip would approach, I'd 3 its favorite food, bend down and keep very 4. I'd leave my open hand 5, unmoving, so the animal would know I wouldn't 6it. I continued doing this for a few weeks.
7, late in that second summer, Chip did show more trust. One day as I 8 a seed with my fingertips, it approached and 9 took the seed into its mouth. It never bit my fingers.
I was happy that Chip and I had made a(n) 10of trust.
After about two months of this 11, I went further. With my index finger, I 12 its back once gently. I'm not even sure Chip felt it, but it didn't 13. I then moved my two fingers slowly and gently over it.14, Chip stayed calm, eating seeds, before running quickly back into the bush.
Today, the chipmunk comes out of hiding when I call its name, and lets me 15 its soft, silky body.
A friend once mentioned that after she 16 a dog, she noticed that her high blood pressure had approached17without medication, and she became calmer and could handle stress better. I think I, too, feel18from my interactions with Chip.
I've also developed a greater19for nature and its creatures and the opportunity to observe, protect and save wildlife. Most of all, I am amazed by the 20of a tiny chipmunk to meet me halfway in trust.
