My son Daniel began surfing at the age of 13. After school each day he put on his wet suit and waited to be challenged by three-to-six-foot waves. Daniel's love for the ride was tested one 1 afternoon.
"Your son's been in an accident," the lifeguard(救生员)reported to my 2 Mike over the phone hurriedly." 3 he came up to the top of the water, the point of the board was headed toward his eye."
Mike rushed our son to the hospital. He 4 26 stitches(缝合)from the corner of his eye to the bridge of his nose.
I was 5 home from a meeting while Daniel's eye was being stitched. Mike drove 6 to the airport after they left the doctor's office. He greeted 7 at the gate while Daniel was waiting in the car.
"Daniel?" I questioned. I remember thinking the 8 must have been terrible that day.
"He's been in an accident，but he's going to be fine." Mike comforted me.
I ran to the car. My son reached out both arms, crying, "Oh, Mom, I'm so glad you're home."
I sobbed(抽泣)in his arms, telling him how 9 I felt about not being there when the lifeguard called.
"It's okay, Mom," he said. "I'll be fine. The doctor said I can go back in the water in eight days."
Was he 10? I wanted to tell him that he wasn't allowed to go near water again until he was 35, but 11 I controlled myself.
He kept asking me to let him go back on the 12 for the next seven days. One day after 13 "No" to him for the 100th time, he beat me at my own game.
"Mom, you taught us never to 14 what we love."
I gave in. Back then Daniel was just a boy with deep 15 for surfing. Now he is among the top 25 surfers in the world.
It does not always come easy to discover oneself. From a young age, I had a strong sense of who I was to become, 1 an accident made me redefine (重审）myself.
To me, skating was above all. There was 2 in this world that filled my heart with such joy. I spent twenty-four hours a week practicing my 3 . Having no social life or interests but skating, my devotion( 挚爱） brought me first place medals in nearly every 4.
Unfortunately, in one show, I fell down and hurt myself 5. After several X-rays and MRI(磁共振）scans, the 6(told)me that I couldn't return to my sport any more. The pain in my back was hard to bear and even the 7 daily tasks became difficult.
As my passion(激情）was 8, I had little sense of who I was to become. After eight months of suffering, something had to 9. Instead of wasting my days sitting around painfully, I began to put my 10 into local community service projects. By volunteering 11 a swimming teacher and summer reading assistant for kids, I got an idea of who I 12 to become. After a few months, I devoted time to my interest in the arts. Little by Little, I 13 out of the shadow( 阴影）and rebuilt my confidence.
Sometimes, some 14 rocks block (阻碍）our way. We can choose to stay behind or try to climb over. My accident was a rock that 15 to stop me from reaching success. Today I'm a very confident and optimistic person.
I have five children, so our house is always noisy. 1, I love gardening and my garden helps me relax.
For a long time, I 2 the garden of peace and quiet. When the children followed me into the garden, I would expect 3 to be out of sight. And I would hand out tasks.
"Here: you 4 the onions, you dig the holes, and…" Soon they would be 5 or their arms would be sore, and they would leave me to myself.
But during a recent spring, 6 I was working in the garden, my 13-year-old son, Josiah noticed me. He 7 a tool and began helping. Working as a team, we finished the job in no time at all. I 8 Josiah, realizing that I'd enjoyed working with him.
The same thing happened—-one or two of the 9 would appear and join in the gardening from time to time. Each time, I would feel 10 that the work was lighter because of their help.
One day, when I was picking the peas(豌豆) and having a taste 11, Abby saw me and ran over. I put several peas into her mouth. She just loved how 12 they were.
"Mama, I want the others to try them too."
Suddenly, I realized I had been wrong for long, I'd tried to keep the 13 of gardening to myself, and here was a child who couldn't wait to 14 with others, "Sure, honey, let's pick some. We'll make a wonderful supper."
Now I enjoy all of the garden's beauties with the children. We bring the 15 back home, preparing and cooking the produce together, because we know that everything is better when shared.
