My dad had a keen imagination, and would play a little good-night game every day. He would 1 my room to talk to me and listen to the joys and sorrows of my day. As he was leaving, Dad would blow out my light like the birthday candles one, 2.
As he did his little routine, Dad would say, "The light will be dark. As far as you're concerned, it will be dark all over the world because your world is the one you control totally by yourself. The world is yours to see that way. So, keep your light 3.
When I was very young, I used to -4 there in bed after Dad left and try to understand what he meant, It was 5 as I was so young. What Dad was trying to tell me was that when I went to 6 at night, the world came to a stop, When I woke up in the morning I could 7 to see a fresh new world through my own eyes. In other words, if I woke up happy, the world was happy. If I woke up not feeling well, the world felt 8.
My father's guidance about self-aware and about the power of the eye of others was invaluable: "Everything depends on how you9 what happens in life. And what matters greatly is how you take it."
That good-night game with my father taught me that people's 10 of me aren't important. It's the way I handle them that makes the difference.
Why play games? Because they are fun, and a lot more besides. Following the rules, planning your next move, acting as a team member-these are all "game” ideas that you will have throughout your life.
Think about some of the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide and seek. Some games are entertaining and fun. But perhaps more importantly, they translate life into exciting dreams that teach children some of the basic rules they will be expected to follow the rest of their lives, such as taking turns and teamwork.
Many children's games have a practical side. Children around the world play games that prepare them for work they will do as adults. For example, some Saudi Arabian bones. It can be very helpful to exercise their hands and eyes, which is needed in hunting.
Many sports encourage national or local pride. The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from the world together to take part in the friendly competition. People who watch the event wave flags, knowing that a gold medal is a win for a whole country, not just the athlete who has got it. For countries experiencing natural disasters or wars, an Olympic win can mean so much.
Sports are also an event that brings people together. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. People on all continents play it-some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette, a Californian soccer player, has discovered a way to spread hope through soccer. He set up an organization which can provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a hopeful future.
Next time, when you play your favorite game or sport, think about why you enjoy it, what skills are needed, and whether these skills will help you in your life.
"Find a job you love, and you'll never work a day in your life." Do you agree with this old saying? Joanne Gordon does. She is the author of Be Happy at Work and other books about careers. Gordon believes that about 30% of employees in North America do not like their jobs, and she thinks that is terrible. She wants to help people who do not feel satisfied with their jobs find work that is good for them. Joanne says, "There are no happy jobs, only happy workers." She believes that happy workers share three main characteristics (特点).
First, happy workers enjoy the daily activities of their jobs, and they look forward to the workday, Take Tony Hawk, for example. At age 14, he became a professional skateboarder. Now he is a businessman working on projects related to skateboarding—films and video games, but he still skates every day. He once said, "My youngest son's pre—school class was recently asked what their dads do for work. My son said, 'I've never seen my dad do work." Tony agrees that his job doesn't look like work. He has found a way to spend each day doing a job he enjoys.
Second, happy workers like the people they work with, Sally Ayton says, "I work with the coolest people in the world." She and her group cook for almost 1,200 people in Antarctica Most of these people are scientists who are doing research. Sally loves to sit and talk with them. She says, "There is no television here, no radio, so I get to know the scientists and what they're studying" Sally thinks she has a great job, and the best part about it is the people.
Third, happy workers know that their work helps others. Caroline Baron's work helps people who have had to leave their home countries because of war or other dangers. She is a filmmaker who started an organization called Film Aid, which shows movies in refugee camps (难民营) around the world. Caroline believes that movies can be very helpful in these camps. For one thing, entertaining movies let refugees forget their troubles for a little while. Movies can also teach important subjects like health and safety. For example, in one camp, thousands of refugees saw a movie about how to get clean water. Caroline knows that she is helping other people, and this makes her feel proud and happy about her work.
Tony Hawk, Sally Ayton, and Caroline Baron all get great satisfaction from their work. Tony Hawk says, "Find the thing you love, If you are doing what you love, there is much more happiness there than being rich or famous." Joanne Gordon would agree. She encourages people to find something they enjoy doing, find people they like to work with, and find ways to help others. Then they can be proud of what they do, and they will probably be happy at work.
