Many years ago, I bought a house in the Garfagnana, where we still go every summer. The first time we1 there, we heard the chug chug-chug of a motorbike2 its way down the hill toward us. It was3 called Mario, coming to4 us a box containing some tomatoes and a bottle of wine. It was a very nice5 for him to make. But when we looked at the tomatoes, we were6 because they were so misshapen: not at all like the nice, round, 7 things you get in a supermarket. And the wine was cloudy, in a funny old bottle with no label(标签) on it These can't be any8 , we thought. But we were9 his kindness, so we10 them.
What we discovered is that it's11 to judge what you eat only by its12 . Those tomatoes had13 that reminded me of the ones my uncle used to grow when I was a child. Nowadays supermarket tomatoes14 perfect but taste of water. Nobody's going to have a15 memory of those. It's a surprise they haven't managed to grow square ones so that they can16 them easily. Mario's wine may have been cloudy and come out of an old bottle, but it was17 .
It's good to eat things at the correct time, when they're18 , and as close as possible to where they were19 . What Mario had20 us was the taste of the Garfagnana.
It was June a few years ago right around the Summer Solstice(夏至). The first fireflies(萤火虫) had appeared, 1on and off in the woods around my house. What a(n)2it was to see them again! How amazing was the natural life! Their small light made me smile, and I couldn't help but feel grateful to3.
As the daylight4, I saw some children trying to5the fireflies in the dark. A girl went inside and came back with a clear glass bottle. After several6attempts, she went to run after another one7. Anyway, she was very happy.
All the other children including me were very8. We gathered around, desiring to watch the fireflies' light inside the bottle. Soon the girl's mom walked to us and told us it was time to set the fireflies9. One of the children didn't10. But the girl's mom11that the fireflies would die if left in the12. Then she said something that still stays in my13to this day, "Let them go so they can share their14with the rest of the world!" Finally, we knew the meaning of life.
I15in our childhood, we used to sing the song, "This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine!" But as adults we find it16to do so. We often forget to share.
Don't17your "light". Don't keep it in a "bottle". Share your "light", no matter how18it may be. Let19light up your heart and then give it to the whole world. Let the "light" within you20the darkness away. Learn from the lightening fireflies. Be loving and willing to share!
I woke up with only one thing on my mind: what to wear. A billion thoughts 1 through my brain as wooden hangers moved back and forth. It was my first day of high school in a new State; first 2 are everything, and it was necessary to impress the people who I'd spend the next four years with.
It wasn't insecurity that 3 me to madness but the fact that this was my third time being the new kid. 4 moving does something to a child's development. I 5 finding reliable friends. But this time dad's company 6 my starting and finishing high school in the same place. This time mattered, which made me nervous.
I emerged proudly in a patterned dress after riding (扫荡) my closet. I felt just as 7 as I stepped off the bus. But my jaw dropped to the floor when I found Mrs. Hutfilz, my English teacher, wearing the exact same 8 as I did. I kept my head down and tiptoed to my seat, but the first day meant 9 in front of the class, and 10 it was my turn. I made it through my minute speech, until Hutfilz stood up, 11 adding she liked my style. All the 12 that had accumulated throughout the morning surprisingly 13 . The students raised heads as I shared my story. My smile 14 as I giggled with my peers. After class, I stayed behind, sharing with Mrs. Hutfilz my previous understanding about coming into a new school and state. I was relieved to make a humorous and genuine 15 with my first teacher in the coming days.
This incident 16 me that these are the times to have fun, work hard, and make memories, not stress about the 17 details. Looking back, the ten minutes I spent 18 my speech were really not worth it. 19 my first period of high school may not have gone exactly the way I thought it would, Mrs. Hutfilz's great sense of 20 certainly made the day unforgettable in the best way.
Being good at something and having a passion for it are not enough. Success1fundamentally on our view of ourselves and of the2in our lives.
When twelve-year-old John Wilson walked into his chemistry class on a rainy day in 1931, he had no3of knowing that his life was to change4. The class experiment that day was to5how heating a container of water would bring air bubbling (冒泡) to the surface.6, the container the teacher gave Wilson to heat7held something more volatile (易挥发的) than water. When Wilson heated it, the, container8leaving Wilson blinded in both eyes.
When Wilson returned home from hospital two months later, his parents9to find a way to deal with the catastrophe that had10their lives. But Wilson did not regard the accident as 11He learned braille (盲文) quickly and12continued his education at Worcester College for the Blind. There, he not only did well as a student but also became a(n)13public speaker.
Later, he worked in Africa, where many people suffered from14, for lack of proper treatment. For him, it was one thing to his own fate of being blind and quite another to allow something to continue15it could be fixed so easily. This moved him to action. And tens of millions in Africa and Asia can see because of the16Wilson made to preventing the17.
Wilson received several international18for his great contributions. He lost his sight but found a19 . He proved that it's not what happens to us that20our lives — it's what we make of what happens.
Face Adversity (逆境) with a Smile
I often cycle from my house to the town centre. And I used to1about a big hill on the route. When my friend Steven heard, he replied, "You are2. You should be glad of the3exercise that the hill provides.
My 4 to the hill now has changed. When I5it, I will tell myself: This hill will exercise my heart and lung. It will help me to lose weight and get6. It will mean that I can live7. This hill is my friend. Finally, I have a smile of8as I reach the top of the hill.
Problems are there to be9and overcome. We can't achieve anything with an easy life. Helen Keller was the first deaf and blind person to10a university degree. She wrote, "Character can't be11in ease and quiet. Only through 12of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision13, ambition inspired and success achieved.
One of the main14of success in life is our attitude towards adversity. At times we all face hardships, problems, accidents and difficulties. Though we can't choose the15, we can choose our attitude towards it.
16, don't listen to anyone who tells you that you can't do this or that. That's nonsense.17your mind and have a18at everything. Go to school, and join in all the games you can. Go19you want to. But never, never let them20you that things are too difficult or impossible.
It end to go slowly when I drive in the mountains of my home because the forest 1 is beautiful no matter what the season. This morning I was driving slower than 2 because a nearly March snow had turned the roads 3. Going up a mountain road, I had to slow down as I 4a sharp, snowy curve (弯道). That was 5I saw a majestic buck deer (公鹿) standing in the middle of the road. I came to a full 6and for a few seconds we just 7 each other. His eyes seemed wise and his composure (镇静) refined. Finally, he 8his head at me. I nodded in return and signed 9my hand for him to go on. He then 10 across the road, up the hill and back into the woods. I drove on smiling at the magic of this moment and was 11 that I had been going slowly enough not to 12this beautiful creature.
Most of us rush through this 13not knowing what we are missing. We 14get to enjoy what each day brings us. Wouldn't it be better to go slowly through our days here? Life is meant to be favored. Moments are meant to be 15. Days are meant to be lived in love and joy, not flown through at a frantic (疯狂的)16.
The next time you find yourself going too fast, slowdown. Take the time to watch the sunrise over the horizon and fill the world with 17. Take the time to look your children in their eyes, hug them and tell them that you love them. Take the time to smile, laugh and sing. Take the time to read, lounge (闲逛) and 18. Take the time to live your life with love and 19 in all the miracles each day brings you. If you do, your life will be so much better and more beautiful. And you might even 20not hitting a deer on your way home.
