I was 17 years old. Along with a dozen other boys, I made the long trip to Iowa in order to see a college that I was thinking of 1 . While the trip had been fun for the most part, now that I was there I was feeling lonely.
I was missing my family and realized that I wouldn't be seeing them very much 2 I went to school here. I was also missing the Appalachian mountains where I grew up. I3 walking in the forests of maple (枫树) and pine trees there. I loved how the4turned a thousand shades (树荫) of green in the spring and then became a sea of red, gold, and orange in the fall. I loved the5 of countless wild flowers that grew in our garden. These things were a part of me.
Here in Iowa everything was 6 .The grass looked burnt and brown. All that I could smell was a 7 of corn, mud and pigs. I walked outside the dormitory and sat under a tree. I closed my eyes, 8being back home again.
When I finally 9 them, however, I saw something that touched my soul (灵魂) . It was the sunset. It seemed to10 the sky. Gold, red, purple and pink clouds moved together like a picture. It was so huge and I was 11 in the beautiful scenery. It made our mountain sunsets seem12 by comparison (比较). I was tilled with wonder. I realized that I had been foolish and judgmental (妄下结论的). This place had its own special13 .
Over the years to come I learned something else. Each of us also has a 14 beauty. We all have our own unique (独待的) talents and abilities. We all have a beautiful, powerful love that 15 we can share.
