Everyone has one special teacher who has shaped them in ways they would never expect. That teacher for me is my middle school English teacher, Mrs. Yerrington.

Before I had her as a teacher, I only did work just to get by. I wrote basic papers and essays, not putting much thought or effort into any of them. I viewed writing as a sort of chore that I was forced into doing just to pass a class. It never occurred to me that I had the potential to do more with my writing. I had the basic skills but my writing lacked creativity.

Our first big task for the class was to enter a writing contest, and I was less than excited. I wanted something short and easy, so I decided on the Patriots Pen essay; little did I know it wasn’t as easy as I hoped it would be. I turned in my first draft (草稿) to Mrs. Yerrington and she gave a lot of feedback to me. She said my writing lacked meaning. She told me I had the potential to do so much more that I shouldn’t accept less than my full potential. She taught me that writing is an art that takes practice and that you couldn’t always expect to get a piece right the first time. I took in all her feedback and rewrote the paper with more feelings. A few weeks later I won a prize in the contest.

From that day on I have always tried my best in everything I do. I know that without her I wouldn’t have grown into the person I am today. She believed in me, and now I believe in myself. I am now a senior in high school and have grown so much as not only a writer but as a person. I hope that everyone has a teacher who has shaped their lives in such a positive way as Mrs. Yerrington did mine.

The Oxford dictionary defines the word “success” as “an accomplishment of an aim” and “attaining fame, social status (地位) or wealth”. Is this how we measure success in life? If you are rich, you’ll have people say “you have everything” or “you’re already successful in life” or a similar statement that means you have money and are well settled. There are many people who feel this way, while there are many who feel that success is not just having a lot of money.

The thing is, your concept of success is connected to your beliefs and values, and if your values tell you that success in life means money, then there is nothing that will change your mind. On the other hand, if your value system says that having money, stability, peace, happiness and contentment in your life are equally important, then you have an entirely different idea of success in life. There are a lot of people in this world that are wealthy. However, they are unhappy. There are a lot of people who do not make a lot of money, but are happy with what they have.

There are different kinds of people in the world, and each one has a different view on what being successful really is about. Here are a few common opinions about success.

●Success in life means having money.

●Success in life means winning games or competitions.

●Success in life means achieving your goal.

●Success in life means getting the job you wanted.

●Success in life means owning a nice house, a good car and having all the costly comforts life has to offer.

●Success in life means being famous.

●Success in life means having influence, power and control.

●Success in life means being free from insecurities, fears and wants.

The one thing that is common to the statements above is that they include accomplishment, attainment and fulfillment (履行). Another thing is that it’s something you yearn for or that gives you an unspoken advantage over others.

You should be careful with the replacement of your water filter (过滤器). You can see clearly when other devices don’t work. Fire alarms make a sound. Light bulbs burn out. Plates are still dirty after running the dishwasher. However, as long as the water runs when you turn on the tap, you assume everything is working fine.

The best practice is to change your water filter every three to six months, according to Tommy Webber, owner of Hudson Valley-based T.Webber Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric. “It depends on the type of filter, the quality and make-up of the water being filtered, and how much water your family uses,” he says. If your home pulls water from a private well, it may have too much sediment (沉淀物) in it. That means it’s probably best to change your filter every three months instead of six. If you have city water, it’s probably safe to change your filter every six months.

One of the signs for you to replace your water filter is a remarkable reduction in water pressure throughout your home, says Webber. Also, if you notice a change in the look, taste, or smell of your water, that probably means it’s time for a new filter. “As the filter is blocked (阻塞) with sediment, it limits the flow of water and reduces the amount of water coming into your home. If the filter is blocked seriously, your water pressure will greatly reduce. That could put too much pressure on your well’s pump (泵) system,” Webber adds.

Besides, failing to change your water filter can lead to an expensive system repair and dirty water. It’s an important part of your home that needs regular maintenance to keep things running smoothly and your water safe.