【推荐1】The last attempt of Ken Campbell to run could date back to high school. When his wife, Susan, injured her foot, she needed support to rejoin her running group, so Campbell went along to keep her company in the recovery.” We were just walking at the beginning,” he says, “I was heavy, and weighed over 90kg.” But as the weeks and months passed, the weight fell away, Susan recovered and Campbell’s abilities grew. At the age of 63, he ran 50km, and at 70, he completed a 100km ultramarathon.

So how does someone with no experience of running become an ultradistance runner in his 60s and 70s? Susan had run marathons before her injury, but for Campbell, the turning point came when Susan’s Fleet Feet running group started training near their home.

Campbell went out to visit Susan’s group, and “the paths were a terrible mess. It had been raining, and I was slipping, sliding and falling. But I thought, well, I like this a lot.” What he liked above all was the feeling of “being wrapped by the path, being hugged by the closeness of the plants and the nearness of the river”.

Running the 100km ultramarathon took Campbell 16 hours. When Campbell crossed the finish line, Susan handed hima100km sticker to display on the back of his truck. “It is a public statement that you are part of this community,” he says. “Wherever we park, I see a line of vehicles with their various stickers and I feel that we area community.”

Campbell suffered from arthritis before he started running, and was “waiting for knee replacement”, but for now, he no longer needs an operation. It can put an end to the running—but the “sense of wellbeing and achievement will carry me on forever”, he says, “If I can’t run, I will walk.”

【推荐3】A dog has a horse. The horse was beautiful and also it had many good qualities.    1    It especially wanted to become the most beautiful horse in the world.

One day the horse said to the god, “You have given me beauty. You have given me other good qualities.    2    But how I wish you could make me more beautiful! I would be extremely, extremely grateful if you could make me more beautiful.”

The god said, “I’m more than ready to make you more beautiful.    3    ”Then the horse said, “My neck is too short .If you can make neck a little longer, my upper body will be more beautiful. And if you can make my legs much longer and thinner, then I will look more beautiful in my lower body.”

Then immediately the god made a camel appear in place of the horse. The horse was so sad that it started to cry, “Oh, no, I do not want to become a camel.    4    As a horse, everybody appreciated my good qualities. Nobody will appreciate me as a c I’m more than ready to amel.”

The god said, “This is exactly   what you asked for. You have become a camel.

    5    if you cry for a longer neck and legs, this is what will happen. Each thing in my creation has its own good qualities. The camel is not as beautiful as you are, but it carries heavy loads and has a great sense of duty.”

【推荐2】Being fat is a non-stop fight between not being noticed and attracting much notice. Sometimes you want to be accepted; instead, you’re singled out and judged. In 2015, when I became the first plus-size designer to win Project Runway, I hoped it would be a moment not only for inclusive fashion, but also for all other fat human beings out there. It wasn’t just me who had won; we’d won. Many women told me they were afraid to wear bright colors or show off their arms until they saw me doing it. But some of the words on the Internet were terrible: “Why did they pick that fat designer?” “How can she encourage such an unhealthy lifestyle?” I got sad and put on more weight. I reached a point where I couldn’t climb stairs without losing my breath.

I finally realized that if I didn’t take care of myself, I couldn’t keep doing what I loved, so I went to see a doctor and started doing exercise every day. After that I got more judgment, this time from people in the fat group who once supported me. They turned their backs on me and said, “You can’t be body positive and still losing weight.” I thought, “Well, why not? I wasn’t trying to be ‘prettier’; I wanted to have control of my life.”

Size should not divide us, whether we are fat, thin, or anywhere in the between. I’m designing clothes for plus woman, but one day I might be open to designing straight sizes. People judge me for that, too. But I just want to create clothes that make people feel good. I want every woman to love herself and go after her dreams like I did.

【推荐1】On the way to my company, I was driving behind a small truck. I was a few minutes late and watching the two men ahead of me talking in that slow truck made me angry.

The light turned green, but the truck was still moving very slowly. I became impatient, so I turned right to go past it. Suddenly, a new blue Chevy Silverado was rushing by. I tried to stop, but my car hit the side of the Chevy.

“Pow！” I heard a big noise and then I realized that an accident happened. For a moment, just a moment... I asked if I was OK, and honestly, I was waiting for people to come over and help me. Those thoughts didn't last long, as the answer came into my mind that the air bag had saved me. Luckily, I was still alive.

Slowly I opened the door. The warm, bright morning sunlight hit my face and I felt better. I saw the Chevy Silverado and I ran over to check if the driver in it was injured. “Are you OK？”I shouted loudly through the window. His head was down, eyes closed, and he didn't answer me.

At that moment, I thought I was looking at a dead man. Full of fear, I shouted again, and knocked at the window heavily once more. His eyes started to open, and he slowly shook his head, “Yes.”

Once again，I said to myself, “How lucky I am！”

【推荐2】Most heroes are not super. They don’t appear in comic books, on television, or in movies. They just do what they believe needs to be done to make their world a better place. Bike Batman is one of them.

Bike Batman is a 30-year-old married engineer who lives in Seattle, Washington. He’s a cyclist who also buys and sells bikes as a hobby.

About three years ago, he was looking for a bike for his wife. He found one on Craigslist, a website where people list things they want to sell. As he often does, he also looked at Bike Index, a popular website that allows users to register their bikes and post reports when they’re taken. The bike, which he was considering purchasing, clearly matched one reported stolen on Bike Index. Then he called the person who claimed to be the bike’s owner and arranged to meet him- supposedly to complete the sale. When the two men met, Bike Batman told the thief, “You’ve got two options. You can wait until a police officer gets here, or you can just get out of here.” You can imagine what the thief did.

After that first success, Bike Batman developed a safer routine. When he sees questionable bike ads on Craigslist, he cross-references the image with bikes reported on Bike Index. Once he has confirmed it with the owner, he arranges a meet-up with the thief and will call the Seattle police department so that officers can participate in the action. In more than half of the 22 cases in which he has got back and returned bikes, the thieves have been arrested. In one case, Bike Batman even helped a family recover a wide range of prized possessions that suspects had stolen during a home burglary.

His nickname came from a discussion with a police officer who suggested he be called “Robin Hood”. Since he wasn’t exactly stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, “Batman” seemed a better fit. The idea of a superhero punishing criminals feels pretty silly to him, but the main reason he continues his work is to keep up Seattle’s reputation as a friendly city.

【推荐1】My mom only had one eye. I hated her. She was an embarrassment for me. Once on our school sports day, my mom came. I was so upset. I wished she would just disappear from this world. So I said the worst words to her. However, my mom did not respond.

That night I woke up and found her crying. I took a look at her. I still hated my mom who was crying with her one eye. I told myself that I would grow up, become successful and leave her for the rest of my life, and I realized my dream.

One day, a letter about a school reunion (同学聚会) came to my house and I went back for it. After the reunion, I went where we used to live, just out of curiosity. There I found my mom fallen on the ground, still. But I did not have a single tear in my eyes. Then I found a piece of paper in her hand. It was a letter to me.

My son, I miss you so much. I was too glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion. But I decided not to go to the school for you. I’m so sorry that I have only one eye. You see, when you were very little, you got into an accident and lost your eye. So I gave mine to you. I was so proud of my son to see a whole new world for me with that eye. I love you!

My world fell. I cried for Mother. I didn’t have any chance to make up for my worst words.

【推荐2】Two things changed my life: my mother and a white, plastic, daisy bike basket. I have thought long and hard about it and it’s true. I would be a different person if my mom hadn’t turned a silly bicycle accessory (配件) into a life lesson I carry with me today.

It was summer and, one day, my mother drove me to the bike shop to get a tire fixed — and there it was in the window. White, shiny, plastic and decorated with daisies, the basket seemed so appealing and I knew I had to have it.

“Mom, please can I please, please get it? I’ll do extra chores for as long as you say. I’ll do anything, but I need that basket. Please, Mom. Please?”

“You know,” she said, gently rubbing my back while we both stared at what I believed was the coolest thing ever, “If you save up, you could buy this yourself.”

“By the time I make enough it’ll be gone!’

“Maybe Roger here could hold it for you,” She smiled at Roger, the bike guy.

“For that long? He can’t hold it for that long, Mom. Someone else will buy it. Please, Mom, please?”

“There might be another choice,” she said. My mother bought the beautiful basket and put it safely out of reach in some hiding place I couldn’t find. Each week I eagerly counted my growing nest egg earned by extra work here and there (washing the car, helping my mother make dinner, delivering milk around the neighborhood). And then, weeks later maybe, I counted, re-counted and jumped for joy. Oh, happy day! I made it! I finally had the exact amount we’d agreed upon.

Days later, the unthinkable happened. A neighborhood girl I’d played with millions of times appeared with the exact same basket fixed to her shiny, new bike that already had all the bells and whistles. I rode my bike fast home to tell my mother about this disaster, this horrible turn of events.

And then came the lesson I’ve taken with me through my life: “Honey, your basket is extra-special,” Mom said, gently wiping away my hot tears. “Your basket is special because you paid for it yourself.”

【推荐3】A

I am a student and part-time waitress in Chicago. Growing up, I was used to words such as “Don’t talk to strangers”. As a result, I don’t talk to unknown people at work except taking orders.

One night, a little old man, probably in his eighties, came in. I took his order and went on my way. But I noticed that he came in week after week. Slowly, I began having short conversations with my new guest, whose name was Mr Rodgers, but he insisted that I call him Don. I learned that he and his wife had gone to dinner and a movie every Saturday. Since she had died, he carried on the tradition alone. I began looking forward to him coming in and telling me his movie reviews.

As the weeks went on I began to sit and really talk with Don. We talked about his wife, his days and his son. Eventually, we began to talk about my dreams and studies.

Since meeting Don, I have learned that strangers can become friends and that life can be much more enjoyable if I make friendly conversations. After all, I became more than just his waitress. I became his friend, too.