【推荐1】Since finishing my studies at Harvard and Oxford, I’ve watched one friend after another land high-ranking, high-paying Wall Street jobs. As executives with banks, consulting firms, established law firms, and major corporations, many are now ______ on their way to impressive careers. By society’s standards, they seem to have it made.

On the surface, these people seem to be very lucky in life. As they left student life behind, many had a ______ drink at their cheap but friendly local bar, shook hands with longtime roommates, and moved out of small apartments into high buildings. They made reservations at restaurants where the cost of a bottle of wine ______ a college year’s monthly rent. They replaced their beloved old cars with expensive new sports cars.

The thing is, a number of them have ______ that despite their success, they aren’t happy. Some ______ of unfriendly coworkers and feel sad for eight-hour workweeks devoted to tasks they hated. Some do not respect the companies they work for and talk of feeling tired and ______ . However, instead of devoting themselves to their work, they find themselves working to support the lifestyle to which they have so quickly become ______ .

People often speak of trying a more satisfying path, ______ in the end the idea of leaving their jobs to work for something they ______ or finding a position that would give them more time with their families almost always leads them to the same conclusion: it’s ______ . They have loans, bills, a mortgage to ______ , retirement to save for. Eventually, they recognize there’s something ______ in their lives, but it’s hard for them to give up the path.

In a society that tends to ______ everything in terms of dollars and cents, we learn from a young age to consider the costs of our ______ in financial terms. But what about the personal and social costs? When we get ______ in pursuing money over meaning. These are exactly the kinds of costs many of us tend to ignore-and the very ones we need to consider most.

【推荐2】My father was a highly educated, intelligent gentleman. He could debate or discuss for       _______on almost any topic and hold your attention in the process. I thought there was _________ he wasn't able to do.

A few days ________ my younger brother's 7th birthday, Dad planned to put together a shiny new ________ as a special birthday surprise. After nearly an hour of ________ the instructions, Dad was still unable to put the new bike together. Later he folded up the paper of instructions, _________ his tool box, and decided to take the bike back to the local toy store and pay extra money to have it ________ assembled(组装) there. Then, a(n) ________ came to him, as he called out to Lovett, the quiet little man who mowed our grassland.

"Lovett, have you ever assembled a boy's bicycle?" As Lovett walked towards the bike, Dad handed him the paper of instructions. Lovett handed it __________ to him, saying, " No, thanks. I can't read. When you can't read, you have to ________." Less than 15 minutes later, the new bicycle was fully assembled, with no spare parts _________. Dad shook Lovett's hand , patted him on the back, thanked him and hid the bike.

On the night after my brother ________ his simly new gift. Dad announced at the family dinner table ________ had happened several days earlier. He took great delight in telling it        _______ ---he used it as an example of thinking.

He did not _________ illiteracy (文盲) , but strongly taught us to use our _________. The joke was on my father, ________ he was able to turn it into a learning tool, and I liked him even ______   after the incident. I also gained a respect for Lovett. To me he had always been the old yard man who didn't say much, but after that day, he seemed to smile ________ , even walk taller. It's amazing what a real nod of   _________ can do to lift people up.

【推荐3】It was a cold autumn morning a few years ago. I was driving along the mountain roads slower than usual trying to take in all the _______colors. It was so beautiful. It was a day made for________Yet, part of me still felt______and insignificant in the middle of all of this heaven-sent beauty.

As I rounded a curve(弯曲处), I______saw an old man hurrying along the side of the road. As soon as he saw me, he raised his thumb, hoping for a _____. I braked and pulled over to the side of the road. I_______the door and the white haired man got in with a smile. He was hoping to_____ to the local post office and______have tie to catch a bus. As I drove along, we laughed and talked about what a_______day it was. Then just as I ______to drop him off, he turned to me and said “Thanks son. You were heaven-sent.”

I_______away with a smile on my face and a______in my heart. I wasn’t sure______I had been “heaven-sent” for him but he______had been “heaven-sent” for me. He had _____me that I too was an important part of God’s     ______and that I should enjoy taking my place in it.

In God’s eyes, none of us is small. None of us is ______. All of us are heaven-sent. We are here to help each other. We are here to_______our love and our kindness. We are here to make this world a better_______ more beautiful place. May you always______your place in God’s glorious creation.

【推荐1】My mom is about to have a spinal (脊柱的) operation. The operation is_______ minor, but does carry a risk of paralysis (瘫痪). Friends and family have reacted to this news by talking in such pessimistic terms that Mom has come to_______ this kind of talk as “psychological theft”. It occurs when other people increase your anxiety _______ providing comfort.

Last week Mom ran into Geoff who works for the local school. “How are you?” he asked. “Not great,” she replied, “I have been having some trouble with my back and I’m going to need an operation.” “Oh, the back is the most _______ place to operate on! My mom had that and she was in terrible pain.” He responded. Geoff’s _______ had been kind. He’d given his own mother’s story to show sympathy, _______ Mom only heard danger and pain.

People could have alternative things that would be equally true, but more familiar to patients. “The specialists in our hospitals are among the best in the world.”—That’s a good one. “You’re going to feel much better _______ .”—That’s another.

I’m not suggesting patients should be _______ from the reality of the risks they’re taking. But if the decision to have an operation can’t really be _______, what’s the purpose of stressing the________? It’s just common sense to say, “Get well soon, and how can I help?”

【推荐2】In my childhood, there were no smart phones or computers. Still, I never felt bored. The field, ________ and woodlands around my home were the perfect playground. I can remember once hiking to a nearby________ and walking slowly around it. At the back of it I was amazed to find an old dirt road that I had never seen before. It was full of muddy tyre tracks and deep woods bordered it on both sides, but ________ it still seemed like a fine adventure.

I________ on and on for what seemed like hours. I was sure my guardian angel was ________ in my ears to turn around and________back home but I was_______ and even a bit stupid, so I walked on. There was still neither a car nor a house ________ . My legs were getting tired. I noticed that the sun was starting to go down and I grew _______ . I didn’t want to end up________on this road in the dark of night, and I was worried that it would be dark ________   I could make my way back to the lake again.

I continued to walk on with the fear growing inside of me. My heart was ________ and my legs were aching. When I _______ one last corner and saw a house that I ______ , I jumped up and down and laughed out loud. I knew the way home! It was still over a mile away, but ________ felt like feathers. I ________ into the house with a big smile just in time for dinner. Then I ended my adventure with a good night’s sleep.

I remembered this recently when I saw a __________ that said, “All roads lead home”. This is true. I also remembered a sage (圣人) compared life to a journey. Are we going to make this life a terrible _________ or are we going to make the life a joyful one? It ________ our own choice.

All road no matter how they twist and turn, can ________ us home in our hearts. May you always walk your path with love! May you always help your fellow travelers along the way!

【推荐3】I am a recovering perfectionist and learning to play again saved me. Like many children, I remember playing a lot when I was younger and being filled with a sense of openness,________ and joy. My natural state was to be present with myself, enjoying the ________ of play.

Unfortunately, my attitude began ________ from playfulness to perfectionism early on. Instead of being present and enjoying the process, I started ________ performance. The more I did this, the less open, curious and joyful I was. Instead, I grew anxious, critical and ________.

I first remember ________ perfectionist tendencies when I was taking piano lessons in school. I got the idea that I had to perform songs perfectly. I started hating piano and ________ quit. My perfectionism ________ into other areas of my life, too. In school, I pushed myself to get straight A’s, and if I earned anything less, I felt like a ________.

My perfectionism also negatively ________ my relationship with myself and other people. I felt like my life was spinning out of control and that all the rules that once worked no longer ________. I crashed emotionally. That was one of the darkest times of my life. I realized I needed a(n)________   way to approach life.

About this time, my friend Amy and I started taking fencing lessons together. I was quite bad at it, but it didn’t________. Because I had given up perfectionism, I didn’t care anymore about ________ people at fencing class or performing perfect moves.________, I cared about being present with myself in the process and staying open and curious.

I had a(n)________ feeling. I felt free and alive, and I ________ that I had been missing playfulness for many years. Fencing helped me rediscover play and leave perfectionism behind.

I am________ now to practicing playfulness every day and to help others do the same. Playfulness isn’t something we must ________ in childhood. When we practice playfulness, life becomes an adventure, and there is always something more to learn, explore and ________.