【推荐1】It was February 24, 2017, and my husband, David, and I were both at work. It was a day like any other. Our 15-year-old son, Justin, his sister and his friend Mike were playing with a ball in our backyard. Completely a common day!

What happened next was exactly a storm. Justin suddenly suffered cardiac arrest (心脏停搏) caused by a hit to the chest, and his heart just stopped. No pulse, no heartbeat. There are only about 10 to 20 cases a year. And it was almost always deadly until recently, when CPR (心肺复苏) has worked in up to one-third of cases.

Thankfully, the other children acted immediately instead of freezing in fear. Mike called 911 while my daughter called my husband. That second call proved vitally important, as my husband was able to get in touch with a neighbor who ran over and started CPR. And later, the doctors arrived and quickly shocked Justin’s heartbeat rhythm (节奏) back to normal.

Since then, I’ve found myself changed as a parent. There is more worry now. This unexpected incident has made me realize that anything can happen to my children. So, we’re doing what we can to be prepared. Earlier this year, Justin took part in a community education event with our fire department teaching Hands-Only CPR to the public. At least 100 participants showed up, and Justin shared his story to show why CPR is so important. At a local university where I work as a nurse lecturer, I’ve volunteered to join the CPR and AED first aid training for incoming freshmen.

David and I feel very fortunate to still have our son with us. If the kids hadn’t known to call 911, he wouldn’t be here. If our neighbor hadn’t known CPR, Justin wouldn’t be here. I think everyone should take the time to learn CPR. You could save a life — maybe the life of someone you love. Cardiac arrest often comes without warning. Everything will be normal right up until the point it isn’t. You have to know what to do.

【推荐2】Getting through your first day of school

Up late tossing and turning (辗转反侧) before your first day of school?    1     Just keep your head up and follow this guide.

    2    

Many schools schedule an open house where you and your family can meet the teachers and tour the school. If your school does not offer an open house, then visit the school in advance and plan out the best times to stop by your locker.

Wear something that makes you feel confident and comfortable.

You might want to show off those new shoes or short skirts, but come lunchtime you'll wish you were in something more suitable for carrying around a heavy schoolbag.     3     Plan your first day’s clothes with the words “comfortable but cool” in mind.

Get a good night’s sleep and eat breakfast in the morning.

    4     But, now that school is back, it’s time to get back into the routine (常规) of going to bed at the night time, getting as close to 8 hours of sleep as possible, and eating breakfast in the morning. Try to start this nighttime and morning routine at least two weeks before school starts, so that it becomes a habit and then on the first day of school, you’ll be good to go.

Know that it’s OK to feel nervous.

The first day of school is nerve-wracking (令人神经紧张的) for everyone, even if some of your classmates don’t show it. Just try to stay as calm (冷静的) and focused as you can.    5    

【推荐3】Miss Baugh taught seventh-grade social studies. She was the kind of teacher that perhaps everyone has had at least once: scary. In class, she always taught us to take school seriously. She had been teaching for a long time and I was as afraid of her as anyone, including the boys who were typically naughty in the back row.

But I also had a life outside of school and had just discovered cheap objects for pranks. One such prop had two parts: an ink bottle painted to look as though it had overturned, and a piece of shiny black metal shaped like a pool.

Of all the people I could have tricked, unexpectedly I chose Miss Baugh. At the beginning of the class, I opened her book and placed the props on one of the pages. Then I waited for the fun. When Miss Baugh saw the bottle and the spilled ink, she let out a little cry and looked for something to wipe up the ink with. The trick had succeeded beyond my expectations. But then I suddenly knew I had no control over what would happen next. When Miss Baugh tried to remove the ink with a paper towel, she discovered it was just a piece of black metal. She picked it up, her eyes sweeping the classroom with a deadly gaze. Then came the question: “Who did this?”

After some hesitation, I raised my hand. Miss Baugh fixed me with a stare that terrified me, and my classmates. And then, most unexpectedly, she laughed. “Well, it certainly fooled me!” she said. She returned the props to me, and for a few seconds a sweet little aged lady appeared right where Miss Baugh stood.

We got back to having a class. But something had changed for me. I began to realize that, if someone like Miss Baugh had a warm heart beneath that crusty surface, then other crusty people would probably do, too. That may have been the most valuable lesson I learned.