【推荐1】I was grocery shopping recently in my hometown, N.Y., when I heard a young voice rise. “Mom, come here, you’ve gotten see this! There’s this lady here my size!”

The mother was mortified and rushed to a boy she called Mikey, who looked to be about seven; then she turned to me to apologize. “Oh, I’m so sorry.”

I smiled and told her, “It’s okay.” Then I looked at her wide-eyed son and said, “Hi, Mikey, I’m Darryl Kramer. How are you?”

He studied me from head to toe, and asked, “Are you a little mommy?” “Yes, I have a son,” I answered.

“Why are you so little?” he asked.

“It’s the way I was made,” I said.

It takes only one glance to see my uniqueness. I stand three feet, nine inches tall. I am an achondroplasia dwarf (软骨发育不全的侏儒). Like most achondroplasia dwarfs, I have two average-height parents, as well as an average-height brother. When I was born, my mother was told in the hospital that I was a dwarf. Not knowing a lot about dwarfism, my mom’s main concern was my health. Our family doctor put her mind at ease when he told her he felt I would not have any major medical concerns. He was right.

When I was growing up, my parents encouraged me to do all the things the kids around me did. So when my neighbors got two-wheel bikes, I got a two-wheel bike. When they roller-skated, I roller-skated. I didn’t see anything different in my parents’ eyes about me. Why should I look   at myself differently? Therefore, I just tried to smile and accept the fact that I was going to be noticed my whole life. I was determined to make my uniqueness an advantage rather than a disadvantage. And when I accepted myself as I was, life wasn’t that difficult after all. Most people around me were friendly and protective.

I’m 47 now, and it’s the children’s questions that make my life special. “Why are you so short? How old are you? Are you a mommy?” When I talk with children, they leave content that their questions have been answered. My hope is that in taking time with them, I will encourage them to accept their peers, whatever size and shape they come in, to know that every human deserves due respect.

【推荐3】Jack was born without eyes. He’s very lucky with his timing. He grew up having other kittens to play and socialize with, and was used to people from the moment he was born since there are always kids hanging around the barn. He was a favorite amongst the students at the barn. However, when it came time to find the kittens homes, no one knew where Jack would end up. That’s when I got an e-mail from my friend. All she asked was “Do you still want one of the kittens? There’s one here with no eyes and no one can take him.” Without thinking I told her that I did want the kitten.

When we first brought him home Jack stayed mostly in my room. He walked cautiously around, sniffing everything. After about a day he had no issues running around, jumping onto my bed and climbing on everything. He went through a time where he could climb the stairs, but couldn’t get down. He would sit at the top and cry until someone came and got him. Every now and then when he gets disoriented he’ll stop and cry. But we just call his name and talk to him and it isn’t long before he finds his way back to us.

Also, a few weeks after getting Jack, we got a new barn cat named Bear. I always take Jack outside at that time for some fresh air and exercise. He loves to run (at top speed!) around the back yard and gardens. Bear and Jack have become best friends. It doesn’t matter that he can’t see, Jack always knows when Bear is around. He’ll run across the yard straight to Bear and wrap his front legs around his neck in a big hug. They chase each other around and wrestle, and when they’re tired they’ll lie down in the grass together.

Jack is truly an inspiration. I’ve owned a lot of kittens in my life, but Jack is the happiest, most playful of them all. He doesn’t feel sorry for himself. Heck, for all he knows, all cats are just like him. People who know Jack don’t feel sorry for him. They cherish him for the treasure that he is. I have talked to a few people who haven’t met him personally who tend to pity him, but they just don’t understand. Jack doesn’t need pity. I think Jean (who has Gumbo the eyeless ginger) said it best when she told me that cats don’t have disabilities, they have adaptabilities.

【推荐1】Gino Bartali’s story is one of the most dramatic examples during World War II of an Italian willing to risk his own life to save the lives of strangers. During his lifetime, Bartali didn't talk about his wartime activities. It was only after his death in 2000 that details began to emerge.

Gino Bartali, a villager from a poor family, born in Florence in 1914, became a professional cyclist in 1935. He was reaching the peak of his career as the war approached. He won his first Giro d'Italia, one of the world’s biggest cycling races in 1936, retaining the title in 1937, and then in 1946. Much to Italy's delight, he won the Tour de France in1938 and 1948.

At this point Bartali was asked to join a secret network offering protection and safe passages to Jews and other endangered people. His role in the network was uniquely suited to his talents - he became a courier. On the face of it he was undertaking the long training rides, but in reality he was carrying photographs and counterfeit identity documents to and from a secret printing press.

All were hidden in the frame and handlebars of his bicycle. He travelled thousands of kilometres across Italy, travelling the roads between cities as far apart as Florence, Lucca, Genoa, Assisi, and the Vatican in Rome. By taking on this role, he put himself at huge risk. At one point he was arrested and questioned by the head of the secret police in Florence, where he lived. In spite of knowing that the Germans were killing everybody who was hiding Jews, he still hid his Jewish friend. He was risking not only his life but also his family.

"When people were telling him, 'Gino, you're a hero', he would reply, 'No, no —I want to be remembered for my sporting achievements. Real heroes are others, those who have suffered in their soul, in their heart, in their spirit, in their mind, for their loved ones. Those are the real heroes. I'm just a cyclist.'"

【推荐3】Chinese athletes were highlighted by a series of inspirational wins in the International Ski Federation’s World Cup circuit recently. China’s Gu Ailing, a Chinese freestyle talent, made history by becoming the first ever back-to-back freeski World Cup winner in two different events at the same venue after claiming the slopestyle title in Calgary, Canada, on Feb.15, 2020. The day before, Gu had stormed to her first Cup gold in the halfpipe competition.

Gu again thrilled the crowds on Feb.15 in the slopestyle with another impressive display of technical riding, landing a string of difficult tricks, including a massive right 900° twist with a tail grab in her second run that earned her 89.18 points to dominate the 18-strong field.

“Honestly, my mind is blown,” Gu told the FIS website after the competition. “Coming in I didn’t have any expectations. I try not to take anything for granted. Honestly, I could not have expected two wins from these events.”

“I really just came in trying to do my best and ski the way I knew I could. Skiing my best is really the best part of this, and being rewarded for it just makes it even better.”

Born to a Chinese mother and an American father in San Francisco, US, Gu, better known as Eileen in the States, completed a naturalization process last June to represent China in international competitions.

Now she has her sights set on doing her mother’s home country proud at the 2022 Beijing Games.

A talented skier who has won many national junior titles in the US, Gu became a hit last month after winning two golds and a silver — in halfpipe, Big Air and slopestyle — at her first appearance in Winter Youth Olympics in Lausanne, Switzerland.

With Gu now on board in freeski, China’s snow sports team, which also features world-class aerial skiers and halfpipe snowboarders, is determined to challenge Western dominance on the snow in 2022.