【推荐2】Dear daughters，

Most parents tell their children，"You can be anything you want when you grow up. ”I feel the same and I say this often. But I also want you to understand that the dream itself comes from hard work，some good luck and good timing.

Girls，here are some words of wisdom as you make your way in the world，from an entrepreneur and from your mama.

1. Be open-minded to changing your path（even several times）along the way

In high school，I wanted to be a politician. I left my hometown and went off to college in Washington，DC. There，I discovered that I loved to support women. It taught me that I'm creative，a strong leader and great at marketing. As a result，I moved on to be the head of a national health care nonprofit. Becoming a mother while in that job opened my mind to launching a breast pump bag business. Now I run a highly successful company that I started up on my own.

Figure out what you are good at and what you are passionate（充满激情的）about. Keep an open mind；the initial path you choose may lead you into other areas.

Don't waste your money or time，but constantly change what you are doing professionally based on what you are learning about yourself.

2. Failure is critical to your success

I won't tell you to feel good about failure. Failure can be heartbreaking. But I will tell you that every failure I've had along the way has absolutely made me better.

Failing the big math exam in high school and going to summer school was embarrassing. I eventually passed，and I've never failed an exam again. I learned from that experience to ask for help. Now，I ask for help in business all the time.

Being passed over for a significant job opportunity that I was more than qualified for because of unfair assumptions（being too young for the role）hurt me. I had a three-month pity party. And then I went out and got a big job at a national organization at age 27. It's okay to get angry！Take that and turn it into positive action.

I'm proud to be a role model to you as a mom and an entrepreneur. I hope I inspire you to believe that you can be anything you want and you can have everything on your list. It will be my pleasure to watch your lives unfold before my eyes.

Love，

Your Mom

【推荐1】Recently, as I watched my son Nathan playing basketball game, I felt sorry for myself and for him. He was playing in the other team’s home gym filled with their supporters, and Nathan’s team was falling behind for three quarters of the game. As for me, I was dismissed from my job earlier in the day.

Watching the difficult situation that my son was experiencing, I remembered that during the drive home earlier in the day, I kept telling myself that “just like last time I experienced this, I’ll find work again in a short time—I’m confident in my experience and abilities and believe in myself.” But then, self-doubt hit me.

The basketball game entered the fourth quarter with Nathan’s team still falling behind. I saw the determination on his, as well as his teammates’ faces as they fought back to not only tie with the other team, but then go ahead by three points. Then, the scores were tied again.With a tie game and seconds on the clock, Nathan found himself with the ball, and with skill and confidence, he moved forward to make the basket with a defender hanging all over him. The other player was called for a foul.

As Nathan stood at the foul line preparing for a shot that would put his team up by three points, I saw the focus and determination on his face; there was no room for self-doubt. He made it, helping his team win the game. Later he told me he didn’t know how he did it because he had lost all feelings in his right arm from being thrown to the floor earlier the game.

As my heart burst with pride, I realized something. I had taught my son—perseverance in the face of difficulties, and he had just taught me the same lesson. That brief moment of self-doubt and feeling sorry for myself was swept away by the actions of my son on the basketball court. He’ll play in the finals, but it doesn’t matter if he wins or loses. On that day, we both won.

【推荐2】In one of the old buildings near our school，one could see an old man sitting by a large window on the first floor．His name was James．During the three years at school, I had hardly ever found him missing from his usual position．

He was a high-ranking government official and lived happily with his wife．Once there was a bus accident，in which a number of passengers were seriously injured and were taken to the hospital for treatment．James was responsible for the rescue operation．It was a big hospital，but James was shocked to notice how ill-equipped it was．There were no enough life-saving drugs and life—supporting equipment． The injured and their companions had to struggle there．James attempted to help．However，though he emptied his pockets，many of them died that day．

That was a turning point in his life．He made a decision to devote his life to helping others，particularly the poor and needy patients and their companions．He began spending much of his income on these people．Since this required a lot of time and energy，he found it difficult to fulfill(履行) his official duties and therefore chose to retire，which，in turn，reduced his income considerably．

His wife was deeply worried. Most of the time，James was out and paid least attention to home affairs．Meanwhile，as he was spending a lot helping others，she had to struggle even to meet the household expenses．Though she was not opposed to his helping the poor，she urged him not to overlook his own life and home，but it had no effect on him．One day they had a heated argument and in the end she left him，never to return．Though he continued with his work，this was a great blow and did serious harm to his health and enthusiasm and was soon forced to stay indoors．That was when he took his position by the window，spending his time looking outside．

A few weeks after my graduation，I returned to school，only to find the buildings gone．I heard that they were torn down．All the people left except James．He refused to go and the next morning，he was found at his usual place by the window，dead．

【推荐3】What might the future be like? Here are some predictions: things to come, things to go.

Spring Festival, the most important Chinese holiday when everyone returns home has caused headaches for millions of Chinese. More than 2 billion people travel at the same time, making getting travel tickets and the journey difficult. But in 28 years, Spring Festival travel may not be a problem at all. China plans to build more than 120,000 kilometers of railway and a fast transportation network that will serve 90% of the population by 2020.

And because most of China will be cities, people will not have to go to other places to find a job, so it will no longer be a problem.

Newspapers will come to an end in 2043. In the future, digital newspapers will be sent to personal web tools through Internet. Readers can discuss topics with journalists and editors. Information will move faster.

Oil is running out faster than expected. But scientists have found something else for oil as fuel. Coal, natural gas, solar power, nuclear power and even water can take the place of oil as sources of energy.

Schools will go electronic. Computers will be important and popular among the students. Everything will be in the computer and students will not need to bring books to school. They will find information on the Internet. A computer will be the students ‘library, schoolbag and connection to the outside world. There will be robot teachers, who will check homework on computers and communicate with the students’ parents through e-mail. And school buses will be like spaceships, comfortable and safe.

【推荐1】Volunteering Is Fun

One afternoon I was sitting at home feeling so bored. Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I wanted to meet people and have new experiences so I decided to start volunteering. I searched on my computer and found a website where I could volunteer on a farm in France.

My time working on a farm was a new experience for me. It was basically a free holiday as food and accommodation were provided. However, it was not my typical holiday as I had to look after fifteen horses and sleep at the top of a tower in a castle! I was an awful farmer but it did not matter because I made some great friends. However, you do not need to go abroad to volunteer. I have had plenty of adventures at home as volunteering can become a hobby. For example, I love singing so I had a good laugh waving my arms in an attempt to conduct my local choir. I did slowly improve and it felt great to conduct the choir in a concert. At university, I organized a concert for charity with my friends. It was really fun finding bands and raising money for a cause we believe in.

It is true that you feel good volunteering but there are also other advantages. I once volunteered as a server at a charity sports event where the organizers gave me cupcakes to thank me for my services. I also volunteered in a charity shop so I found loads of nice cheap clothes to update my wardrobe(衣柜).

While this is all fun, my favorite aspect of volunteering is creating and sharing stories. My terrible attempts at farming have given me hilarious stories to tell! Talking to volunteers from different countries and backgrounds has also helped me learn more about the world. I feel thankful to have had so much fun with many nice people thanks to volunteering.

【推荐3】How hard we have all prayed (祈祷)to grow up quickly, and looked forward to the happy days of being a grown-up and enjoying the many interests that a youth should have.

At last, you have grown up. At least you are no longer a child. They call you “young lady”. You then enjoy the pleasure of being a young lady. You are proud of being a grown-up teenager. People welcome you — this young lady — heartily. You are glad that your prayer has been answered.

But there is always something that troubles you a lot. You say; “Papa and Mama, give me some money please. My pocket money is all gone already.”

“No”, they say, “your age is a dangerous age. If you have too much money to spend, it won’t do you any good.” Then you have to stay at home because you dare not go out with an empty pocket.

Another time you tell your grandma, “Grandma, see, I am a grown-up now.”

“Good, now, you can sit here and knit (编织) this for me while I go and have a rest.” To show that you are no more a child, you have to sit there the whole afternoon doing the work, which only a grown-up can do. After an hour, you find it hard to do, and give the knitting basket back to your grandma. Your grandma criticizes your work. You hear what she says, “Such a big girl can’t do such easy work.” You wish then you were a child again.

But the fact is, you are growing up, and you can’t help it. That’s the way it goes!