The skies were clear, not a cloud in sight. Although the calmness of the atmosphere should seem to ease my state of mind, my fear of heights overpowered any positive thoughts about the coming dive. Although I was terrified, I grew the courage to take a glance and was shocked by the breathtaking view that my eyes laid upon. The tops of the cloud gave forth a gold lining around them. “Oh, how beautiful!” I said to myself.

It was time to start preparing for my first dive. We rode into town and purchased some equipment such as a vest, a regulator and a tank. Everything seemed to be in good condition to dive with. All of my equipment was ready to see the waters.

We then ventured across the island to the spot where we were to begin our dive. Getting out of the car, I noticed that the air was quiet and misty. The wind was curiously strong and carried a cold chill(寒意)with it. “This is where we will get in,” the diving instructor said.

I was told that, in order to access the water, I had to jump. Now, this was not a simple “jump”. “There is little chance that I can do that. Do you even realize how high up we are?” I said to my mother. “Yes, you can! Just trust yourself. Just think of it as your chance to feel like you are flying,” my mother encouraged me.

My mother just could not seem to understand how fearful I was. My heart was beating violently. I was almost certain that the fish could even hear my heartbeat. Terrified and shaking uncontrollably, I could not make myself jump. The sound of the waves made me terrified. The waves were rhythmically pounding into the side of the bank, so violently that the water reached the same height that I stood.

Although terrified, I gathered courage and told myself that I could do it.

Once in the water, I opened my eyes to a whole new world.

4 . The art of living is to know when to hold fast and when to let go. Many people _______ it this way, “A man comes to this world with his fist clenched (紧握), but when he dies, his hand is _______.”

Surely we ought to hold fast to life, for it is _______, and full of a beauty that breaks through your own earth. Sometimes we recognize this _______ only in our backward glance when we suddenly realize that it is no more.

We remember a beauty that _______, a love that disappeared. But we remember with far greater pain that we did not see that beauty when it flowered, that we _______ to respond with love when it was tendered.

A recent experience re-taught me this truth. I was _______ following a severe heart attack and had been in intensive care for several days. It was not a pleasant place.

One morning, I had to have some additional tests. The required machines were located in a building at the opposite end of the hospital, so I had to be _______ across the courtyard on a gurney (轮床).

As we _______ from our unit, the sunlight hit me. That’s ________. And yet how beautiful it was — how warming, how sparkling, how brilliant!

I looked to see whether anyone else enjoyed the sun’s golden glow, but everyone was ________ to and fro, most with eyes fixed on the ground. Then I remembered how often we had been ________ to the beauty of each day, too preoccupied with chores. Life’s gifts are ________ — but we always pay no attention to them.

Never too busy for the wonder and the awe of life. Embrace each hour, ________ each golden minute. Hold fast to life… but not so fast that you can’t let go. We must ________ our losses, and learn how to let go.

8 . When I was a child, there was nothing I loved more than painting. It was my. ________ of joy. I could spend hours being lost in my ________ , bringing to life the images in my mind.

However, after graduating from college, the ________ of work took hold. The hobby that filled my childhood with happiness ________ faded away (逐渐消失).

One sunny day I found myself ________ in a nearby park. I. ________ a group of children sitting together, their eyes. ________ wonder and their hands covered in paint. They were laughing describing their dreams on ________ , and at that moment, I was transported back to my own childhood.

________ those kids, I realized that I had lost something precious (宝贵的) along the way. It was time to reconnect with the ________ within, to rediscover the world of colours and imagination. Despite the ________ life, I decided to pick up my brushes and ________ to the world of art.

Painting has become a way to ________ the beautiful moments of my life, whether it is a golden sunset, a beautiful flower, or a lazy afternoon. I paint not to become a famous artist, but to ________ the joy of my childhood, to ________ the simple pleasures of life, and to hold onto the magical world of imagination.

9 . A year ago, I started working out with a personal trainer and the results were obvious. The reflection in the mirror was fit and strong, with a narrow waist. This month I’ll be celebrating my 74th birthday, but I feel more like I’m about to turn 40. In fact, I’m in the best shape of my life. And I’m here to tell you that it’s never too late to make changes. If I can do it in my early 70s, then you can do it too.

I haven’t always felt so body confident. As a busy working mum I had the same hang-ups as so many other women. In my forties I fell into the trap of trying to do it all. I raised my daughter Laura, now 43, while working as a NHS clinical leader, which left me feeling stressed and exhausted. By 50 I’d reached breaking point. I ended up breaking down in the doctor’s surgery. And I was signed off work with stress-related depression.

I began to do a lot of soul searching. My burnout had set me on a completely different path. Around this time, my approach to my health was also shifting. So many women hit 50 thinking that’s it and they’re done, but for me it felt like a new beginning.

I enrolled in a gym and learned how to use the equipments. Over the next few years, I went to the gym roughly twice a week. Sometimes I didn’t want to go—but at the end of every session I always felt better.

I wrote and self-published a book called Journey to Chocolate about my seeking for a more balanced and satisfying life. I started eating “clean” with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, avoiding processed food and not drinking alcohol from Monday to Thursday. The changes to my diet made me feel more energetic and alert. I slept better, and managing my weight was much easier.