Abby Jaramillo never lost her enthusiasm. She believed that with age came courage, vision (远见卓识) and a true appreciation of life — all life. That’s why, at the age of eighty-six, Abby became the only caretaker of a flock of chickens abandoned alongside one of Southern California’s busiest freeways. The chickens were never rescued. Instead, they simply lived in the roadside bushes, becoming known to locals as the Hollywood Freeway Chickens.

Like many seniors, Abby lived alone and survived on a small amount of money. But to her, life was precious and not to be cruelly given up or ignored-not even the lives of abandoned chickens. Abby simply saw creatures in need and without hesitation, stepped into action. For nine years, while others sped past unaware and unconcerned, Abby made two visits a day to provide food and water for the abandoned chickens, using what little money she had available. As the years passed, she worried about the day when she would no longer be able to care for her adopted chickens and her cat Tiffy. Who would look after these poor helpless creatures if she could no longer make her journey?

At ninety-five, just when the cruelties of time began to damage Abby’s body, a heroine (女英雄) appeared. Alice Kahn, a young actress and a founding member of the organization Actors and Others for Animals, was Abby’s neighbor. Alice had observed Abby and noticed that the older woman also fed many of the homeless cats in the neighborhood. Alice approached Abby to see if her neighbor could identify the owner of a stray (走失的) dog that Alice had recently rescued. A quick and lasting friendship resulted.

Learning of Abby’s concern for the fate of her flock, Alice volunteered to help

Abby is gone now, but her concern for her fellow creatures lives on.

When I was in high school, there was nothing I loved more than going bowling—and no place I’d rather be than Al’s Kingpin Lanes. That place was great: Friday 5-dollar foot-long hot dogs with all the toppings, old arcade (拱廊)cabinets in the back that had classics like Galaga, and always playing 1940s jazz and 1950s rockabilly music. I got so obsessed with bowling that I even managed to convince my high school to start a varsity (校队)and junior varsity bowling sports club.

During my high school years, from freshman to junior year, starting and leading my school’s bowling club really helped me to come out of my shell. As time went on, our varsity team began winning local and even state tournaments. Soon enough, our school was getting bowling trophies(奖杯)to go alongside the trophies for more traditional sports like swimming and track and field. These victories not only boosted my popularity but also allowed me to form meaningful connections along the way! Life was great back then.

Still, the bowling memory that really stuck out to me was when I met Leroy. Although Leroy happened to go to the same high school as I did, we didn’t really cross paths that much. I was already a junior by then, and as I found out later, he was still a young freshman. The strange thing about it, though, was how he would always hang out in the back, nervously watching everyone else play. Despite his regular presence, he seemed too nervous and shy to play or even talk with others.

Then, one evening while I was out with my friends at Kingpin Lanes, something remarkable happened. I witnessed Leroy actually picking up a bowling ball for the first time. His shoes were untied, he struggled to lift even the lightest ball up, and with each throw, the ball ended up in the gutter lane(边沟), resulting in straight zeroes across the board.

That’s when I finally made my way over to say hi to Leroy.

And that was the beginning of our friendship.

4 . As our lives become more closely connected with the digital age, it’s more important than ever to keep the spark of human connections, a key part of which is making small talk.     1     Here’s how to master the art of small talk.

The cornerstone of effective small talk lies in developing genuine interest. Genuine interest is about actively seeking to understand the other person, valuing their perspectives and appreciating the uniqueness they bring to the conversation.     2    

Small talk extends beyond spoken words; it includes the art of observation. As you engage in conversation, pay attention to the speaker’s body language, facial expressions and tone of voice.     3     Being familiar with them not only helps you navigate the conversation with sensitivity but also enables you to establish a deeper connection by respecting the slight differences of the other person’s communication style.

Actually listening and connecting with someone is essential for a conversation. By providing your undivided attention, you convey respect and interest in what the other person has to say.     4     Ask follow-up questions to show that you value their insights. This depth of engagement lays the foundation for a more meaningful connection.

At the heart of successful small talk lies the authenticity (真实性) of your engagement. Authenticity fosters a sense of trust and connection, making the conversation more meaningful and memorable. Avoid the temptation to project an image or use scripted responses.     5     In the world of small talk, authenticity is the key that unlocks the door to deeper connections and more fulfilling interactions.

5 . Over 7,000 species around the world are considered endangered. That number doesn’t even include the plants, animals, and other lifeforms that are listed by some scientists as vulnerable, critically endangered, or extinct in the wild.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) maintains the most-comprehensive list of endangered species around the world. The Red List of Threatened Species, as it’s called, judges each species on five different standards for an in-depth scientific approach. According to the IUCN, an endangered species is one that meets any one of the following criteria (标准): a 50%-70% population decrease over 10 years, a total geographic area less than 5,000 square kilometers, a population size less than 2,500 adults, a restricted population of 250 adults, or a statistical prediction that it will go extinct within the next 20 years.

Though the IUCN’s Red List covers a wide range of what qualifies as an endangered species, it doesn’t quite say how a species reaches those low points. Prepare to feel guilty: the most common factor when it comes to species decline is human intervention. Loss of habitat, the introduction of a foreign species into the environment, hunting, pollution, disease, and loss of genetic variation (基因变异) are all causes of species decline and most often are a result of human activities. Take the bald eagle for example: the rise in human population and urban development of North America limited the animal’s habitat; an increase in hunting the eagles for sport lowered their population size; and the use of the pesticide DDT on farms harmed the animal’s reproductive capabilities.

But even though humans are the number one cause of species decline, classifying species as endangered encourages action to reverse the effects of human intervention. Conservation efforts by the US Fish and Wildlife Service criminalized (使非法) the hunting of bald eagles and the use of the pesticide DDT in the mid- to late 20th century. The effect was positive, as bald eagles have been on the rise and were taken off the endangered species list in 1995.

When coming to this city for high school, I moved into the new house with my parents. We were very grateful to the owner for renting us this house at a cheap price. The house was really comfortable to live in. It was warm inside and full of life outside.

A tree in the front yard attracted my attention, and all I could confirm was that it was a fruit tree. My father thought it was a fig(无花果) tree, and sure enough, as the months went by, the tree grew huge leaves and finally bore the fruit—figs, the size of my fist. How wonderful they were! I took many pictures of the fig tree. And then we wondered how to deal with the figs. My mother thought for a while and said, “Why not try making fig jam?” I responded quickly, “That’s a good idea!”

Jack, one of our neighbors, just visited us and asked if he could pick some figs from our tree. Certainly, we encouraged him to take as many as he liked. In fact, Jack was extremely polite and friendly to us. He introduced himself at the first sight of us. He always waved to me as he came home or as he left for work.

When I picked the figs with him, he told me about how he had been living in the house next door for close to twenty years. He said, “Bruce, the owner of the house you live in now, used to be my best friend. And we had planted this very fig tree a few years before he went to the nursing home.” I was amazed to know that we actually enjoyed the fruit of his work. He told me that he was so impressed by the quality of the fruit this year. I found a fruit box for him to put the figs in. Both of us enjoyed the pleasure of sharing.

When Jack set out for his home, I turned to my parents and advised doing something in return for Jack and Bruce’s kindness and friendliness.

Finally, we decided to invite Jack and his family to dinner that night.

The next day, our family and Jack visited Bruce in the nursing home.

At the cafeteria table, I overheard my new colleague say, “I hate going home tonight, because we have to get rid of our dog.” I said, “Oh, no! Is your dog ill?” She replied, “No, she’s fine, just not a fit for our family. No one wants her, so it’s best we give it away.”

Coming from a family whose home could be a petting zoo, I was shocked to think that people could be so heartless. Worried by this dog’s fate, I asked my new co-worker a few questions. She shared that the dog’s name was Lady. She was a German Shepherd and had been trained for a year and a half as a guide dog for the blind. Unfortunately, Lady failed her final test because she demanded too many hugs after completing her tasks. I begged the woman to give me a little time to reach out to my mom as we would consider taking her. With my talent for dramatic storytelling and my mom’s compassionate heart, I knew Lady would have a home with us.

After work, I drove to pick up Lady. An old woman greeted me at the door, leading me to the kitchen. There sat the beautiful but very thin dog, sitting in the corner licking and scratching her right paw. “She did that to herself,” the woman said as she pointed to the injured paw. She continued, “That dog is hopeless!” The woman then took a broom and pushed the dog to stand. Lady had tears in her eyes when I led her outside.

There were no goodbyes from this family, just a sense of relief that Lady was no longer their problem. I sat on the sidewalk with her and introduced myself. For me, it was love at first sight. She had perfect markings, a delicate, beautiful face, but the saddest eyes. “Lady,” I said, “I’m taking you to your new home with my family who will always love you. Please give us a chance.”

As I pulled into our driveway, my mom was waiting with open arms and delicious dog treats.

One day, to win Lady’s trust, my mom led Lady to her bedroom.