A disability only becomes a disability when you allow it to stop you from being genuinely happy and spreading happiness to others.

In a high school in Missouri, there is a remarkable student named Ryheem Lumpkins. At the age of 16, Ryheem displayed a tough spirit that challenged physical limitations. While his arms and hands hadn’t fully developed, he still managed to land a part-time job as a cashier at a local pizza restaurant.

Although he had only been employed for a month, Ryheem’s work ethic shone exceptionally bright. When it’s not so busy at the counter, he would grab a broom to sweep the floors or carefully clean the buffet. Despite his disability, he had such enthusiasm for life that he even got his driver’s license and worked hard to save money to buy his first car.

As a naturally shy individual, this new job unexpectedly revealed his hidden positive character. Interacting with new people, engaging in conversations, and delivering services became a source of excitement for him.

One fateful day, a customer named Robert Samay recognized the exceptional personality of young Ryheem. The young cashier left a lasting impression on Mr. Samay, leading him to commit an act of kindness that would astonish Ryheem and warm the hearts of those who witnessed it.

Impressed by Ryheem’s personality, Mr. Samay decided to express his appreciation. He slipped a five-dollar bill into Ryheem’s hands and spoke words that sympathized deeply within the teenager’s soul. “I appreciate your infectious smile and your exceptional attitude,” Mr. Samay said warmly. “Such qualities are rare these days, especially among young individuals.”

Ryheem’s eyes gleaned with gratitude as he thanked Mr. Samay, his voice earnest and sincere. He carefully folded the five-dollar bill, tucking it into his pocket with a smile that could light up a room. The warmth of the kind gesture infused Ryheem with a sense of validation and empowerment, reminding him that his disabilities did not define him. The sight of joy that lightened Ryheem’s face as he received the modest tip remained impressive in Mr. Samay’s memory.

It fueled an urge for Mr. Samay to reward the young man’s happiness even more.

After the video was posted online by the shop owner, it swiftly spread across various platforms.

Tripod’s story started one spring morning as I was finishing a morning surgery at the veterinary clinic (兽医诊所) I owned. I was writing up medical records of the surgery patients when my receptionist (接待员) stuck her head into my office. She told me there was a big cat lying outside with a seriously injured front leg. What’s worse, nobody knew whom it belonged to.

Then I sent two of my pre-vet students to pick up the poor cat while I went back to my record-keeping. But it wasn’t long before I heard the students returning with this newest patient who seemed to be in pretty bad condition.

I carefully checked up the injuries which seemed to be caused by the pressing of a heavy object. With the extremely horrible smell, I knew from years of experience this cat didn’t have an owner. “Well, then,” I sighed, “I’m not sure whether we are able to bring this cat back to life, but let’s give him our best shot anyway. Afterwards, let’s see if we can find a home for him. ”

Just then, when one of the students began touching the cat’s head gently, somewhere deep in the cat’s throat, a weak purr (呼噜声) began. As the student continued to pet the cat, I noticed the cat’s breathing became less laboured (缓慢而困难的).

When I performed the complicated operation, I whispered, “You’re a fighter, aren’t you, boy? You deserve a chance to live.” However, after the surgery, he lost one leg, and still struggled with life and death. Over the next few weeks, Tripod, the cat, went through many ups and downs, but I was sure about his resilience (快速恢复的能力). News about Tripod spread. A number of customers stopped by regularly to check on the progress of his recovery, including Mrs Melson, a pet lover.

The day finally came when I decided Tripod had really recovered.

Though unwilling to part with Tripod, we were happy to see Mrs Melson come for him.

3 . How to Make Exercise a Habit

The new year is a time when it seems like everyone makes goals to work out and get fit. But by the third week of January, that all seems to go out the window. I’ve seen this happen almost every year: my workout classes are packed with fresh faces.     1     So I will share some tips on how to make exercise a habit, helping you stay healthier in the long run.

Focus on the routine and not the results

These days it feels like everyone is looking for a quick fix or fast results, particularly when it comes to health and fitness.     2     Focus on creating and enjoying the habit. Try scheduling your works alongside one of the other routines you already have in place.

    3    

Everyone seems to want to set big goals of working out 4 times a week with 60-minute sessions. But realistically, if you’re not used to this, it will just be overwhelming and lead you to quit. Given this, doing workouts even as small as5-10 minutes is a good place to start.

Forget the “all or nothing” view

When it comes to exercise, the all or nothing approach does not serve you. Say you plan a workout for today, but say things get crazy at work and you miss your scheduled time. Well that doesn’t mean you’ve failed.     4     Even if you miss your workout, that doesn’t mean you’ve given up. Just remember your results are from your every effort, not matter how small.

Find joy in your workouts

    5     Don’t let yourself be boxed into a certain type of workout just because it’s trendy or everyone is doing them. A workout that suits you will promote your drive and enjoyment.

The day Dana and Jeff’s daughter Melody was born was nothing like they expected. The words the doctor said to them completely shook them, “Your daughter was born with a cleft lip (唇裂).” It was impossible for the couple to hide their sadness. They couldn’t believe it was true until they saw their daughter in person. Seeing her cleft made Dana and Jeff heartbroken more than anything. It broke their heart to imagine the kind of life Melody would lead in the future.

When the doctor told Dana and Jeff that their daughter’s condition was treatable with a cleft lip surgery (外科手术), the couple saw a ray of hope. Rather than feeling stressful like the first few days, they promised themselves they never wanted their daughter to suffer from that. They would support Melody as best they could.

Dana and Jeff were ready to do anything for Melody. After bringing Melody home, they immediately began looking for cleft surgery options. However, no matter where they turned, getting Melody the surgery she needed was expensive, and the various treatments and medications she needed in the following would also be much more costly than the young family could afford.

One day, however, things took a turn for the better. While browsing through a medical forum one evening, Jeff stumbled upon (意外发现) a post about a nonprofit organization that specialized in cleft lip surgeries for children. The organization, named Smileatfuture, is dedicated to providing free surgeries to families who could not afford the procedure. The couple had seen a lot of photos and read a lot of stories about children who had cleft surgeries sponsored by Smileatfuture, and the results were unbelievable. The idea that Melody could grow up with hardly a scar (伤疤) where her cleft was lit a fire under the couple. Without any hesitation, Dana and her husband reached out to Smileatfuture and handed in an application for medical aid.

Everything went more smoothly than Dana and Jeff had expected.

The big day for Melody’s surgery finally came.

In the summer of 2005, Kathryn Fumie graduated from university and moved into an apartment to start her career. She was learning how to cook for herself, and one day, she decided to cook a hard-boiled egg by putting it in a mug (大杯) of water in the microwave.

She let the egg cook for a bit, then pulled the mug out and looked down at it. And that’s when the egg exploded in her face, burning her skin and eyes.

It was a terrible injury, and the pain was unbearable. Luckily, a roommate was available to call her an ambulance. When it arrived, the EMT (急救医疗医生) who cared for her during the 45-minute drive to the hospital helped to keep her calm.

She was extremely uncomfortable. She felt everything burnt and everything just was on fire. She kept asking him if he could do something, and if she could have a cold pack. And she was just begging for a cure.

The EMT calmly explained that he couldn’t give her a cold pack—he said he wanted to save as much of her skin as possible, and that extreme cold could cause even more damage. She had to just bear it until they got to the burn unit.

He talked her through what he was doing to take her mind off the pain. They also chatted about her new job as a receptionist at a travel agency. Most importantly, he made her feel like she was going to be OK.

He had an amazing voice, and just was so calm. And he made sure that she got passed off to the right people at the hospital.

Fumie ended up staying in the burn unit for four and a half days. About two months later, she went back to work at the travel agency.

One day, a man walked up to the reception desk.

It was then that she realized he was the EMT from that ambulance ride.

8 . Bobby and I had been friends right when we were five. I had a natural talent and _________ for painting, but Bobby’s life was marked by sorrow. While he had lost his parents, we _________ through our youth together, playing, chatting, loving and studying, until we graduated from college.

I was fortunate enough to find a job that allowed me to _________ my passion for painting. Bobby, on the other hand, seemed to wander _________ in his search for employment. Having heard his situation _________ when he fell ill, I decided to put my career on hold to look after him. When I stepped into his house, _________, a single room that he lived in, I saw it was covered with a layer of dust. Bobby’s only _________ during his days at home was a tree outside his window, holding desperately on to a single leaf.

Bobby would often pour out to me, “If that last leaf falls, I probably won’t _________ either.” Determined to lift his spirits, one early morning, I drew a leaf and tied it to one of the branches. It was so _________ that it appeared as if it belonged to the tree. This leaf never fell; it became Bobby’s symbol of hope.

As time passed, under the silent encouragement of the leaf, Bobby’s health began to __________. Eventually, he was hired as a clerk in a bank close to his home and __________ his enthusiasm for life. It turned out that the leaf I had drawn was more than just an artistic creation — it was an unbreakable __________ of our friendship.

Our experience taught us that sometimes, a simple __________ can have far-reaching effects. Friendship proves to be the most __________ power along our path, even when faced with all challenges. This is the very __________ of life.

As I opened the door, my two little girls squeezed past me, and hit the fridge for their after-school snack. A bag full of research papers begging to be graded fell down heavily from my shoulder onto the table. After a tiring day’s work, I still had to face the mess that was bothering me, including my husband’s doing-nothing and my daughters’ constant talking noisily. While scolding them, I reached for a cup of leftover morning coffee. As I turned towards the coffeepot, I noticed that the morning dishes weren’t in the sink and the counter was clear except for an envelope with my name on it. My heart pounded, as my husband hadn’t written me a love letter since we were engaged. Then I replayed the casual comment I had made that morning “Since you’re working evenings this week, it would be nice if you’d do something to help out around the house while you’re home.”

I picked up the letter, expecting an apology. But when I read the first line, my heart sank. “I’m tired of being accused of not helping around the house. I am tired of you scolding children every day. Yesterday, I washed the windows. Did you notice? I also picked up your car from school and took it for an oil change. I bet you didn’t notice that either, did you? Of course nor did you notice our daughters prepared coffees well every morning.”

The letter continued in the same tone—a little anger, a lot of hurt—and I deserved every word. The truth was when he worked evening shift, I envied the solitude (独处) he enjoyed by day. He spent hours alone in a quiet house while I took on the parenting role for both of us at night—dinner, homework, baths, bedtime. Then I graded papers or made lesson plans while losing my temper occasionally before I collapsed into bed. But who had time for clothes washing? For dirty floors? Not me, because my husband did.

I folded the letter and slid it inside the envelope to hide his words and my shame.

Hardly had I finished writing the letter when our younger daughter skipped in.