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.

Due to my unhealthy eating habits, I became fatter and fatter after college. My good friend Anoush was a running enthusiast. So he advised me to lose weight by running. I didn’t agree at first until he promised to accompany me to run although he was busy with his work.

Seven years later, I got more serious about running. And I dreamed to participate in Boston Marathon. Anoush encouraged me to realize my dream. He also said he enjoyed running too and wanted to attend the same marathon with me. Every day we spared our time to practise hard and did about 2 marathons a year, during which time Anoush gave me much professional guidance and encouragement. And then one day, both of us qualified for the 2017 Boston Marathon. We were excited but unfortunately, several weeks before the marathon, we had a serious quarrel. Even I swore never to talk with him in the future.

The day came. Anoush and I stood at the starting line. He said, “Good luck! You will certainly finish the marathon.” Hearing his words, I looked at him, saying, “It’s none of your business.”

Then we started running. I had strong mental confidence by using positive self-talk when running distances, which has helped me finish 18 marathons. Soon, I passed Anoush.

But I struggled in the heat starting at mile 16. I felt most of my oxygen went to the muscle in my legs and less in my brain, which made me feel a bit lightheaded and fuzzy (迷迷糊糊的). I continually encouraged myself. “Just get to the finish, run bold, and you will win,” all phrases that I say to myself didn’t work any more.

Gradually I felt out of breath and had to slow down my pace. As I ran down the famous last stretch of the Boston Marathon on Boylston Street, I fell down on the ground with my legs moving like jello (果冻).

Just then, I felt that someone picked me up.

When Anoush and I crossed the finish line, the audience at present applauded.

One morning during the summer vacation, a teenage boy named Alex was sorting out his snacks when the wildfires not far from the place where he lived started.

Alex’s parents got the bad news from the Internet. His mother. Sofia, came up to him and showed a video of the horrible scene to him. When Alex saw the condition of the victims, his heart sank. Some had minor or serious injuries. Others lost homes and had to live in shelters temporarily. Although the government was providing relief, food couldn’t reach all the victims for a short time.

“Turn it off, Mom. The video makes me too sad,” Alex said. Sofia realized that her son, sympathetic and caring, was really concerned. They needed tq reach out. But what could they do? She felt lost,

“Why not put up a lemonade stand (柠檬水摊)?”Alex suggested. He told his parents that he wanted to have one stand, supplying lemonade and other food for free. His parents thought it was time to teach him how to help others and a good chance to provide some support for the place they loved.

Finally, Alex put up the lemonade stand with the help of his family in the disaster area. The family offered a range of items, including rice, fruit, candies, sandwiches, lemonade, fresh water and even Alex’s snacks to the stand, which the victims could help themselves to.

The great support quickly went beyond the physical lemonade stand. Alex’s good behavior soon attracted the attention of others. Neighbors first rushed to donate to the stand, making sure that there was always enough food and drink for everyone in need. The stand soon turned into a center of charitable activities and a symbol of teamwork and hope,with donations pouring in from all directions. People from all walks of life came together, united by a common goal: to help those affected by the wildfires and bring hope to their lives. Most amazingly, as word about Alex’s selfless actions further spread, more and more children were inspired to join and support the cause (事业), including his friends and their parents.

Alex’s friends admired him very much and tried their best to help.

Later, the children’s parents also joined the cause.

It was a busy day for 20-year-old Justin. His hot dog stand in the park was crowded with many customers. He was poor so he couldn’t afford to rent a cafe to sell hot dogs. Suddenly, an old woman got to his counter and asked how much a hot dog was. “They range from $3 to $7,” he replied.

“But that’s a touch expensive. I was just curious how much they cost. I don’t want any,” she said before walking away. Justin noticed she sat alone on a bench across from his stand. She kept looking in his direction, and he realized she wanted a hot dog but couldn’t afford one. He felt bad for her, so he quickly baked one and brought it to her. “I forgot to tell you that you’re my 50th customer of the day, so you get a free hot dog!” he said.

“Oh, is that so?” the old lady asked. “Thank you. I’m Emily, by the way.” She tasted it immediately and was shocked how delicious it was. “It’s different from regular hot dogs,” she said, taking another bite.

Justin said, “I love cooking, so I keep trying different things with my food. I have customers waiting for me. Have a wonderful day,” he hurried away.

The next day, when Emily returned, Justin treated her to a hot dog again. Emily refused because she didn’t have money, but he insisted (坚持). “Your feedback matters to me so I can improve my sauces (酱) and my business!” he said.

“Oh, you’re such a sweet boy,” Emily smiled through tears. “Thank you.” Deep down, Emily knew Justin was feeding her because she couldn’t afford the hot dog. She told him it wasn’t needed. But he kept feeding her every day.

One day, when Emily went to the park again, she said, “I kept a count of the hot dogs you bought me, and you’ve already spent $ 100 on me. So now it’s my turn to help you, boy. Come with me.”

Emily led Justin to an old building that looked like a deserted cafe.

Emily decided to give Justin the place to start his cafe free of rent.

A Pleasant Surprise

It was one week before Christmas and my house was filled with festive cheer. The only thing I hoped to get from my Christmas wish list was a puppy (小狗). I had always dreamed of having a puppy, as I was the only child, and it could be quite lonely at times. However, I did not want to get my hopes up, as I knew neither of my parents liked the thought of having a puppy around the house and all that came with it.

Every time I begged for a puppy, my parents would say, “It is a lot of responsibilities, and you will have to clean up after it, give it baths, feed it regularly and walk it.”

I knew the responsibilities and was ready to take them on. Unfortunately, even with my enthusiasm (热情) and determination, my parents still disagreed to get me a puppy. There were very few chances of getting it, but I still tried asking them again that week.

“Oh honey, pick something else instead. There are so many toys that you can pick,” my parents responded as usual. As expected, I thought, giving a resigned sigh (无奈的叹息). For the rest of the evening, I decorated the Christmas tree as my parents hung some stockings. That night, I went to sleep with the hope that my dream would ever come true.

My alarm clock woke me up. “Oh my goodness, it is finally Christmas day!” I shouted excitedly and rushed down the stairs to the living room.

“Good morning, Bella!” both my parents chatted with huge smiles on their faces that were brighter than usual. My curiosity was inspired and many questions rushed into my mind. They played Christmas carols, and they sang along to the merry tunes. Just then, I caught my father smiling at my mother as if they had a secret plan and walking out of the door. When I asked my mother where my father had gone, she simply said that he had gone to pick something up. I grew confused.

I wondered what they could be hiding from me.

I fell in love with the puppy at first sight and named her Daisy.

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.

When I first moved to the south of America in the summer holiday before middle school, I realized that I was stepping into a completely different world. New Orleans, Louisiana, was unlike any place I had ever been to. In the French Quarter, tourists walked around all year with long skinny cups in their hands, and there was a popular game going on the streets which were crowded with cars but had few people. What surprised me more than anything, though, was the constant friendliness and compassion of the people of New Orleans.

“What can I get for you, sugar?” a waitress about my age asked me on my first day in New Orleans.

I was taken aback. The waitress did not even know me, but she treated me like family. She smiled down at me as I pointed to an item on the menu.

“Is the pasta good?” I asked her.

“It’s not my favorite,” she admitted with a smile. “But I’m more of a girl who prefers rice!” She shrugged, letting out a loud laughter.

I looked at her in shock. What was I supposed to say to that? I couldn’t believe that the waitress had just prevented me from ordering something. Actually, she had given me her honest opinion, as if we were best friends. She even told me her name—Mary. She even told me that she just worked as a part-time waitress and that she would be a high school student soon.

After a few days in New Orleans, I got used to kind reminders and polite greetings. I also realized how comforting it was to be treated like I belong wherever I went.

As soon as I settled into my new high school, I adapted myself to the school life. I was drawn to the lively music scene that New Orleans was famous for. I was a trumpet (小号) player, and I wanted to join the school music club. However, I was afraid that I was too poor in music to be qualified for the school music club.

One afternoon, I was surprised to see a group of students including Mary practicing jazz in the school playground.

Finally, with Mary’s encouragement, my hesitation slowly melted away.