Just the other day, I was driving my son to the part-time job that he had at a workshop for the disabled. The sky was very dark. A cold rain was pouring down. The world seemed silent and sad with both people and animals taking shelter from the storm. I turned on the car radio for music to take me calm. When I did, however, Karen Carpenter’s sweet voice came out, singing, “Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.” I turned off the radio. That was not the song I wanted to hear on such a day. Still, the song kept playing in my head as the showers(阵雨) continued throughout the day.

Later that afternoon, I was walking out of the bathroom when I saw my son turn on the television. A classic movies was playing and suddenly I heard these musical tones(曲调) coming from Gene Kelly’s voice, “ I’m singing in the rain, just singing in the rain. What a glorious feeling. I’m happy again. I’m laughing at the clouds, so dark up above. The sun’s in my heart and I’m ready for love.”

At that moment I saw that God in his loving-kindness had reminded me once again that all of life is a choice to love. Rains and problems will always come. We can let them get us down or we can choose to sing. We can let the showers soak our souls(灵魂) or we can use them to help our souls grow. We can allow the darkness to make us sad or we can use it to awaken the sunshine and love in our hearts.

What are you going to do when the rains of life fall down upon you?

I choose to sing with all the love that God has put in my heart. I choose to share my sunshine even in the darkest days and never let my music die within me. May you do the same.

Every once in a while, it is necessary to take a step back in order to take a long, hard look at where we are in our lives. At this point, it is good to ask yourself some key questions. Are you at the point in your career where you want to be? Have you so far achieved all of your goals in life? If so, then maybe it is time to make goals that improve yourself a bit more. If you have not achieved your goals in life, then perhaps you have made the mistake of setting too many goals or trying to achieve them at a fast pace.

       It is necessary to set reasonable, intelligent goals in order to succeed in life. Do not be unrealistic because life is not a fairy tale. But you should try to recognize what you want, and to be as specific (特定的，确切的) as possible.

       In order to sufficiently motivate(激励) you, the goal needs to be a major one. The bigger your goals are, then the more motivated you will need to be to work towards achieving them. If you want, for example, to be the greatest concert pianist in the world, then you are going to find yourself a lot more motivated than you would be if your goal were merely to play a couple of Beethoven pieces extremely well. If you are a beginner, then no doubt mastering those tough songs is a very intelligent and realistic goal. But if that is your only goal as a pianist, then you will stop growing as a pianist once that goal has been achieved. This is why it is necessary to constantly stop and renew our goals so that we are aware of what they are, and thus stay motivated.

High school graduation—the bittersweet（苦乐参半的）feelings are as much a part of me now as they were twenty-one years ago. 
    As graduation day approached, excitement increased. Being out of high school meant I was finally coming of age. Soon I would be on my own, making my own decisions, doing what I wanted without someone looking over my shoulder and it meant going to school with boys—a welcome change coming from an all-girl high school. There was never any question in my mind that I would go to a college away from home. My mother’s idea, on the other hand, was just the opposite. Trying her best not to force her preferences on me, she would mildly ask whether I had considered particular schools—all of which happened to be located in or near my hometown of Chicago. Once it was established(建立) that, as long as the expenses would not be too heavy a burden on the family budget, I would be going away anyway, my family’s viewpoint changed. Their concern switched from whether I was going away to how far. The schools I was considering on the East Coast suddenly looked much more attractive than those in California. But which college I would attend was just one of what seemed like a never-ending list of unknowns: What would college be like? Would I be unbearably lonely not knowing anyone else who was going to the same school? Would the other students like me? Would I make friends easily? Would I miss my family so much that I wouldn’t be able to stand it? And what about the work—would I be able to keep up? (Being an a student in high school seemed to offer little hope I would be able to survive college.) What if the college I chose turned out to be a terrible mistake? Would I be able to switch to another school? 
   Then panic set in. My feelings took a 180-degree turn. I really didn’t want to leave high school at all, and it was questionable(可疑的) whether I wanted to grow up after all. It had been nice being respected as a senior by the underclass students for the past year; I didn’t enjoy the idea of being on the bottom rung（横档）of the ladder again. 
   Despite months of expectation, nothing could have prepared me for the impact of the actual day. As the familiar melody (旋律) of “Pomp and Circumstance” echoed in the background, I looked around at the other students in white caps and gowns（长袍）as we seriously lined into the hall. Tears welled（涌出）up uncontrollably in my eyes, and I was overcome by a rush of sadness. As if in a daze (恍惚), I rose from my seat when I heard my name called and slowly crossed the stage to receive my diploma(毕业文凭). As I reached out my hand, I knew that I was reaching not just for a piece of paper but for a brand-new life. Exciting as the future of a new life seemed, it wasn’t easy saying good-bye to the old one—the familiar faces, the familiar routine. I would even miss that chemistry class I wasn’t particularly fond of and the long travel each day between home and school that I hated. Good or bad, it was what I knew. 
   That September, I was fortunate to attend a wonderful university in Providence, Rhode Island. I needn’t have worried about liking it. My years there turned out to be some of the best years of my life. And as for friends, some of the friendships I formed there I still treasure today. Years later, financial difficulties forced my high school to close its doors forever. Although going back is impossible, it’s comforting to know I can revisit my special memories any time. 

       My husband is a lord. We have one house in the countryside and one in London. I spend my days running the household. I oversee servants' work and my three daughters' education：They learn to play piano，sing，and dance. There are so many rules to follow. For example，I must always be polite and calm. I have to wear proper clothes.
       Maid
       I was born on a farm in the north of England，but my family couldn't support me. My cousin helped me get a job as a maid in a big，fancy London house. There is so much work to do and some rules to follow here. Monday is washing day. I have to get up earlier than usual—about 4：30 am—to heat the water，wash and iron the clothes. The work is hard and I earn about $ 50 a year. But my master spends $ 1000 a year on his carriage alone.
       Gentleman
       I'm a lawyer living in London. But I'm in love with a servant，because she's not like her own class at all，but like mine. When I take her to theatres，we meet outside，pretend not to know each other and enter by a side door. I have to maintain my honour as rules. I want to marry my girl，but maybe only in secret.
       Factory man
    I've been working in factories since I was 10.Right now，I make iron for the railroad.  It's 14 hours a day from 5：30 am to 7：30 pm.It's hard work，but at least I have my freedom despite the fact that there are so many rules，and I have to wear a uniform.  These days，I like to have a drink and smoke my pipe in the pub with my friends from work. I go in there a couple of times a week if I can，to discuss politics，find out news and listen to music.