"Do you like my dress?" she asked a stranger. "My mum made it just for me," she said with tears in her eyes.

"Well, I think it's very pretty, so tell me, little girl, why are you crying?" The little girl answered in a low voice, "After mum made me this dress, she went away. My dad says that she's up in heaven now with Grandfather."

Finally the woman realized why she was crying. She felt very sorry for the little girl and gently held the child in her arms.

Then suddenly the little girl did something a bit strange. She stopped crying, walked back from the woman and began to sing. She sang softly. It was the sweetest sound the woman had ever heard, almost like the song of a very small bird.

After the child stopped singing, she said to the lady, "My mum often sang that song to me before she went away, and she asked me to sing it whenever I started crying and it would make me stop."

"See," she said loudly, "it did, and now my eyes are dry!"

Just before the lady wanted to go, the girl showed her a spot (印迹) on her dress, and said, "Right here is where my mum kissed my dress, and here," pointing to another spot, "and here is another kiss, and here, and here. Mum said that she put all those kisses on my dress so that I would forget my sadness."

Then the lady realized that she wasn't just looking at a dress, no, she was looking at a mother. The mother knew that she was going away and would not be there to kiss away her daughter's hurts any longer.

So the mother gave all her love to her beautiful daughter and put it into this dress. Now her child was wearing it so proudly.

The lady no longer saw a little girl wearing a simple dress. She saw a child wrapped (包) in her mother's love.

Growing up in a family of traditionalism, I found my voice later in life. I discovered that I could be so much more than a wife or mother. I could be anything I want to be. And I decided not to leave it to someday but do it today!

   In the first forty years of my life I loved everyone else and forgot all about me. I had been taught that loving and caring for oneself was "selfish". Then a light shone out of a personal tragedy, a suicide (自杀) of a loved one, which taught me the lesson of self-love. Learning to love yourself is the greatest lesson of all. I couldn't truly love anyone else if I didn't take the time to love and care for myself. How simple it sounds but how difficult it is to accomplish. Embracing that truth gave me my life back.

   Education and knowledge is power. Through education in a university I am powerful and lead my life that I choose, answering only to myself. With that responsibility I have become a better, gentler person. Without judgment I smile when I see other people's foolishness. I keep my mouth shut when I observe someone learning their lessons. If asked I try not to tell the persons what they should do, and how they should do it. Instead, I share with them my experiences and how I settled a particular challenge.

   Sixteen years ago, after a life time in theatre, I wanted to write a play about a tragedy happening to some very dear friends. Maybe someday my play will give comfort to other parents who are going through a similar trouble. Today I have written several stage plays and a series of fairy tales. The university delivered my heart's desire and I continue to do so every day and I am filled with gratitude.

I like watching butterflies. Sometimes I think I’m the only girl who notices these quiet but beautiful things. But if it hadn’t been for a crowded restaurant, I wouldn’t have ever noticed Valeri.

Valeri was a new student. She walked to class with her books against her chest and her head down. She talked only when the teacher asked her a question. After a month at our school, she hadn’t made any friend.

One day at lunch, most tables being full, I had nowhere to sit. Valeri sat alone, book in hand. I walked over to her, “Is that a good book?” Valeri gave a small nod and went back to reading. “What’s it about?” I asked. After seconds of silence, she looked at me, her eyes shining, “Well, it’s about a dragon! This boy, Eragon, finds this dragon egg when he goes playing one day. He thinks it’s a rock! The egg hatches（孵化）and Eragon hides the dragon from his cousin and uncle until it gets too big .”

Two weeks later, I was sitting in the auditorium（礼堂）enjoying the talent show. Then a shy girl walked on stage. I recognized her immediately. Valeri held a violin in one hand and a bow in the other. She started to play. The notes formed a soft, sweet tune. The auditorium fell completely silent until we realized the music was finished. I smiled to myself. Valeri wasn’t just “a quiet girl”. She knew about wonderful books and could play the violin like nothing I’d ever heard. Like a butterfly, she was beautiful and amazing when you looked closely.

Everyone needs friends. We all like to feel close to someone. It is nice to have a friend to talk, laugh and do so many things together with. Surely, there are times when we need to be alone. We donˈt always want people around. But we would feel lonely if we never had a friend.

No two people are the same. Sometimes friends donˈt get along well. That doesnˈt mean that they no longer like each other. Most of the time they will go on being friends. Sometimes friends move away. Then they feel very sad. We miss them very much. But we can call them and write to them. Maybe we would never see them again. And we can make new friends. It is surprising to find out how much we like new people when we get to know them. Families sometimes name their children after a close friend. Many places are named after men and women, if they are friendly to people in town. Some libraries are named this way. So are some schools. We think of these people when we go to these places.

Thereˈs more good news for people, if they have friends. These people live longer than those who donˈt have friends. Why? It could be that they are happier. Being happy helps you stay well. Or it could just know that someone cares about you. If someone cares about you, you take better care of yourself.