7．
As a kid of a military family， I moved a lot． I mostly went to
(1) with other kids whose parents were also in the military． But when my dad
(2) from the Marines after twenty years of service， I found myself
(3) a civilian school with twelve-year-olds who shared no similar life experience with me．
I was a stranger in a strange land． Everyone in my class had grown up together， and they had no room to
(4) for a newcomer． I wore different clothes， had different thoughts， and spoke with an accent． I
(5) for the first few weeks of school． I had no friends and no
(6) of a bright future． To deal with it， I began
(7) in my diary every day---stories of adventure， of feelings that I couldn"t speak out． I wrote as if my life depended on it， as if the very next breath I took could not happen
(8) I wrote down the words．
One day， my teacher， Mrs． Bush， came to ask me why I always sat there． I told her I
(9) writing to playing． She smiled at me and walked away． About three weeks later， she gave us a writing assignment． I was
(10) that I could now participate in something I knew I excelled in．
That night I worked on the essay． I wrote with great
(11) ． It was my one chance to feel important and
(12) by the class．
A few days later， Mrs． Bush called me up to the
(13) of the classroom． I stood before thirty pairs of eyes looking at me， and I got
(14) ． Was I in trouble？ Then Mrs． Bush told the class how much she
(15) all the work that went into the essay and everyone had done a great job． But， she said， one student stood
(16) as an excellent writer， one with imagination， creativity， and word mastery． That student was me!
The class clapped and Mrs． Bush handed me my paper， with the following
(17) on it： "Malinda． You fill your paper with the breathings of your heart． Please keep on writing and share your
(18) for writing with the world． I am glad you are in my class．"
Mrs． Bush helped me feel a sense of
(19) and offered me a way to survive a transition in life． She helped me gain
(20) in myself that stayed with me beyond sixth grade．