Grandma always says, “Gardening is good for the soul.” She lives in the _ _  (1)  _ _ and has a big yard with raised flowerbeds and an organic vegetable patch, _ _  (2)  _ _ , as her only granddaughter, I live in the city. I always _ _  (3)  _ _ about planting a garden in my neighborhood, but I never had the _ _  (4)  _ _ . Last year, the chance came by itself. The building across the way was torn down. The lot (一块地) _ _  (5)  _ _ untouched for months littered with garbage. When I decided to turn the _ _  (6)  _ _ lot into a community garden, I started a difficult but _ _  (7)    (8)  _ _ adventure.

At first, the difficulties I had _ _  (9)  _ _ me. I had to make phone calls to _ _  (10)  _ _ of the local 15 city offices before the city would give me _ _  (11)  _ _ permission to use the lot. Now with their permission, I put up posters in local grocery stores and buildings _ _  (12)  _ _ volunteers to help pull weeds and _ _  (13)  _ _ garbage, glass, rocks, and bricks. Only two people signed up. I ended up doing most of the _ _  (14)  _ _ myself. Not only did I have to remove tons of garbage in the lot, but I also had to use all my persuasive skills to convince a gang of kids to do their hanging out _ _  (15)  _ _ . No matter _ _  (16)  _ _ challenges I had, the rewards were far greater. _ _  (17)    (18)  _ _ I planted some flowers and trees, the place looked _ _  (19)    (20)  _ _ and cheerful. More and more people in the community _ _（18）_ _ me and wanted to help. Students in our local elementary school planted vegetables. A senior citizens’ group started a small herb garden. I’ve got to know many _ _（19）_ _  people in my community by starting this garden. Grandma was _ _（20）_ _ : gardening is good for the soul.   

The Gift of Love and Forgiveness

Each year as the holidays approach, it’s easy to become lost in the commercialism of the holidays and to forget their real meaning and purpose.   (1)  , there is meaning and purpose all around us, and sometimes we just need to take the time to look for it. We can also give the holidays meaning by what we do. It can be as   (2)   as a note, a call, or a small act ofreaching out in love that can positively   (3)   another person and bring many blessings to you.

I recently heard a story about the power of   (4)  . A therapist(治疗专家) at a   (5)   living community — let’s call her Anne — addressed the   (6)   of forgiveness in a discussion group around Thanksgiving,   (7)   that we need to let go of mistakes we have made and forgive both ourselves and those who have   (8)   us. The next day, a(n)   (9)   resident came to Anne and said she felt   (10)   during the holidays, because she had been estranged(疏远了) from her   (11)   for more than 10 years. Anne’s talk about forgiveness had touched her heart,   (12)   now, she wanted to   (13)   to them. So, Anne helped her make a card and send it to her family members.

A week later, the resident returned,   (14)   that she had not received a response to her note. But shortly after, in walked a young man, her great-nephew, whom she had not seen since he was a little boy,   (15)   by her nephew, the boy’s father. The resident was so excited to see both of them. They   (16)   each other and spent hours reconnecting. They left with a promise to stay   (17)  .

Four years ago, in that same spirit, I   (18)   a nonprofitorganization ---Wish of a Lifetime (WOL),with the goal of helping to change the lives of seniors in a meaningful and  (19)   way, by helping them   (20)   their dreams.

The town I live in is about to put cameras at all traffic lights to catch people who run red lights. It   (1)   me of how many people Iˈve seen who take the yellow light as a signal to go faster. I also canˈt   (2)   why people donˈt move when the traffic light has turned green. Above all, there are those   (3)   situations in which someone doesnˈt even   (4)   that the light is red, and just keeps going. That is why so many accidents happen! All these situations make me    (5)   about the purpose of traffic lights.

However, itˈs even more   (6)   to imagine letting people make their own   (7)   at crowded crossroads. Do the biggest cars get to go first? Who decides who goes next?   (8)   I guess I do like the idea of a system to   (9)   traffic. And Iˈll do my best to   (10)   the traffic rules: to go, to be   (11)  , and to stop when Iˈm supposed to.

It occurs to me that my   (12)   have done much the same for me in   (13)   teaching me how to live. They have given me many   (14)   lights: to get along well with others, to listen and talk to them, to help others, and to live with   (15)   and purpose. They have also given me some red lights so that my   (16)   doesn’t go astray (误入歧途): not to be greedy, to keep my temper, and to control my desires. And there also have been some yellow caution lights: to watch how much I drink, to keep control of my behavior, and to   (17)   school regularly and work hard.

If I obey these rules, my life will be as   (18)   as it can be. Just as Iˈm wise to pay attention to the traffic lights when Iˈm walking   (19)   the street, Iˈm wise to pay attention to the "life   (20)  " given to me by my parents.