It is a blue, cotton shirt. The shirt belonged to my 　(1)　 David. On his birthday before he left college, his mother bought him the shirt. 　(2)　 I gave him free use of my bike, he let me wear the shirt, occasionally. 

We shared the shirt, and as days 　(3)　, we shared more of our 　(4)　. David was in school by scholarships and grants (助学金). He 　(5)　 to keep his scholarships, because without even one of them, he would have to 　(6)　 and back on the farm. And in David's home, there was always only enough money to cover the expense. His father died when he was twelve. 

　(7) David also talked about his father. Usually it was late at night, in the dorm just before bed, and the 　(8)　 always ended with tears that flowed from a river of memories and 　(9)　: memories of a father suffering from 　(10)　 at a time when his son was just a teenager; longings for opportunities to cure his father's disease. Because disease does not understand the 　(11)　 between father and son. Nor does(do) 　(12)　 care. 

Time passed and we had to say 　(13)　 to each other. After lots of hugging, and words of thanks, we eventually 　(14)　. It was on my 　(15)　 trip upstairs to our dorm that I saw a package on my bed. I 　(16)　 the wrapping paper. It was the blue cotton shirt in a box with a card 　(17)　 to it, reading: 

Thomas, I can't thank you enough for your 　(18)　. This has been tough years and you have been 　(19)　 a friend. Thank you for listening. Thanks for everything. 

David

I pushed aside the note, with 　(20)　 tears dropping on the shirt. 

I still have the shirt today, though it has faded and wrinkled with age.

In our life，we have rarely expressed our gratitude to the ones who have lived those years with us.In fact，we donˈt have to wait for  (1)  to thank the ones closest to us—the ones so easily  (2)  .If I have learned anything about giving thanks，it is this：Give it now!

  (3)  your feeling of appreciation is alive and sincere，act on it.Saying thanks is such an easy way to  (4)  the worldˈs happiness.

Saying thanks not only  (5)  someone elseˈs world，but brightens yours.If youˈre feeling  (6)  ，unloved or unappreciated，try reaching out to others.It may be just the  (7)  you need.

Of course，there are times when you canˈt express gratitude  (8)  .In that case donˈt let embarrassment sink you into silence—speak up the first time you have the chance.

Once a young minister，Mark Brian，was sent to a  (9)  town of Kwakiutl Indians in British Columbia.The Indians，he had been told，did not have a  (10)  for thank-you.But Brian soon found that these people had   (11)  generosity.Instead of saying thanks，it is their custom to  (12)  every favor with a favor of their own，and every kindness with an equal or superior  (13)  .They do their thanks.

I wonder if we had words in our   (14)   for thankyou.Would we do a better job of  (15)   our gratitude？Would we be more responsive，more sensitive，more caring?

Thankfulness sets in motion a chain reaction that  (16)  people all around us—including ourselves.For no one ever  (17)  the tune of a grateful heart.Its message is   (18)  ；its words go  (19)  all earthly barriers；its music   (20)   the heavens.

One day I was driven by a rainstorm to take shelter in a little hut by the roadside, which was 　(1)　 by a shoemaker as his workshop. The man and his son were 　(2)　 at their work, and 　(3)　 saying, “Good day,” we began to talk together. 

Before I had been with them long, the old man 　(4)　 his son out to get something that he 　(5) for his work. The boy was only five minutes 　(6)　, but it was too 　(7)　 for the active old shoemaker. He became 　(8)　, moved about the room, and 　(9) took up a piece of leather and fell to 　(10)　 it, saying, “You know, sir, it will never do to be idle.” 

As soon as the rain was over, I went on my way home, 　(11)　 what I had heard—“It will never do to be idle.” Some people are 　(12) idle; others are idle only now and then. I was one of the latter class. I could work only 　(13)　. So the old man's words came home to me. They awakened my 　(14), and I begin to feel how wrong it was to (15)　 so much of my life in idleness. 

I had often heard and read that 　(16)　 is a very great evil, but now I began to see that it 　(17)　 far more sorrow than people are 　(18). It is the man who is doing nothing that is drawn into disaster, while the busy man is 　(19)　. It is only the idle that are unhappy. So I made up my mind to 　(20)　 the shoemaker's rule for the rest of my life. 

One afternoon，my son Adam asked me，“Are all people the same even if they are different in color？”

I thought for a minute，and then I said，“Iˈll explain，__  (1)  __you can just wait until we make a quick __  (2)  __at the grocery store.I have something __  (3)  __ to show you.”

At the grocery store，we__  (4)  __some apples—red，green and yellow ones.Back home，I told Adam，“Itˈs time to __  (5)  __your question.”I put one apple of each __  (6)  __ on the table.Then I looked at Adam，who had a __  (7)  __look on his face.

“People are like apples.They come in all __  (8)  __colors，shapes and sizes.On the __  (9)  __，some of the apples may not __  (10)  __look as delicious as the others.”As I was talking，Adam was __  (11)  __each one carefully.

Then ，I took each of the apples and peeled(削皮)them，__  (12)  __them back on the table，but __  (13)  __a different place.

“Okay，Adam，tell me which is which.”

He said，“I __  (14)  __tell.They all look the same now.”“Take a bite of __  (15)  __.See if that helps you __  (16)  __which one is which.”

He took __  (17)  __，and then a huge smile came across his face.“People are __  (18)  __like apples! They are all different，but once you __  (19)  __the outside，theyˈre pretty much the same on the inside.”

He totally __  (20)  __it.I didnˈt need to say or do anything else.

As a teenager，I was very sensitive and always lacking in confidence.I felt I was always letting people __  (1)  __.I was disobedient(逆反的)outside，but I wanted to be loved inside.

Once I left home to get a free __  (2)  __ to California with my friend Penelope.The trip wasnˈt __  (3)  __，and I met a lot of difficulties.There were many times I didnˈt feel safe.One situation __  (4)  __ kept me grateful for still being alive.When I returned home，I was __  (5)  __，not so sure of myself any longer.

I was happy to return to my __  (6)  __again.But then I noticed that Penelope，who was staying with us，was __  (7)  __my clothes.And my family seemed to like her better than me.I wondered if I would be __  (8)  __if I werenˈt there.I told my mom，and she explained that though Penelope was a lovely girl，no one could __  (9)  __me.I pointed out，“She is more patient and is neater than I have __  (10)  __ been.”My mom said these were wonderful __  (11)  __，but I was the only person who could fill my __  (12)  __.She made me realize that even with my __  (13)  __，and there were many，I was a loved member of the __  (14)  __who couldnˈt be taken place of.

I became a seeker，wanting to find out who I was and __  (15)  __made me unique.My view of myself was __  (16)  __.I wanted a solid base to __  (17)  __from.I started to resist pressure to act in ways that I didnˈt like any more，and I was __  (18)  __ by who I really was.I __  (19)  __ to feel much more sure that no one can ever take my place.

Each of us holds a (n)__  (20)  __place in the world.You are special，no matter what others say or what you may think.So forget about being replaced .You canˈt be.

I was walking towards my office when my colleague Philip stopped me.He __  (1)  __ me to Stephen，a young man who would take one of my classes.With a (n)__  (2)  __expression，Stephen asked if my class was going to be hard.I __  (3)  __ that he was afraid of failing __  (4)  __before the opening day of classes.When I told him it was a __  (5)  __in which students should recite a lot of facts，I saw his eyes getting __  (6)  __ with fear.

Then I remembered a Chinese __  (7)  __：“One bite at a time.”I told him to finish his work that way __  (8)  __finish all the work at a time.

Later I learned __  (9)  __ of Stephenˈs story.His family members who treated him badly kept __  (10)  __him that he was a failure.__  (11)  __he still kept at it and got his diploma(毕业证)．Now，faced with their __  (12)  __ attitude and doubt，he had enrolled(报名)in college.

Stephen didnˈt become an “A” student.__  (13)  __，he managed to pass most of his courses by __  (14)  __his studying into bite-sized parts.Slowly，he began to gain a lot of __  (15)  __and was brave to face difficulties.He was a great singer and he was __  (16)  __the school team.

Every time I saw him on campus he would say，“One bite at a time”．Whenever he introduced me to his friends on campus，he would __  (17)  __ that he was succeeding when he was __  (18)  __to be failing.His __  (19)  __，he said，was that he was practicing what I taught him __  (20)  __classes ever started.I asked for the answer and he said，“Take it one bite at a time”．