Learning to Accept
I learned how to accept life as it is from my father．
(1) ，he did not teach me acceptance when he was strong and healthy but rather when he was
(2) and ill．
My father was
(3) a strong man who loved being active，but a terrible illness
(4) all that away．Now he can no longer walk and he must sit quietly in a chair all day．Even talking is
(5) ．One night，I went to visit him with my sisters，we started
(6) about life，and I told them about one of my
(7) ．I said that we must always very often give things up
(8) we grow-our youth，our beauty，our friends-but it always
(9) that after we give something up，we gain something new in its place．Then suddenly my father
(10) up．He said，"But，Peter．I gave up
(11) ! What did I gain？"I thought and thought，but I could not think of anything to say．
(12) ，he answered his own question："I
(13) the love of my family．"I looked at my sisters，and saw tears in their eyes，along with hope and thankfulness．
I was also
(14) by his words．After that，when I began to feel irritated（愤怒的） at someone，I
(15) remember his words and become
(16) ．If he could replace his great pain with a feeling of love for others，then I should
(17) to give up my small irritations．In this
(18) ，I learned the power of acceptance from my father．
Sometimes I
(19) what other things I could learn from him if I had listened more carefully when I was a boy．For now，though，I am grateful for this one
(20) ．