Rhonda Gill froze as she heard her four-year-old daughter, Desiree, sobbing quietly in the family room. The _________ child was hugging a photograph of her father, who died nine months earlier. “Daddy,” she said softly, “why won’t you _________ back?”

When her father’s _________ was coming, Desiree asked, “How will I send him a birthday card?” “How about if we tie a letter to a balloon and send it up to _________?” Rhonda suggested and Desiree’s eyes immediately _________ up.

Desiree picked out a _________ with HAPPY BIRTHDAY and the image of The Little Mermaid (小美人鱼) on it. She said to the balloon, “Daddy, I hope you _________ this and can write to me on my birthday.” Rhonda wrote the message and their _________ on a piece of paper.  

The Little Mermaid balloon _________ 3, 000 miles from California and landed at Mermaid Town near Mermaid Lake in Canada. It was __________ by Wade, a 32-year-old fisherman. Wade was touched by the letter. He said to his family, “Maybe we were chosen to help this little girl.” The next morning, Wade __________ a letter, folded it into a card, wrapped it up with a book—The Little Mermaid, and __________ the gift to Desiree.  

Desiree got the letter. __________, she asked her mother to read it for her.  

Rhonda wrote back to Wade saying that her little girl’s dream __________ when their parcel arrived. She understands now that her father is __________ with her.

My teenage son Karl refused to talk to others after his father died. As a single parent, I tried to do my best to talk to him. But the more I tried, the more he ________. When his report card arrived during his junior year, it said that he had been absent 95 times from classes and had six ________ grades for the year. At this rate he would ________ graduate. I sent him to the school adviser, and I even begged him. ________ worked.

One night I felt so ________ that I got down on my knees and pleaded for ________. “Please God, I can’t do anything more for my son. I’m at the end of my rope. I’m giving the whole thing up to you.”

I was at work when I got a phone call. A man introduced himself as the headmaster. “I want to talk to you about Karl’s absences.” ________ he could say another word, I choked up and all my ________ and sadness over Karl came ________ out into the ears of this stranger. “I love my son ________ I just don’t know what to do. I’ve tried everything to get Karl to ________ to school and nothing has worked. It’s out of my hands.” For a moment there was silence on the other end of the line. The headmaster ________ said, “Thank you for your time”, and ________ up.

Karl’s next report card showed a marked ________ in his grades. Finally, he ________ made the honor roll. In his fourth year, I attended a parent-teach meeting with Karl. I ________ that his teachers were astonished at the way he had turned himself around. On our way home, he said, “Mum, remember that ________ from the headmaster last year?” I nodded. “That was me. I thought I’d play a joke but when I ________ what you said, it really ________ me how much I was hurting you. That’s when I knew I had to make you ________.”

My daughter Beth bought me two beautifully carved wooden butterflies for my 56th birthday. I hung them in _________ places on my walls. Each time I see them, my mind _________ back to those unforgettable days.

My mom passed away when I was only 25. Beth had _________ memories of her grandma since she was only 3-year-old. I tried to _________ it by telling her stories of Grandma. Each time I did, I could see there was a little _________ in her eyes. One day when she was about seven, we were playing outside. Beth _________ said how much she missed not having Grandma around. I was _________ and told her, “Grandma loves you very much. Maybe she’s now on a _________ to come down to see us.” At that very moment, a butterfly appeared, _________ around Beth’s face and then flew away. We both laughed with our hearts __________ of love and joy.

Since that moment, both Beth and I seem to __________ butterflies like flowers. Whenever we are outside, they may fly around us, take a good __________, and then fly away. Each time it __________ us of my mom’s love. During the coldest months when there are no __________ of any kind, I can admire the two wooden butterflies! We all need reminders that we are __________ in this life. Perhaps the best way to remember, though, is to be a reminder of love yourself.