It s funny how a small corner of the earth can have outsized relevance in life. For me, it’s a swing set on a playground.

I decided to take my six year old son Joe on a weekend trip to the University of Virginia, my alma mater (母校). I planned out every detail _________ and wanted my son to become familiar with something dear to me, _________ he did not fully understand. I took Joe to my favorite breakfast spot. I _________ him my dorm and fraternity (兄弟会) house, and then the bar where I’d worked in college. We even went to a lacrosse (长曲棍球) game. All of this registered with my son, but without the _________ I expected. _________, we were running out of things to do. I asked Joe what he wanted to see. I would never _________ his response: “I would not mind finding a swing set.” That’s when it hit me. For a guy who thought he _________ every inch of his college town, the question caught me flat-footed: I had no idea where to look. _________, I remembered the Venable Elementary School, something I’d _________ countless times but never really noticed. We parked in the lot, empty on a Saturday, and I __________ my son and watched him delightedly swing back and forth. It was the joy I had sought for him on my terms, __________ he only found on his.

What did I learn on that trip? First, travel is great fun and often leads to __________. But our world will always assure us greater happiness which is just around the corner. Second, do not rely too much on your __________. Do your best but stay __________, and always remember what John Lennon said: Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans. Third, there is always a new way to __________ things, no matter how much you think you know. I’m sure I would have missed the lesson if Joe hadn’t made his old man stop at the swings in Charlottesville. For that, I will always be grateful.

It’s 3 am. I _________ the phone on the wall, ending the conversation with the last of my friends. I can no longer press them for their _________ on what I should do: accept a job as a university officer or move to New York to be an actor?

I feel _________ about what to choose. My eldest sister says that deep inside, I know what the _________ path is, and if I just get quiet enough, that _________ will come up to the surface. But I don’t know how.

I _________ the advantages and disadvantages repeatedly. I can see myself being happy with either _________. “Safe but predictable (可预见的)? Creative but _________? Which should I choose?” I said _________ taking a deep breath.

Suddenly I had an idea. If it’s true that I can be happy with either path, then why not let __________ decide? From my jeans pocket, I __________ a coin. Heads, university. Tails, New York, I flip (轻抛) it.

It __________ beautifully on the table. Heads, Bad luck, Bad luck?! At that moment, I know what I must do. My passion (酷爱) __________ by itself, just as my sister says.

We make __________ every day. Some of them are important: others are not. My __________? Bring lots of change with you, and, like me, let it lead you to your heart.

Once Frank and his daughter Nova took a cross-country drive with their dog Bobbie. During a stop, poor Bobbie was _________ by fierce local dogs. Thinking Bobbie would take care of himself as usual, Frank left for hotel _________ to find Bobbie return there to join them.

After hours without Bobbie, Frank got _________ Since Bobbie used to respond to the sound of the car horn, Frank first drove _________ all around, honking frequently until midnight. Bobbie never appeared. After a week of _________ and placing newspaper advertisements, the family had to give up and start driving home. Fall turning to winter, the _________ family had to _________ the fact that they could no longer share their happiness with beloved Bobbie.

Six _________ later, Nova was walking down a street when she _________ at the sight of a messy and ragged looking figure walking out of woods. His eyes were half-closed and red with __________ , his feet bleeding. Nova screamed out ”Bobbie“ and in moments, aware of something, Bobbie began jumping up again and again to __________ her face, making unclear sounds of __________ mixed with sobs of joy. He was skinny, footsore but he was happy to see her. At home he shook his tail, rolled over on his back, held up his pads and fixed the family with his eyes, seemingly to tell them his returning-home __________ .

Imagine being 2,500 miles from home with no transportation and crossing freezing cold mountains and deserts for half a year. How __________ ! But Bobbie, the Wonder __________ , made it.