“Why do you want to be a teacher?” I never explain it without the usual obvious reasons, such as my love of children or wanting to make a difference. It was not until I met Kathy that I truly knew the reason I wanted to be a teacher.

I was running a summer program. A seventh grader, a young girl walked through the door and I thought to myself, “This is going to be a long summer.” She was a student at my school, and I was well aware of who she was even though I was an eighth teacher. Her reserved place in the principal office was well known by the eight teachers as we prepared our sales for those students who were going to need extra attention.

I racked my brain (绞尽脑汁) trying to figure out what I was going to do with her. I usually had my older students act as classroom helpers for the younger grades, so I decided that this would be a good spot for her. Little did I know how that one little decision would change my life.

Kathy transformed before my eyes. She showed love and patience with the children in that classroom. She was responsible and caring and she began referring to those students as “her kids”. I witnessed a natural teacher blooming. I had an unforgettable summer with Kathy.

Soon the school year began and Kathy and I were together again. This time I was her teacher. Kathy continued to volunteer with “her kids” at my after-school program. Her smile was infectious and her sense of humor amazing. Before graduation, Kathy thanked every person there for believing in her and giving her a chance. She was truly grateful. There was not a dry eye on the scene.

We continued to keep in touch when Kathy went to high school and then university. Once she sent a letter to me, thanking me again, for giving her a chance and believing in her. She also stated that she had made her final decision and she was going to be a teacher! I don’t know I could have felt more pride than I did at that moment.

Several years later, I came across Kathy while shopping one afternoon.

Now when I think about why I became a teacher I think of Kathy.

Pot On Happy Face

Sarai was attempting to halter (给……套上缰绳) her bay (棕红色) horse, Amadore, when an unfamiliar voice caught her attention. “I know what your problem is.” said a boy from the stall doorway.

Sarai threw a look over her shoulder but her focus remained on the horse in front of her.

Holding out a hand to her horse. Sarai said. “You heard what Dad said yesterday. If I can’t get this halter on you by tomorrow, we’ll have to send you back to the rescue ranch. I don’t want to send you back.”

“I know what your problem is.” the boy persisted, introducing himself as Cody.

Sarai sighed, propped her hands on her hips, and turned enough to see the boy but keep Amadore in her sight as well.

“I haven’t seen you here before,” said Sarai, frowning. “If you don't know me or my horse, how can you know what my problem is?”

“I just do,” Cody smiled again.

Sarai rolled her eyes and turned her back on Cody. Despite Sarai’s skepticism and her insistence on working alone, he offered to stay around in case she needed help.

The following morning, Sarai’s efforts were met with the same resistance from Amadore. Seeing him push himself back into the corner even further when she approached with breakfast, she frowned again, feeling frustrated and broken-hearted.

Realizing she might need assistance after all, she sought out Cody, who was now grooming a horse named Monty, preparing him for the Great Mustang Challenge.

“How's it going with Amadore?” Cody asked.

The words stuck in her throat, “Well…I need your help. Yesterday you said you knew what my problem was.” “It’s your face,” said Cody. “Horses can read a person’s facial features and determine what might happen because of the look on the face.”

Noticing Sarai’s struggle, Cody explained that her frown, likely a result of concentration, could be misinterpreted by the horse.

“That's silly,” said Sarai skeptically.

“I can prove it,” Cody smiled with a camera in his hand.

With a quick pace, Sarai went back to her own horse.

When Mike was a child, Mike often got sick and had few friends. His parents hoped him to do more exercise. So they often encouraged him to do more sports. As he grew up, he became interested in climbing mountains. When he was 14, he climbed his first mountain—a 3,600-foot peak. And at that time, he was a bit overweight and breathless when he reached the mountaintop. But he was hooked by the challenge of conquering (征服) something bigger than himself. Since then, he’d climbed nearly 50 peaks and met many friends.

He usually went climbing with his friend David, whom he’d met during climbing a mountain. Two years ago, on November 28, when he was 16, Mike and David drove to Oregon to challenge Mount Hood —11,130-foot.

Both of them were prepared. Starting winter climbs at night is safer because there’s less risk of the sun melting the snow. That day, they started at 2 a.m., following the paths along the ski runs. The temperature was about 8 degrees, and they wore easy layers that they could easily take off, knowing hiking in the snow would make them warm.

After about4 hours, they reached Devil’s Kitchen, a plain at about 10,000 feet, just before the final push to the peak. However, the wind conditions here were poor. Mike’s exposed skin felt as though it were burning, but David and Mike were not discouraged and went ahead. They were prepared and longing for the climb.

The trail they followed grew narrower and steeper (险峻). At around 8 a.m., they reached a patch (小块) of ice called an ice step. It was about three or four feet tall and sloped (倾斜) at a 70-degree angle.

Mike volunteered to go first. He placed his right foot on the ice step. When he set his foot on it, it remained good. Confident he was safe, he put his all weight on it. Suddenly, he heard a crack (破裂), and a whole slab (片) of ice broke off the step, right under his foot.

In an instant, Mike fell backward.

Seeing blood from Mike’s left leg, David realized they need help.