When I was in my early twenties, I moved away from my home state of Wisconsin to attend graduate school. I chose to go to the University of Arizona in Tucson and _________ there. Upon landing in early June, I was shocked by the lack of _________ and the burning desert heat. After less than two days in that _________, I called my parents to question whether I had made the _________ choice and to announce that I was _________ considering coming home. My father, in a calm and _________ voice, indicated that I always had a _________. I could always come home and be welcome there. But in fact, we both _________I wouldn’t come home at the time. Needless to say, I chose to _________.

Many years have passed. My father’s __________ words remain with me. Knowing that I can always __________, I’ve been able to __________ several challenging situations—unemployment, divorce and even the __________ of my only son. I have also used these words in many cases where others need to know that someone __________ and that they do have a choice.

Whether __________ is earthly, spiritual, or some sense of calm, knowing that we can come home will be just enough to __________ us on our way.

It __________ me, in a way, of the prodigal son(回头的浪子) who found __________ and love upon returning home. While we don’t have to be like him and hit bottom in life, it is good to know that we can wander and experience pains and __________ in life but we still have a home where love, support and comfort __________.

Sometimes it’s not the huge sacrifices that mums make but the tiny things they do day in and day out that make you realize what special people they are.

It was a ____ January day. When I left home for the office, the weather report said, “Windy and cold, but no rain.” _____, by the time I was about to leave work in the early evening, it was absolutely ____!

My office was close to the bus stop, so I just ____ out of the door and onto the bus. Unfortunately, when I got off, I still had about a mile to ____ to my home. Normally on a night like that, my husband would come and get me. That morning, he had told me that he was putting the car in for a ____.

As I stepped off the bus to walk home, I____to get my tiny umbrella to go up in the strong wind. Then, suddenly and to my ____, I heard my mum’s voice.

“Quickly! Come under here, before you get soaked!”

I rushed under my bigger ____ and stared at mum in surprise. “What on Earth are you doing here in this____?” I asked her. My mum was eighty-three that year, and ____ fit and healthy, she didn’t like going out ____ strong wind and heavy rain. In fact, on a day like that, I usually went round to her house to make sure she didn’t ____ out of anything.

“You told me to come round for dinner tonight, but I came ____before the rain got too heavy. Eric told me that your car was in for a service and I saw your big umbrella lying on the chair. I ___you had forgotten it, so I just picked it ____ and came out to meet you.”

My mum passed away the following year. This simple____ remains embedded(深留) in my mind, and reminds me how completely my mum ____ me. She wouldn't have gone out in the wind and rain for herself, but, at eighty-three, she never gave a second ____ about braving the storm so I wouldn’t get ____.

Before I was born, my mom had worked as a nurse. However, she resigned (辞职) shortly after my birth to ________ me. After I turned 12, she ________ to work.

She left at 5:45 am, which left me ________ for waking myself up, preparing breakfast and walking to take the 7:30 am bus. I ________ being left home alone in the mornings. On days when she didn't go to the ________, she drove me both ways. Those were the ________ days.

One day, as we walked down the sidewalk, I saw an elderly man ________ us. He broke into a wide smile, but I didn't ________ him. “Leigh! Leigh!” he called my mother's name. I looked at him and smiled, unsure of my role.

“I hope you know how ________ you are!” he said after some small talk with Mom. I looked at him ________ since I had no idea what he was talking about.

“You have the most wonderful, ________ and lovely mother,” he said. “When I was in hospital last month, she took good care of me. Actually, young lady, I shall never ________ her.” Right then, I ________ what it meant for my mom to be a ________. She was caring for, serving and loving total ________, often during the darkest times in their lives. She cared for them and me, too.