That afternoon, I had a lot of work to do. The first stop I needed to make was my mobile phone store because I didn’t know how to download apps or find music. Luckily, Carlos stood behind the counter (柜台), helping a gentleman. Carlos was quick, so I knew the wait wouldn’t be long.

Within seconds, an elderly lady hoisted (提升) her walker onto the sidewalk out front. Without saying anything, Carlos jumped over the counter, opened the door, and helped her inside. The lady sat next to me as Carlos returned to his first customer. The poor guy had missed a lot of work because his wife had been hospitalized with cancer ( 癌症). I don’t know how he did it, but Carlos made a call and got his late fees dropped and a forty-five-day extension (延长) on his payment. A few seconds later, that poor guy walked out of the store excitedly.

Carlos started my download and then went about talking with the lady in the walker. Surprisingly, she was there to bring Carlos some cookies for being so nice to her.

I was in the store for only ten minutes. And in that small amount of time, I’d seen so much consideration and kindness. That night, I kept thinking about Carlos, how he called each customer by name, and how he made everyone feel like family.

The next day, I wrote a nice letter to Carlos’s boss. I thought his boss would be interested to know how Carlos treats people. Since I took my time and did a pretty good job, I decided to mail copies to their local headquarters, their state headquarters, and the CEO.

A couple of months later, I tried to open my music app and deleted (删除) it instead. I was mad at myself. No worry, though. I realized that I could go to the phone store and see if kind Carlos would help me.

When I entered the store, there was a mile-long line and no Carlos but an overworked woman behind the counter.

The woman said: “Carlos doesn’t work here anymore. Some woman wrote a letter and ...”

It was one of the coldest days of the snowy season. We had seen the world covered with white in almost a month. The rivers were frozen. Wild animals had stopped wandering around. The small village was resting in silence. Had we not prepared enough firewood in advance we wouldn’t have made it through the nights. It was on this day that I learned the true lesson of sharing and witnessed the best miracle I have ever seen in my life.

I was in the kitchen making lunch for the family when I saw my six-year-old son, Billy, walking toward the woods. I could only see his back. He wasn’t walking with his usual steps. He was obviously walking with great effort, trying to be as still as possible. Minutes after he disappeared into the woods, he came running out again, toward the house. I went back to make sandwiches, thinking that whatever he had been doing was completed. Moments later, however, he was once again walking in that slow purposeful long step toward the woods. This activity went on for half an hour: walking cautiously to the woods, then running back to the house. Finally, my curiosity got the best of me. I crept out of the house and followed him secretly on his journey.

He was taking something in his arms as he walked; being very careful not to trip and fall. I stepped close as he went into the woods. Branches and thorns (荆棘) slapped his little face but he did not try to avoid them. He might have a much greater purpose, I thought. As 1 came closer, I saw the most amazing sight. Several little cats curled up beneath a huge fallen tree, where there was no snow but the least space for any life to survive the severe winter. Billy walked right up to them, at the sight of which I almost screamed for him to stop what he was doing. He had piled up a stack of firewood next to the kittens and was about to light it with a match! He had no idea what the fire would cause at the hands of a six-year-old.

My sudden voice obviously took Billy by surprise.

Billy agreed to collect up the firewood after I decided to take them in.

As I stood in line waiting to pay for the things I bought at my favorite supermarket, I studied the customer in front of me who was reading the magazines to our left. She was young, maybe in her early twenties, but she looked tired-as if life had beaten her down too many times.

The things in her cart included the cheapest cuts of meat, rice, and potatoes. Powdered milk, day-old bread,bargain soap, and inexpensive shampoo completed the things she bought-well, almost. There were also lots of instant noodles and a pretty dress that was 50 percent off.

She continued to look at the magazines as we waited, and more people lined up behind us. She finally took one out and turned it over several times,trying to find a price before finally turning to me.

“I’m sorry to trouble you,“she said.“But can you tell me how much this is? I left my glasses at home. ”“Of course,” I said with a laugh.

When I finally found the small print and told her, she sighed quietly and put it back.“They’ve become so expensive, haven’t they?”I said in a low voice.

“Next!”The cashier called before she could answer, and she moved forward to begin her tun. When the store employee finally told her the cost, the woman’s face paled(变苍白).She opened an old purse and began counting small bills and change. It was clear that she didn’t have enough,and she examined her things to see what she could do without.

One by one, she took things out, but she still came up short. She continued taking things out while the cashier waited patiently. The man right behind me complained loudly enough for all to hear, and the young woman’s face reddened with awkwardness. I wanted to pay for her things outright,but I knew that would embarrass(使尴尬) her even more.

“Take your time,”I added gently as she tried to decide what other things she could return.“I’m in no hurry.

The woman finally paid and my turn came to pay the bill.

Then I caught up with the woman at the gate of the supermarket.