I have often thought of climbing Mount LeConte in the Smokies. But as I have gotten older, the thought seems less _________ because the hike to the top of Mount LeConte is eight miles in _________ and reaches an elevation of nearly 7, 000 feet. You can _________ the peak only by hiking. But I realized that was not a good _________ when we met a gentleman on Little River Trail this past weekend.

As we _________ we found that he was a _________ of the area and that hiking the Smoky Mountains was one of his favorite _________. I asked him if he had ever hiked to the top of Mount LeConte. His response was “Seventy-eight times.” I was _________ and said, “That is a lot for a(an) _________.”

“No,” he replied. “that was last year. __________, I hike that trail about 1000 times per year. “My jaw __________; I couldn’t help but ask him: “Do you mind telling me your age?” “ __________, I’m eighty years old. “He answered __________ with smiling eyes.

That changed my view on my __________. When you meet someone like this retired businessman, you may __________ a different standard of measurement to what you can or cannot do.

Ever since I was 13 years old, I wanted to be a photographer. I had a (n) _________ of working for some magazines, which would allow me to travel around the world to _________ the right picture.

After leaving high school, I _________ in photography in the University of the Arts. However, I kept reflecting on (思考) my _________ though I learned a lot in my freshman year. There was nothing _________ with the school, but it was not _________ for me.

I _________ teachers and they helped me analyse the situation _________. Such a feeling made me know teaching students how to _________ their full potential (潜能) in their artwork was what I wanted. And __________ , I wanted to be involved in a __________ that made me feel like I was actually making some __________ in the community.

I decided to transfer (转学) to Buffalo State College, where I would __________ the next year with Bachelor’s degree in Art Education. Studying in Buffalo totally __________ my life. When I was in class, I always __________ myself in what I was learning. Then, during my first on-site teaching lesson at a middle school, it __________ me that this was what I would want to do for the rest of my life, and I __________ loved it.

Now, as I’m finishing my senior year, I’m happy I made such a __________ in my life. I believe this is __________ the one for my entire life, __________ the one I had once been dreaming, but turned out not for me.

My five-year-old son was amazed by the beauty of the dancers _________ the classic story, presented by a ballet company. Afterwards, he expressed an interest in learning to _________, the classmate who lived next door laughed. “Don’t be _________, there are no boys in my dance classes.”

One afternoon when my son waved from the front window to this classmate as she left for dance class, his eyes _________ with tears. “Mom, boys dance too.”

My son _________ to pursue dance, but I held the same view as my peers, I discouraged him of his dreams. Dance lessons were put _________. Instead, I admitted him in many other classes. However, he never lost interest in learning to dance.

Finally, he got to have his dance and voice _________ during his fresh year of high school even though he was also busy with those classes. His goal was to try out for the school’s madrigal choral troupe, a group that performed at various_________. The competition was fierce, and the _________ was made and posted finally. He managed to practise at a dance academy that welcomed male dancers. The hard work __________ — he made the cut. He developed as a member of the madrigal troupe, and it paved the way to his dance __________.

During his first year of college, he was __________ a role in a national touring company. Several years later, he moved to New York City and was offered a chance to __________ his idol, Bob Fosse. Over the years, my son has danced in dinner theatre, summer stock, television and various musicals. Indeed, boys dance, too.

When I wrote the article about diversity twenty years ago, I still felt the sense of __________. My message holds true today: “It’s okay to be __________. Go for it!”