I felt gloomy (沮丧的) the other day. The weather had been dark and rainy, and I just didn’t feel so _______.

As I was sitting at my desk I _______ it was the birthday of a dear long-time friend — a single middle-aged woman who has devoted the past 30 years to nursing and loves her _______. Knowing that she doesn’t have family in town I _______ to give her a call. Sure enough she was on B-shift, _______ to work late into the evening and wouldn’t have much of a birthday this year. As always, _______, she sounded cheerful and was happy that I _______.

After I hung up I couldn’t _______ the feeling that she would really appreciate a little attention on her special day. _______ feeling a little gloomy myself, I tried to put it out of my ________, but as the day passed I couldn’t shake the thought. I ________ gave in, and that evening set off to the hospital with a card, a cheese cake, and some balloons. My friend’s grateful smile and joyful surprise ________ me I’d done the right thing and were a generous ________ for the little effort it had taken.

When I got home I realized that not only had I cheered up a ________ friend on her birthday but my own gloomy feelings had also ________. Making her day had made my own!

That’s true ________ we take the time and make the effort to do something for someone else. It’s like the little saying “Loving kindness is twice blessed; it blesses him who gives, and him who ________.”

Cheering up people on their birthdays isn’t the only thing we can do to make their day. Life constantly presents us with ________ to take an extra step or do a kind deed that will make a ________ to someone. And the ________ thing is that as we do, it changes things for the better for us too.

My friend Jennifer was going to be at my school. I believed that we would be best friends. She introduced me to her friend Amy and we had lots of ______ together. But things started to ______. Jennifer wanted to be the “______” of our little group. She was controlling, and I couldn’t make new friends. If I made new______, she would decide that I was “mad at her”. Pretty soon being Jennifer’s friend was a ______.

I always waited for Jennifer and Amy after class, but sometimes when they left, they’d walk right past me ______ they couldn’t see me.

Gradually I changed — I became moody, depressed, and ______. I felt so left out.

Finally, I was tired of having to battle for ______. I stopped sitting with Jennifer at lunch and waiting for her after ______. Our friendship fell to pieces.

It was ______ at first. ______, I found many girls whom Jennifer had viewed as “moody” or “mean” to be the sweetest, friendliest people in the world.

Now, I have tons of friends. They ______ me when I am sad, and I back them too. We get along very well. It amazes me how ______our friendship is. There is no struggling to be on top — we are all ______. It doesn’t matter to me if two of them walk away. It doesn’t ______ my feelings or make me feel alone.

I, Amy, am always proud of my frankness and honesty. However, I found myself tangled in a web of _______ emotions recently. My friend, Lucy, eager to establish herself as a (n) _______ , was preparing to present her work of art to the public. I knew her passion, but in my eyes, she was still _______ her artistic skills. As the day of exhibition drew near, Lucy, obviously _______ asked me, “Amy…what do you truly…think of my painting?” I looked into her _______ eyes, _______ between honesty and not upsetting my friend, managed a smile and said, “Lucy, this is definitely your _______ work yet. The color combinations are the most creative!”

During the following days, I was uneasy, but I _______ myself with the idea that it was a “white lie”, with the _______ to protect and encourage her. Unexpectedly, I also saw a great ________ . Lucy indeed threw herself into her craft! Her paintings progressed obviously and her skills ________ like a tree branching out. I realized that my little white lie had unlocked ________ within her. Lucy’s artwork ________ shone like a star at the exhibition.

Lucy put her arms around me. The most beautiful words reached my ears, “Your warm words ________ me.” I freed myself from the guilt at that moment. While honesty is important, it is the warmth behind the words that ________ more.