Herb Chasan could have eased into retirement after spending 18 years teaching in high school and another 30 years remodelling homes. But the 80-year-old didn’t _______ . He saw a need in the lower-income neighbourhoods near his home and he wanted to _______ it.

So Mr. Chasan _______ Hoops and Homework, an after-school program providing _______ for youths up to age 14. Since 2012, it has helped over 300 children, who otherwise would have gone home to _______ houses or wandered around the streets until their parents _______ work.

Every Wednesday afternoon, the day’s volunteers—a married couple—would _______ the children with their homework, ranging from science to art projects. The air was filled with laughter and _______ from those curious minds.

Thanks to the founder Mr. Chasan and a group of _______ volunteers, the children have spent their afternoons ________ , making crafts, playing basketball, learning violin and gardening in the ________ of a small army of tutors (助教).

While the ________ after-school operations have been affected by COVID-19, Mr. Chasan is still planning to ________ the program for the benefit of more children in need.

“Our ________ is to help these kids break the cycle of poverty—to have a good job, to be a success,” says Mr. Chasan. The work isn’t easy, but the ________ can be big.

There are all kinds of enemies, and one of the arts of living is to learn to tell them apart. There is a kind of enemy who ______ meant to be an enemy at all. He’s not mad at you; he’s mad at the world, and you are wandering around on his lonely battlefield and ______ lines of fire.

Let me tell you about one of them. Years ago, I ______ my two girls from South America and put them in school. They talked a ______ language that was neither English nor Spanish, and their ______ gave them a hard time, especially Lolla.

Pat and Peggy came home ______ almost every day, so I decided to cheer them up by ______ a party. Their tears dried ______. Right away they got ______ and offered many ideas. However, when I ______ which friends to invite, the tears started again. They said they had nothing but _______________. Then I had one of my rare ______. “Let’s invite all your enemies and we’ll fill them up with ice cream and cake.” Little Pat and Peggy ______ knowing looks.

The party was a(n) ______, and the best time was had by the ______ enemy, Lolla, who rolled on the floor and screamed with ______. Pat and Peggy never came home crying from school anymore.

One day Lolla’s father ______ and said, “I came to thank you for asking my little girl to the party. ______ ever did it before.” His ______ left me deep in thought. Are the Lollas left out because they are enemies, or do they become enemies because they are left out? Love your enemies and do good to them, because ______, it works!

When I was in my first year of college, I hit a stretch where every area of my life was a ________, I felt hopeless and alone, and more ________ than I knew was possible.

On one such day, I was walking from class across campus to catch my bus home, head down, fighting ________ of total despair, when a guy came down the sidewalk toward me. I had never seen him before. ________ at being seen in such an emotional ________, I turned my head away and hoped to ________. I figured he’d walk on by, but he moved until he was directly in front of me, waited until I looked up, then ________.

________ into my eyes, this stranger spoke in a quiet voice: “Whatever is wrong will ________. You’re going to be OK, just hang on.” He, then, smiled again and walked away. I can’t explain the impact of that moment, of that man’s unexpected ________ and unconditional caring! He gave me the one thing I’d lost ________: hope. I looked for him on campus to thank him, but never saw him again.

That was thirty years ago. And I’ve never forgotten that moment. Over the years, whenever I see someone in ________, I ________ that man and try to give a little of ________ in the dark wherever I can — carrying groceries for people, talking to tired couples at the checkout line, it could be anything.

If you keep your ________ up, your heart will show you the place that need a small dose of hope.