On the walk home from school, my friend, Cherry, happily said, “Tomorrow is Mother’s Day. I’ve been saving up for the past month and plan to buy my mother the perfume (香水) she’s been wanting for so long.” Her excitement made me realize that I hadn’t prepared anything special yet. But I only had a little money left. I began to regret spending so much on snacks every day. “See you next week!” Cherry’s voice pulled me back to reality. We waved goodbye as she went into a perfume shop.

I continued walking along the road, carefully thinking about what gift I should choose. I planned to buy something like flowers or chocolate, but now it seemed like those were way too simple. Therefore, I pushed open the door to a mall (商场) and tried to find the perfect gift. The bright lights illuminated (照亮) the collection of various goods. I picked up a lipstick (口红) but immediately (立即) put it back after seeing its price. I could never afford that! Then I walked into another shop and saw a lovely cup. This cup, besides being beautiful, would also remind my mother to drink water. It’d be a wonderful gift. I picked it up and turned it over to see the price listed, hoping it was not too expensive. But once again, I couldn’t afford it even with all the money that I had. Feeling sad, I continued to wander around the shops. Time flew by quickly, and before I knew it, the sky began to darken, so I had to go home.

Since there was no time or money for me to pick out a gift, I decided to make a simple card. When I finished, the clock on my bedroom wall struck 11 p.m. I held up the card, examining its hardcover, handwritten letters, and the tiny pictures I’d drawn of my mom and me. It’s probably never going to compare to the expensive gifts that my friends bought for their mothers, I thought sadly.

On the snowy morning before Christmas, my cousins Bonnie and Ruby were making snowmen and throwing snowballs to each other while I was trying to catch the snowflakes. I was eleven years old and had been living with my aunt and her large family since I’d lost my mother a year earlier. My dad, who was working out of state and could only see me occasionally, was on his way home.

My cousins and I went into the kitchen where my aunt had been cooking for hours. As my cousins eyed the pies, I asked my aunt for the sixth time that morning, “Shouldn’t he be here by now?” “He’ll be here when he gets here. You need to be patient, dear!” she said.

My aunt and uncle were kind to me and I loved them and my cousins, but there were times when I felt lonely in this large family. I compared myself to the fruit salad my aunt was making. The cousins were the apples, pears, grapes and peaches that were all homegrown and belonged together. I was the pineapple that my aunt had just added. While it blended in, anyone eating it knew it was a foreign ingredient. So I often prayed to myself, “Please present me with a mother and a warm home.”

My steps were slow as I followed my cousins to the back door. “If you girls go to the top of the hill, you’ll see his car when it comes around,” my aunt’s voice became soft when she saw my slumped (耷拉着的) shoulders.

We’d barely gotten to the top of the hill when we heard the sound of a motor and saw my father’s car coming around. As it pulled to a stop beside the front gate, I ran down the hill immediately. Suddenly, a redheaded woman stepped between us. “I’ve been so anxious to meet you that I couldn’t resist hugging you,” she said. Then I found myself enfolded in soft arms that reminded me of my mother.

I stepped back and studied her.

“We have a special present for you,” my dad said.

That night, I quarreled with my mother, then stormed out of the house. While on the road, I remembered that I did not have any money in my pocket, I did not even take my cell phone with me to make a call home．

At the same time, I went through a noodle shop, and I suddenly felt very hungry. I wished for a bowl of noodles, but I had no money!

The seller saw me standing before the counter and asked, "Hey little girl, you want to eat a bowl？"

"But   …but I do not carry money …" I shyly replied．

"Okay, I'll treat you．" the seller said, "come in, I will cook you a bowl．"

A few minutes later the owner brought me a steaming bowl of noodles. After eating some pieces, I cried．

"What is it？" He asked．

"Nothing. I am just touched by your kindness!" I said as I wiped my tears. "Even a stranger on the street gives me a bowl of noodles, and my mother, after a quarrel, chased me out of the house. She is cruel （残忍的）!!"

The seller sighed, "Girl, why did you think so? Think again. I only gave you a bowl of noodles and you felt that way. Your mother has been taking care of you since you were little, why were you not grateful and why did you hurt your mom？"

I was really surprised after hearing that．

Why did I not think of that？ A bowl of noodles from a stranger made me feel grateful, and my mother has raised me since I was little and I have never felt so, not even a little．

Just at that moment, many memories came back into my mind．

When arriving home, I saw my mother sitting at the dinner table, worried and tired．