A few years ago, I visited my daughter Sandra and my granddaughters, Jocelyn and Hailey.

One evening I noticed Hailey was a bit unhappy. I asked her what the _______was and she told me that she had to go to bed so _______and she wanted to stay up with me. I asked her if she felt a little _______and she said, “yes” with a pout (噘嘴).

I asked her, “Do you know what Grandpa does when he is feeling sad? I go to my _______ place.”

“Where is your happy place, Grandpa?” Jocelyn _______aloud.

“My happy place is on the inside of your hugs (拥抱),” I replied. “It’s the best place in the world. Don’t ever _______the power of a hug.”

Extra big hugs were _______that night from two of my girls.

The next morning, Sandra was under a bit of pressure to complete an assignment (任务). She lost her _______.

Jocelyn said, “Mom, are you having a _______day?” Sandra replied, “I guess I am, dear. I’m sorry.”

Jocelyn said, “Would you like to go to Grandpa’s happy place?” With that ________her mother in her arms. “Grandpa says this is his ________place.”

After some ________eyes and a heartfelt “I’m sorry,” Sandra returned to ________with a big smile on her face.

I cherish (珍爱) my time with ________and it is good knowing that what is said with ________has an influence on them.

I watched as my little brother was cahught in the act. He sat in the corner of the living room, a_______in one hand and my father’s hymnbook(赞美诗集) in the other. Hearing my father coming, my brother_______it slightly. He sensed that he had done something_______I saw he had_______my father’s new book and scribbled（乱写）on the first page in pen. Now,_______at my father fearfully, we_______waited for his punishment.My father_______his book, looked at it, and then sat down without saying a word. He was a clergyman and the holder of several degrees. For him, books were knowledge, and yet, he_______his children.Instead of_______my brother, he sat down,________the pen from my brother’s hand and wrote in the book himself, “John’s work. 1959. aged three.”

The years and the books came and went. Our family________what all families go through. We________knew our parents loved us and that one________was the book by the piano. From time to time we________open it, look at the scribbles, read my father’s expression of love and feel________

Now I know that through this________act my father taught us how every________in life has a positive side-if we are________to look at it from another angle. But he also taught us about what really matters in life:________,not objects; tolerance, not judgment; love, no anger. Love is at the very________of a family.

When thinking about these, I smile and whisper, “Thank you, Dad. ”

Life is colorful. Sometimes it’s just like potato salad; when it’s shared, it became a picnic.

With three young children to bring up, my husband John and I were very _______. "Can we go on a picnic, Mom?" my six-year-old daughter, Becky _______. "Please." I had said no so many times in _______ months, and I decided the usual Saturday morning chores could _______. To her _______, I agreed.

I prepared a few sandwiches and _______ a cooler with ice and drinks and called John _______.

My eleven-year-old twin sons loaded the cooler and the picnic basket in the trunk and off we went to spend some _______ time together as a family.

About the time I got the lunch _______ out on the table, John arrived on the ________. That was one of the happiest meals we ever shared together. The meal was full of ________. We felt a closeness that had been hidden by work and school responsibilities for so many months. John and the boys ________ rocks into the lake, Becky fed the ducks and I sat quietly at the picnic table, ________ God for blessing me with such a wonderful family.

That night as our children went to bed, I kissed their cheeks. It ________ me what a wonderful life I had. As I walked out of the room it dawned on me that even the busiest ________ could become a picnic when it’s shared with the ones you ________. Even though kids have now grown up and ________ from home, I can still remember how I felt that day while sitting at the picnic table.

Maybe today would be a good time to ________ potato salad, call all of my ________ kids, feed some hungry ducks and skipped a few rocks into the lake. Since life is like potato salad, let’s make it a ________.