Another term had started and I had to attend the first lecture of the new course. The lecturer told us to make groups of two students for a project. I looked to the right and there was my classmate Jack sitting there. And I decided myself that he would be my group member. On the left side, there was an older woman who was from an open university. We talked about the project and decided to make a group of three. During the break, she told me that, last year, she didn’t manage to pass the course, so she would try again.

Later we got an email from our lecturer saying it was not allowed to make groups of three students. The old lady then tried to find some groups, but failed. I knew she wouldn’t find other groups, so I told her that we could do the project together. I had to say good bye to Jack.

After many meetings, we finished the project. In the last meeting, I told her I had difficulty in finding a summer job. I was living in a small town and there weren’t many jobs available and neither had I any previous experience. She advised me to keep doing it, as one would finally answer someday. She then thanked me for helping her and before leaving she said “see you”.

Two weeks later, I got an email from a company saying they had received my job application and decided to call me for a job interview. I appeared for the interview and answered the questions interviewers raised. In the end, they asked me where I had learned about the open job position. In fact, I had no idea so I told them I didn’t remember well. They called me three days later and told me I could start in May. That would be the first time I would be working as a software engineer and I couldn’t describe what I felt like.

My struggles started in seventh grade when I began passing out. I had many medical check-ups and finally found one that helped. My average blood pressure was about 80/60 on a good day. To this day, I continue to battle this problem.

Then, two years ago, I was diagnosed (诊断) with fibromyalgia, a muscle disease that is not really helped by medication. It’s like having a pulled muscle when the disease attacks. It can last as long as three months. I was bedridden for a month. Cold weather, rain, or physical or emotional stress can cause the pain,

It’s hard enough to be a healthy teenager and go through the typical changes with friends, family, school, etc. Add to that missing two to three months of school a year, and it can make things very difficult. The hardest part was on the outside I looked normal like everyone else; however, on the inside, I was in horrible pain. Some classmates had passed their comments on me thinking that since my physical appearance was fine, I must be OK. The judgment hurt me more than anyone will ever know.

I battled with depression (抑郁) as well, because I felt like an outsider. I longed to be normal and healthy. I even developed an eating disorder. In the beginning, I had lost a lot of weight. For the first time, I felt like I was attractive because I was skinny. I was receiving more attention than ever. I would still feel depressed, though, because of all that was going on in my life. I would eat a lot hoping the stress would go away. But then I would throw up the food so I would still look good. Luckily, I overcame these problems with the help of my family and a wonderful job.

My mother stuck by me and encouraged me in all my time of need.

I found a purpose knowing I had something to give to these elderly people.

When we are having quarrels with others, it is easy to say or do hurtful things in anger. The verbal wound can be as bad as a physical one. And no matter how many times you say you are sorry, or how many years pass, the scar of those wounds will still be there. If we are wise, we will spend our time building bridges rather than barriers in our relationships.

Once upon a time there was a little boy who was talented, creative, handsome, and extremely bright. A natural leader. The kind of person everyone would normally have wanted on their team or project. But he was also self-centered and had a very bad temper. When he got angry, he usually said, and often did, some very hurtful things. In fact, he seemed to have little regard for those around him, even friends. So, naturally, he had few. “But, “he told himself, “that just shows how stupid most people are! “

One day at school, when having a craft class, his partner accidentally crushed a small part of their handiwork. The boy immediately got extremely angry, starting to criticize and tease her. “You disgust me! “After hearing those hurtful words, she started to cry uncontrollably. Before long, the girl began shutting herself away from everyone and was seized by a sense of worthlessness. Fortunately, under the guidance of teachers, she broke away from the trap of worthlessness. But she never talked with the boy.

Having known what happened at school, the boy’s parents became concerned about this personality flaw, and thought long and hard about what they should do. Finally, the father had an idea. And he struck a bargain with his son. He gave him a bag of nails, and a big hammer. “Whenever you lose your temper, “he told the boy, “I want you to really let it out. Just take a nail and drive it into the oak boards of that old fence out back. Hit that nail as hard as you can!

The boy started to hit the nail, but it wasn’t as easy as it first sounded.

To show him what remained in the fence, his father told him to pull out one nail each time he controlled his temper.