Recently, as I watched my son Nathan play basketball for his high school team, I   was starting to feel sorry for myself and for him. His team was facing adversity (逆境) on the court and he was playing in a hostile environment---it was the opponent's home gym filled with their supporters, and Nathan's team was trailing (落后) for three quarters of the game. As for me, I had been dismissed from my job earlier in the day.

During my drive home, I kept telling myself that I will find work again in a short time----I am confident in my experience and abilities. This is the same belief that I tried to instill in my son.

The basketball game entered the fourth quarter with Nathan' S team still trailing. I saw the determination on his, as well as his teammates' faces as they fought back to not only tie the game (平局), but then go ahead by three points. Then, a player from the other team made an unbelievable shot to tie the game up again. With a tie game and seconds on the clock, Nathan found himself with the ball and with skill and confidence, he proceeded                    to make the basket with a defender hanging all over him. The other player was called for a foul (犯规).

As Nathan stood at the foul line preparing for a shot that would put his team up by three points, I saw the focus and determination on his face, there was no room for self doubt. Nathan was able to tune out all the distractions and nail the free throw with such skill, it was as if he had done it a thousand times.

As I sat there, my heart bursting with pride, it dawned on me. I had taught him perseverance in the face of adversity, and he had just taught me the same lesson. That brief moment of self-doubt and feeling sorry for myself was blown away by the actions of my son on the basketball court. He will play in the finals, but it doesn't matter if he wins or loses, at this moment, we both won.

For my 56th birthday, my daughter, Beth, bought me two beautifully carved wooden butterflies. I hung them in prominent (显眼的) places on my walls so that I can see them often during the day. Each time I do so, they give me a wonderful reminder of love.

My daughter and my love of butterflies goes back many years. After a long battle against cancer, my mom passed away when I was only 25 years old. Beth was only a baby at the time and never got to have any memories of her grandma. I tried to make up for it by telling her stories of my mom but each time I did, I could see that there was a little sadness in Beth’s eyes. One day when she was only seven or so we were outside at the playground. Beth suddenly said how much she saddened not having her grandma around. Well, sometimes I comforted her and this time I told her how much her grandma loved her and that Grandma still remained positive in the last weeks of her life. I said she was watching over her from Heaven and that maybe she was even hitching (搭乘) a ride on the back of a butterfly to come down and get a closer look. At that very moment, a butterfly appeared flying around Beth’s face and then flew away. We both laughed with our hearts full of love and joy.

Since that moment all of those years ago, both Beth and I seem to attract butterflies like flowers. Whenever we are outside, they seem to fly down, circle around us, take a good look, and then fly away. And every time, we are reminded of my mom’s love watching over us. The only time this doesn’t happen is during the coldest months of the year when there are no insects of any kind. But now during those times I can take a look at the two beautiful wooden butterflies my daughter bought me and still be reminded of that love.