At ten years old, I borrowed a book from the library that had the word "crime" in the title. My mother did not notice this book among my large number of books until I began reading it. The book was confiscated (没收), and we went back to the library. I remember how embarrassed I was as my mother explained that I needed reading material that was different from the book that we had just returned.

The librarian on duty looked down at me, smiling, walked from behind the counter, and gestured to me to follow. We crossed the hallway to the adult fiction section. "Here you are," she said. "It's called I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith, the same author who wrote The Hundred and One Dalmatians. " I felt far too old for dog stories. "It's very different from The Hundred and One Dalmatians, though," she said, noticing                    my disappointment．

I tried to accept that she was right. But I was doubtful. I mean, the title alone was strange. But I still took the book home. I curled up on our window seat, and started reading. To my surprise, I was completely attracted and it spurred (激起)my writing dream.

Two weeks ago, I drove two and a half hours to meet my mother for a Christmas lunch in a tea shop in my old hometown. I had just finished a cup of coffee in the tea shop when I looked up and saw the librarian, who had changed my life. Sixteen years had passed, but for a moment time stood still. I moved toward her- all knees and elbows and energy-and blurted (脱口而出) ,"You work at the library! You once showed me I Capture the Castle! I'm a writer now! That's still my favorite book!"

The woman stopped and smiled kindly. But then she tipped her head. I realized that dementaa (痴呆)or something like it had kept her from understanding me. A woman who was probably her sister took her by the elbow and led her gently away. As I watched her go, I wondered how many lives we change without realizing what we do is meaningful. All that woman had really done was lend me a book, but it had captured my world.

Who needs friends? According to most psychologists（心理学家） we all do, especially nowadays when so many other aspects (方面 ) of modern life are changing. It seems that having friends keeps us both healthy and happy.

The number of TV series about groups of friends shows just how important friendship is to us. Psychologist Dorothy Rowe says that many of us now turn to our friends, instead of our families, for advice, comfort and security. One woman named Rebecca she interviewed even told her that if she had got to choose between her husband and her friend, she would choose her friend.

Since our friends mean so much to us, it is not surprising that the happiest marriages are also friendships. "Once the romantic stage of a relationship has passed, it is friendship that holds people together," says Rowe. If the couple do not make some changes, they will either get tired of each other and break up or stay together and seek friendship with others.

But is friendship equally important to women and men? According to author Rhonda Pritchard, women are more likely than men to have close friends. "You tell a friend things that you'd never tell a partner," says one woman she interviewed. For men, friendship is usually based on doing things together rather than the private conversations that are typical of women friends. Men share time and activities like building a fence or a business, running, riding a bike, fishing or watching football, but they don't often share their feelings.

Although many women find their relationships with a husband or boyfriend is not enough, many men say that their partner is their best friend. Even women who are very happily married are likely to become very unhappy without a close friend and can even find the breakup of a close friendship as painful as the end of a marriage.

Lasting friendships can provide a lot of the same support that families provided in the past, but the perfect situation is to have your family there for you as well. Friendships and family relationships can both change, but a friend will not consider you when making really important decisions in the same way that a family member will.

I used to believe courtesy was a thing of the past. Very seldom have I encountered a courteous human being in this modern era.

Recently, I had to change my thinking, when I came face to face with just such a human being in a coffee place, with my two daughters. The place was crowded as usual and we had to climb steep stairs in order to find an empty table. After enjoying coffee and snacks, we went down the narrow stairs, where there was hardly any space for another person to either climb up or come down.

Just as I was in the middle of the stairs, a gentleman entered the main entrance of the restaurant which was right in front of the staircase. I was sure I would be pushed roughly by this man going up. I kept coming down as fast as I could. My daughters were already down, looking up at me worriedly, hoping I would reach them before the stranger started walking up the stairs, knowing I was a nervous sort.

Nearly reaching them, I noticed the man still standing near the door. I reached my daughters and passed the stranger at the entrance door which he kept holding open. I looked back thinking he was still at the door, deciding whether to go in or find another less crowded place. I saw him going up the stairs, two at a time. I told my daughters about it and all three of us felt bad that we did not even thank the courteous gentleman who was actually holding the door open for us ladies to pass through before going up.

Such well mannered people are hard to find these days, when pushing is very common in our advanced but aggressive society. We applauded for his chivalry(骑士精神).