When I was in the eighth grade, I had a friend. We were shy and “too serious” about our studies when it was becoming fashionable with our classmates to learn acceptable social behaviors. We said little at school, but she would come to my house and we would sit down with pencils and paper, and one of us would say:“Let’s start with a train whistle today.” We would sit quietly together and write separate poems or stories that grew out of a train whistle. Then we would read them aloud. At the end of that school year, we, too, were changing into social creatures and the stories and poems stopped.

When I lived for a time in London, I had a friend, He was in despair(失望)and I was in despair. But our friendship was based on the idea in each of us that we would be sorry later if we did not explore this great city because we had felt bad at the time. We met every Sunday for five weeks and found many excellent things. We walked until our despairs disappeared and then we parted. We gave London to each other.

For almost four years I have had remarkable friend whose imagination illuminates mine. We write long letters in which we often discover our strangest selves. Each of us appears, sometimes in a funny way, in the other’s dreams. She and I agree that, at certain times, we seem to be parts of the same mind. In my most interesting moments, I often think: “Yes, I must tell….”We have never met.

It is such comforting companions I wish to keep. One bright hour with their kind is worth more to me than the lifetime services of a psychologist（心理学家），who will only fill up the healing（愈合的）silence necessary to those darkest moments in which I would rather be my own best friend.

When it comes to friends, I desire those who will share my happiness with me. When I was in the eighth grade, I had a friend. We were shy and “too serious” about our studies when it was becoming fashionable with our classmates to learn acceptable social behaviours. We said little at school, but she would come to my house and we would sit down with pencils and paper, and one of us would say, “Let’s start with a train whistle today.” We would sit quietly together and write separate poems or stories that grew out of a train whistle. Then we would read them aloud. At the end of that school year, we, too, were changed into social creatures and the stories and poems stopped.

When I lived for a time in London, I had a friend. He was in despair (失望) and I was in despair. But our friendship was based on the idea in each of us that we would be sorry later if we did not explore this great city because we had felt bad at the time. We met every Sunday for five weeks and found many excellent things. We walked until our despairs disappeared and then we parted. We gave London to each other.

For almost four years I have had a remarkable friend. We write long letters in which we often discover our strangest selves. Each of us appears, sometimes in a funny way, in the other’s dreams. She and I agree that, at certain times, we seem to be parts of the same mind. In my most interesting moments, I often think: “Yes, I must tell…” We have never met.

It is such comforting companions I wish to keep. One bright hour with their kind is worth more to me than the lifetime services of a psychologist (心理学家), who will only fill up the healing (愈合的) silence necessary to those darkest moments in which I would rather be my own best friend.

Four simple steps to be truly thankful

Thanksgiving is more than pie and turkey. It’s about helping and loving the family, friends and world around you. The following tips will help you show your thankfulness.

1. Family

A lot can happen in a year. Your family may have added some loved ones and lost some at the same time. 【小题1】, and let your family know how important they are to you and how glad you are that you all could get together.

2. Friends

Do what you always do — throw a party. In college, Chicago natives Heather and Nosheen threw a dinner party for their friends on Thanksgiving and came up with HANTDE: Heather and Nosheen’s Thanksgiving Day Extravaganza. 【小题2】.

“HANDTE is a reunion time that we all look forward to every year,” Heather says. “【小题3】, so HANTDE has become a time to see and be with each other.”

3. Community (社区)

You could volunteer at a local soup kitchen or bring unused items to a food bank. 【小题4】. This year, Heather and Nosheen are asking their HANTDE guests to offer a donation, which they will donate to help low-income families.

4. Self

【小题5】, for example, the debts you paid off or the friends you’ve made. Being able to give thanks for yourself and what you’ve done is the first step to being able to show thankfulness to others.