If you ask most fathers, without hesitation, they will say that they would die for their children. Unfortunately, some men have been put in that situation, and with Father’s Day coming up next weekend, we want to share with you their stories.

Justin McCary

On October 8, 2015, Justin McCary, his 10-year-old daughter Haley, and his niece were doing some rock collecting near a railroad bridge in Chattanooga. When they heard the train coming, they started to move away from the tracks, but that is when Haley’s foot became stuck. He pushed her off the bridge and she fell 15-feet into the stream below. The girl survived, but the train killed the father instantly.

Jim Tramel

On Easter Sunday, 2016, Jim Tramel was on vacation with his family in Palm Springs. Suddenly Jim saw that something was wrong with his nine-year-old daughter. He immediately dived into the pool and managed to get his daughter to safety, but he was pronounced dead in the hospital. Other people were far away from the faulty wiring and not seriously injured.

Fredrick Martin

On April 3, 2012, Fredrick and his eight-year-old son Tre were cleaning out Tre’s grandmother’s garage when two men ran towards them and fired a few shots. Fredrick naturally bent over his son and protected him from the bullets (子弹). Police believe that this murder was random, and no one has ever been arrested in connection with the crime that left Tre Martin fatherless.

Jacob Merkel

Early one morning in November 2010, a fire broke out in the home of the Merkels in Manitoba, Canada. Once outside, the parents realized their fourth child, Kai, was still in the basement. Braving the flames, Jacob went back inside and reappeared from the fire with Kai in his arms. But just as he stepped out, there was an explosion behind him. Sadly, Jacob didn’t survive the night.

An unpleasant smell floated into my nose as the bowl of fried stinky tofu(臭豆腐) settled onto my grandmother's dinner table. I immediately sat back. The smell ruined my appetite, and I pushed the dish away.

“It's supposed to stink. Just give it a try!” my grandmother said.

Holding my breath, I unwillingly took a bite. To my surprise, the tofu beneath the fried skin was warm, soft, and mouth-watering. Since then, whenever I visited my grandmother's house, I would rush to the kitchen for the stinky tofu with excitement. Thus, stinky tofu became more than a household tradition. It became my favorite dish.

Along with the stinky tofu, I would meet my Uncle Chan on every visit. As an immature boy, I never understood my uncle's condition of Down syndrome(唐氏综合征).

He was an unfriendly and terrible creature in my eyes. He constantly walked around the house, talking to himself. Whenever he appeared, I would run away in fear.

However, one day, my view about my uncle suddenly changed. I was just getting out of my bed when I heard soft steps approaching. It was my uncle. My muscles froze. He slowly sat next to me and touched my face gently, as a mother would stroke (抚摸)a baby. A wide smile emerged from his blank expression. How beautiful his smile was! I could not help but smile back. My fear disappeared gradually, and my muscles relaxed. For the first time, I could see softness and warmth in his eyes.

My uncle very much resembles stinky tofu. Stinky tofu smells unpleasant on the outside,yet feels warm and soft in the inside. Like stinky tofu,my uncle's Down syndrome made me keep my distance at first. Yet, I learned that deep inside, he is harmless and has a loving nature.

Some people tend to look down upon disabled people and regard them as unfit for a regular life. As I was unable to see through the outer surface of the tofu, these people are unable to see through the surface of prejudice(偏见). As a result, they judge the disabled with one glance.

The outside and inside of the stinky tofu exist as two extremely different worlds. Perhaps that is what makes it such a tasty dish. Not only is it delicious, stinky tofu offers a valuable lesson:never judge people at first glance, for true beauty comes from the inside.

Do you really know who you are? This is not a trick question but rather an honest understanding into the inner workings of each one of us. We usually share with our friends a piece of who we are, the piece that we want them to like or connect with. However, there is a secret, a hidden piece that doesn’t want to be noticed by others.

Our personal inner beliefs play a vital role in the way we think, act and live. They set us up to accept a belief and then it is the belief that parts our personal stories. There are numerous people who have taken on the pain and suffering of their parents. Some have devoted their lives to living with lack; that is lack of love because they saw what they thought was love when ignored in the crib(婴儿床) and it frightened them. Subconsciously(潜意识地) they made great efforts in their lives to avoid a similar experience.

The point is that each one of us carries around with us our inner beliefs. If one of your beliefs is one that causes you to hold back from getting the perfect job or blocking love to come to you, that belief is a negative belief and one that needs to be dealt with if you are seeking a life of joy, contentment and personal success, whether it is emotional, spiritual, financial or physical.

Do not let your blocked or frozen emotions guide the way you want to lead your life. Now it is your time to finally become victorious over those past situations that have upset you during your entire life and become the winner you were born to be.