英语作文《我的家乡》60词【汇编20篇】

Mary was engaged to be married to Joseph, a carpenter, but before they came together, she was found to be with child.

Christmas Day-December 25-which celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of the Christian religion, is the biggest and best-loved holiday in the Christian World.

According to the Bible, the holy book of Christians, God decided to allow his only son, Jesus Christ, to be born to a human mother and live on earth so that people could understand God better and learn to love God and each other more. "Christmas"- meaning "celebration of Christ "- honors the time when Jesus was born to a young Jewish woman Mary.

Mary was engaged to be married to Joseph, a carpenter, but before they came together, she was found to be with child. Because Joseph, her husband, was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

Although the exact date of the birth of Jesus nearly 2,000 years ago is not known, the calendar on the supposed date divides all time into B.C. (Before Christ )and A.D. ( a Latin phrase, Anno Domini, "in the year of our Lord.") For the first 300 years, Jesus birthday was celebrated on different dates. Finally, in the year 354, church leaders chose December 25 as his birthday.

There are two important kinds of music in the world --one is written down

and the other is not. Many people earn their living by writing music. They write

songs for popstars and music for films and TV plays. They usually write exact

instructions how the music is to be played. Folk music has been passed down from

one goneration to another. At first it was never written down. Pe ple learnt the

songs from their families, relatives, neighbours and friends in the same

village. These songs were about country life, the seasons, animals and plants,

and about love and sadness in peoples lives. Early performers of music were

popular and respected.They used to learn hundreds of songs by heart. On

festivals they used to act and sing in praise of heroes who lived long ago. This

was at a time when there was no radio, TV or cinema. Many of the country people

could neither read nor write. In this way stories were passed on from one person

to another. This continues in some countries even today. In some parts of the

world nowadays, you often see musicians performing in the streets to passers-by.

They put a cap on the ground in front of them, so that people who like the music

can drop coins into it.

Nowadays, the price of house has increasing so fast, which brings great

pressure to the young generation. Many young people choose to stay in the big

cities to fight for their future. Indeed, big cities means more chances to

realize their dreams. Young people are full of passion and they need to be given

more chances to find their own places. Whats more, when you are working with

the excellent co-workers, you will know what kind of skills you should be

equipped with, thus to get improved. While there also comes with the negative

sides. The traffic gets congested during the working hours and the air is

polluted badly. In addition, the fast pace of lifestyle makes people easy to

lose themselves. In all, living in the big cities is still the main choice for

young people, even though they face some challenges.

Many people are active in fighting against unfair treatment to colored

people, women , animals and so on. Right now I am talking about fighting for

respect to our environment.Though the environment doesnt have a mouth to

deprecate what humans have done to her, she retaliates through action. In the

early years the Chinese cut down large quantities of trees, at the source of the

yellow river, which led to the disappearance of big forests and terrible floods.

As a result, the Huangtu plateau which was once covered with grass and forests

was turned into barrens that supported fewer plants. Another example was in

several developed countries. Because many chemical factories discharged

poisonous gas without filtering it, cities were covered with so much poisonous

gas that people were killed by the air they breathed in. What horrible

scene!What we are suffering is only a small part of what the nature once

suffered. If we dont take action to show respect to the environment.

Measures should be taken to protect the environment on which we are

relying. First governments should forbid destroying vegetation, rivers and

lakes, oceans, as and the atmosphere as well. Second voices should be made to

announce the public of the importance of protecting the environment. Third

enterprises should pay special attention to the effect they have on the

environment and work out solutions for the problems.

Only by changing the way we treat the environment can we get along well

with it. Only by saving the environment can we save ourselves.

Christmas Miracles

Christmas is a time for miracles.It is also a time when the dull things of daily life and the forecast of human hature gives way to a spiritual awakening.Allow me to share with you one truly wonder of Christmas.

Our miracle story comes from an incident that occurred in Flanders， Belgium， at the dawn of World War I. On December 24th ，1914， German and English troops faced each other from the relative safety of their ditches across which no mans land lying between them. Suddenly， the silence was broken， not by gunfire， but by the strains of Silent Night arising from the German position. It wasnt long before the English troops responded with a Yuletide hymn of their own. Then an amazing sight surprised the eyes of the English soldiers. A German soldier holding a small tree arranged with lighted candles began to walk across the land toward the English lines. This miraculous scene occasioned the declaration of a truce followed by English and German troops greeting one another， exchanging small gifts and singing songs of Christmas. Word of this incredible phenomenon reached the High Command of both sides.

On Christmas Day， both armies moved from their positions to engage in the killing of war at other battlefields. However， on Christmas Eve 1914 on a field in Flanders， there was Peace on Earth.

Christmas is a truly amazing phenomenon. The day and season perpetuate a miraculous， historical event as an annual presence that challenges an often rough， cruel， and egotistical creature -- the human being -- to become open and amenable to their Creators vision. The great miracle of Christmas continues in the performance of humane acts， moral honesty， and in the spiritual awareness of millions struggling to lead a life of grace.

Today is Thanksgiving Day, I wish the world all people happy!

Today is Thanksgiving Day, the first thing I wish mom and dad happy every day. Thank you mom and dad brought me to this world, and you know each other, make friends with you, you brought me much happiness, I sincerely wish you: happy every day!

Today is Thanksgiving Day, I want to thank my teachers, they teach me a lot of knowledge and culture, let me learn a lot of things, I want to thank them, and blessed them: happy every day! Happy forever!

Today is Thanksgiving Day, I want to thank my sister nini, rose brother, xiaoyu brother, week - brother, ZhongHao brother, sister rabbit rabbit princess, wonderful sister, sister Feng Yuanlin, still has a lot of brothers and sisters, they give me lots of help and support. The article I wrote is bad, are they help me to give me advice, let me progress bit by bit, they are my good example to learn, I really appreciate them, blessing them: happy every day! Learning progress!

Today is Thanksgiving Day, my heart is very excited, I thank my mom and dad and grandma, I thank my teachers and classmates, I thank you thank my brother and sister, I thank you thank you my friends. Wish they are all happy every day!

今天是感恩节，我祝福天下所有的人都快乐!

今天是感恩节，我首先祝福爸爸妈妈天天快乐;感谢爸爸妈妈把我带到这个世界上，与你们认识，与你们交朋友，你们给我带来了很多快乐，我衷心的祝福你们：天天快乐!

今天是感恩节，我要感谢我的老师们，她们教给我很多知识和文化，让我学会很多东西，我要谢谢她们，祝福她们：天天快乐!永远快乐!

今天是感恩节，我要感谢我的妮妮姐姐，升升哥哥，小宇哥哥，周冲哥哥，衷豪哥哥，兔兔公主姐姐，妙儿姐姐，冯园琳姐姐，还有很多哥哥和姐姐，她们给我很多帮助和支持。我写的文章不好，都是她们帮助我给我提意见，让我一点一点的进步，她们是我学习的好榜样，我真的很感谢她们，祝福她们：天天快乐!学习进步!

今天是感恩节，我的心里很激动，我感谢我的爸爸妈妈和奶奶，我感谢我的老师和同学，我感谢感谢我的哥哥和姐姐，我感谢感谢我的朋友们。祝他们都天天快乐!

故宫导游词(在旅游车上)各位游客，大家好，现在我们的汽车正行驶在去北京故宫的途中。我是这次旅游的导游张灵昕。我很荣幸能够带领大家去故宫旅游。希望我能带给大家最好的服务。首先我将故宫给大家做一简要介绍。故宫位于北京市城区中心，旧称紫禁城，是明、清两代的皇宫，是当今世界上现存规模最大、建筑最雄伟、保存最完整的古代宫殿和古建筑群。至今已有近580年的历史。先后曾有24位皇帝相继在故宫登基，执掌朝政。故宫规模宏大，东西宽为753米，南北长达961米，总占地面积达72万平方米。有大约10000间宫室。(到了故宫景点)各位游客，现在展现在我们面前的就是气势雄伟的古代宫殿—故宫了。大家看这四面就是宫墙，而且宫墙四面都建有高大的城门，南为午门也就是故宫正门，北为神武门，东为东华门，西为西华门，这宫墙四“门”的角楼都是风格独特、造型绮丽的。现在请跟我一起去故宫中最大的宫殿太和殿看看!这里是明、清皇帝召见百官、发号施令、举行庆典的地方。全殿面阔11间，进深5间，外有廊柱，殿内外共立72根大柱。殿高35米，殿内净空高达14米，宽63米，面积2377平方米，为全国最大的木构大殿。我再给大家介绍介绍其他的宫殿吧!

现在我们来到了中和殿。中和殿是为帝王去太和殿途中的演习礼仪之地。保和殿，是皇帝宴请外藩王公贵族和京中文武大臣之处。我们再来看看文华殿。它是明代皇太子读书处。乾清门是故宫中外朝和内廷的分界处，由此向北便是内廷。乾清宫是明、清皇帝居住和处理政务的地方。慈宁宫就是皇上住的地方。你们看过《还珠格格》这部电视剧吗?它就是在故宫里拍的。规划严整，气魄宏伟，极为壮观，这就是我国的故宫。无论在平面布局，立体效果以及形式上的雄伟、堂皇、庄严、和谐，都属无与伦比的杰作。它标志着我国悠久的文化传统，显示着500余年前我国在建筑艺术上的卓越成就。现在大家可以自由活动或自行参观，我要提醒大家一定要注意保持故宫环境。

Beijing is our capital city which is famous for its long history.Now wehave

a one-day tour plan for you.

In the morning, you can start the day at the Great Wall.Its one of

thegreatest wonders in the world.Its so magnificent that you cant go to

Beijingwithout visiting the Great Wall.At noon, you can go to the Summer

Palace.

There are so many interesting sites, such as Wanshou Mountain, KunmingLake,

Suzhou Street, and some other ancient palaces.So you can climb WanshouMountain

first.The view on the top is so wonderful.Next, you can go boating onKunming

Lake, and then, walk on Suzhou Street to enjoy the life of regions southof the

Yangtze River.

In the afternoon, you can go to have a long walk on Tiananman Square,

inorder to see the city well, and then you can visit the Palace Museum.There

youcan see different objects of different periods.They are of great value.

In the evening, the Front Gate Walking Street is a good place to go

whereyou can buy various kinds of souvenirs and clothes.

Most buildings there have the traditional Chinese styles.Maybe you canknow

some history of ancient Beijing.

Everybody knows that if we want to be successful, we must work hard. As the

saying that practice makes perfect, so only hard work can bring us the result we

want. Most people are easy to get frustrated when they believe that they deserve

the return after making effort, however, actually, working hard won’t be surely

guarantee the result we chase. But on the process of chasing our dreams, we gain

the experience, which will be great helpful of future goal. There is no need to

get distressed when we meet setback, because the road to success is not easy,

but if we treat these experience as the treasure, then we will be happy all the

time.

My station in university campus inch territory, breathes and feels a here

freshness. The university life like this started. The life four years time

already the picture got down certainly has run the line, you along this path

endless long journey, the university time will say regarding me will be fresh,

the biography first time was far away the hometown, trod studies the road. I to

the university life am fuzzy, after investigates many times, everybody is two

characters ----- is bored to the university life feeling, perhaps has that a

reason! Three years high school life is such intense stimulates. Recollected

also a little is afraid, facing high schools intense sprint, diligently was

admitted to a school dream of the university, everybody is the like this

struggle, assaults the dream. At the present, steps into the university campus,

studies the life has had the bored feeling.

After entering college,we found, to our surprise,that differences between

high school life and college life are great.In high school,we always depended on

our parents and teachers to solve all kinds of difficult problems.At

college,however,we have to rely exclusively on ourselves.Whats more, we have to

learn how to get along with our classmates and roommates.

Four years at college is an important yet very short period of time in our

life.So it is always expected that we adapt to this life as quickly as

possible.But it is a pity that not everyone can do so immediately.Here are some

suggestions.

First,get familiar with the main buildings on the campus.Spend one or two

hours by yourself or with your classmates to go around the campus so that you

can know the location of such important places as the library,the dining

room,the post office,the clinic and classrooms.Next,try to be independent.Learn

to do such things as making sound decisions on how to spend your time,how to

spend your money etc,and washing clothes on your own.

Furthermore,form good study habits.Talk with your classmates and learn from

their good habits.Finally, try to take part in all kinds of activities to get

out of your solitude and get on well with your classmates.

We are living in one of those periods in human history which are marked by

recolutionary changes in all of mans ideas and values. It is a time when every

one of us must look within himself to find what ideas, what beliefs, and what

ideals each of us will live by. And unless we find these ideals,and unless we

stand by them firmly, we have no power to overcome the crisis in which we in our

world find ourselves.

I believe in people, in sheer, unadulterated humanity, I believe in

listening to what people have to say, in helping them to achieve the things

which they want and the things which they need. Naturally,there are people who

behave like beasts, who kill,who cheat, who lie and who destroy. But without a

belief in man and a faith in his possibilities for the future, there can be no

hope for the future, but only bitterness that the past has gone.

I believe we must, each of us, make a philosophy by which we can live.

There are people who make a philosophy out of believing in nothing. They say

there is no truth,that goodness is simply cleverness in disguising your own

selfishness. They say that life is simply the short gap in between an unpleasant

birth and an inevitable death. There are others who say that man is born into

evil and sinfulness and that life is a process of purification through suffering

and that death is the reward for having suffered.There are others who say that

man is a kind of machine which operates according to certain laws, and that if

you can learn the laws and seize the power to manipulate the machine, you can

make man behave automatically to serve whatever ends you have in mind.

I believe these philosophies are false. The most important thing in life is

the way it is lived,and there is no such thing as an abstract happiness,an

abstract goodness or morality, or an abstract anything,except in terms of the

person who believes and who acts. There is only the single human being who lives

and who, through every moment of his own personal living experience, is being

happy or unhappy,noble or base, wise or unwise, or simply existing.

The question is: How can these individual moments of human experience be

filled with the richness of a philosophy which can sustain the individual in his

own life?Unless we give part of ourselves away,unless we can live with other

people and understand them and help them,we are missing the most essential part

of our own human lives. The fact that the native endowment of the young mind is

one of liberalismand confidence in the powers of man for good is the basis of my

philosophy.And if only man can be given a free chance to use his powers, this

philosophy will result in a boundless flow of vital energy and a willingness to

try new things,combined with a faith in the future.

There are as many roads to the attainment of wisdom and goodness as there

are people who undertaketo walk them.There are as many solid truths on which we

can stand as there are people who can search them out and who will stand on

them. There are as many ideas and ideals as there are men of good will who will

hold them in their minds and act them in their lives.

各位游客，大家好。我是这次旅游的导游李博轩。我很荣幸能够带领大家去故宫旅游。

现在展现在我们面前的就是气势雄伟的古代宫殿—故宫了。大家看这四面就是宫墙，而且宫墙四面都建有高大的城门，南为午门也就是故宫正门，北为神武门，东为东华门，西为西华门，这宫墙四“门”的角楼都是风格独特、造型绮丽的。

现在请跟我一起去故宫中最大的宫殿太和殿看看!这里是明、清皇帝召见百官、发号施令、举行庆典的地方。全殿面阔11间，进深5间，外有廊柱，殿内外共立72根大柱。殿高35米，殿内净空高达14米，宽63米，面积2377平方米，为全国最大的木构大殿。

我再给大家介绍介绍其他的宫殿吧!

现在我们来到了中和殿。中和殿是为帝王去太和殿途中的演习礼仪之地。保和殿，是皇帝宴请外藩王公贵族和京中文武大臣之处。我们再来看看文华殿。它是明代皇太子读书处。乾清门是故宫中外朝和内廷的分界处，由此向北便是内廷。乾清宫是明、清皇帝居住和处理政务的地方。慈宁宫就是皇上住的地方。你们看过《还珠格格》这部电视剧吗?它就是在故宫里拍的。

规划严整，气魄宏伟，极为壮观，这就是我国的故宫。无论在平面布局，立体效果以及形式上的雄伟、堂皇、庄严、和谐，都属无与伦比的杰作。它标志着我国悠久的文化传统，显示着500余年前我国在建筑艺术上的卓越成就。

现在大家可以自由参观，可是我要提醒大家一定要注意保持故宫环境。

What do you want to be in the futureMaybe a teacher, a policeman or a

detective…Everyone has their own opinion. I have read the top seven careers. Now

I will introduce four of them for you.

The first one is the banker. Wealth is becoming one of the most important

signs of a successful career. But ,in fact, not all the banks are about the

money——like Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. Song Ge is this

corporation’s banker. Song Ge tell us that a banker must have a good knowledge

of banking, like how a bank works, how to run a bank and how to keep a good

relationship with customers and workmates. So, if you want to be a banker, you

must have a professional knowledge and communication skills. It’s very

difficult.

The second one is the doctor. There are many teenagers think that doctors

are very great. Yes, that’s right. But, what should we do to be a good

doctorChen Xuqing who works in the ear-nose-throat department maybe can tell

us:‘A good doctor must be responsible, because patients put their health in

doctors’ hands , so we should get patients’ trust. And doctors should always

study to improve and practical their abilities and skills. ’

The third one is the photographer. Wang Kun is a photographer, and he is

working for Beijing Youth Weekly. He likes his job because he thinks it is free,

and he can meet different people and experience different lives. He also enjoys

his job, and he can find lots of pretty things. The most important thing for a

photographer is to get good ideas and to enjoy take pictures’ experience.

The fourth one is the scientist. When we were young, most of us want to be

a scientist. WhyIt’s really a great career. Scientists have a lot of knowledge

and keep up-to-date on the latest knowledge, or the rest of the world will leave

you behind. They should be good at math and science and is very important to

learn English. They must be able to perform under pressure and meet deadlines…

In fact, scientists are important to the world, they can make our life better

and better.

No matter what you want to be in the future, you will get the

responsibility and challenges. All career paths need education and training. Now

we should work and study hard to realize our dreams. Do it now!

I always believe that knowledge is not just limited to books and the knowledge in life more worth learning, isnt it?

Life is colorful, is also complex, he has a lot of things worthy of our learning, that is less than they learned in books, dont know if you have found in real life, if a person, his knowledge from books, only he never grow up, because he does not know life, also dont understand the meaning of life.

Maybe you will be asked, how to learn from life? Theres something worth learning life? Patience is otherwise, if we can see life, we can learn to patience, if we can find in life, we can learn to love, if we can find in life to share, we can learn to share.

Remember to read a book, article already dont remember, the protagonist make the suffering of life, but we know in suffering the strong, more than most people know how to type you happy.

Human always think of themselves as the ruler of nature, but dont know, maybe life is even more important than our great, he knows what we dont understand, understand what we dont understand, he see through everything in the world, but never see through by everything in the world, and even sometimes, I would envy little snail, its very slow down to taste life, in life.

Actually there are many things for us to learn life, learn to learn from life, learn to study life, taste life, you will be found.

When you begin to learn from life, everything is a new start, open field of vision, and see the wisdom in life, you will feel that never feel wonderful.

我始终相信，知识不仅仅局限于书本，生活中的知识更值得学习，不是吗?

生活是多彩的，也是复杂的，他有很多东西值得我们学习，那是书本上所学不到的，不知道你有没有在现实生活中发现，如果一个人，他的知识仅来自于书本，他永远也成长不了，因为，他不懂得生活，也不明白生活的含义。

或许你会问道，怎样从生活中学习?生活有什么东西值得学习?孰不然，如果我们能够看到生活中的忍耐，我们就可以学会耐心，如果我们能够发现生活中的认可，我们便可以学会自爱，如果我们能够发现生活中的分享，我们便可以学会分享。

记得看过一本书，篇名已经不记得了，主人公历尽生活的疾苦，却在疾苦中懂得了坚强，比常人更懂得如何式始自己快乐。

人类一向认为自己是自然的统治者，却不知，生活也许比我们更为伟大，他懂得我们所不懂的，明白我们所不明白的，他看的透世间万物，却从不曾被世间万物所看透，甚至有时，我都会好羡慕小小的蜗牛，它懂得放慢脚步去品位生活，在生活中学习。

其实生活有许多东西供以我们学习，学会从生活中学习，学会去学习生活，品位生活，你就会发现了。

当你开始从生活中学习，一切则又是新的开始，打开视野，看看生活中的智慧，你就会感受到那不曾感受过的奇妙。

On summer holiday my parents took me to Beijing.We stayed at HuabeiHotel.On

the first day,we went to the Great Wall.The Great Wall is very long andold.It

has millions of bricks.Each brick is very big and heavy.Lots of peoplefrom

different countries like climbing the Great Wall.We felt very tired when

weclimbed to the top of the Great Wall.

We also went to the Palace Museum.The Palace Museum has 9999 palaces.It

hasa very long history.I bought a lot of souvenirs of the Palace Museum.What

nicepalaces these are!I visited the Palace Museum and felt excited.If you want

toknow more about the Palace Museum,you can go to Beijing and have a look.

The following days,we went to the Summer Palace,Tian Tan,North Lake

andXiang Hill.I now know more about the history of China.I also like

modernBeijing.The 2008 Olympic Games will be held in Beijing.

Later,I went back with my parents by train.I really enjoyed the trip

toBeijing.

I like this trip!

The Spring Festival， Chinese New Year，is the most important festival for

all of us. All family members get together on New YearEve to have a big meal.At

the same time， everyone celebrates to each other.At about 12 oclock，some

parents and children light crackers.The whole sky is lighted brightly. We may

watch the fireworks excitedly.How busy it is!

On the first early moring of one year， many senior citizen get up early and

they stick the reversed Fu or hang some couplets on the front door. Some houses

windows are sticked on red paper cutlings.

The Chinese New Year lasts fifteen days. So during the fifteen days， we

always visit our relatives from door to door. At that time， children are the

happiest because they can get many red packets form their parents，grandparents，

uncles， aunts and so on. The last day of the Chinese New Year is another

festival.

When it comes to the Lantern Festival, it means the end of the Spring

Festival.

The first day when I go to high school, I felt excited, after 9 years’

study, I felt I was so close to university, the dream always gives me motivation

to move on. The first year, I made many friends, I got to know all of my

classmates, though the study was hard and tedious, I shared happiness and sorrow

with my friends. When the second year came, I was arranged to another class, for

the need of my major. I was a little frustrated at first, because I was worried

no one could talk to me, but I made new friends quickly, sometimes I would keep

in touch with my old friends. Now the last year has come, I must study hard, I

will go to college next year, never have I felt so close to my dream. High

school life is not easy for me, for the pressure is so heavy, but I won’t give

up.

There are still many problems of environmental protection in recent years.

One of the most serious problems is the serious pollution of air, water and

soil. the polluted air does great harm to people’s health. The polluted water

causes diseases and death. What is more, vegetation had been greatly reduced

with the rapid growth of modern cities.

To protect the environment, governments of many countries have done a lot.

Legislative steps have been introduced to control air pollution, to protect the

forest and sea resources and to stop any environmental pollution. Therefore,

governments are playing the most important role in the environmental protection

today.

In my opinion, to protect environment, the government must take even more

concrete measures. First, it should let people fully realize the importance of

environmental protection through education. Second, much more efforts should be

made to put the population planning policy into practice, because more people

means more people means more pollution. Finally, those who destroy the

environment intentionally should be severely punished. We should let them know

that destroying environment means destroying mankind themselves.

High school is very important in one’s lifetime. Nowadays, the movies about

the high school time are so popular, but the stories are exaggerated, my

memories about high school life are so different from the movie. During the

three years, study occupied most of my time. I fought for the future with my

classmates. We studied together and shared our opinion about the difficult

points. When I made great progress, I was so happy, but when I fell behind, I

would not give up. I grew up and became patient, I was not the little girl

anymore. In the part-time, I would go to play basketball with my friends, it

became the most exciting thing at that time. Though the high school life was

simple, I gained a lot. I would never forget the classmates who worked with me

together.

One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that

he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered and

they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in

it. Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever

seen. The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful

heart.

Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said, "Why your

heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine." The crowd and the young man looked at

the old mans heart. It was beating strongly, but full of scars, it had places

where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didnt fit quite

right and there were several jagged edges. In fact, in some places there were

deep gouges where whole pieces were missing.

The people stared — how can he say his heart is more beautiful, they

thought? The young man looked at the old mans heart and saw its state and

laughed. "You must be joking," he said. "Compare your heart with mine, mine is

perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears."

"Yes," said the old man, "Yours is perfect looking but I would never trade

with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love —

I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a

piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because

the pieces arent exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they

remind me of the love we shared. Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away,

and the other person hasnt returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the

empty gouges — giving love is taking a chance. Although these gouges are

painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too,

and I hope someday they may return and fill the space in my heart. So now do you

see what true beauty is? "

The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked

up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart, and

ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man with trembling hands.

The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece

from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young mans heart.

It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges. The young man looked

at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from

the old mans heart flowed into his. They embraced and walked away side by

side.