At the northernmost part of the earth, there is a vast snowfield, so it is one of the most important things to keep the correct direction of the route? However, in this white wasteland, there are no road signs of any kind, and explorers can only trust the measuring instruments they carry?

The expedition members should stop to look at the map every hour and draw a detailed walking route for the next expedition? However, just a few hours after they left the camp, they suddenly found a strange phenomenon? When they stopped to read the data on the measuring instrument, they were surprised to find that although they were heading for the North Pole accurately, they were getting farther and farther away from the pole?

The players didn't think much, thinking that it was just a false test, so they didn't hesitate to keep moving forward? The next time they read the data, they found that they were farther away from the North Pole? Although they follow the established route accurately and always keep the right direction, they are still getting farther and farther away from the pole.

What the hell is going on? Is it a ghost? Finally, they found out that they had set foot on a huge glacier drifting south, and the glacier drifted south faster than they traveled north? Everything they do is completely right, but they step on the wrong place?

Many times, we moved in the right direction, worked hard, struggled and paid, but we never reached it? We may complain about the external environment, the world, and the injustice of God, but can we look down and see that we are actually standing in the wrong position? It's hard to get out of the right path in the wrong position, no matter how diligent and persistent you are. So before you choose the direction, look at the position under your feet! (based on chicken soup for the soul)

George is a joke-loving manor owner. On Christmas Eve, he felt that he should give a reward to his conscientious housekeeper. So he patted the housekeeper Jack on the shoulder and said, "Here are four bowls of porridge. I put two gold coins at the bottom of one bowl. Dear Jack, let's see how your luck is."

Jack is very eager to get gold coins, but he is not sure which bowl contains them. He hesitated to drink a part of the porridge in the first bowl, and suddenly felt that the gold coins should be in the second bowl, so he went to drink half of the porridge in the second bowl, but he was still unwilling, so he drank a part of the porridge in the third bowl, and finally changed his mind. At this time, Jack felt that he could not hold anything in his stomach.

As a result, he didn't get any gold coins.

In fact, George put two gold coins at the bottom of each bowl of porridge. As long as he drinks a bowl of delicious porridge casually, he will get the gold coins he dreams of.

A little taste often causes us to lose our easy success.

(based on chicken soup for the soul)

a jar of jam

Edited by Edgar bledsoe Rong Suli

A man is rich as long as he has the strength to help others.

I remember one year when I lost my job. Before that, my father's factory closed down. Our whole family only lives on the income from my mother making clothes for others.

Once my mother was ill for several weeks and couldn't work. Because there was no money to pay the electricity bill, the electricity at home was cut off by the power company, and then the gas company stopped the gas. Finally, if the health department hadn't stopped the water company for public health reasons, my family would have no water. The pantry at home is empty. Fortunately, there is a small vegetable garden in my home, so we have to cook with firewood in the backyard to satisfy our hunger.

One day, my sister came home from school and said excitedly, "We will take something to school tomorrow and donate it to the poor to help them tide over the difficulties." Mother was about to blurt out, "I didn't know there were people poorer than us!" " Grandma was living with us at that time, and she quickly grabbed her mother's arm and frowned, signaling her not to say so.

"Eve," grandma said, "if you let your child think of herself as a' poor man' from an early age, she will be a' poor man' all her life. She will always wait for help from others. How can such a person cheer up and become a' rich man'? Don't we have a jar of homemade jam? Let her have it. A man is rich as long as he has the strength to help others. " Grandma found a piece of soft paper and a pink ribbon from nowhere and carefully wrapped the last jar of jam in my house. The next day, my sister went to help the "poor" with a gift happily and proudly.

To this day, my sister who owns three hotels still remembers the jar of jam. No matter in the company or in the community, whenever someone needs help, my sister always thinks that she should be the "jam delivery person". ▲

Global Times (22nd edition, February 07, 2005)

Red glass ball

Guo Yan compiled

During the hard years of the Great Depression in 1930, I lived in a small community in southeastern Kansas. Because food is scarce and money is scarce, people often barter and barter. At that time, I often visited Mr. Miller's stall and bought some fresh vegetables.

One day, when Mr. Miller helped me pack potatoes into a bag, I noticed a little boy staring greedily at a basket of newly picked peas. The boy is thin and wears patched but clean clothes. I paid for potatoes, but I was also attracted by fresh peas, because I like the taste of cream peas and potatoes very much. When I was considering whether to buy beans, I heard Mr. Miller talking with the boy.

"Hello, Barry, how was your day?"

"Very well, Mr. Miller, thank you. These peas look great. "

"Very well indeed, Barry. How is your mother?"

"Fortunately, I am much more energetic than before."

"Don't you want to bring back some beans?"

"No, sir, I have no money."

"Well, do you have anything to exchange?"

"There is only one glass ball won."

"Really? Let me see. "

"Here you are. It's beautiful."

"Well, it's just that I want a red glass ball, not a blue one. Do you have a red one? "

"I don't think so ... but I'll probably win one next time."

"Tell you what, take this bag of peas home and bring me a red glass ball when you come next time."

"Yes, thank you, sir."

Mrs. Miller came over to help me pack peas. She smiled and said to me, "There are two such children in this community, and their families are very poor. Jimmy (Miller's nickname) is willing to give them fruits and vegetables such as peas, apples and tomatoes. When the children bring red glass balls next time, he will say that he doesn't like red ones, and then give them a pack of vegetables to bring green or orange balls next time. "

"Miller is really a good man!" I was very moved by this. After a while, I moved to Colorado, but I never forgot that Mr. Miller changed glass balls with the boys. Time flies. It was many years before I had the opportunity to visit my old friends in that small community. It was also at this time that Mr. Miller passed away.

They held a farewell ceremony for him in the evening, because all my friends went, and I went with them. When we arrived at the morgue, we met many relatives of the deceased, so we tried to say something comforting. Walking in front of us are three young people, one in military uniform and the other two in suits and business suits. Mrs. Miller tried to restrain her grief and stood gently beside her husband's coffin. Three young men came up to her, everyone hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, said a few words briefly, and then went to Mr. Miller's coffin. Mrs. Miller watched them come to the coffin one by one with tearful eyes, shook the cold hand of the deceased with their warm hands, and then they slowly walked out of the morgue with tears.

When it was our turn to go to Mrs. Miller, I told her who I was and told her about the glass ball. Mrs. Miller took my hand to the coffin and said, "Those three young people who left are the three boys I told you about that year. They just told me how grateful they are for Jimmy's exchange with them. Now, because Jimmy can't change his mind and don't want the glass ball he doesn't like-they're coming to' pay off the debt'. "

"We never made a fortune," she went on, "but now Jimmy can proudly say that he is the richest man in this community." Then she gently raised her husband's right hand. I was surprised to find that I had three delicate shining red glass balls in my hand! ▲

Is it worth it

Zheng Jie compiled

In a battle, when soldier Jim saw his good partner fall on the battlefield, fear occupied his heart. He was trapped in the trench, with continuous gunfire and bullets whizzing overhead. He asked the lieutenant if he could go to the "no man's land" between the trenches to save his partner.

"You can go," the lieutenant said, "but I don't think it's worth it. Your friend may have died, and you may die yourself. " The lieutenant's words didn't affect Jim, but he went anyway.

Jim miraculously reached his friend safely and carried him back to the trench. In the trench, the officer examined the injured Jim, looked at Jim's dead friend and said, "I told you, it's not worth it." Your friend died, and you were fatally injured. "

"Nevertheless, sir, it's worth it." Jim said.

"What do you mean, worth it?" The lieutenant said, "Your friend has died!"

"Yes, sir," Jim replied, "it was worth it, because when I found him, he was still alive. He said,' Jim, I knew you would come.' I am satisfied to hear him say so. Do you think it's not worth it, sir? "▲

Wisdom from Africa

Compiled by Reginald mcknight Shengsen

Love, friendship and affection

Tell me what kind of person you love, and I will know what kind of person you are.

White ants don't love the straw they carry-seemingly close people don't necessarily love you.

Make friends when you don't need them.

Eggs teach hens how to hatch eggs-children teach parents how to be parents.

Clever begging

Compiled by Maurer Nunn and Zhang Xiaofeng

I heard the news that my husband was about to be laid off, and I will never forget the shock at that time.

At that time, our marriage had gone through 10 years, and John showed me his worries about this nightmare. He assured me that he would make every effort to find a new job to make a living. We have three children under the age of five, and one will be born soon. John is the only economic pillar of the whole family.

"Life goes on," John said. It seems that he is much more optimistic than me. "At least we still have health, and what we have lost is just a job. In addition, the company will continue to pay wages for three months, during which I am sure I can find a new job, so don't worry. "

John graduated from a famous university and has an excellent working background. I believe his confidence is reasonable. John lost his father in his early years, and he shouldered the responsibility of taking care of his mother, brother and sister very early. He was once an Olympic athlete, knowing how to face challenges and how to work hard and skillfully. But months passed and he still couldn't find a job. I became more and more afraid, and my "superstition" about him began to waver. What if he can't find a job? If I am not pregnant, I can go back to school to teach. The problem is that it is less than three months since the birth of our fourth child.

We don't have much savings left, the installment loan has been in arrears for two months, and there is no other source of income. I have to scrimp and save. In the end, even the money for eating is almost gone.

One day, when I was taking my children to the supermarket, I noticed a boy filling a carton with overripe fruit and expired food. I asked him hesitantly where to send these foods, and he said, "Deal with them at a reduced price, and throw them away if they can't be disposed of." I looked at those old carrots, celery and tomatoes, which were enough for my family to eat for several weeks. I think, in what way can I beg for some food for the children with dignity?

"We have a rare Mongolian rabbit!" I blurted out and glanced at three hungry children. "I want to buy some food for it."

He simply replied, "since it's for rabbits, I won't charge." On that day, he put five boxes of food into my car and was busy chatting with me. I talked about our family that is about to add a mouth, and he also talked about himself. His name is Jeff, and he comes from a poor family of five. He works here to pay for college tuition.

A few weeks later, Jeff began to pack expired and damaged boxed food into the box. These peanut butter, soup and cheese are still edible, but they are required to be thrown away. "Bunny must like these things," he explained why he sent them to us. A few months later, we found that there were more and more kinds of washing powder, milk, juice and butter hidden under the food. Later, every time Jeff collected a box of "rabbit food", he would call me and send it to my house from time to time. But he never asked about the rabbit, and he left every time he put things down.

When my fourth daughter was born, I had mixed feelings and worried about future family expenses. "God, please," I prayed, "you promised that our suffering would never exceed our capacity. What shall we do? " Then the husband quietly walked into the delivery room and said, "I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I found a good job this morning. " I closed my eyes and thanked God for his gift to us. "The bad news," he continued, "is that the little Mongolian rabbit is missing."

Later, I went to that supermarket, where Jeff no longer worked. According to the supermarket manager, while I was busy with the baby's birth, he moved without leaving a new address.

I swear silently that I must repay those kind people who helped us in times of trouble. In the following 10 years, I fulfilled my promise. But my wish was not completely fulfilled until one day after 10, I met Jeff standing in front of the supermarket office, wearing the "manager's" work card on his chest.

How can you express your gratitude to a person who has helped you and maintained your self-esteem, who has lent you a helping hand without belittling your own ability, and who believes that there is a rare Mongolian rabbit hidden in your life? I'm not surprised at Jeff's promotion. He has a special gift and knows how to listen to my special prayers.

"Mrs Nunn!" He shouted excitedly, "I often think of you and your family. How's the rabbit? " He asked softly.

Holding Jeff's hand, I blinked and whispered, "Thank you for your concern. That rabbit left us a long time ago, and we have a wonderful life. "