A
I will never forget the darkness, the pain and strong desire to die.
November arrived grey and busy, and going into an even more stressful December, I was filled with anxious thoughts. A visit to my father’s grave is often a good chance to cry and when I leave I feel a little more at peace. But this time was different. I drove home and every night for the rest of that week, I cried.
On Saturday, I watched a TV program teaching baking, and then I started to learn. By the end of the weekend, I had a table covered with sweet treats. I packaged them up in tins, attached a label to each of them with “winter love” on it, and dropped them off on a few of my neighbors’ porches. It shocked me how much it lightened my mood, seeing a small package lost on a porch. The thanks I received later from the neighbors made me light up. It felt so good, and it distracted me from my dark thoughts.
By January I had developed a routine: on Sunday I’d bake cookies and package them up, and on Monday I’d deliver them. Every week I added a few different people to my delivery route. Then things started showing up on my doorstep - a homemade cup, a pair of socks with cookies and even a gift certificate from the local bookstore. Every single one melted my heart. But what I really appreciated was how people began to share their own stories of mental health with me. There is no greater honor than to be trusted with another’s life. I was overwhelmed by the love and care of my community. It humbled me that something so simple had created such incredible kindness.
I was shifting into a new season of light, while letting go of a season of darkness. It reminded me that there is beauty in being kind and that life is tough, but there is a quiet strength in knowing you are not alone.
21. What can we know about the author from the first two paragraphs?
A. She felt life was too painful to live.
B. She was in a bad physical condition.
C. She was stressed due to her father’s death.
D. She recovered after visiting her father’s grave.
22. After she started sharing cookies with neighbors, the author .
A. gained trust and care from them
B. added other things to her delivery list
C. felt her life was no longer busy or stressful
D. found some of them had more mental problems than her
23. What is the main purpose of this passage?
A. To express gratitude to caring neighbors.
B. To share how being kind helped her regain hope.
C. To speak of the benefits of baking cookies at home.
D. To show the importance of a trusted community.
