Friendship.

I was told a story named "Anatomy of Friendship" a long time ago, it is really meaningful; therefore, i will tell you you about that story:

My mother used to ask me what is the most important part of the body, and through the years I would take a guess at what I thought was the correct answer. When I was younger, I thought sound was very important to us as humans, so I said, "My ears, Mommy."

She said, "No. Many people are deaf; however, you keep thinking about it and I will ask you again soon."

Several years passed before she asked me again. Since making my first attempt, I had contemplated the correct answer. So this time I told her, "Mommy, sight is very important to everybody, so it must be our eyes."

She looked at me, and she said, "You are learning fast, but the answer is not correct because there are many people who are blind."

Stumped again, I continued my quest for knowledge and over the years, Mother asked me a couple more times and always her answer was, "No. But you are getting smarter every year, my child."

Then last year, my grandpa died. Everybody was hurt. Everybody was crying. Even my father cried. I remember that especially because it was only the second time I saw him cry. My Mom looked at me when it was our turn to say our final goodbye to Grandpa. She asked me, "Do you know the most important body part yet, my dear?"

I was shocked when she asked me this now. I always thought this was a game between her and me. She saw the confusion on my face, she told me, "This question is very important. It shows that you have really lived in our life. For every body part you gave me in the past, I have told you were wrong and I have given you an example why. But today is the day you need to learn this important lesson."

She looked down at me as only a mother can. I saw her eyes well up with tears. She said, "My dear, the most important body part is your shoulder."

I asked, "Is it because it holds up my head?"

She replied, "No, it is because it can hold the head of a friend or a loved one when they cry. Everybody needs a shoulder to cry on sometime in life, my dear. I only hope that you have enough love and friends that you will always have a shoulder to cry on when you need it."

When i heard this story, i told myself: "Friends are a gift that God gave us, and to all my friends, i just want to say that thank you for believing in me when I found it difficult to believe in myself...

for saying what I've needed to hear sometimes, instead of what I've wanted to hear....

for siding with me....

and for giving me another side to consider.

Thank you for opening yourself up to me....

for trusting me with your thoughts and disappointments and dreams....

for knowing you can depend on me and for asking my help when you've needed it.

Thank you for putting so much thought and care and imagination into our friendship...

for sharing so many nice times and making so many special memories with me.

Thank you for always being honest with me...

being kind to me...

being there for me.

Thank you for being a friend to me in so many meaningful ways."

My family.

My family consists of (3) five people. There's my grandmother, my parents, my brother, and of course, me. I have quite a large extended family (1) as well but only the five of us live together in our house near the beach. My father is forty seven years old. He works as an engineer in a petroleum and gas complex company (1). He is tall and slim, has got short black and gray hair (1) and brown eyes (1). My father likes playing chest (4) very much and he plays very well, he has won many high prizes (1) in his company. His special hobbies (1) are taking care of people (4) and playing chest (4).

Now I'll describe (3) my mother and my brother. My mother is forty three and she is a housewife (1). She is small and slim, has long brown hair (1) and brown eyes (1). She likes watching news (4) on TV and reading newspapers (4). My parents often go out to jog together (6), my brother and i sometimes go with them. My brother is nine. He is fat and has short brown hair (1) and brown eyes (1). He also attends primary school. He is interested in computers and eating food (4). He also spends a lot of time with his family and his friends (2).

I have only two grandmothers left still living (4), and one of them is living (3) with my family (2). She is in pretty good health (2) even at the age of nearly ninety. I enjoy spending time (4) with her when I can. My grandfather died from disease, which was really a great tragedy (1) because I didn't get a chance to know (6) him. My other grandmother is living in Hai Phong city. I also have a lot of aunts, uncles, and cousins.

My family is a happy family (1), we love and respect each others, spend as much time together as possible, i would feel really sorry and sad if i had to leave them someday, i hope that i will have a family in the future just like ours now.

Note:
(1) Noun phrase
(2) Prepositional phrase
(3) Verb phrase
(4) Participial phrase
(5) Gerund phrase
(6) Infinitive phrase