A story by Esther

Last Updated on Wednesday, 06 January 2010 14:00

SAND: Walking on sand is so much harder than walking on concrete or any other flat surface, but the length of the beach doesn't last forever - it is finite and so is the sand [difficulty]. At the end of the road, there's always soft grass. No matter how hard life can get, it won't last forever; the road won't always be difficult to walk. Keep going, look at the waves but don't let them swallow you up. Instead, let them remind you that difficulties are inevitable, but you don't drown by falling in water, you drown by staying there. Don't give up - you may meet a friend along that long and lonesome trudge down the beach to the grass that can outlast the difficulties.

MOUNTAIN: You're on the summit, overlooking the city filled with trees, valleys, hills, houses, buildings and water. Look further and you'll see the horizon. But just like how the world doesn't end there, life doesn't end just like that either. Death is only another event of what humans have to go through. You can turn and look back at the past, but no amount of regret will turn anything around. So face the sun and the shadows will fall behind you. Climb the trees, get the better of difficulties. Run across the fields - live strong and healthy. Keep an eye on the horizon and remember that there's no end to you. What you do now will determine where you go tomorrow. You won't know what's going to happen, but look beyond the hills - there's resting ground there.

OCEAN: The sea looks so plain and empty on the surface and people used to think that all kinds of scary monsters lived there, but actually, it is a haven to thousands of species of sea creatures - a beautiful and lively underwater paradise.

Man is just like the sea: So many of us look so ordinary on the outside, some even think that what exists inside are only bad qualities, but actually, behind the darkness of the fallen world, there are still goodness in us. Just search deep and you're bound to find beautiful traits and a uniquely positive personality. Don't stop digging, because the gold and diamonds are plentiful under the dirty seafloor.

FOUR SEASONS: In spring, everything is clear, fresh and beautiful. In summer, we spend time enjoying ourselves in a carefree manner. In autumn, the leaves fall, our happiness fades, and trouble arises. In winter, everything is bare; there is no hope. But as spring comes again, the leaves grow back; our hearts, minds and souls are renewed.

STARS: Only when it's dark enough do we see them, those bright and shiny twinkles. They are like the little glimpse of hope we need in our lives. We and the world are so corrupted; it is definitely dark enough. But who says the stars aren't there? Sometimes we cannot see them, but I know they're there, trying hard to be noticed behind the pitch black wall of evil and lies. Just blow at the clouds and force them away. Then the hope will be so immense that even if you close your eyes you will not miss it. And the stars will keep shining, urging us to run strong and open our eyes to the future.

FRIEND: We watched the waves together - I felt less lonely because you always try to be there for me. You love me even though I am not lovable. You encourage me to keep going by believing in me. When I felt that I was useless, you complimented me. You make me feel loved - an incredible feeling when one's heart is shattered into millions of pieces. Friend, thank you. You have helped me not to deny the truth even though it hurts heaps. You mean so much to me - you let me and want me to be myself.

By Esther