Yang Yuhong

    “Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let the pain make you hate. Do not let bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place.” — Kurt Vonnegut

    How beautiful these words are! They are the exact words to express my feelings. Why don’t you be soft, and then smile to the world like me?

    Every day when I wake up, I always smile and repeat to myself these words: What a lovely world, fight for a better life! I’m not a simple optimist. I know there is always pain and bitterness, but these things are not all negative. Instead, they are crucial for our growth and are parts of maturing. Living in a real word that is full of both positive and negative elements, we need some guidance such as Kurt Vonnegut’s words.

    Last winter vacation, I went to Hainan with a group of friends to ride bikes around the island. On average, we rode about 100 tough kilometers per day. We got tired but we were happy. We experienced hunger and bitterness, but the sweetness far outweighed the hardships. Despite the pain of our muscles, we enjoyed the wind breezing against our faces, the sunshine on our heads and the trees and the flowers greeting us with pleasant smiles. Instead of speeding up, we let the wheels of our bikes spin slower because we didn’t want to miss the beauty of the scenery while in a hurry. There was neither regret nor hatred during the trip, as we rode along the beautiful coastline and pretty lanes to get close to nature and appreciate the beauty of life. Why would there exist any complaints or disappointments?

    Why not let the world make you soft instead of feeling the opposite? I feel different after such an impressive journey. It has changed my way of thinking. I learned to change my attitude toward life. Be soft and discover more beauty.