Zhang Jiayi, Class 6, Senior 2, Shenzhen Foreign Languages School Instructed by Zhou Qingyou Last week, I went home with a depressed feeling due to an unexpectedly awful exam. Despite the full attention I paid to preparing for it day and night, I still failed to gain a satisfactory grade. Something unpleasant came up in my mind on and off. Maybe I should just give up, I said to myself. When I arrived home, I went straight into my room, turning a deaf ear to the greeting of my mother, since I had no idea how to face her. After a while, there was someone knocking on the door. It was my mother who told me to go out to rest and relax. After adjusting my mood by taking a deep breath, I went out. At the door of the balcony, something special suddenly caught my eye — it was an unknown and strange plant whose branches were trying to twine around our safety net. It seemed so fragile that it almost seemed that a gentle wind would prevent it from any sign of thriving. Standing besides me, my mother was no less surprised, for she had forgot to water it ever since she put some seeds in the soil. Her words immediately reminded me that a few days ago, when I was watering the flowers, I did see some green leaves that made me quite curious. Therefore, I chose to keep it alive instead of pulling it out on the spot. Now, looking at the plant, I was preoccupied with the idea that this little plant, though in such trying and challenging circumstances, was still hanging in there. When its head was struggling under the earth without knowing when it could rush out of the darkness, would it feel desperate? Fortunately, it made it. Imagine the unparalleled joy when it first reached out to the light! As I watched it silently, I suddenly thought of the athletes who were striving hard for the championship in the 2022 Winter Olympics, how many of the athletes spent four years just to win the gold medal in the Olympic Games. Even if they failed once, they would not give up. Aren’t they as tough and brave as this plant has shown to me? This attitude is especially true to us, the young people, whose best option in the face of adversity would be to keep fighting. I never thought I could learn so many things just from a plant, but it was true. Hard work is always paid off. I will firmly remember this and stay more determined on the way to achieve my goals. | 