Only through the hellish trials can one develop the power to create
paradise; only with fingers stained with blood can one play the world's
masterpiece.
- Epigraph We admire the beauty of butterflies, but little is known
that each butterfly egg must endure hundreds of days of torment in the dark
chrysalis before breaking free and adding beauty to the spring.
The rule remains that one must give in order to receive, and millennia of
history have witnessed the power that erupts from silent efforts. King
Goujian of Yue lay on firewood and tasted gall, spending ten years on
governance and another ten on military affairs, toiling for twenty years
before finally creating the myth of "three thousand Yue armored soldiers
capable of swallowing Wu." The great Confucian scholar Sima Qian, unjustly
tortured, did not succumb to despair but continued to progress, ultimately
"completing the Records of the Grand Historian, shining through the ages."
Chairman Mao, undaunted by hardships, pointed the way for the people in the
darkest of times, leading the Communist Party of China for decades until
success was achieved.
Accumulating in silence, behind every success lies an unknown process of
effort. Indeed, dreams enrich our lives, but not all dreams come true. God
only favors those who silently strive. Zhao Zhixun's eighteen years of
silent effort fulfilled his childhood vow at the age of six: "I won't return
to Korea without achieving fame." Xu Benyu turned tears into wealth,
silently bearing the weight of classrooms in the western regions, like a
torch that pierces our eyes. Yes, a flower that blooms extraordinarily does
not rely on the wind's assistance or the aid of powdered love; instead, it
silently absorbs nutrients. A blade of grass that intoxicates with its
greenness does not rely on rain for nourishment; instead, it silently
strives to take root in the earth.
I still find it hard to forget that miraculous night during the Athens
Olympic Games women's volleyball final when, on the brink of defeat after
losing two sets, the Chinese team mounted a silent counterattack and, with a
stunning final spike, opened the door to victory. The volleyball girls
embraced and cried, the best embodiment of silent eruption. Twenty years had
passed since the last world championship, and how much sweat and tears were
shed in the interim, no one knows. The volleyball girls' song "The Sun
Always Shines After the Rain" brought tears to countless fans, while Coach
Chen Zhong's words, "The honor belongs to our motherland," deeply moved
China. The gold medal brought back past glory, and the volleyball girls'
silent and unknown efforts transformed them into butterflies breaking free
from their cocoons.
As high school seniors, when we are exhausted from studying day and night,
we should consider that only through silent and unknown efforts can we stand
out. The phrase "exchange one year for a lifetime" best explains the senior
year of high school. Work in silence, oblivious to the distractions outside,
focus on studying the wisdom of sages with a pure heart. When all is said
and done, astonishing myths will undoubtedly happen to us.
In the shimmering tears, I once again see the paradise of distant dreams,
and it is strikingly beautiful in the darkness. I wish to have less laughter
and more effort, fewer illusions and more dedication. In the days of silent
obscurity, one day I will break free from the cocoon and fly to the paradise
of my dreams. |