Quake gives life new meaning

My classmate used to be a gloomy, unhappy girl, which confused me because, to me, nothing could really depress her.

Born in a rich family, she has a boyfriend who loves her so much.

A bright path lies ahead of her, yet she was depressed because she was very dissatisfied with herself.

She thought she was so fat that she spent plenty of time in losing weight. She ate as little as a bird did. As a result she always felt tired, which in turn made her look pale. She always sighed: how unhappy I am!

However, the disastrous earthquake that struck Sichuan province and smashed the whole town to pieces changed her even though she was far away from the disaster area. After watching so many miserable people struggling on the brink of death on television or in newspapers and all sorts of feelings rushing into her mind, she was shocked and felt how silly she used to be. Compared to those people who lost their beloved, their homes or just everything, she thought she was safe and fortunate to still live in this changeable world.

From then on, she has tried her best to overcome the depression that seemed nonsensical once she thought of those poor people who fortunately survived in the calamity or who died unfortunately. Life is so precious and death can come with one's eyes shut, hence human beings should not spend their precious time on trifling things such as dissatisfaction with themselves. Once she sighed with emotion to me: "In fact, I am so lucky. I should be very happy."

Meanwhile, a friend of mine confessed to me that he didn't think that life was boring or felt tired any longer. Days ago he just complained to me that it was not his day. His boss didn't appreciate his work although he had tried his best; his colleagues left no stone unturned to trap him in He was sick of the complicated interpersonal relationship and therefore the pleasure of life began to pall on him.

Yet, after the earthquake that took place far from him, he told me that facing death, all those things that once worried him were only pieces of cake, or even nothing to speak of. I thus knew the remote earthquake has changed my friends' attitude toward life.

Many people have changed their attitudes toward life after the disastrous calamity ravaged the town and claimed hundreds of thousand of victims. Many stories published in newspapers show the change.

From the miserable day, a changed attitude toward life has been formed gradually in many people's minds. It was reported that the shop owner who was well-known for her miserliness donated her noodle to others. Countless taxi drivers didn't charge passengers any fees. The poor beggar donated what he had

People across the whole country are shocked and moved and feel the same sympathy toward those people. Even those who live a luxurious life begin to change their attitude toward life one way or another. Except money, what do I have? Using the money, what can I do? It will benefit them a lot to ponder on such questions.

Now witnessing the earthquake in newspapers or on television, so many innocent victims dying and so many broken hearts, I begin to understand why. When we die, we take nothing along with us except those priceless memories.

All creatures are vulnerable before merciless nature. It is a horrible earthquake like this that makes us aware of the values of life, teaches us to cherish it, love it and live it meaningfully.

Wu Jie in Guangzhou

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(China Daily 05/27/2008 page9)