Michael Chau Ngai Long 5C Champion
Walk on to see the colours of life
In the midst of the pandemic, we were lost, wounded and disheartened. Now that the pandemic seems under control and the preventive measures start to loosen, I could remember serenely the moments of clarity I savour amid the chaos of things. This moment of clarity brought me immense joy and wisdom.
It was almost one year after the outbreak of the pandemic when there seemed no way out and life almost came to a halt. The school was closed, I needed to queue up every day to grab the groceries and friends were afar and too scared to make any contact. My beloved sport training and competitions were suspended until who knows when.
There were not many choices so I simply went out. I used to run around the neighbourhood to build leg strength and lung capacity but as the masks was on, I could not breathe while running. I could only walk. For one moment, I had pity of myself and the human race. We could do nothing but walk now.
I kept walking and the many unpleasant flips passed my mind and faded. Then, my mind had only one voice, ‘Is there anything I wanna do now?’ The answer is crystal clear. I would like to return to the rugby court and train for international tournaments.
I was somewhere on mid-hill now and there was this piece of plateau where I could look downhill the road I had come from. There were so many trees around me. They were so still yet so tall. I was in awe admiration how tall they grew. Trees need to remain still and seem like impossible to move an inch forward or upward. Yet, they grow so tall, almost touching the sky, the way they want to be, close to the sun, close to heaven.
Maybe there is a point to lay still and low. The time we lay low and still and seem like doing nothing does not stop us from growing tall and reaching our goals. Look at the trees. Who said we can do nothing to prepare for the rugby tournaments? I was simply confused by all the chores and my anger towards the disease.
Then, I kept walking for about another hour, with more and more joy and serenity inside. I started to feel very tired. I heard several hikers beside me mentioned some touching stories of the medical staff in Hong Kong. They carried out their duties even if the diseases could be fatal and highly contagious. They chose to stay in dorm and did not go home so as not to spread the diseases in their families. While they act so nobly, they also act humbly and quietly, never asking for any compliments. When people do their best in their capacity, they are adding colours to the gloomy world. This is unity in silence. As long as you are not afraid of dangers and obstacles, you will succeed in the end. No matter how bumpy the road is, I can complete the challenge. After an hour, I finally completed the whole journey and saw the beautiful colours of the city below me. This walk is really unforgettable for me!
When there seems a dead end, simply do something or take a walk in nature. The trees can teach you a lot. The hikers around you may have valuable lessons to share. There are colours in the dark. I understand that we must not shrink from difficulties, just like the medical staff who work together to fight the epidemic around the clock.
Do not be afraid of difficulties, so that you will succeed. Simply walk on, take one step after another. In doing so, we can walk out of the pandemic, walk out of any obstacles and see the colours of life.
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Horace Leung Ho San 1D Champion
Love will shine on amid the pandemic
The past three years of living with the pandemic is a complicated journey. In retrospect, it is always trying times like this which manifest who we are and inevitably, while we are heartbroken at times, we are also empowered by the unimaginable sacred characters.
Many people contracted the contagious disease but mine came when my family was in its worst shape. My father had a small shop and yet it is more like a burden than a source of income. My father should have abandoned it long ago and cut himself off so he could keep the saving for the family. In reality, he put almost all his savings into it, paying the rent one year after another despite a negative revenue. We were not feeling the pain as my father puts it, ‘Everyone is miserable. It‘s time to persist. Spring will come after winter ends.’ We did not complain, we did not feel the pain of a lack of income since people around us were suffering with us. Our uncles and aunties had similar encounters. Friends of our parents had similar encounters. Even our neighbours shared similar stories. We live a quiet and simple life and we were full of hopes that we will overcome. Who knows the real trial could really hit hard.
One day, I almost fell unconscious and the fever of more than 38 degree persisted. The hospital was overcrowded and we simply made do at home. My parents never left me alone. They cooked for me and did all the chores. They went out to get medicine in unimaginable queues outside the hospital. Then, they went home to beg me to take these medicine pills. Yes, they begged since I was born sensitive to medicine. I scolded them to scare them away but they did not listen. We both cried. I cried regretful tears while they cried tears of a heart broken.
As if that is not enough, one day, our hamster looked weird and after it was confirmed Covid19 positive, we knew we had to let it go. My parents could have given consent to administer euthanasia on the spot but they allowed me to bid farewell. At that moment, I understood why some wisdom says, ‘love is greater than death.’ I didn’t mind if I would contract Covid19 the second time. I did not mind if I would die contracting Covid19 this time through having contact with my pet. I hugged my hamster one last time, I told him I loved him. I told him he was a wonderful hamster. I thanked him for being my little naughty friend. Then, I took him to the vet and accompanied him and ensured that there was the least pain in his last journey. I later asked my parents why they allowed a farewell despite the contagious situation. They said, ‘We would do the same to our family.’
These mighty words of wisdom come at a price of life. We might be plain. We might be poor. Yet, our love can be profound. Our love is what ultimately gives us peace at heart. Looking back, in our ups and downs with or without the pandemic, love of people around us makes days easier. Love of my parents help me survive the infection and the loss of my dear pet. Even my pet dies protecting me and the human race. After all, love is what makes us persist so that we could see spring after winter.
HKCYAA Writing Competition 2022 Results:
https://www.hkcyaa.com/writing6-2022-results