Finding Something Requires Losing Something
Are you afraid of losing things?
Before you answer this seemingly straightforward question, I think you should think carefully about what losing really means.
No one is completely calm when he or she loses something valuable. Sometimes this loss…like losing a loved one…can be devastating.
On the other hand, we should keep in mind that those who are likely to succeed are ones who can overcome their loss and become stronger. This is because the key to success may be learning from the loss.
For example, in John Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath, Joad’s family is driven from their land by drought and the dust bowl. They move west to find a better life, and as a result, they lose their familiar homeland. That is, they lose their home only to take the risk of finding a better one. Later they find no jobs and a hard life and therefore begin to lose hope and confidence. However, they are determined to work harder because they want new opportunities and a better life. As a result, the more they lose, the harder they try and more they find.
As another example, Rosa Parks was arrested and jailed in 1955 because she refused to give up her seat to a white person. This event inspired Martin Luther King to become one of the most powerful figures in the civil rights movement, eventually leading to the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. What did King lose? He lost his freedom, peace, and time. And he lost the most important thing to any person…his life……a hero killed by a madman. However, he found his life’s purpose and helped the oppressed find freedom.
On a personal note, I have faced two main paths in my academic career: to take Gao Kao and go to a Chinese college or take the SAT and go to an American college. The choice was very hard for me. Going to a Chinese college means staying close to my family and friends. Going to an American college means more diversity and new experiences and opportunities. No one knows what the future holds, and so I don’t know which path is the right one. However, I have chosen the American path because I am one adventurous woman! J This also means that I would lose the Chinese path. So, does this loss mean I would gain something in America? Well, I think that depends on how hard I work and challenge myself. I am ready!
There is a saying that water continues to exist even after turning into vapor. This tells us that, each time we lose something, we have a new opportunity to reach our ultimate goals.
Finding something requires losing something.
J.Du