I have a question for you. ‘Do you know how to breathe?’ Okay, I know what you are thinking now, “Girl, are you kidding me? Everybody knows how to breathe.” Actually, if I were you sitting down in there one year ago, I would think, “How did she make it to the final?”
Alright, seriously speaking, what I am talking about is “the art of breathing”, and it’s about breathing in a Yoga way: peacefully and always under control. What it reveals is the real essence of perseverance, “In order to achieve, sometimes, you need to wait.” And when it comes to things you really want in life, it is as hard as it could possibly be.
For me, singing is a life thing. When I am singing on the stage, I feel whole-heartedly involved, and the self-fulfillment it renders is inexplicably thrilling. But with all the realistic problems I need to face in life, all those I want seem too far to be true– so far that I am terrified that I will never ever be able to get there and that gradually I will be carried away by the currents and torrents of life. I’ve been drowned into this ambivalence for so long. Now, with a refined perspective towards self-realization, I am waiting, in a graceful posture, and knowing that I am going to get there. And on this, I should say, I owe Yoga a thank-you.
I still remember, about one year ago, I attended a Yoga course for the very first time. And to tell you the truth, I went there for a nice figure. However, after practicing for some time, I discovered that there was an ineffable inner-strength burgeoning sneakily in me while I totally focused. In order not to let go this significant power, I started to picture all I wanted in my mind while I was fully concentrating, for I believe the wings of imagination could make things possible. I learned to breathe with my dreams, shaping the eagerness into this elegant gesture of persisting.
And now, if you ask me what exactly is “the art of breathing”, I would say it is indeed “the art of living”. It combines the search of balance, the grace of patience, and the awareness of appreciation.
So even though feelings are tied up with life routines, I could still hold onto that free EGO which I have always adored: the girl who is singing under the spotlight, with all her heart and soul; the girl who is persevering with all she believes in and always feels grateful for what has been bestowed on her.
That girl is now standing right here in front of you, hoping that you are all as lucky as she is, living with dreams and love. No matter how tough things get, I tell myself, I tell myself that, every single thing I am doing now is every step closer to that very moment of my trajectory, just like every Yoga breath to every blossom moment of my life.
on my birthday two years ago, many special things happened on me. and i would
remember them forever.
that morning, i rode my bike to school happily as usual. on my way to the
classroom, i saw some of my classmates. but when they saw me, they rushed away. that made me confused. because they would talk to me or play jokes on me before. but it was strange today.
when i came into the classroom, i found the atmosphere was quite strange.
everybody looked at me and laughed loudly. suddenly they all said in good order,“happy birthday to you!” then they began to sing “happy birthday to you~~~~~~” that made me moved. i never told anyone about my birthday, how did they know? i believed they must have done a lot of things. at that moment, i found nothing to say but thanks instead!
after school, a thing coming as a surprise happened on me on my way back home. when i was riding suddenly a crowed of people rushed out to stopped my bike.i recogized them at once. they were my senior classmates. they all comlained to me,“why don't you tell us about your birthday? don't you fear that we will let you stand treat? this time you owe us.” then each of them gave a gift and a card with best wishes to me. i was deeply moved again. i suggested having a dinner together. but they all refused because of the time. then they left me saying we would ask you to pay us another day!
when i got back home, i thought of everything happened today. suddenly i felt so happy because i had such great friends around me. i thanked them from the bottom of my heart. i would value the precious friendship forever!
i have so many feelings through that special day. the only rose without thorns in the world is friendship. a true friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your heart. truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget. one friend in a lifetime is much, two are many, three are hardly possible. stick to make friends, forlife without friends is like life on a desert island. to find one real friend in a lifetime is good fortune, to keep him is a blessing.
thank you for your attention!
Good morning,ladies and gentlemen,today i am so happy to stand here to give you a speech.Or rather, a real story of mine.
Though with time going by,i can still remember what you once told me.You should be a brave girl.Smiling,you looked into my eyes.Year in,year out,nearly most of my memories are fading little by little.But only this simple sentence remained,without being forgotten in my life.
Again and again,i can not stop myself from thinking about it.So ordinary,but so impressive,so moving,just like the brightest sunshine,it helps me go through the darkest night.I am such a sensitive girl in your heart.You said,my sorroful facial expression made feel so distersssed.However,there is one thing i never tell you,that is ,i am becoming a big girl gradually with your words and smiles.I never tell you about it,for i believe oneday,you can see the great changes of mine for yourself.That is what i want to do in return.As i know,that will be the best gift for you.
I suddenly think of a song named MY HEART WILL GO ON.There is a beautiful sentence going like this.You are safe in my heart.More than once,i was moved to tears by it.I know ,i am also safe in your heart.i have already forgotten when i told you i was going to leave for Australia this summer holiday.You just smiled as usual,gently speaking.Whatever you decide to do,i will be in favor of it,but, just onething,remember,when you fell lonely abroad,do not forget we are here ,praying for you.We are all around you,far across the distance and space between us.i closed my eyes,the flashback started.The memories we had together,once we played games on the palyground,we played jokes on each other,you always wrote a lot of sentences on my articles to encourage me.And the most unforgetable thing,you told me,you believed m i could be a big girl.Sooner or later.
At that specific moment,i suddenly understood the meaning of this sentence totally.So on that day,i smiled as you used to,looking at you.The last words i said were,keep walking in sunshine.
Yes,keep walking in sunshine.I said to you ,also to myself.I know i am not alone wiht your company,and we can keep walking in sunshine till the last minute of our days.
I promise,i will be a big girl.
I promise,i will be a brave girl.
I promise,i will keep walking in sunshine.
That is my speech,thank you!
Good afternoon ，ladies and gentlemen!
I’m very honored to stand here and give you a short speech! my topic is Opportunities and Challenges.
First, I would like to know, what does your destiny offer you? Happiness, wisdom, a strong body or something else. If I had asked this question to president Nixon, he would probably had said,”Our destiny offers not the cup of despair, but the chalice of opportunity.”
Needless to say, one of the biggest opportunities given to China is the 20xx Olympic Games. Till now, we have used two sevenths of the preparation time. How much changes have you seen? New roads, new subway lines, public-exercising equipments with beautiful colors, large blocks of grass fields, and also lots of modern gyms which are under construction.
Other than those, there are even more good effects brought to us by the Olympic Games that cannot be seen directly. For example, more and more people will get to know China. I’m sure the mysterious Chinese culture will attract them strongly. And the games will also do good to the economy and environment, for it is gaining the attention of foreign investors and the awareness of environmental protection is being strengthened. What is more, Olympic Games give a unique opportunity to inspire and educate a new generation of Chinese youth with the Olympic values and the Olympic spirit. Now that we have seen so many advances, could you even imagine us losing the holding rights?
I’ve already said a lot about the Olympics and China. But I think everyone should use some time to think of this question, ”Does the Olympic Games have any special meaning to you?”
Good morning/afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. My topic is: faith does make a difference to our life.
The recent earthquake in Japan has triggered a series of unexpected crises and even faith crisis among us. Are the increasing natural disasters echoing the 20xx prediction by Maya? Is our future really so vulnerable and tentative? I am trying to probe the answer.
Last November, as a volunteer of the Global Sustainable Leaders Forum, I first came across the concept of social entrepreneurship. In the inspiring speeches, I saw the determination and faith of converting ideal into practice. I couldn’t help asking myself: what should I live for?
The great thinker Russell once put in his essay: Three passions, simple but overwhelmingly strong have governed my life: the longing for love, the search for knowledge, and unbearable pity for the suffering of mankind.
By launching donation campaigns and bearing social responsibility, Bill Gates reshaped the stereotyped faith of businessmen.
Then, how can I make a difference? A talk with my father gave me some inspiration.
My father is a superfan of traditional Chinese calligraphy. When I was a kid, I had the faintest idea why I should practise routinely this form of art. It was terribly boring. But Dad said seriously: As a Chinese, we need to pass down and promote our rich culture. It is our responsibility.
Yang Lan, a well-known TV host once said: As a media worker, I want to track down the passage of time and history by conducting interviews. For me, the responsibility outweighs the occupation itself.
Far back to Confucius, who was once obscure and humble, undertook the seemingly hopeless task of building a harmonious society. But with his strong faith, hemade a change by spreading the seeds of wisdom.
The story about three craftsmen further illustrates the power of faith. When asked about their work, one said: I'm piling up the bricks. Another replied: I'm building the wall. The third responded: I'm designing a home for people. These three replies mirrored distinct insights toward work: Task, job, and undertaking.
In my university, students majoring in National Defence choose to devote their golden years to safeguarding our mother land. They have interpreted faith with their own dynamic youth.
My friends, musicians can not simply provide us with lyrical notes, but create melody to sooth our soul; Scientists can not merely invent machines, but utilize their wisdom to reshape our lifestyle; teachers can not just impart knowledge, but usher us to become a worthy person!
So, my dear friends, life without faith is just like music without melody, and world without color. We are who we choose to be. It is faith that’ll remove our fear about future and stretch the radius of our life. Let faith light up all our young dreams.
Thank you!
How well are we in tune with the rhythm of life? In our busy day to day existence, we don’t often stop to ask ourselves this question. At least I don’t. And it wasn’t until I joined a competitive sporting event that I learned a most important lesson – we must place our mind in harmony with the natural order of things to be successful.
Let me tell you what happened.
I decided to take part in an International Marathon in my hometown last year. Being an ambitious person, I hoped to finish it within 5 hours, accompanied by my friend with whom I had trained.
The big day finally arrived. "Ready...set...bang" And we were off.
At first, we kept a rapid pace and ran nonstop. At this pace, we finished the first 20 kilometers in 2 hours and I thought running a marathon was a piece of cake. Then my running mate began to slow down. I urged him to keep running at the same pace but he said no, he wanted to conserve his energy. I felt I had partnered with the wrong person, therefore, I sprinted on and left him behind in the dust.
A few kilometers later, I began to understand his strategy as my pace slowed to a jog then a walk. After that I was incapable of moving another step. I was humiliated as more and more people ran passed me. More than once I thought "Maybe I should quit." I started to doubt my ability to finish this race.
At this moment, my running mate caught up with me and slapped me on the back. “Follow me,” he shouted. He had balanced his marathon pace and was encouraged me to do the same. For the rest of this grueling contest, we walked, jogged, ran a few miles, and walked again. Slowly, painfully but hopefully this time, we established the most suitable pace within the natural flow of our physical capabilities.
Eventually we accomplished our first Marathon of 42 kilometers in 4 and half hours. I asked myself, what did this marathon mean to me? My Marathon experience became an influential metaphor for my life about how we must learn to pace ourselves in everything, by being in tune with the rhythm of life.
Like the tide that ebbs and flows, we must listen to advice but make our own decisions. Like the show at dawn and dusk, we must learn to balance pride and modesty. And from the way the wind can both shout and whisper, we must learn when to be strong and when to be gentle, for everything moves in its own rhythm and its own yin and yang elements. It is the interaction of these complementary extremes that produces harmony, as Laozi said, extremes meet. Since the marathon, this notion of two opposite forces working together has been my running partner, so to speak. Yin and yang exist everywhere, constantly interacting, and never existing in an absolute condition.
Ladies and Gentlemen, life is like running a marathon, let us discover, define and develop a natural rhythm of life, in order to achieve both harmony and success.
Thank you for listening.
Good afternoon ，ladies and gentlemen!
I’m very honored to stand here and give you a short speech! my topic is Opportunities and Challenges.
First, I would like to know, what does your destiny offer you? Happiness, wisdom, a strong body or something else. If I had asked this question to president Nixon, he would probably had said,”Our destiny offers not the cup of despair, but the chalice of opportunity.”
Needless to say, one of the biggest opportunities given to China is the 20xx Olympic Games. Till now, we have used two sevenths of the preparation time. How much changes have you seen? New roads, new subway lines, public-exercising equipments with beautiful colors, large blocks of grass fields, and also lots of modern gyms which are under construction.
Other than those, there are even more good effects brought to us by the Olympic Games that cannot be seen directly. For example, more and more people will get to know China. I’m sure the mysterious Chinese culture will attract them strongly. And the games will also do good to the economy and environment, for it is gaining the attention of foreign investors and the awareness of environmental protection is being strengthened. What is more, Olympic Games give a unique opportunity to inspire and educate a new generation of Chinese youth with the Olympic values and the Olympic spirit. Now that we have seen so many advances, could you even imagine us losing the holding rights?
I’ve already said a lot about the Olympics and China. But I think everyone should use some time to think of this question, ”Does the Olympic Games have any special meaning to you?”
For us, I mean the Chinese youth, 20xx Olympic Games is a tremendous gift. Because what we are waiting for is to do something significant as repaying the love given to us .The society is just like a ship, and in our dreams the captain is waving his hand and saying ”Hey! Come here and take the helm! ”How charming his voice is, but we have never heard of it in our true life. This morning, however, when we wake up, we will see the Olympic Games waving its hand. After chewing, most of us will have at least one plan about what to do for the Olympic Games. And mine is to be a “comforter” ----that is someone who will give comfort to others.
At the end of my speech, I hope all the preparation will go well, and everyone will show their ability to the world. Let us seize opportunities and give a big smile to challenges.
女士们,先生们,下午好!
我很荣幸站在这里给你一个简短的讲话!我的主题是机遇和挑战。
首先,我想知道,你的命运给你什么?幸福,智慧,一个强壮的身体或者其他东西。如果我有问这个问题尼克松总统,他可能会说,“命运给予我们的不是失望之酒,而是机会之杯。”
不用说,给中国一个最大的机会是20xx年奥运会。直到现在,我们已经使用2/7的准备时间。你看过多少变化?新的道路,新的地铁线路,public-exercising设备用美丽的色彩,大量的草地上,还有很多在建的现代健身房。
以外,有更加好的效果带给我们的奥运会,不能直接看到。例如,越来越多的人了解中国。我相信神秘的中国文化会强烈吸引他们。和奥运会也将做良好的经济和环境,因为这是获得外国投资者的关注和保护环境的意识正在加强。更重要的是,奥运会给一个独特的机会来激励和培养新一代的中国青年奥林匹克精神和奥林匹克精神。现在我们已经见过这么多的进步,你能想象我们失去了持有的权利吗?
我已经说了很多关于奥运会和中国。但我认为每个人都应该用一些时间来思考这个问题,“奥运会有什么特殊的意义吗?”
对我们来说,我的意思是中国青年,20xx年奥运会是一个巨大的礼物。因为我们正在等待做重要的是偿还给我们的爱。社会就像一艘船,我们的梦想队长挥舞着他的手,说:“嘿!来这里掌舵!”他的声音是多么迷人,但我们从未听说过在我们的真实生活。然而今天上午,当我们醒来时,我们将看到奥运会挥舞着它的手。咀嚼后,我们大多数人至少都会有一个计划为奥运会做什么。和我的是一个“被子”——这是会安慰别人的人。
在我演讲的最后,我希望所有的准备工作将顺利,每个人都将向世界展示他们的能力。让我们抓住机遇,给挑战一个大大的微笑。
A Young Idler,An Old Beggar
Almost everyone knows the famous Chinese saying：A young idler，an old beggar. Throughout history，we have seen many cases in which this saying has again and again proved to be true.
It goes without saying that the youth is the best time of life，during which one's mental and physical states are at their peaks. It takes relatively less time and pains to learn or accept new things in a world full of changes and rapid developments. In addition，one is less likely to be under great pressure from career，family and health problems when young. Therefore，a fresh mind plus enormous energy will ensure success in different aspects of life.
Of course，we all know：no pains，no gains. If we don't make every effort to make good use of the advantages youth brings us，it is impossible to achieve any goals. As students，we should now try our best to learn all the subjects well so that we can be well prepared for the challenges that we will face in the future.
Sports are more than competitions. To me, they mean growth under the care of others. I learned this the hard way.
I used to be very shy and often felt lonely. Although I did well in all the academic subjects, I was afraid of physical education. My classmates often laughed at me.
“Look at that girl,” they said. “Her feet don’t leave the ground when she runs!”
Their words embarrassed me. Moreover, whenever the teacher organized some competitive games, no one in the class liked to have me as their partner or team member. As a result, I often ended up looking at others enjoy their games.
Things would go on like that if not for a sports meet in my high school. By mistake, my name was put on the list of those who would compete in the women’s 1500 meters race. By the time people found the mistake, it was too late to change.
My desk-mate was a natural athlete. She said to me, “I couldn’t run that race in your place, because I’ve signed up for three items already.” Other athletic girls of the class said the same.
I was utterly dumbfounded. 1500 meters! Running against the best runners from other classes! And in front of students of the entire school! It would be the worst nightmare I’d ever have!
“You still have time to catch up because there is still one month before the sports meet,” they all said this to me, including my teacher.
My desk-mate patted me on the shoulder, “Cool! You will run for our class! And we will do training together.” Yes, this is not just for myself, but for my class too, I said to myself. But still, 1500 meters to me was like Mount Everest to a beginning climber. I had no idea even how to start my preparation.
Fortunately, my desk-mate gave me a hand. Every afternoon after class, several of us ran together. When the fear of being laughed at struck me, I saw others running right beside me. They gave me strengths. While we were running, some others would stand by the tracks cheering for us.
One month certainly couldn’t make me a good runner. But when I was standing behind the start line, I no longer felt lonely or afraid. I saw my classmates standing by the tracks waving at me as if about to run beside me.
With the shot of the starting gun, I dashed out and ran as fast as I could, as if it were a 200-meter race. Soon I was out of breath and slowed down. Other runners passed me one by one, and gradually I had no idea how many of them were still behind me. My legs were getting heavier and heavier, and I might fall down at any moment. However, I suddenly heard my classmates chanting my name. My desk-mate even ran along the tracks beside me and cheered for me at the same time, just like the month-long training we did together.
As expected, I was almost the last to cross the finish line. Immediately, my classmates held my arms and urged me to walk on my feet and not to sit down. I was surrounded, with all kinds of drinks handed to me. I felt a kind of warmth I had never felt before. Even though I was almost the last to finish the race, I was full of confidence that I would improve in the future.
That sports meet was an unforgettable experience. The memory of my classmates cheering for me, holding my arms and handing me drinks stays fresh on my mind. Sports are no longer about winning or losing. They give me a lot of confidence, both confidence in my fellow students and confidence in my own potential. I am no longer lonely, no longer afraid. Sports have brought me close to my classmates and helped us grow together.
Now, I participate in the sports meet every year. Even if I am not competing, I would help my classmates with their practice, just like the way my desk-mate and others ran with me.
Good afternoon, everyone!
The topic of my speech today is “Being a Good Listener”.
Good listening can always show respect, promote understanding, and improve interpersonal relationship.
Many people suggest that parents should listen more to their children, so they will understand them better, and find it easy to narrow the generation gap; teachers should listen more to their students, then they can meet their needs better, and place themselves in a good relationship with their students; students should listen more to their classmates, thus they will help and learn from each other, and a friendship is likely to be formed.
What I want to stress is that each of us should listen more to others. Show your respect and never stop others till they finish their talk; show you are interested by a supportive silence or a knowing smile; be open-minded to different opinions even though you don’t like them. In a word, good listening can really enable us to get closer to each other.
Thank you for your listening!
大家下午好!
今天,我演讲的题目是“做一个好的倾听者”。
好的倾听可以表示尊重,增进理解,和改善人际关系。
许多人认为父母应该多听他们的孩子,所以他们会对它们有更好的理解,并且发现它容易缩小代沟,教师应该多听他们的学生,然后他们可以满足他们的需求,并将自己与他们的学生在一个良好的关系,学生应该多听他们的同学,因此他们会帮助和互相学习,可能会形成和友谊。
我想强调的是我们每个人都应该更多的倾听他人。展示你的尊重和从未停止其他人直到他们完成他们的谈话,告诉你感兴趣的一个支持性的沉默或一个会心的微笑,是开放的不同意见,即使你不喜欢他们。总之,良好的倾听可以使我们更接近彼此。
谢谢你的倾听!
It is undeniable that the worsening environment has bee the biggest concernof the present-day world。Land resources are dwindling because of water loss andsoil erosion。Waste gases poison the air we breathe。The rivers and lakes arepolluted by waste dumped in them from factories。It is probably no exaggerationto say that deterioration of the quality of the environment threatens theexistence of mankind itself。
Some people are of the opinion that the environmental problem is the pricewe have to pay for economic development。But I do not think that this argument isvalid。After all， what is the point of economic growth if people’s lives areadversely alfected by worsening environmental pollution?
There is plenty of evidence to show that sustainable development can beachieved by balancing economic growth with protection of the environment。The keyto achieving this is to make people aware of the seriousness of the problem。Bothgovernments and ordinary citizens should join hands to make this world a betterplace to live in， not only for ourselves， but also for future generations。
不可否认的是环境恶化已成为当今世界上人们最担心的事了。因为水资源的浪费和土壤被侵蚀，土地资源逐渐缩小。我们呼吸着有毒的空气，河流和湖泊也被附近的工厂里排放出来的废弃物严重污染了。不夸大其词地说，环境质量的恶化很可能威胁人类的生存。
有些人说环境问题是我们为经济发展所付出的代价。对此，我不敢苟同。如果人类的生活被日益恶化的环境污染所影响的话，那么，经济发展的好处何在?
足够的证据证明：经济发展与环境保护的平衡能够实现可持续发展。关键是使人们意识到问题的严重性。政府和普通市民两方都就应携手使地球成为更适合人类居住的地方，这不仅仅是为我们自我，也是为我们的后代。
then i will say sth. about my family. there are three people in my family，my mother，father and me. my father is a strict but kind man. he always puts his own heart on his business. my mother is a teacher. she does pretty well. no matter what they do, or how busy they are, they always give me their deep love. i love them, too.
as long as you work hard，there will be a harvest. this is my motto. i’ll follow this path and study hard.
that’s all. thank you.
Good morning,ladies and gentlemen,today i am so happy to stand here to give you a speech.Or rather, a real story of mine.
Though with time going by,i can still remember what you once told me.You should be a brave girl.Smiling,you looked into my eyes.Year in,year out,nearly most of my memories are fading little by little.But only this simple sentence remained,without being forgotten in my life.
Again and again,i can not stop myself from thinking about it.So ordinary,but so impressive,so moving,just like the brightest sunshine,it helps me go through the darkest night.I am such a sensitive girl in your heart.You said,my sorroful facial expression made feel so distersssed.However,there is one thing i never tell you,that is ,i am becoming a big girl gradually with your words and smiles.I never tell you about it,for i believe oneday,you can see the great changes of mine for yourself.That is what i want to do in return.As i know,that will be the best gift for you.
I suddenly think of a song named MY HEART WILL GO ON.There is a beautiful sentence going like this.You are safe in my heart.More than once,i was moved to tears by it.I know ,i am also safe in your heart.i have already forgotten when i told you i was going to leave for Australia this summer holiday.You just smiled as usual,gently speaking.Whatever you decide to do,i will be in favor of it,but, just onething,remember,when you fell lonely abroad,do not forget we are here ,praying for you.We are all around you,far across the distance and space between us.i closed my eyes,the flashback started.The memories we had together,once we played games on the palyground,we played jokes on each other,you always wrote a lot of sentences on my articles to encourage me.And the most unforgetable thing,you told me,you believed m i could be a big girl.Sooner or later.
At that specific moment,i suddenly understood the meaning of this sentence totally.So on that day,i smiled as you used to,looking at you.The last words i said were,keep walking in sunshine.
Yes,keep walking in sunshine.I said to you ,also to myself.I know i am not alone wiht your company,and we can keep walking in sunshine till the last minute of our days.
I promise,i will be a big girl.
helping every american with autism achieve their full potential is one of this administration’s top priorities. at the u.s. department of health and human services, we continue to strive to meet the complex needs of all people with autism spectrum disorders (asd) and their families. while there is no cure, early intervention is critical and can greatly improve a child’s development.
perhaps the biggest step we’ve taken to support those affected by autism and their families happened over a year ago, with the signing of the affordable care act. now, new insurance plans are required to cover autism screening and developmental assessments for children at no cost to parents. insurers will also no longer be allowed to deny children coverage for a pre-existing condition such as asd or to set arbitrary lifetime or annual limits on benefits.
also, thanks to the new law, young adults are allowed to stay on their family health insurance until they turn 26. for a young adult with autism spectrum disorder and their family, that means peace of mind. it means more flexibility, more options, and more opportunity to reach their full potential.
ultimately, there is more support for americans with autism than ever before. this means more promise of new breakthroughs that will help us understand autism even better. but in order to continue meeting the needs of people with autism, the combating autism act must be fully reauthorized. we still have a long way to go. working collaboratively with important partners, the affordable care act and the combating autism act will allow us to continue important research and develop and refine vital treatments.
there are still many unknowns. however, one thing is certain. we will continue to work harder than ever to find solutions and provide support to individuals with asd and their families. together, we can help reduce disparities and allow everyone to actualize their greatest potential.
kathleen sebelius is secretary of health and human services.
Imagine a car without a steering wheel. Tough to imagine, right? Well, actually that’s the image you see if a person has no faith. Faith helps to guide us in our lives, encourage us to persist, and give directions when we are lost.
In this peaceful era, our life paths seem to be already well-planned and determined. What we have to do is to follow. Yes, we may face different sorts of challenges, but at least they are less harsh when compared to those in the past. We do not need to worry about starving to death, or how to earn enough money to buy food for our siblings and sustain our lives.
It is like driving from a muddy road into a highway. In the muddy road, path, you would say, as it is formed only by crossing on it many times, flattening the ground to form a smoother area so we can pass. The road is so bumpy and rough, with holes here and there and rocks lying all over. When we drive along this road, we have to be very careful, having a firm grip on the steering wheel, ready for a sudden turn or a large boulder that may appear any second. However, when we drive on a highway, everything becomes different. The road is smooth, straight, and visible. Since there is no unseen obstacle, we may lower our guard, relax a bit, and loosen our grip on the steering wheel. One may even think, if we only have to drive on a smooth straight road like this highway, why would we need a steering wheel?
Nevertheless, one cannot foresee the future. Accidents do happen. For example, a car may suddenly appear in front of you. At such times, if you did not have the steering wheel, how could you make a sudden turn? Just as no one could foresee the Sichuan Earthquake nor the Japan Tsunami. If the one being trapped under the debris did not have faith, he/she would not have survived until being rescued. If we did not have faith, we could not recover from our sadness and rebuild our home.
Faith is unique, just as happiness is. We feel happy for different reasons, we believe for different things. How can we know what we believe in? Recall the last time you are discouraged, and you felt you had lost all hopes in your life. What pulled you back into the world? What pushed you to stand up and continue to strive again? That is your faith, your belief. Faith is what makes you feel you can when others say you can’t.
Faith is important…, faith is vital…, faith is necessary for us to live our lives. If we do not have faith, we are like a car without a steeling wheel. We can only afford to move along a straight and smooth path, and cannot meet any challenge in our lives. One must understand that no matter how smooth the road is, it is impossible for a car to go without a steering wheel. Or, put it in another way, have you ever seen a car without a steering wheel on the road? So, act now, my friends, find out what you believe in, find out your anchor in your life, hold on to your steeling wheel of your car, drive on, and reach your destination. Thank you very much.