<Beautiful Essay><Kindness Makes Life So Beautiful>

I once thought that the passage of time had long rendered emotions numb, yet when I unintentionally flipped through something, there was a story that made me cry uncontrollably... A building in the construction collapsed, and a man and a woman clung to a single branch. The small branch clearly could not bear the weight of two adults and was about to break. The woman cried, saying she had two children, and if she died, what would happen to them? The man let go, and before falling, he only said, 'Take good care of your children.' Seven words marked the end of one life and the continuation of three; seven words were a surrender of love, a light of kindness! I lay on my seat and cried, overwhelmed by complex emotions of both touching and sadness. Life is so precious, the colorful world so alluring, yet what kind of force made that man let go for a beautiful life and precious lives? I thought of the world-renowned 'Titanic' of that year—the gentleman in a perfectly tailored suit in the ship's hall; the elderly couple sleeping embraced; the mother with a kind smile telling stories to the children; the violinist on deck comforting panicked people with music; the captain who shot himself. What kind of strength enabled them to choose to give up their lives, leaving the hope of survival to others? After experiencing the premature death of friends, I have cherished my life all the more, fearing that one careless moment could let life slip away like fine sand through my fingers. Life is a unique treasure, the grace given to us by heaven! I cherish life so deeply, care for life, just as the man and woman in the story, the gentleman, the couple, the mother, the violinist, the crew on the ship all did. Yet they gave their precious lives to save others' survival—what is this? There is a story of a little girl who, learning that there were no birds in the world that didn't eat bugs, chose to become a bug herself. Her choice was a fulfillment for the bird's survival, an act of love, a kindness that respects survival and life, just like the man who let go, like the gentleman who did not board a lifeboat! The little girl's choice made me ashamed of my excessive attachment to life, which had made me lose my innate kindness! Yet, I finally awoke, and my tears washed away the dirt from my soul, letting me be moved by the goodness of people! Care for the elderly as you do for your own elders, care for the young as you do for your own children.It is our ancestors who have shared with us the essence of life. Everyone has some degree of selfishness because we are afraid of losing life, afraid of never being able to enjoy the pleasures of the world again. There are no saints, no perfect people. Only we, who have many flaws, are trying to maintain an imperfect life. So in the face of so many crossroads in life, it is easy for us to forget kindness. Cherishing life is something admirable. Being too obsessed with life, however, is a pitiable weakness. Kindness is a treasure that requires sacrificing self-interest. People who are too attached to life will not choose to make the sacrifice of kindness. Without the illumination of human kindness, is life really so worthy of attachment? Is life truly so beautiful? Those of us who are alive have chosen to survive, and we respect life. Because we respect life, we must love, give, forgive, and be grateful—these are the content of kindness.