from the window of my room, i could see a tall cotton-rose hibiscus. in spring, when green foliage was half hidden by mist, the tree looked very enchanting dotted with red blossom. this inspiring neighbor of mine often set my mind working. i gradually regarded it as my best friend.
nevertheless, when i opened the window one morning, to my amazement, the tree was almost bare beyond recognition as a result of the storm ravages the night before. struck by the plight, i was seized with a sadness at the thought all the blossom is doomed to fall. i could not help sighing with emotion: the course of life never runs smooth, for there are so many ups and downs, twists and turns. the vicissitudes of my life saw my beloved friends parting one after another. isn’t it similar to the tree shedding its flowers in the wind?
this event faded from my memory as time went by. one day after i came home from the countryside, i found the room stuffy and casually opened the window. something outside caught my eye and dazzled me. it was a plum tree all scarlet with blossom set off beautifully by the sunset. the surprise discovery overwhelmed me with pleasure. i wondered why i had no idea of some unyielding life sprouting over the fallen petals when i was grieving for the hibiscus.
when the last withered petal dropped, all the joyful admiration for the hibiscus sank into oblivion as if nothing was left, until the landscape was again ablaze with the red plum blossom to remind people of life’s alternation and continuance. can’t it be said that life is actually a symphony, a harmonious
