I have been planting trees with my grandfather since I was a child. To date, I have planted more than 2,000 trees, yet three trees remain unplanted in my heart. If you have not planted them either, let us plant them together!
First, let us plant the tree of diligence. Diligence is a virtue that can compensate for innate shortcomings. Genius often stems from diligence, and only through hard work can one achieve success. Guo Moruo once said: "The decisive factor in forming a genius should be diligence; with a bit of hard study and practice, one's natural talent can be better utilized, and the full realization of talent is proportional to an individual's hard work." Indeed, this is true for our studies as well; only through diligent study can we achieve excellent results. I believe everyone has heard the story of Ouyang Xiu! When Ouyang Xiu was four years old, his father passed away, leaving the family in extreme poverty, and his mother could not afford his education. Since he could not afford books, he often went to the Li family, who had a rich collection, to borrow them. To be able to borrow books, he would play and help sew clothes with the children of the Li family. Whenever he borrowed a new book, he cherished it like a precious treasure and read it voraciously, often staying up all night, and even copying and memorizing good passages. It was with this very spirit that Ouyang Xiu became a great master in literary history.
Next, let us plant the tree of confidence. Confidence is a necessary factor for success, and those who possess confidence find happiness. Confidence can provide people with infinite strength. Have you heard the story of "the confident sparrow that became the leader"? Long ago, there was a very "confident" sparrow that always told the other sparrows, "Don't look at me as I am today; I used to be a beautiful and noble peacock, but I turned into this because I smoked too much." Of course, the sparrow never actually became a peacock, but it did become the leader of all the sparrows. High confidence may not be the only condition for success, but it is certainly a prerequisite. Shakespeare once said: "Confidence is the first secret to success." In our journey of growth, we need confidence and should not lose it due to temporary setbacks.
Finally, let us plant the tree of integrity. Integrity is the foundation of one's character. Alexandre Dumas once said: "When credit disappears, the body has no life." There is a folk tale about a child who was herding sheep on a mountain. Out of curiosity, one day he suddenly shouted, "Wolf! Wolf!..." People from the village rushed up, only to realize it was a joke. He did this repeatedly, and people began to get angry. One day, a wolf actually came, and the child shouted desperately, "Wolf! Wolf!..." But this time, no one came to help, and many sheep were eaten. In today's society, integrity is the key to business success and the most important capital. A market economy is essentially an economy of integrity, and friends also need integrity. If you frequently break your word in small matters, people will be skeptical of you in big matters.
Students, have you planted these three trees? If not, hurry up and plant them! If you have already planted them, do not forget to regularly "water," "fertilize," "loosen the soil," "weed," "pest control," and "prune" them, so that they may flourish through the scorching heat of summer and remain evergreen through the bitter cold of winter. In this way, you will truly possess an immortal life.
