From the window of my room, I could see a tall cotton-rose hibiscus. In spring, when green foliage¹ was half hidden by mist, the tree looked very enchanting² 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 amazement³, the tree was almost bare beyond recognition as a result of the storm ravages⁴ the night before. Struck by the plight⁵, I was seized with a sadden saddens at the thought “all the blossom is doomed⁶ 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 vicissitudes⁷ 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 stuffy⁸ and casually⁹ opened the window. Something outside caught my eye and dazzled me. It was a plum tree all scarlet¹⁰ 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 sprouting¹¹ over the fallen petals¹³ when I was grieving for the hibiscus.

When the last withered¹⁴ petal¹² dropped, all the joyful admiration¹⁵ for the hibiscus sank into oblivion as if nothing was left, until the landscape was again ablaze¹⁶ 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 harmonious¹⁷ composition of loss gain.

Standing¹⁸ by the window lost in thought for a long time, I realized that no scenery in the world remains¹⁹ unchanged. As long as you keep your heart basking²⁰ in the sun, every dawn will present a fine prospect²¹ for you to unfold and the world will always be about new hopes.