The Flight of Youth

By Richard Henry Stoddard

There are gains for all our losses,

There are balms ( 止痛膏) for all our pains,

But when youth, the dream, departs

It takes something from our hearts,

And it never comes again.

We are stronger, and are better,

Under, manhood's sterner (严峻的) reign (驱使).

Till we feel that something sweet

Followed youth, with flying feet,

And will never come again.

Something beautiful is vanished (使消逝),

And we sigh (叹息) for it in vain;

We behold (看到) it everywhere,

On the earth, and in the air,

But it never comes again!

“If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.” It’s a sentence that we have all heard many, many times, and it might even seem old-fashioned and cliched (老生常谈)to you. But this sentence essentially symbolizes the virtue of perseverance-never giving up.

It’s a common phrase coming from the mouths of parents, teachers and coaches. Why? It is because we have the tendency to give up trying after numerous attempts resulting in failure. Achieving the seemingly impossible is always tough but we should keep in mind that every step we take is a step closer to maturity and success. In the process of striving to achieve, we reflect, learn and gain self-understanding, the pride and accomplishment of having completed our tasks.

Never give up, try and try again.

Here is a model demonstrating the virtue of perseverance. Thomas Edison, the great inventor of the bulb, carried out literally thousands of experiments to find out which type of material was suitable for making the filament (灯丝)of a light bulb. Thousands of different materials were tested. There were thousands of consecutive(连续不断的)failures, but Edison refused to give up. At last he succeeded, and created one of the most important inventions in history. Had he given up, we would still be living in darkness.

I also have personal experience of the importance of perseverance. When I was in Grade 6 of primary school, I joined a course that required a lot of physical endurance and ability. As I was not an athletic person then, I thought it was a big challenge and that I’d never complete all of the tasks. I just wanted to give up trying, but I told myself to persevere. Somewhat miraculously, I completed the entire course. I knew that I wasn’t as weak as I had thought, and that sense of jubilation (欢)is utterly invaluable.

Never give up. Life is like tossing a coin-you either get heads, or tails. There is equal chance of getting either side of it. Even if you toss tails for 99 times, there is still a chance of getting heads for the 100th time. The important thing is to try.

Would you give up if you failed an examination twice? Would you give up after losing your future? Would you give up if you felt like life had lost all its meaning? If you answer no to those questions, congratulations. Life is not hopeless, and with enough perseverance and determination, you will succeed. Continue tossing the coin of life, and never give up.