Collision of True Feelings and Ignorance
On Tuesday, April 17, 2007, I watched the "True Feelings" program on Hunan Satellite TV. I was deeply moved by the true feelings in the program. When I saw the adorable little Masha kneeling in front of his mother to ask her to take care of his father who needed surgery, I couldn't help but shed tears. My heart was surging with emotion, and I could not calm down for a long time!
A small child, in his young heart, has a great love and filial piety. On his tender shoulders lies the heavy burden of life. In order to save his father, he traveled alone from the countryside to the provincial capital Changsha. To raise money for his father's surgery, he held a sign that read "No way out, redeeming my father." and knelt by the roadside. To make his mother take care of his father's surgery, he knelt in front of his mother again. The little him already knew how important kneeling was, and that it was the most sacred and solemn act for a man, as well as the most helpless yet effective action. What a small heart! Yet it holds such a broad mind. He went to school carrying his younger sister on his back while studying, took care of his father and cooked when he returned home, and also did farm work. What strong shoulders these are!
The father, who is sick, is the most painful and helpless one. His wife left him, with no news at all. He has to watch his young son bear the heavy burden of life. However, he is also the kindest and most selfless one. In the face of hardship, when there is no other choice, when he has to give up his children, he chose to abandon his biological son and keep the daughter he adopted. "The daughter is already an orphan, I cannot let her become an orphan again..." The simple words contain a great kindness.
Xiaohong, a girl who was abandoned by her birth mother because she was a girl and left on the field ridge. In this "story," she is both ignorant and innocent. In front of the camera, she was always holding her brother's hand, showing nothing but curiosity. She is just a naive little girl!
Xiaohong's birth mother, an ignorant rural woman. For a boy, for her later husband to have a blood relative, she didn't hesitate to abandon her own daughter. In the lens, she appears so ignorant. Under the repeated reprimands of Sister Zhao, she remained indifferent and refused. It seems that her own daughter was just a passerby in her life. The title of "mother," which is so sacred, appears so hollow here. When Xiaohong appeared in front of her, it awakened a bit of conscience that had not been completely extinguished in her heart. Her face full of tears could not wash away her guilt. When she chased after Xiaohong from the dirt road to the ferry under the sunset, we finally saw the image of a "mother" waving her hand.
Masha's mother, a selfish and power-seeking woman, left alone when her husband fell ill, to live her own easy life. In the end, she disappeared without a trace, not even greeting her own son. Under Sister Zhao's earnest plea, she only smiled ignorantly and repeatedly refused everyone's request. "I can't even take care of myself, how can I take care of others..."? This is an utterly irresponsible and uneducated rural woman. Perhaps she does have her own difficulties. Even under her son's desperate plea and kneeling, she was unwilling to see or take care of her sick husband. "You're old enough now, you can take care of him..." In the end, we still saw what we wanted to see: she finally went to the hospital, and the family reunited.
Sister Zhao, a kind, selfless, straightforward, and outspoken good older sister. To help someone who has no blood relation to her, she spent money and effort without complaint or regret. Especially in her conversations with the two mothers of Masha and Xiaohong, her noble character and upright soul can be seen. Through the contrast between her and the two mothers, Sister Zhao's shining female image can be seen. However, personal strength is limited. We should thank her and wish her a lifetime of peace.
The host of the "True Feelings" program, faced with Masha's difficulties, generously donated 35,000 yuan that had not yet been fully raised, allowing Masha's father to successfully undergo surgery. This young and beautiful female host interpreted the full meaning of selflessness through her actions.
I am deeply moved by this true human story, for Masha's deep affection, for the kindness of Masha's father, for Sister Zhao's benevolence, for the host's selflessness, for the care everywhere in the world, and also deeply grieved by the ignorance of the two mothers.
From this "story," we also see some social phenomena. Why are the two mothers so ignorant and selfish? This profoundly reflects the backwardness of rural education, which is a major failure of family, school, and social education in our contemporary rural society. Our society should increase investment in rural education, comprehensively improve the quality of the rural population, eliminate the remnants of feudal society's preference for boys over girls and other backward thoughts. From this "story," we also see the helplessness of disadvantaged groups in society. Once a rural person contracts a serious illness, it will leave a family bankrupt. Our society should pay attention to the medical insurance issues in rural areas, so that seriously ill people in rural areas can afford medical treatment and not lead families to bankruptcy and despair, thus enabling social harmony. Our society should also pay more attention to the gap between the rich and the poor. In this society, some people have quickly become rich and are getting richer and richer, while some people are still struggling with basic sustenance. Everyone should see and pay attention to this issue. The government, media, and the whole society should advocate that the rich use their wealth to help those in need, especially the government should provide relief to those in need and fully demonstrate the superiority of socialism.
I am grateful to the "True Feelings" program of my hometown satellite TV for giving me an opportunity to be moved and an opportunity to reflect. I also wish Masha's family to soon walk on the path of happiness. I wish all the unfortunate people in the world to soon walk on the path of luck!