WITH LOVE

By Hang Su
(China, Age 24)

I had just come back from Barcelona where I had sit in the street to do portraits for passers-by. Back to work in the orphanage in Macau, I read an advertisement: "Write an essay on making the most of your qualities, and how you can make use of them for the benefits of this world."

By working in this orphanage as a volunteer for two years, I would like to say: I do things with love.

I remember very well the day when I first visited this orphanage: in one big room, a group of kids were dancing cheerfully; on the other side, another group were reading loudly by following a teacher; in the corner, the elder were helping prepare dinner table...I have never seen one picture as harmonized as this before...after knowing that most workers here were volunteers and it needed more helpers, I joined in this warm family right away. I do drawing with kids: I teach them basic techniques, while explaining to them the first important thing for drawing is not techniques but heart. By doing this, they are able to put more zest in their work so as that I receive more lovely masterpieces which really fascinate me, melt me. We run riddle competition: every time I feel like I myself pass through a brainstorming; and when I announce the result, I see there is on that little winner's face an expression of cute rapture: I am sure which appears on my face as well... I mingle with all the kids here. I love them. - If you see such pleasant pictures, will you relate these kids to orphans?

Everyday there are people coming in for adopting children, while there are orphans being sent to us as well. Love decorates the world, while hatred destroys it at the same time. I remind of my recent trip to Barcelona. I was there learning portraits from one of my Spanish friends. I met a lot of talented street artists, and the best one I have ever seen, was a 16-year-old boy, who, unfortunately became an orphan after the Madrid train bomb explosions not long ago. When he was drawing, I observed a pair of quivering, glittering eyes. Those were with love, obviously. One day, when I was thinking hard where to erase some lines on my work, I heard a soft voice: "It is pretty good...I see you draw it with your heart," it was him, "that is the most important. You have done that." I thanked him and passed him my impression towards his artwork. He smiled and nodded, "art needs love, life needs love..." - If you were in my position, would you match this respectful boy with a result of a terror attack?

The current world shows us a kind of contrast: love versus hatred; peace versus violence. The elements in each side may be extinguished or fortified. If we keep adding good elements in this contest, we can send away more and more bad ones. I want to optimize my positive attributes in this evolution: to transfer love to others. I plant love in every song I sing with children; I transfer love in every stroke I make in portraits. I want to share my love to others then others can share theirs to more and more "others". I believe inner sunshine warms the heart of the owner, and moreover of all that come in contact with it. If I love others, they will love me in return. That is one tiny step of adding good elements, but it is essential. It is like a forward-email: maybe you can only transfer it to friends you know, but never ignore the multiplying power: there are friends behind your friends so as there are enormous efforts for fighting against negative components in the world.

I know that I am not alone. There are so many volunteers and young people, using our hands and love, helping this orphanage or that organization. Pairs of quivering, glittering eyes, here and there. We are together sending and circulating positive elements. Not only in Macau, not only in Barcelona. Universal benevolence beams.

I go out for shopping for the next week with one of my colleagues. We buy that beggar in the park a lunch as usual. On the way back to the orphanage, we already hear the joyful songs ahead of us. High up in the blue, a lark that is soaring towards the gauzy cloud is singing, as if in choir. We are embraced by peace and harmony. That is an up-and-coming panorama of the world: by the power of love, no violence or terror will rock the world, no misfortune or defects will hit the man.