Halloween Lessons: Giving is Better than Taking
By Jia Zhong, China, Presbyterian College
Halloween is a special festival. It is a time for people to use their imaginations to wear different costumes and play ‘Trick or Treat’. Our professors wore their funny costumes to class which I can’t even imagine happening in China. I feel like this festival is for having fun and releasing the little monsters which lie deep in our hearts. We carved pumpkins to decorate our dorms and went to a Halloween concert at night. It was my first time attending a concert. I listened and reveled in the music played by the orchestra. I could feel that ghosts were dancing to the music, celebrating their festival. The concert turned out to be a great success and I loved that music.
Halloween is the time to have fun with children and to play ‘Trick or Treat’. However, I also think it is a time to visit the elderly.
One week before Halloween, we went to Presbyterian Home and painted small pumpkins with the residents to decorate their rooms. We drew stars, flowers, and classic devil-smiles on the pumpkins with colored pens. I helped my ‘granny’ draw the pictures she wanted. When I finished drawing, my granny wanted her name and mine written on the pumpkin to show her family that a Chinese girl made it for her. Her words touched my heart and made me feel very happy.
On Halloween, we went to Presbyterian Home again. I saw my granny and she was excited because her family would visit her later. She had a big and bright smile, which I never saw before. The smile reminded me that the elderly need our care and love. They give their love to us unselfishly, raise us, and we should give them our love to create their happy, twilight years. We should spare our time to visit them frequently and not let them feel lonely.
In my opinion, I believe that giving is better than taking. Maybe it is related to my life experiences. When I was eight, my father died. I received a lot of help from warmhearted people. And now that I have grown up, I think it is time to give that love and care to others. Then those who receive my help can continue to pass that love to others. Every time I see people wearing a smile to express their thanks, a sense of happiness overwhelms me. That’s also the reason why I will try my best to find a job at an NGO and use my efforts to make a small contribution to society.
Giving is better than taking. ‘Trick or Treat’, a classic description for Halloween, can also reflect that. When we give candies to lovely children and see smiles on their faces, we feel happier. When I painted pumpkins for my granny and received her happy smile, I felt all my efforts were worthwhile.
It is my first time to celebrate Halloween and I think it is one of the most memorable experiences in my life. I would like to thank all of people who helped me before and certainly, I will pass that love and care to people in need.