Opposite me was a girl who was about 10 years old. She was sleeping in her mother's arms and looked worse than me but comfortable. The mother looked very tired but held her daughter and didn't say a word.

Sitting beside me was a boy around five years old. He looked very sick and his mother appeared worried. On my other side was a boy aged about 17. He was asleep with his head on his mum's shoulder. His mum also looked stressed and kept giving him water to drink.

This scene touched me, and I suddenly sensed how great a mother's love is. Our mother loves us so much no matter how old we are. She is always at our side and gives us support. She is the superwoman of our lives.

Candice Nam, Christian Alliance S. C. Chan Memorial College

Provide more sporting facilities

It seems the provision of sports facilities in Hong Kong is still far from sufficient. Although the government always encourages the public to exercise more, nothing has been done to improve this situation.

In order to keep up with demand, it is necessary for the government to do something and provide more sports facilities for the general public. Despite the popularity of private gyms, they are so expensive that many people cannot afford to use them. If the government provided more high-quality indoor gyms with low fees, more people could enjoy working out.

We also need more badminton courts, jogging trails, cycling paths and swimming pools, especially near public housing estates. Some small estates have very few facilities for outside exercise. Exercise not only leads to a healthier lifestyle, but can also help alleviate the pressures of city life. Living in a stressful city like Hong Kong, people have heavy workloads and we all need time to enjoy ourselves outside.

Let's all reach out to the government and encourage it to provide more recreational and sporting facilities for us.

Shirley Leung, Leung Shek Chee College

Be grateful for the love you get

Gratitude is sensing the devotion of others and using our hearts to thank them.

One winter's night, after I had been studying hard and felt tired, my mum gave me a cup of hot chocolate and some crunchy cookies.

I felt so warm in my heart and grateful for the love she had shown me.

On one summer's Sunday morning, my dad didn't have his usual energy because he had been working overtime. But he still got up early, so I asked him: 'Don't you want to sleep more?'

He said: 'I promised to take you to the beach and go for a swim.'

The people near me actually don't need to do these things - they do them because they love me.

If everyone in the world knew how to show gratitude, this world would be a wonderful world

Minnie Yip Ming-yuen, Kiangsu & Chekiang Primary School

Don't forget our musical influences

Teenagers love listening to the latest pop stars, such as Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and Alicia Keys. But the singers I love are not modern and may no longer be active. I don't know if I am too unfashionable, but my favourite singers include Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Anita Baker, Michael Franks, Spice Girls, The Jackson 5, Laura Fygi, and Andy Williams among others.

The reason for listing so many singers is that they all made important contributions. I think we should remember them and not only listen to contemporary artists.

Leung Yuen-shan, STFA Tam Pak Yu College