Have your say
Appreciate your family and your life
I refer to the article 'Father's suicide after slashing family' (SCMP, July 26). It was a tragic story. The father attacked his own daughter and then killed himself.
Every day, people take their own lives because they're depressed and angry.
But maybe the story of Gene O'Kelly, the author of Chasing Daylight, will make people
think about the meaning and importance of life.
O'Kelly was the CEO of a big accounting firm in America. He had a happy family, fame and power.
In his early 50s, he was told that he had brain cancer and only had 100 days to live.
But O'Kelly turned news of his death from a curse to a blessing.
As a professional accountant, he carefully planned his remaining time and created 'perfect days'.
Do perfect days mean earning more money or travelling around the world? No.
I was surprised to learn that all his perfect days were spent with his close friends and family.
I think the father in the news article regretted hurting his daughter. He couldn't forgive himself.
We should appreciate our family and should not hurt ourselves or our family.
I hope the girl will recover soon.
Carmen Choi
Ju Ching Chu Secondary School (Kwai Chung)
Find your own style
Nowadays, teenagers blindly follow fashion trends. They spend lots of money on brand-name products, just because they think it's a cool thing to do.
They feel that the clothes they wear express their personalities. Teenagers are especially obsessed with what others think of their looks.
I think it's a silly way to build one's self-identity.
We should create our own style. Everyone has their own taste.
Spend less time on fashion and more time on learning: knowledge can show who you really are.
Rita Kwan
Rosaryhill School
Don't be afraid of failure
I am writing in response to the letter 'Be Brave and don't lose hope if you fail' (Young Post, July 3). I strongly agree with what Ng Shuk-ying said.
In our lives, we face many challenges. Sometimes we overcome them easily, but some of them are very difficult.
Some people expect to always be successful, and they can't accept failure.
If they fail, they lose all their confidence.
But think about it another way. If you don't try something, you'll never know if you can succeed.
By discovering what your weaknesses are, you can work on improving yourself.
So don't be afraid of failure. Believe in yourself and never give up.
Leung Wing-kwan
TWGHs Lui Yun Choy Memorial College
Respect people who are mentally ill
Many people suffer from mental illness. If one of your family members suffers from mental illness, you may feel that you have to look after them. You try to spend a lot of time with them.
But sometimes it's hard to understand them. They can go from being very happy one moment to very angry the next.
These mood swings can make you angry or frightened.
When a person is mentally ill, sometimesthey cannot understand what's going on around them. It can be very difficult to communicate with them.
Sometimes they have no control over what they say. It can be hard to be patient with them.
It is best to get professional care for people with mental illnesses. Being mentally ill is not a crime, and they deserve to be understood.
If you let professionals take care of them, you can develop a better relationship with them.
Lui Choi-hei
STFA Tam Pak Yu College
I love the library
There is a library near my home. I really like visiting the library because it gives me somewhere quiet to read. I always go there and read for a long time.
The library has air-conditioning. If people read there, they can sit on very comfortable chairs. We can choose our favourite books to read there. We can also borrow books and read them at home.
I like to read different kinds of books so I visit the library twice a week.
Emily Li
Mother knows best
When I was younger, my mother made me go to bed at 9pm every night. I had to finish my homework, and then my mother checked it. At that time, I thought my mother knew best.
As I grew older, I enjoyed playing computer games but not studying. My mum reminded me again and again to do my homework. I ignored her.
At that time, I thought my mother was annoying.
Now, however, I want to say: 'Sorry, Mum. I was wrong.'
Juson Tong