Life is like a river with rapids, dangerous banks and stormy waves, and always a mist before the sunrise. Only experienced ferryman can navigate the winding course, accompany you through the difficulties to cross the river, however wide it is. But the ferryman will not stay with you all the time. When arriving on the other side, the ferryman will still turn around and ferry others, and you will also have to continue your own journey, no matter how far and difficult it is. The ferrymen are only responsible for transporting you to the shore, but will not accompany you to your destination, nor will they accompany you throughout your life. Therefore, the one that you can ultimately rely on, is yourself.

　　The year 2020 is bound to be extraordinary. Sitting at the window of my room, I know that the world is facing unprecedented challenges that have disrupted our life since the beginning of the year. This reminds me of the old English poem Deor, which comprises of a series of stories about the tribulations of historical figures. At the end of each story is this sentence: "Those have passed, and so may this." But in this storm that raged the world in 2020, most of our experience of disaster is ordinary. In ancient times, poets would call to God, hoping that God would bring hope to everything. For the ancients, God is the ferryman, who relieve them of sufferings and create future for the mankind. However, in today’s world, it is we that can sooth the pain and help ourselves.

　　Turning to others for help is always not as good as turning to yourself. Although it may sound indifferent, it is the reality in this world: only when you are strong enough can you save yourself. I once read a story in which a person encountered a problem and visited God every day to ask for help. However, God did not give him any response. He kept coming to pray again and again. Until one day, he saw that God knelt before the statue of God himself. The man was very puzzled and asked why. God said, you must learn to solve your own problems by yourself. You cannot always depend on others and you need to be your own ferryman.

　　In the past, when the topic was raised, there were always things that we want to say. We would spend the whole night sitting at the seashore talking about all the hardship we have in life. However, at a certain age, we suddenly lost the desire to talk, and perhaps found that people who could put up with our chatting all night are few and far between. Rather than sharing your troubles with others, it would be better to digest them by yourself. In the past, it was all simple. Once something happened to you, you couldn't keep the feelings inside and everything would be written on the face. You shared the joy and sorrow, but only to get apathetic and cold response. When you find that most people do not necessarily want to hear your story, you slowly learn to be silent. As a result, it would be better to digest your concern and sorrow with time and silence. It is also a social consciousness not to complain to or disturb others, but swallow unpleasant feelings by yourself.

　　In our daily life, it is necessary to talk with others about problems and confusions. However, real empathy is rare in this world. It is not saying that people are not sympathetic, but even if it is the same story, everyone ’s feelings are different. It is just like buying shoes. Even if all the shoes look good, only the owner knows which pair is appropriate in size and is comfortable to wear. Therefore, all the joy and sorrow that I have experienced are only genuinely known by me. Although others may try their best to give comfort, they cannot relate to your emotion entirely. Because of this, you need to be your own ferryman in your life.

　　To be your own ferryman, you need to be stronger. Only by doing so, can you send yourself to your destination and guide yourself through your life. Only when you have a strong heart can you deal with things calmly without panic, see through them, gain some insights, let yourself grow, and have the last laugh. Be your own ferryman. Be brave to face the challenge and be brave to try. Many things are not as difficult as you perceive, and only by trying will you realize that you actually can do it on your own. Therefore, not only do you need to ferry yourself, but you also need to be a brave ferryman to face the unknown risks ahead and reach the other side of the stormy river.

　　The best ferryman in life is indeed yourself. Fate is like the palm print in your hand. No matter how many twists and turns there are, it is always in your own hands. Be brave, be more confident, be stronger, and you are your best ferryman.

　　作者：张津睿 所在学校：青岛第五十八中学 指导老师：戚杰选

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