Bonnie Bai, RDF International School When I was young, my father wanted to cultivate my confidence and courage, so he enrolled me in public speaking courses and wanted me to practice in competitions. I was very resistant to compete, as I did not want to fail. I attended the course because of my father’s encouragement, but I didn’t want to participate in the competition. After a few days’ learning, the teacher suggested that I participate in the competition. My family and friends encouraged me to try, so I signed up for a competition. As it drew near, I became more and more anxious. On the day of the competition, my parents accompanied me to the competition site. In the waiting room, I fidgeted and didn’t want to compete. While checking in, I snuck out to a coffee shop, found a corner to sit down, and buried my head on the table. After a while, my father found me. Without any blame, he hugged me. I gradually calmed down and explained to my father: “I am afraid of the match because there will be winners and losers. If I lose, I would feel ashamed and have fear of being laughed at.” Hearing that, he smiled and said: “No one will laugh at a brave person who tries to challenge himself or herself. Even if you lose, it is a chance to accumulate experience which can help you achieve success in the future.” With my father’s comfort and encouragement, I decided to go back and finish the game. Although I didn’t win the competition, I felt it was worth it when everyone applauded for my speech. Competition is not horrible, and failure is also not terrible. Competitions help us to accumulate experience and build self-confidence. Failure is an opportunity for us to know our weaknesses. | 