For a longtime, a boy wondered why his friend was always the first in the class, whereashe could only rank the 21st. At home, he asked his mom, "Am I more stupidthan other kids? How can I always fall behind? I just can't come up with ananswer." His mom was aware that her son's selfrespect(自尊心) had been hurt by the ranking system, but she didn't know what tosay to help him.
She tended tosay that intelligence was different and that her son's friend was reallysmarter. But that would upset her son.
The boy andhis friend went to high school that year, but no matter how hard he tried, hisfriend stilloutdid him. But the boy's mom was proud of him for his hardwork. It was around this time that she decided to take him on a trip to theseaside. During the trip, she at last found an answer for him.
Today, the boy nolonger cares about the ranking. He doesn't have to, for he himself is now thetop of the class — at the top nationaluniversity. When invited to speak in his old high school, he mentioned avaluable childhood experience, "Once, during a trip to the seaside, mymother and I were lying on the beach. She pointed to the sea and said to me, 'Doyou see the seabirds fighting for food out there? When a wave comes near, the littlebirds rise quickly. The clumsy(笨拙的) seagulls are farslower and have to struggle to get away from the wave. But these clumsyseagulls have the biggest, strongest wings, which allow them to travel thefarthest. When the season changes, they leave for foreign shores, leaving thelittle birds behind. Son, I have a feeling that you are one of those seagulls.'"
