Don't forget this love, and never abandon it.

     Because of love, we understand; because we understand, we cherish! — Prologue I just watched an episode of "A Hundred Families' Fragments of Opera." After watching it, my feelings were complex: anger, pity, amusement, and emotion... I was angry at the children's unfilial piety towards their mother, pitied the mother's desperate suicide by jumping into the river, found the children's ugly behavior of fighting over worthless property laughable, and was moved by the greatness of maternal love! Yesterday, a colleague told me about a mother in her village, nearly sixty years old, who sued her three sons because they had driven her out of the house after their father's death, forcing her to rent a place to live elsewhere. Having grown up in the countryside, I've witnessed many such unfilial sons and often felt very angry. Angry at their ingratitude, angry at their beastly behavior (perhaps that's too strong a word). Only as I've grown older have I gradually come to understand the hardships my parents endured, especially being a mother. My colleague in the same office has been pregnant since last year and has now had her baby for almost six months. I've witnessed firsthand the hardships of this process and the greatness of maternal love. From the intense morning sickness during pregnancy to the difficult yet joyful preparation of clothes and supplies for the newborn while heavily pregnant, and then the excruciating pain of birth, finally, a life has arrived in this world. Every little thing the baby does touches the mother's heart. She braves the rain to buy formula for her child; when the child is sick, the mother is restless, rushing to the hospital as soon as she gets off work without even eating. Seeing my colleague's red and swollen eyes from working day and night for her child, I can only marvel at the greatness of maternal love. I used to think my parents' care and guidance were just nagging. But as we grew up, we became independent and had our own social circles. We could party all night with classmates, colleagues, and friends, unaware that our parents were anxiously waiting at home. When we found our partners, we focused entirely on love, willing to sacrifice ourselves, even our lives, and betray our parents. But when love failed us, when we felt lonely and helpless, we remembered that we had a warmer haven, someone who loved us even more—our parents. When we encountered setbacks at work or in life, when we were troubled and depressed by the complexities of interpersonal relationships, we realized that only family love is truly genuine. We've become adults, but our parents are getting older. Every time I call home, before I can even ask about their health, they rush to ask about mine, whether work is going well, and remind me to dress warmly… And every time, I'm moved by their sincere words, fighting back tears to tell them I'm fine and to ask them to take care of themselves too. Think about it: parents spend their entire lives scrimping and saving for their children, ensuring they eat the best, have the most nutritious food, wear the best clothes, attend the best schools, and even after they've earned their own income, they still worry about their children's marriage and raise their children. Yet, some children, after starting their own families, forget everything their parents did for them. Disrespectful, abusive, and unsupportive parents are commonplace around us. Whenever I hear or see these things, my heart aches, and I feel indignant at these shameful acts. I'd like to share a passage about family affection from the August 31st edition of the Huashang Daily, which I find very poignant: "Many times, we don't realize how profound family affection is. When you're immersed in your own life, enjoying yourself without a care in the world, someone might be worrying about you, blessing you, or even shedding tears for you. You can't see it, so you can't feel it. Ask yourselves honestly, have you considered your parents' concern for you? Have you considered how much you already owe them? This is the foundation of being human." Some people realized this early on, were grateful, and dared not indulge themselves or give up on themselves. Unfortunately, others remained oblivious until their parents grew old and passed away, continuing their own ways. Those who are still stubbornly clinging to their ignorance, please treat your parents well. Let us understand the love our parents have given us, and cherish it!