The Secret of Success

I had the chance to get to know Zhou in Chongqing School for the Blind. Zhou is a partially sighted 14-year-old whose hair is white, the result of a genetic disorder. One day when Zhou and his friends were out to buy a birthday cake for his birthday, people on the street pointed at him and teased him because of his look. He was so upset that he just went home without getting the cake. When he got home, he yelled at his parents for bringing him into this world and cried through the night. After allowing the emotions of anger and self-pity to run their course, he decided that he was not going to get upset again because of how people look at him. He was going to walk his path with confidence.

Zhou loves sports. In the Spring of 2006, he tripped and fell during practice for a track competition. He became angry with himself and resented his blindness. Sensing his frustration, his coach came to help him get up and said, "Success comes from endurance."

Now whenever he feels like giving up, these words encourage him to keep on trying. Zhou wants to share this with other blind people who might want to give up in times of trouble.