The Last Leaf - Never Ending Motivation

In these days, I was very busy in cleaning my cupboards. Meanwhile, my eyes met an old textbook , an English book with dog eared pages. I opened it and I saw a story, 'The last leaf ' by O. Henry, one of the greatest, shortest stories I have ever come across. I read that story. In this story, there was a lady artist Johnsy, from California who was suffering from pneumonia and was sinking. Her bystander was also an artist Sue from Maine. She shared an art studio with Johnsy in Greenwich village. They lived in a multistory building. In that building, there was another artist Behrman, who earns only little. He wants to paint his masterpiece but he couldn't. Johnsy's disease prompted her to lead a dog's life. There was an ivy plant in front of her window. Day by day each leaf began to fall. By seeing this, she firmly believed that the leaves represent the remaining days before her death. The leaf then became a symbol of despair. Her mind became very feeble. Alas...the last leaf remained. She waited for the fall of the leaf and there by prepared for her death too. But it stayed for days, weeks etc. The last leaf remained forever. It was the masterpiece of Behrman. He drew the leaf which instilled in Johnsy a feeling of the strongest desire to live. The last leaf acts as a symbol of despair and the ray hope. For us, it might be a leaf with no peculiarities. But for Johnsy , it was everything, her helping hand, never ending motivation.... There will occur many circumstances and tragedies in our life. In such cases we should not lose hope. Be cool as a cucumber . If we are able to realize that these are not the end but the beginning, we will find the stepping stones to success. Give  your skills, time, the entire life for others. Maybe it will be helpful to a lot around you. Be a mirror which reflects the light in you.....

Natasha Sebastian, XII B