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From the window of my room, I could see a tall cotton-rose hibiscus. In spring, when greenfoliage1 was half hidden by mist, the tree looked very enchanting2 dotted with red blossom. This inspiring neighbor of mine often set my mind working. I gradually regarded it as my best friend. Nevertheless, when I opened the window one morning, to my amazement3, the tree was almost bare beyond recognition as a result of the storm ravages4 the night before. Struck by the plight5, I was seized with a sadness at the thought "all the blossom is doomed6 to fall". I could not help sighing with emotion: the course of life never runs smooth, for there are so many ups and downs, twists and turns. The vicissitudes7 of my life saw my beloved friends parting one after another. Isn't it similar to the tree shedding its flowers in the wind? This event faded from my memory as time went by. One day after I came home from the countryside, I found the room stuffy8 and casually9 opened the window. Something outside caught my eye and dazzled me. It was a plum tree all scarlet10 with blossom set off beautifully by the sunset. The surprise discovery overwhelmed me with pleasure. I wondered why I had no idea of some unyielding life sprouting11 over the fallen petals13 when I was grieving for the hibiscus. When the last withered14 petal12 dropped, all the joyful15 admiration16 for the hibiscus sank into oblivion as if nothing was left, until the landscape was again ablaze17 with the red plum blossom to remind people of life's alternation and continuance. Can't it be said that life is actually a symphony, a harmonious18 composition of loss and gain. | 
