(Written by Hu Ao, a high school student in Beijing)

          There are many collectors in the world, none of them quite satisfied with what they've been able to hoard.  They may do it as a hobby, as a means to acquire wealth, or just to satisfy an inner urge, but there are never enough stamps or famous paintings or personal items celebrities have discarded.

          I don't think of myself as a collector.  There's no appeal in putting old things under my bed, hiding them in a wardrobe, or locking them into drawers.  I don't have that inclination nor would I want to spend the time or money that is inevitably involved.  I like things that make my life easy, as I believe in the old adage that simplicity is the key to a good life.

          There are things in my life, however, that have become old and no longer work properly, and I say to myself that I'll throw them away some day.  I'm just like other people in that regard.  There are some things that we just don't want to give up.  We keep them because they remind us of an experience we've had or a special emotion.  Regardless of what the things are, we find them valuable and feel that they should continue to exist - just for us.  They can be quite common, but for us, they're priceless treasures.

          In my grandfather's home, there is an old small table that I used for nearly ten years during my childhood.  Adults in my life have wanted to throw it away several times, but each time I managed to keep it.  Although it is not as useful as a new one would be, I still like to spend time with it.  When I sit on it, I feel that I'm with an old friend, the kind you don't have to say anything to because everything you know is already understood.  For ten years, I wrote articles on it.  It held my books when I first started reading.  The two of us have shared many secrets. 

          In one of the drawers, there is an old calculating machine.  My grandfather gave it to me when I left to live with my parents.  It had been with him for decades so I treat it as my elder generation.

          People's lives keep moving ahead.  As more time passes, we have more rich experiences, but the remnants of past glories are worth keeping.  They make our lives shine.