Lintong

[caption id="attachment_9503" align="alignnone" width="225"] Lintong and I at a wedding in our town[/caption] Not only her personality, but her name is also unique and easy to remember. Initially, Lintong was not the name intended for her; it was Bella. However, her grandmother, who lived far away in the village, strongly requested that she be named Lintong because she was special and the first grandchild in her father's family. *** A girl tapped my shoulder, “You're Lina, right?” she said, extending her hand. “I'm Lintong,” she added, smiling broadly. “Oh, so you're Lintong,” I said, shaking her hand. I looked her up and down, thinking to myself, she looks like people from my village. I smiled briefly and then left. I had decided not to have any friendships, let alone close ones, with anyone in college; such relationships were unimportant to me at the time. But on the second day of college, Lintong sat next to me, and from that day on, she became my best friend. We shared many things, both joys and sorrows. We went through tears and laughter together, even though we weren't always together and sometimes didn't always see eye-to-eye on many things. Although she didn't realize it, I admired her and felt lucky to be her friend. I realized that many of my words and actions had hurt and offended her, but her attitude never changed. She just smiled and never argued with me. It was her humility that deeply moved me; she loved me with patience and understanding. Looking back, Lintong could have chosen anyone to be her friend. She was a very friendly person, good at socializing, anyone could be her friend, confident, full of spirit and cheerful, yet she chose me to be her friend. I learned many things from her, but what truly inspired me about her was her zest for life and her cheerfulness, even when facing difficult struggles and problems; her attitude remained enthusiastic and capable of motivating those around her to be enthusiastic as well. “Who is the smartest person in this class?” our lecturer asked. “Lintong,” all the classmates said. Yes, many people admired and loved Lintong, not just students, but lecturers too. She was so different from young people in general, always radiating positivity. When I went to her house, she always welcomed me with warm cheerfulness. Not only her, but her parents were also very friendly and welcomed me like their own child. “I want to empower young people,” she said one day. “That’s wonderful,” I replied. “I want to see their lives transformed.” Lintong didn't just focus on herself; she also thought about others. An inspiring person doesn't always have to possess spectacular things; it's their spirit and personality that show us the extent of their influence in our lives.