A Love Letter to the World

Commended Entry: "A Love Letter to the World" by My Linh Nguyen

This article was submitted in the Kids World Travel Guide Essay Competition 2025 in the Junior Category 8 - 11 years.

A Love Letter To The World

In the city of Ha Noi, the mornings begin with the bright rays of sunshine and the chirping birds. Ha Noi today is full of life and color. I live in a small alleyway tucked away from the busy streets of the city, where the small community is tight knit, and everyone is super friendly and knows each other.

Whenever one of my neighbors sees someone who is a part of the locality in need whether it is assistance with moving furniture of lending some money etc... They would help right away, without expecting anything in return. In fact, that is what I love most about being part of this community, it is something that I wish more people would know about.

I dream of a world where everybody is united- a world without hate, violence, regret, and shame. I personally aspire to be the founder of a charity that would support human rights, campaign against racism and hate crimes. I don't know what to name it yet but maybe I will in the future.

However, I would like to talk about my hero: Mahatma Gandhi. The reason why he is my hero is that he led India's independence movement through nonviolent resistance against British rule. My favorite quote from him is: "An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind". It means that if everyone takes revenge, eventually everyone gets hurt. The quote promotes forgiveness, nonviolence and compassion.

As you can see, although I am still young and may not be able to do much to help the world right now, but I have a voice. I can use that voice to speak up for what I stand for and what I don't.

I want to send a message to the whole world that by sharing kindness, compassion and forgiveness in our own corners of the world, we can help create a future that shines brighter than we have ever imagined.

Congratulations on your heartfelt and inspiring essay, My Linh! Your love for your community and your vision for a world united by kindness, compassion, and forgiveness shine through beautifully. Your thoughtful reflection on Gandhi and your commitment to making a positive difference are truly admirable. Well done!

My Linh Nguyen attends TH School in Vietnam. English as second language and Vietnamese as home language.