As evening falls and the workday comes to an end, I ride my electric scooter home—leisurely, yet with care. In the distance, roadside stalls sell all kinds of snacks and fruits; sometimes there are vendors offering shoes, socks, or clothing. Passersby often stop to take a look. If it gets a little later, the uncles, aunties, and older ladies who love dancing and fitness will start coming out, gathering in parks, turning on the speakers, and dancing gracefully under the guidance of a leader. Occasionally, a few young children play around the edges—some stretch out their arms and legs, mimicking a few moves to the rhythm, then shyly pretend to turn away and leave. This is different from the noise and frenzy of a nightclub dance floor. Even without uniform clothing, harmony is visible everywhere. I am someone who prefers quiet, so I do not like lingering in such lively environments; only when my own child is willing do I stay for a while.
Eventually I return home, tidy myself up, eat dinner, spend some time with my child, and then lazily lie down on the sofa, letting my thoughts wander. There is no rush—there is plenty of free time, and I can think slowly. But what should I think about? The tragedy of Russia and Ukraine? The turmoil in the Middle East? These seem possible topics, yet they feel too distant from me. Feeling a bit bored, I look around the not-so-tidy room and think about cleaning it up. But then I realize that within this clutter also hides the presence of my family, so I let it be. Deep down, there is even a faint sense of gratitude—gratitude for not being alone, gratitude for the warmth of home, or perhaps gratitude for the harmony of this society. Thinking this way, I dare not imagine the current state of Ukraine or Gaza. Can the people there still feel the warmth of home? Can they think quietly as I do? Can they live without worrying about safety? Can they be free from the fear of loneliness?
“Home” is something ordinary. Wherever people exist, home exists. Even animals, as long as they possess basic capabilities, form homes similar to ours. Eagles, lion prides, and wolf packs—all benefit from the existence of home. Countless lives are born and sustained within the harbor of home, generation after generation. What makes a home? Simply put, a home is the place where we live together with our family. But what truly matters is that maintaining harmony within a home is far from easy. Think of the street vendors who persist in the cold wind; think of the day’s labor you have just completed; think of our parents sweating in the rice fields tending their crops; think of eagle parents repeatedly bringing captured prey back to the nest, feeding their young bite by bite. Yet my favorite examples are lions and wolves. As top predators, their daily task is not merely hunting prey, but maintaining order and balance within their territory. The reasoning is simple: if there are too many herbivores and the grass is eaten bare, the herbivores will leave, and predators will lose their food source. But if herbivores are excessively driven away or killed, causing their numbers to plummet, predators will again lack sufficient food and suffer hunger. Therefore, they must control the number of herbivores while also regulating the size of their own groups, avoiding surpassing the limits the ecosystem can bear.
After understanding all this, one may begin to ask, as I do: what exactly does “home” bring us? Is it a disaster, or something else? If we only look at the hardships, home indeed seems like a burden. But upon closer reflection, once we form a family, home also brings us a different kind of warmth. Without a home, it would be difficult to marry and raise children, difficult to nurture them step by step, and difficult to experience the joy of family harmony. Some may say this is too ordinary—but ordinary does not mean simple, nor does it mean something that can be possessed at any time. The true value of home lies not in the moment it is formed, but in the lasting sense of security and achievement it provides over time. Today, many people regard forming a family as a dream of carefree living, yet lack the determination to devote themselves to it. In the end, most such families fall apart—truly a pity. For the sake of family, each of us can actually do more, because within every person lies a special inner force. Only when we gradually uncover this inner drive can we truly be considered grown up.
Of course, many animals also possess this inner drive. Perhaps it comes from love, or from deeply rooted paternal and maternal instincts. More accurately, it is an invisible sense of responsibility. Look at the tireless efforts of eagles raising their young, or the frequent patrols of territories by lions and wolves—these are not performances, but manifestations of instinctive responsibility. For us humans, what we build for our families is not merely houses to live in, but societies in which we can continue to survive and thrive. In these societies, men and women may have different roles, but as long as we are willing, everyone can find their own place and value. Those who take responsibility exist everywhere—farmers in the fields, workers in factories, laborers on construction sites, merchants and street vendors—all have their own perseverance and sense of duty. It is through the combined efforts of all of us that this vibrant, warm, and infinitely possible human world has come into being. We may sometimes lament the smallness of our individual strength, or feel lost and helpless, but if everyone’s strength is brought together, it will become astonishingly powerful. And for us, uniting around the “home” we all rely on is the most fundamental and important prerequisite for reaching such consensus.
“What makes a home?” A home is not merely a dwelling; it represents safety, stability, harmony, and hope. In my view, home is a unique kind of miracle—a spiritual harbor we build with care, a measure by which we assess the value of life, a priceless treasure beyond monetary valuation. If someone asks what the greatest capital in life is—money? power? something else? I believe that “home” stands above them all. Looking at the world today, one cannot help but wonder whether the people of Ukraine will one day understand that achievements gained through external forces are ultimately limited. Only a sufficiently strong internal drive can truly guarantee a path toward happiness and peace for every citizen.
At some point in history, people began to dream of ruling the world, and from then on, war became a common means of human pursuit—whether military, economic, or technological. We indulge in it endlessly, believing that a single victory can bring eternal glory. Yet in reality, when we do not think or make decisions with home as our purpose, the first thing we abandon is our most precious inner drive—and the responsibility we ought to bear for home. Thus, even if we later equip ourselves with indestructible ships and powerful weapons, what we ultimately create are tragedies one after another, rather than a path to happiness.
So, what makes a home? Home is the ultimate pursuit of every living being, and it will ultimately become a miracle we create and bear together. May this world have less pain and harm, and more warmth of home. May our descendants all witness a peaceful and tranquil world—that is our shared home.
“Rowing the Great Dragon with United Strength”
(Recently, there have been reports that parts of India may face the dual threat of the Nipah virus and COVID-19, yet effective countermeasures have not been adopted so far, which is deeply concerning. This shows that when a disaster spreads from society into countless families, only vigilance at the societal level can best prevent its expansion. It is hoped that the people of India will abandon illusions, temporarily lower their praying hands, and confront this challenge in the most scientific way. Because sometimes, a single dangerous outbreak can wipe out years of sacrifice and effort for countless people, shattering innumerable families. For the sake of everyone, a single decisive action may prevent such tragedies from becoming reality. The priorities are clear and deserve careful thought. May the people of India soon be free from this viral threat.)
Author: Zheng Wei
January 25, 2026