Middle school teachers review and correct essays - QQ Essays

Author: None
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Since I was young, I stayed close to my parents and studied at school in my hometown. At that time, I didn’t understand what ideals or futures were, so I never thought of leaving them to study elsewhere. Life was as calm as a lake. Finally, after graduating from elementary school, Dad made a decision that would change my life, sending me away to study at a better school. Those days, Mom and Dad had many long talks. Mom would say, "The child is too young; let her wait until she’s older." But Dad would always say firmly, "She’s not too young; it’s time for her to go out on her own!" "But I can’t bear to leave her! No one will take care of her out there. What if she gets a headache or something? I just can’t bear to leave her!" "No, for her future, I must do this." Every time I heard this, I felt as if I had jumped into a vinegar jar—sour, yet at the same time, I felt Dad was a bit heartless!
The day of departure finally arrived. Mom helped me pack as usual. I said, "Mom, let me do it myself!" "Let me check one more time, don’t want to leave anything behind. Look, you didn’t pack enough clothes. Oh dear, you forgot your toothbrush. Look, and there’s this too." Mom kept busy, murmuring like always, just like in the past. I let Mom fill my suitcase with all her nagging love. Dad stood nearby in silence, just watching us pack. After a while, Dad said, "Ready? Let’s go." Mom still spoke reluctantly. Dad drove me to the car downstairs and put my luggage in the trunk. Then, the silent Dad spoke, "Call when you get there. Here’s some money for you." Dad pressed 500 yuan into my hand. I felt Dad’s hand was very strong—not healthy strength, but rather numb and rough, as if from years of writing too much. There were dry lines on his hand. Dad noticed me staring at his hand and quickly hid it behind his back. I knew he didn’t want me to see the calluses on his hand and cry. If I cried, he would feel bad too.
I sat in the speeding car. The money in my hand felt damp, as if it were sweat from Dad’s exhaustion or tears from him. Images of Dad waving goodbye flashed before my eyes. Then I realized the weight on Dad’s shoulders, his expectations for me, and the unspoken love he had for me. I then understood that Dad made this decision for my own good—he didn’t want to leave me either. And I, besides studying hard, needed to do something more.