Image Version The 100 Most Favorite Articles for University Students

Author: Francis Bacon, Liang Shiqiu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-02-01
Features: The Wings of a Birthday
The son proposed that this year's birthday should not be celebrated at home but with his classmates. For 16 birthdays, he had always celebrated at home with my wife and me. This year, he wanted to leave home, leave my wife and me, and celebrate it on his own. I knew my son was growing up, growing with the days, but I felt a sense of loss in my heart. For this birthday, he had been busy planning with his classmates for more than half a month. Doing it himself was more serious and interesting than when we helped him celebrate at home. They found a small restaurant that was affordable and had a good environment. On the birthday, he left early in the morning to go boating at Beihai Lake before joining the gathering. The classmates had also been calling him non-stop, keeping in close touch, and had prepared birthday gifts for him. One classmate, who had originally planned to go to Nan for a summer vacation with her family, reluctantly gave up her trip after being persuaded by her parents again and again, just to stay and celebrate with him. Another classmate, who was on vacation in Xi'an with her family, heard about his birthday over the phone and rushed back to Beijing a day early to be with him. Yet another classmate, who couldn’t be found, thought she had forgotten about his birthday since she had mentioned it to him during the summer break, and gave up hope. But to her surprise, the night before the birthday, she called, saying she had specifically come back from her hometown just for him! Only a child can have such passion, such dedication, and such innocence, turning an ordinary birthday into a bond of friendship, a promise, and a symbol. If I were the son, knowing that his classmates treated his birthday so well, I would have left home without hesitation to join them. When I learned all this, I stopped blaming my son and even felt a bit envious of him. On the birthday, my son and his classmates stayed up late at the small restaurant, full of joy.
This year, his birthday was celebrated without him at home, and it suddenly felt quiet. But I could imagine the red candles on his birthday cake flickering with the flames of life, filled with the vitality, energy, and happiness that only youth can possess. I knew this was something home couldn’t give him. Home could offer him endless warmth, joy, and wealth, but not these things. A single leaf, even in the gentlest breeze, struggles to play a melodious tune. Only when the leaves on a tree come together can they whisper in the wind, sharing endless stories and ringing out a moving melody that only they understand.
Around 11 o’clock that night, my son called me from the small restaurant. The buzzing phone receiver filled with laughter, clearly showing he was having a great time. He told me they were still chatting excitedly and wanted to stay overnight at a classmate’s house to continue their endless conversation. He asked if it was okay. How could I say no? Though reluctant and helpless, I eventually agreed to my son’s only request for his birthday. Even though it pained me a little, I knew my child had grown up much faster than I had imagined. No matter how wonderful and warm home is, it is just a station in a child’s growth. Children will always leave like birds, flying away. I knew the best birthday gift I could give my son at this moment was a pair of wings to fly.