瑞得福國際學校 G10 黃錦程 Summer’s heat has not faded in Shenzhen, even though it’s already mid-autumn according to the Chinese lunar calendar. To celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, one of the most important traditional festivals, our school held a fun gala for all students and teachers last week. Having homework to finish, however, I didn’t attend the gala but headed instead to the library. There were few people in the library, which is usually full of students. I found a quiet corner, sat down, and began working. A beam of moonlight crept onto my desk without invitation, evoking a memory almost forgotten. Two years ago, when I first entered junior high school, the sudden increase in academic burden plunged me into a state of confusion and loss. With all my good friends from primary school dispersing into different secondary schools, I was left feeling lonely and helpless. I struggled to keep up with the busy schedule and the increasingly demanding learning tasks at school. The once cheerful lad had disappeared, and I became increasingly introverted, with some even calling me eccentric. My relationship with my parents also became tense. Afraid to confide my frustrations in them because of my pride, I locked myself in my bedroom on the night of that Mid-Autumn Festival and quietly sobbed into my pillow. The moonlight felt so cold. Sensing my tension and frailty, my parents didn’t intrude but cared for me lovingly and patiently, as they always had. Not only did they provide the comfort of home, with tasty food and a cozy environment, they also spoke to me gently, patted my back when I needed encouragement, and offered the warmest smiles to cheer me up when I struggled with exams. I was also fortunate to have met the best teachers and classmates who never gave up on me and offered me support. Now, as I enter the final year of junior high school, faced with more demanding schoolwork, those who have loved and supported me have equipped me with a suit of armor, making me resilient to life’s challenges through all the highs and lows. The moonlight on this Mid-Autumn Festival night was beautiful. Although I was working alone in the library, my heart was filled with love and joy, knowing that I am making progress every day and striving towards a brighter future. | 