Min tibetanska barndom i Zorgay - Life and Culture on the Tibetan ...

29
MAKING FATHER HAPPY
T
ime passed <strong>and</strong> I went to <strong>Zorgay</strong> County Town to take
the senior middle school entrance examination. It was
my first time to a small city to see many people <strong>and</strong> cars.
My friends said it was not big at all, but it was the biggest place
I had ever seen. I looked around with an amazed expression,
which made others stare at me. I was sure they thought I was
stupid. The four story buildings were higher than anything I had
ever seen. I wondered, "How can people live here? Won't they
faint?"
I scored the highest in all of Ngawa Prefecture that year.
This gained fame <strong>and</strong> honor for our local junior middle school
<strong>and</strong> saved it, because the government had planned to close it.
Father was also happy for the first time in a long time. I had
yearned to see Father smile after Brother's death. By the
blessings of the Three Jewels, when I received the
announcement of my scores, Father was delighted <strong>and</strong> asked all
our relatives to congratulate me on my excellent results. To
keep making Father happy, I did not waste time in school. I
studied harder than before to please everyone who cared about
me, <strong>and</strong> for a better future.
I passed another examination that gave me a chance to
learn English in Xining City, which made Father even happier.
Only then did he give me a warm hug. That was the first
embrace I got from Father after I turned fifteen. I will never
forget Father's warm hug. It was so real <strong>and</strong> full of a father's
concern for his son, a hug I had yearned for, the hug I had tried
my best to gain, the hug Father kept only to give in such
situations. I will remember it forever as a ray of shining light to
brighten my path toward success <strong>and</strong> to encourage me not to
disappoint him <strong>and</strong> myself.
I resolved to liberate myself from painful memories. If I
truly care about those who love me, I decided, then all I needed
to do was harder to reciprocate their love <strong>and</strong> infinite support.
To study with native English speakers was a golden opportunity.
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