contents - Gallatin School of Individualized Study - New York ...

Last Friday, my husband came back home from his work at night whileI was still writing. He wanted to chat with me, since we don’t meet very oftenat home because of his work schedule. I paid attention to what he said at thebeginning, but somehow his voice gradually faded in my mind a few minutes later.I got excited when I had the inspiration to write the conclusion of my love story.I ignored how he felt and wrote down immediately what I thought. My husbandstopped talking and gave me a smile to cover his true feeling that he was beingneglected. I felt a bit guilty because I thought about my writing too much, so Isaid “Sorry!” to him for not being respectful as a listener, especially since I amhis wife.A woman usually is lovesick when she is madly in love with her man. I waslovesick when I met my husband 18 years ago. I am still lovesick today, but not forany man, only for my writing. I don’t know when it totally occupied my mind andkicked my husband out. The Friday writing class, you are my lover now.Finding Encouragement93lilyan meiLilyan Mei comes from China. “I have been living in New York for more than 20years.” Now studying in the University Settlement Society’s advanced writingclass, she says, “I like to study English and read books. I know that writing is oneof the good ways to improve my English.” Michael Hunter is the director of theUniversity Settlement Society’s Family Literacy Program.