Sam

I haven’t received many letters in my life. One was from my elementary school teacher, Ms. Chen Aimei, who was very fond of me (I’ve tried searching for her online, but couldn’t find her). Another was a birthday card from my niece and nephew. Both were happy letters. Today, however, I received a letter from one of the children in my after-school program, and it weighs heavily on my heart. The letter says that he cannot attend class or serve as my assistant anymore, as he must help his family with their orchard. He very politely wrote this letter of apology, adding a sad face beside his words.

Seeing some of the children in today’s class, whose family situations seem quite comfortable yet fail to appreciate these free resources, fills me with deep emotion. The children who truly need these public resources, like him, are unable to enjoy them because they have to help their families due to difficult circumstances. It reminds me of my own childhood. My family wasn’t well off either. To help out financially, I gave up the chance to attend a five-year vocational college and instead enrolled in night school, working during the day to eventually earn my master’s degree. After entering the workforce, I didn’t want to be mocked for being inarticulate, and though I could hear the subtle ridicule in people’s words, they didn’t understand the challenges of growing up in a family where carefree education wasn’t an option.

Back in those days, everything seemed like fate. I didn’t expect that, despite how prosperous Taiwan has become today, there are still so many families in need of help. Tonight, I will write him a letter of encouragement, wishing him all the best and hoping that he grows up to be even more hardworking, becoming a leader in society.

從小到大收到的信並不多，一封是國小很疼愛我的老師陳愛玫老師（曾經試著在網路上尋找老師，可是卻找不到），一封是我姪女姪子寫給我的生日賀卡。前兩封都是開心的。今天收到這一封是我的課後輔導班小朋友寫給我的。想到心情都非常的沉重。內容大概是他無法來上課無法來擔任我的助教非常的抱歉，因為他必須在家裡幫忙種植果園。他很有禮貌地寫了這封信給我，並且在旁邊說明了道歉以及畫上一個悲傷的臉。

看到今天在上課的同學有很多家庭環境應該都不錯，可是卻不知道珍惜這免費的資源。而真正需要公益資源的同學，卻因為家庭環境需要幫忙無法享受這個資源。真的令我心中感慨萬千。我小時候家庭環境也不好。我為了幫忙賺錢，所以放棄了讀五專的機會，而讀夜校半工半讀的總算拼到了碩士畢業。因為出社會後不想讓別人笑自己說話沒有文學，其實在言語當中大概可以聽出來他們在笑你，可是他們卻不曉得別人家裡的環境是無法無憂無慮的上課。

但在那個年代這一切都是命，只是沒有想到台灣現今社會已經如此的富裕，其實需要幫助的家庭還真的很多。今天晚上要好好寫封信給他，鼓勵他。希望他在成中能一切順利平安。長大後能更加努力成為社會上的精英。