Today, I went to a bank and a post office in order to pay my eldest daughter’s entrance examination fees. Then, I dropped into a nearby photo studio.


A bank teller spoke to me, “It should be hard to be a mother whose daughter has been a preparatory student. But, you aren’t the only one. Many mothers like you come here at this time of the year,” and smiled at me.

A postal official spoke to me, “Last year, I did the same things you do. Good luck to your daughter!”

An old clerk at the photo studio spoke to me, “I’m sure you have had a hard time. However, in time of trial, young people have grown a lot. Every hardship will turn into a good memory for you and your daughter years later. Anyway, she has been studying hard for years, right? Now, keeping in shape is the most important thing for her.” Exactly!

I met all of them for the first time. Their hearty messages made me very happy. I passed the warm words on to my eldest daughter saying, “Many people who haven’t met you care about you like this.” Then, she smiled happily.

In fact, my life has been as usual because my eldest daughter has almost always been positive and cheerful. On rare occasions, she loses heart and says to me, “Mom, I'm afraid I'll fail/flunk (Am) all (of) the exams,” and I reply, “Who knows the results? You’ve been learning lots of things, not only many subjects but also how to face difficulties. All of them will be your precious treasure in your entire life. The most important thing for you is doing your best to the last moment, right?”

I’ve been also learning a lot through watching her.