One Year after Graduation
Several weeks ago, I asked Victor: what are the differences between me now and one year ago. He answered: you are fatter now.The room was in silence for a while. Then he added: more mature and better taste. How blunt he is! What a slab I had! I asked him such a question becausea series of things and situations happened recently kept reminding me that I have been graduated for a year. And I just could not stop looking back to find what are the differences between me now and one year ago.
Admittedly, I gained more weight now. What’s worse, I also have bigger and darker panda eyes. How terrible! Only one year after graduation, I became a loser? No, no, no. I know I changed a lot over the pastone year. Some changes are not good, like more staying up late, eating more take-away food and more complains about the world. Some changes are not that bad.
At least, my attitude towards work changed.
I still remember when I was a fresh graduate; I didn’t want to tell others that: I am a teacher; I teach at XDF, a private school, and I teach middle school kids. I thought this job made me more like a loser,especially after seven years of college life. But now, my attitude towards work have changed, or overturned. The job has become a source of happiness and sense of achievements. Here is a classical conversation between me and my roommate.
“Hi,have I told you one thing in work I am really proud of?”
“Eh, you mean which one? You are proud of somany things.”
The point of this conversation is that: now my attitude towards work has changed. This change is good. It proves that I am more confident now than one year ago.
Though my attitude towards work changed, the fact that the job includes a lot struggles and pressures doesn’t change.
So my attitude towards pressure also changed.
I still remember one night last October. At about nineo’clock, after jogging outside, I went back home with a sense of satisfaction. BeforeI took the shower and went to bed, I checked messages on the phone. Suddenly, a message popped out
“FYI, tomorrow morning nine o’clock is the deadline for ….”
“It’s not my work.”
“Check with your group leader, I asked her to let you do it.”
“She didn’t reply, and it’s not my work. What should I do?”
“Then finish it before the deadline”.
I sat there, burst into cry for half an hour, then started to work. At that moment, I felt I suffered thousands of tons of pressures and hurts.
This May, a similar task fell on my head again, and this time, the situation was worse. I was waiting in line at the clinic. A message popped out.
“Tomorrow you and A finish ….”
“I am sick and I am in hospital now”
“How bad, take care. Shoulder more responsibilities and help A”
Thank god. This time I didn’t cry. It would be embarrassing to cry in public. And the task was finished perfectly. It was perfect. My performance was perfect. At least, when facing thousands of tons of pressures and hurts again, I didn’t burst into cry. My attitude towards pressure has changed. This change is good. It proves that I am stronger now than one year ago.
The year after graduation passed so quickly, and so many changes took place in the year. Some are not that good, some are terrible.Still I l earned a lot from them. These changes and lessons remind me of a short story,The Suitcase.
God: Alright son, it’s time to go
Man: So soon? I had a lot of plans...
God: I amsorry but, it’s time to go
Man: What do you have in that suitcase?
God: Your belongings
Man: My belongings?You mean my things... clothes... money...
God: Those things were never yours, they belong to the Earth.
Man: Is it mymemories?
God: No. They belong to Time
Man: Is it my talent?
God: No. They belong to Circumstance.
Man: Is it my friends and family?
God: No son.They belong to the Path you travelled.
The mam took the suitcase and found it was empty. He asked with tears in his eyes: Then? What was mine?
God: your MOMENTS.
Every moment you lived was yours.
Life is just a Moment.
LIVE IT.
LOVE IT.
ENJOY IT.
This storyreminds me of the scene I left school: with suitcases in hands, not ready to go, scared of the coming changes and challenges. Well, if I had the chance to say something to meself one year ago, I would say: don’t be scared. You are rich. You own your moments. Life is just a moment. Live it, love it, and enjoy it!