My Little Boy Grows Up
By Lifen Zhu
GED English
Today is a nice day in September like many days before. The sun is hanging in the sky like a big sunflower is
blooming. Today is the first day of school for kids. I can't remember all the first days Evan went to school. But I still
remember the moment when Evan was a first time student. It was my first time to leave him alone. He was so tiny.
I knew my boy would grow up one day, and he would go far away. Even though I knew it, I couldn't stop my heart
breaking.
“Mom, I'm going to my class now.” Evan is interrupting my thinking. “I love you, Mom. See you this afternoon!”
“I love you, too. Enjoy your first day at the school,” I say.
Evan is opening the car door and getting out of the car. He's walking forward to the school. He is waving his
hand and smiling back at me. I'm smiling, too. Yes, my boy is growing up. I can't believe my boy is 7 years old.
Today is his first day at second grade. Time goes fast. My memory is coming back like a film is playing in my mind.
Evan was 3 years old and went to school for the first time.
“Evan, you'll stay here. I'll pick you up later. I love you.” I squatted down, hugged and kissed him.
He murmured, “Mom, can you stay here with me?” From his face, I could tell he was nervous and felt unsafe.
“Evan, you'll meet a lot of new friends, and you'll have a lot of fun. Mom isn't allowed to stay here,” I said, and still
hugged him. His big eyes watered.
“I've got to go to do something else. I'll pick you up after your school,” I promised him. The class was crowded.
Parents came and left. A couple of kids cried.
“Evan, I have to leave now.” I kissed him again and let him sit down at his little table. He didn't feel comfortable.
When I walked to the door, he ran to me and started to cry. He held me very tightly. His face was full of tears.
“Mom, don't leave me, please!” He kept crying. I felt my heart full of pain.
“Sweet heart, don't worry! Mom will pick you soon,” I said.
“No! No! No! Don't go! I want to go with you, Mom!” Evan cried louder. He held my leg tighter. He didn't want
me to leave. And his body was twitching when he was crying.
My heart had a small voice, “I can't leave him here, he is so little. Take Evan home.” When I was going back and
forth, his teacher was coming. She hugged Evan and told me, “Mom, you can go. Don't worry! He will be fine.”
“But he is…” I said.
Evan was crying louder and tried to get out of his teacher's hug. He reached out his hands to me.
“I understand that this is his first day. We can take care of him. Don't worry!” his teacher said.
“Mom! Mom! Mom! Don't go! No! No! No!” Evan was crying louder and louder as I was leaving. My heart
was full of pain. When I came out the school, I felt the sky was grey not sunny just like my mood. Evan's crying
was in my mind all day. That day was a long day in my life. While I waited to pick him up, I kept watching the time. I
wished that time went faster. I have never forgotten that day when Evan first went to school.
Now he is growing up, but he's still my little boy in my heart, always. One day he'll go far away. I know.
In Our Own Words 2016
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