IDEAS & WRITING
三毛愿你安好
Sanmao, May You Be Well
Sister Maomao, Teacher Sanmao, I miss you.
Before you left, did you miss me?
I am your student, you know!
Before you went to the Sahara, when you were getting bullied in the dorms,
I was already there!
I saw you being brave, and I learned from it.
I saw you resolutely going to the desert, and I learned from it.
I saw you managing that home in the wasteland full of charm and joy, and I learned from it!
I think there was also a day when I was drinking tea in your little house, it was that day,
The afternoon sun shone through the windowsill you carefully decorated,
spilling onto that red and yellow floral linen tablecloth,
The whole house smelled of tea, it was the scent of lavender.
How do you have everything? How do you have the power to turn the mundane into the magical?
But why, why didn't you just wait for me to come to Taiwan, hand you a Chinese essay, and let you give it a good critique?
I was so looking forward to you splashing knowledge and love onto my composition notebook!
Just like you did for your other students.
I envy them so much, I am so jealous of them.
Why don't I have this chance anymore?
Why, why?
You are so attentive, so gentle, treating the people around you, especially your students.
It makes me feel ashamed of myself, because I didn't treat my students' writing as seriously as you did.
But how could you be so cruel to yourself, to the people around you?
Why?
Could you tell me, please?
Because I love you! I miss you! I am crying! Can you hear me?
Sister Maomao, oh Sister Maomao!