Last week’s graduation ceremony,

Monday’s farewell lunch,

today’s primary school experience day—

all whisper the same truth:

these children are leaving kindergarten.

 

At the lunch, a child forbidden sweets told me,

“Candy is bitter.”

So obedient,

they even teach themselves to believe it.

I remember the first day of school:

tiny feet crossing the gate,

reluctant steps into the classroom,

tears falling as they said goodbye.

Who could imagine—

soon those same feet would walk into another school,

another classroom?

This time, they know:

crying won’t bring mother back,

they must wait until dismissal.

This is growth.

 

Six years from now,

perhaps there will be no candy,

perhaps no rules against sweets.

But surely,

no child will tell the principal,

“Candy is bitter.”

This is growth.

 

Our children,

once crying for parents,

once obeying every word—

no candy, no ice cream—

step by step,

they cease to follow blindly,

cease to cling so tightly.

They drift from our sight,

and without notice,

begin to act alone.

This is growth.

 

Parents,

cherish this child who says,

“Candy is bitter.”

Cherish this moment,

for now you are still their everything.

One day,

they will no longer say it.

One day,

they may even tell you,

“Candy is sweet—don’t eat it.”

This too is growth.

 

Life is a journey:

parents leading children in leaps,

children leading parents in gentle steps.

 

May we all, under the Lord’s grace, walk together on this path of life.

 

— Principal Mang Yi