CheeringforLiMing
LiMingismydearfriend,andrecently,hehasbeengoingthroughatoughtimewithhisEnglishlearning.EverytimehetalksaboutEnglish,asenseoffrustrationcloudshisface,andIcanseethedisappointmentandself-doubtinhiseyes.
Itallstartedwhenweenteredjuniorhighschool.Englishbecameamorechallengingsubject,withcomplexgrammar,alargevocabulary,andvariouslanguageskillstomaster.LiMingwashavingaparticularlyhardtimewithpronunciation.Nomatterhowhardhetried,somesoundsjustwouldntcomeoutright.Hewouldpracticealoneinthecorneroftheclassroom,repeatingwordsoverandoveragain,buthiseffortsdidntseemtopayoffasquicklyashehoped.
Oneday,duringanEnglishoralpresentation,LiMingwasextremelynervous.Hishandsweretrembling,andhisvoicewasunsteady.Whenhestartedspeaking,afewmispronunciationsslippedout,andsomestudentsintheclasscouldnthelpbutgiggle.Atthatmoment,Isawhisfaceturnred,andthelightinhiseyesdimmed.Afterthepresentation,hesatinhisseat,headdown,lookingdefeated.
IknewIhadtodosomethingtoencouragehim.Iwalkedovertohimandsaid,LiMing,dontbesohardonyourself.Everyonemakesmistakes,especiallywhenlearninganewlanguage.Thoselittleslipsduringyourpresentationdontmeananything.Infact,youwerebraveenoughtostandupinfrontofthewholeclassandspeak,whichisalreadyagreataccomplishment.
Helookedupatme,hiseyesfilledwithamixtureofgratitudeandsadness.ButIjustcantseemtogetitright.IfeellikeImfallingbehindeveryoneelse.
Ismiledathimandreplied,Thatsnottrue.LearningEnglishisalongjourney,notasprint.Rememberhowyouwerewhenyoufirstlearnedtorideabike?Youfelldowncountlesstimes,butyoudidntgiveup.Andeventually,youmasteredit.Englishisthesameway.Everymistakeyoumakeisastepforward.Itsachanceforyoutolearnand