Page 53 - 普台之星19

英語

寫作 English Writing

The Most Courageous Decision in My Life

高三乙 林佳臻
I was there, last year, standing at a the idea, she asked, with a glance that, though
crossroads, a dilemma that really got me brief, was clear enough, almost like a mirror,
between a rock and a hard place I had never to reflect my hypocritical attitude towards my
confronted in my life: preparing for the college own life: “Do you really think that you can get
entrance exam with my fellow students or going the kind of support or comfort you want from
abroad for one year in France as an exchange your parents?” She then went her way, without
student. The former was a bright avenue I had waiting for an answer or response she knew
been building for the last two years, leading I was not going and unable to give. She was
straight to top universities, while the latter was right: I could never get a yes from those whose
an unpredictable, meandering path that, for best intention for me is to make sure I lead a
those having my best interest at heart, was no stable life by clearing away as many obstacles
less than AC/DC’s hit song, Highway to Hell. and uncertainties as possible that lie in the way.
As is assumed to be common among high Looking at the back of my departing
school students, I once believed—without the friend, I felt despairingly tired, a feeling of
least shadow of a doubt—that high school life being vacuumed by the innumerous review
was nothing but preparing for the BIG exam. tests from the school and the well-intended but
Oppressed by the seemingly endless pressure emotionally-ineffectual goodwill from those
of the BIG exam day in day out, however, I close to me. I lowered the head I could no
gradually felt like drowning in the ever-heaving longer hold up and buried in my hands the face
sea of fiercely competing billows. When I was I didn’t want the world to see. The driftwood
informed that I was accepted as an exchange I was clinging to was shrinking, and I was
student for one year in France, it seemed that I about to drown. All of a sudden, I heard of an
saw a piece of driftwood to hold on to. I could echo, literally, a reflection of sound across the
breathe again, but I knew I was still far from the valley of one hundred and fifty years, from an
solid ground where I could land my feet. I told author sitting by Walden Pond: “If you have
my homeroom teacher and the school teacher- built castles in the air, your work need not be
counselor about my drifting state of mind, and lost; that is where they should be. Now put the
they gave me the advice that I had expected to foundations under them.” “This is it,” I told
get from them before I went to them: I should myself, clenching my fists like I was going to
stick to what I and those I saw around me had swing them at the taunting foe in front of me.
been doing. One year, especially the last year I realized what I had been doing was letting
of one’s high school life, they said, was too my fear of facing uncertainties gradually gnaw
precious a period of time to be squandered away the piece of the life-saving wood which,
on being a “tourist.” I felt humiliated and yet if I had been brave enough, should have been
powerless to counter what they said about made into a wave-riding ship that battles the
my dream. Yes, going to France had always watery surges along one’s journey of life. I
been my dream since I began learning what opened my diary and wrote: “Though the land
people call “the most romantic language of of my dream still lies afar, I will get there with
all.” Frustrated, I was thinking of getting some Athena, wisdom, being my Mentor, and courage
support, or at least some comfort, by talking to my vessel.”
my parents. When I told my best friend about

51