At Chengjia School in Jiading, Shanghai, there’s a group of special children who may not enjoy talking to others, may not be able to run and jump like their peers, or may even find it difficult to control their own behavior... In the eyes of most people, these special children are different from others and often attract curious or even strange stares. Yet, once you take the time to step into their world, you’ll unexpectedly discover countless moments of genuine and heartfelt emotion. Starting from May 2012 every year, the Youth League Committee of STEP has organized young volunteers to visit the children at Chengjia School. This year, the Youth League Committee invited us to take the kids on a trip to the ancient Yiyuan Garden in Nanxiang.
 
At 12:30 on May 8, we arrived at Chengjia School. As we stepped into its serene campus, we felt a unique atmosphere—a sense of something different. I’m someone who’s easily moved to tears; I always feel deeply saddened by the injustice of fate when I see innocent or vulnerable lives—lives that so desperately need help and care. In this schoolyard, there’s no chasing or boisterous noise, no bursts of laughter, no clear echoes of children’s voices reading aloud—even ordinary verbal communication seems almost impossible. Suddenly, I realized just how much compassion and kindness a teacher must possess to face such a special group of children in this extraordinary setting. Perhaps only those who’ve actually experienced teaching can truly understand the hardships and responsibilities here. We don’t need lengthy theories to discuss this, nor do we require flowery language to describe it. Instead, it’s in the small, thoughtful gestures, in the gentle gaze when we look at these children, and in the patient, repeated words we speak to them again and again—that’s all it takes for us to feel the power of love: selfless yet profoundly great.
 
We distributed the gifts we’d brought to the children in the class. The kids who received the gifts were all incredibly excited—some danced and jumped around the classroom, unsure how to express the joy bubbling up inside them; others ran off to hide in the small room at the back of the classroom, shyly refusing to come out; still others quickly stuffed their gifts into their little schoolbags, afraid that they might somehow get lost. Seeing these children’s genuine, unreserved reactions, I couldn’t help but feel how pure and adorable this group of kids truly is!
 
After handing out the gifts, the teacher arranged for us to “adopt” little friends and take them together on a visit to Guyi Garden. By sheer coincidence, there was a little boy in our class named Xuanxuan—just like me! So now it was Xuanxuan’s older sister, me, who got to be Xuanxuan’s older brother. It’s kind of strange, but Xuanxuan’s round little face and big, twinkling eyes were just so adorable. He’d smile at me from time to time, and every single one of his smiles seemed to melt my heart. His smile was utterly genuine, free of any pretense—almost as if we’d known each other all along. As we stepped out of the school gate, the teacher reminded all the kids to hold tightly onto their older siblings’ hands and not to get separated. When Xuanxuan heard the teacher say that, he immediately linked his tiny fingers with mine. I hadn’t expected such trust to be placed in me so quickly, and suddenly I felt a deep sense of responsibility—a duty to keep him safe and protected. Xuanxuan was very obedient; throughout the entire ride, he kept his eyes glued to the window. Whenever he saw a big bus on the road, he’d exclaim, “A bus!” Sometimes he’d make little squeaking sounds, bursting with excitement and smiling brightly at me. Other times, he’d fall silent, simply gazing out the window without saying a word.
 
Soon we arrived at the entrance of Guyi Garden. While our accompanying teacher and the Youth League secretary hurried off to buy tickets, the children couldn’t wait to head into the garden. Xuanxuan, in particular, kept tugging on my hand, eager to break free and run toward the entrance. With Xuanxuan’s chubby little body, I really couldn’t hold him back! Just then, the teacher came over and said sternly, “Xuanxuan, you’re not allowed to run around randomly—otherwise, I’ll take your schoolbag away from you!” Ha ha, that actually worked pretty well! Xuanxuan obediently returned to my side. Once we were inside the garden, Xuanxuan especially loved going to the pond to watch the fish. But I was worried he might fall into the pond, so I used the “trick” the teacher had employed earlier and managed to persuade him to come back. When we reached an area with children’s playground equipment, Xuanxuan was the first one to rush over and start swinging on the swings. A teacher standing nearby told me that Xuanxuan absolutely loved swinging—and he also loved playing on the swings at school. The teacher added that Xuanxuan had obsessive-compulsive tendencies: when drinking water, he wouldn’t leave even half a bottle’s worth; he’d either finish it all or pour it out completely. The same went for meals—he wouldn’t leave a single grain of rice or a single leaf of vegetable on his plate. Hearing the teacher’s words, I really hoped Xuanxuan could gradually overcome these compulsive behaviors and return to a more normal life. Just as Xuanxuan was happily swinging away, another little girl nearby wanted to play too. Xuanxuan voluntarily stood up and gave way to her, though he looked reluctant to part with the swing. Still, his action showed that he was indeed a kind and considerate child who knew how to be modest and yield to others.
 
If we say that special education schools are fertile ground nurturing hope, then the special education teachers are the faithful guardians of this land. They are gardeners who deeply understand that special education requires even more care and dedication. The path of special education is fraught with obstacles and hardships. They love their students, guiding them step by step toward the future with their warm hands and heartfelt warmth. Every child in the school has unique qualities—qualities that seem to be a “gift” bestowed upon them by God. Like little angels, their world is utterly pure. There’s a girl whose right hand is weak, yet her gentle gaze melts both my colleague and me. Then there’s another girl who always wears a radiant smile—a smile that seems to radiate magic, banishing all pain and unhappiness.
 
In the eyes of the children at Chengjia School, a happy daily life is all they need to feel truly fulfilled. They don’t have many extravagant demands—just the company of their family and teachers, and being surrounded by love, is enough for them to grow up joyfully. Seeing them live carefree and positively embrace each day makes it all the more important for us, who are already fortunate and healthy, not to complain about life.
 
The half-day park visit is coming to an end. We took a group photo at the entrance of Guyi Garden, capturing this loving moment.

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