Morning Light on Cloud View Road

Since becoming principal, I have made it my routine to stand at the school gates every school day at 7:30 a.m., rain or shine. Even on days when Typhoon Signal No. 3 is hoisted, with winds strong enough to flip my umbrella inside out, I remain there—keeping my "morning promise" for those thirty to forty minutes. Because I know, for some children and passersby, this may be the first smile they receive that day; this simple "Good morning" might bring a little warmth to the start of their busy day.

A smile, a greeting, a high-five, a word of encouragement, or even an occasional warm hug for a child in need—I hope that through these simplest human interactions, everyone who crosses my path feels cared for, uplifted, and loved. I want them to know there is a constant presence waiting for them.

"Give Me Five!" — The Warmth behind Those High-Fives

As students walk through the gates, I call out their names with a smile: "Derek, good morning! Feeling confident about yesterday's math test?" "Sophia, good morning! Everyone said your performance on stage was amazing!" Some children respond with a shy nod, while others run over excitedly for a high-five—"Give me five!" The crisp sound of palms meeting sparks a little joy to start the day.

This year, I’ve added a new practice: giving small gifts to students on their birthdays. Once, a Form 5 girl froze for a few seconds after receiving hers, then whispered, "Principal... how did you know it was my birthday today?" Beaming, I replied, "Happy birthday! You matter!" She hurried into the school with her head down—later, I heard she kept the gift wrapper to this day.

Saying "Good Morning" to More than Just Students

My greetings aren’t limited to our school. Students from neighboring schools, rushing teachers and parents, morning joggers, dog walkers, street cleaners, drivers and passengers—I wave and call out, "Good morning! Have a great day! Keep it up!"

At first, some would pause in surprise or hurry past without meeting my eyes. But over time, trust and familiarity grew. Now, nearly everyone responds in their own way—even bus drivers honk lightly as they pass, as if saying, "Principal, good morning! I see you!"

Those brief thirty minutes have become the happiest part of my day. In a world so quick to label and divide, the school gate feels like a "parallel universe"—one without hierarchy, wealth gaps, or race, just the purest connection between people.

If the World Could Be Like This Morning…

Whenever I see the children’s smiles or the nods from passersby, an old song plays in my heart—"The Wish" :

　　＂　May peace and love fill every heart,
　　　　hand in hand we stand,
　　　　You may say I'm a dreamer
　　　　With kindness and sincerity,
　　　　goodwill returns to the land…...　＂

Yes, the world is full of strife, hatred, and selfishness. But what if we could melt those walls of indifference—one smile, one greeting, one high-five, and one hug at a time? If everyone chose to extend a little more kindness, if every community had such a "parallel universe," perhaps the ideal of a harmonious world wouldn’t just be a dream.

　　＂　Imagine all the people
　　　　Living life in peace……

　　　　You may say I'm a dreamer
　　　　But I'm not the only one
　　　　I hope someday you'll join us
　　　　And the world will be as one……　＂

　　　　------ John Lennon,  "Imagine"

Tomorrow at 7:30 a.m., I’ll still be at the school gates, waiting for you to return or pass by.

Because I believe------every "good morning" is the beginning of changing the world.