Fluffy cotton in the air, my mother used to tell me, is the harbinger of summer. Yesterday, I caught one in my hand, and touched the tiny pinhead seeds inside. I could imagine that one day these seeds might grow into the 60-ft cottonwood, standing next to me. My mind wandered back to those long-gone years: my friends, teachers, dreams... Many names crossed my mind; some of the folks I haven't seen since graduation; some have crossed the threshold of life; some...

Remember George Gershwin's Summertime lullaby lyrics? "Summertime. And the living is easy. Fish are jumping. And the cotton is high."

These thoughts are written as a tribute to all the teachers and students, co-existing in the wonderful 7-year period: building the Mid-Autumn lanterns in September, setting up the school bazaar stalls, sharing jokes at Kwoon Sin Toi Terrace overlooking the playground, performing school drama on stage, singing in the choir, and immersing in all the other happy or silly moments.