永远的记忆

by Lu Zhang

This January, Giovanni and I were working on the final draft of an article for a forthcoming book. We had already done several rounds of revisions and the deadline had passed. One afternoon, Giovanni came to me and asked why I hadn't added more quotes from a particular author that should be in the text. I remembered I did, so I said I had added enough quotes from that author. Giovanni looked at me, felt my impatience, in his always sincere manner, “Lu, you know, I always feel too shameful to send out what I have written. The only way to get good stuff is to keep on revising.” I was struck. I always wondered how to write in such a perfect way as Giovanni does. And that was his secret. I printed out the draft and re-read it through. I understood what Giovanni meant. In a few minutes, Giovanni came to find me in the computer lab, "Lu, I apologize. You did have the quotes in the draft that for some reason I overlooked." I was again moved, for his honesty... Giovanni, My lifetime mentor for mind, heart, and behavior!  --Lu