Grandpa
I had a dream about grandpa. In the dream he was telling everyone my favorite food when I was little. I'm not sure if he knows those stuff about me but let me begin with a little story about the two people I love so dearly.
As a kid I've always look up to him. He was my hero, my father figure. He was rarely home because he manages a few farms, a small-town bank, and a few businesses. But when he's home, he spends half of his spare time playing with my little sister and me.He was more fond of my sister. He always asks for her. Laughed at her jokes. When he gives treats, she always gets the good stuff first. I was a little bit jealous back then, but grandpa would always tell me to give in to her ways because I am older. And so, that's how it has been with my siblings.
I became closer to grandma cos she needs me more. I loved my grandma just as equally but as a kid, I was always more drawn to people who were fun. I guess all kids are. People who do crazy stuff, who spends time playing with them.
Grandma, takes care of everybody, do chores, run errands the moment she wakes up till she goes to bed. Even on her free time, she sits by the sewing machine and makes us dresses or bakes cakes, which were quite famous in our town.
I learned a lot of things by hanging out with grandma. I developed a passion for cooking, sewing and baking because instead of hanging out with other kids, I prefer her company more and felt I was needed more by her.
A few decades later, when they move to the US to live with my aunt and her family. We had a few mail exchanges. Grandpa and grandma never ceases to write us. They encouraged and reminded us how much they love us. And we, their grandkids rarely appreciated their efforts. We thought they were just writing to scold us. Sometimes they come for a visit not only for vacation but to check on us.
What I remember most was when they came home because my father and I had a few years of estrangement. I didn't go home and was incommunicado for years. Until my sister informed me, they were flying home because of the rift that I have with my father.
When I went to Zambales to see them, expecting a lecture. To my surprise (my dad as well) my grandparents stood up, hugged to meet me. I've never felt more understood by any member of my family because of that one simple gesture.
I'm not the kind of person that talks about her feelings just to anybody because I feel more comfortable, writing down my thoughts and feelings. So, when they both hugged me, it felt like it was one of the turning points of my life. I've found two people who loved me unconditionally even after the crazy antics and troubles I've gave them.
.......
Back to the dream, my grandfather asked me to fetch some grilled hotdogs for him and instead of giving him the whole thing, I skinned it and gave him a skinless hotdog and was caught eating the skin. When we were kids, we used to separate the hotdog's skin from the meat because we rarely get to have it for breakfast.
He mentioned that I've always loved ice cream too and found me hiding with a melting ice cream in hand. He said the ice cream was all over my mouth and my shift was soaked with it. He couldn't stop laughing while he shared this story in my dream.
In reality, the story is the opposite of what happened. My sister has always been his favorite. He told me and grandma he found my sister under the stairs with a bag of Hershey's kisses. Her mouth and shirt were covered with chocolates, and they couldn't stop laughing at her.
I know I made a mark in his heart because he used to send me lots of art and calligraphy books when he learned that I could draw. He told everyone that I am the grand kid who received the most ass beating. During one of our mail exchanges in high school, he mentioned my writing was good, that my letters were brief and concise. He seldom praises anyone in the family, a trait every member of my family possessed. And before he passed away, he shared he was the one who picked my name because my father and mother picked a very old-fashioned name.
I asked about him from my father the other night and he said, he's still as strong as a cow and pretty much getting his ways. He is 93 years old now as I finish this blog and those are the memories I could remember as of now of my grandpa.
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Grandpa passed away on October 22, 2014. Two days after his 99th birthday. My biggest regret is not being able to say goodbye to him. I hope some day we will meet again. I love you grandpa and grandma!
I learned a lot of things by hanging out with grandma. I developed a passion for cooking, sewing and baking because instead of hanging out with other kids, I prefer her company more and felt I was needed more by her.
A few decades later, when they move to the US to live with my aunt and her family. We had a few mail exchanges. Grandpa and grandma never ceases to write us. They encouraged and reminded us how much they love us. And we, their grandkids rarely appreciated their efforts. We thought they were just writing to scold us. Sometimes they come for a visit not only for vacation but to check on us.
What I remember most was when they came home because my father and I had a few years of estrangement. I didn't go home and was incommunicado for years. Until my sister informed me, they were flying home because of the rift that I have with my father.
When I went to Zambales to see them, expecting a lecture. To my surprise (my dad as well) my grandparents stood up, hugged to meet me. I've never felt more understood by any member of my family because of that one simple gesture.
I'm not the kind of person that talks about her feelings just to anybody because I feel more comfortable, writing down my thoughts and feelings. So, when they both hugged me, it felt like it was one of the turning points of my life. I've found two people who loved me unconditionally even after the crazy antics and troubles I've gave them.
.......
Back to the dream, my grandfather asked me to fetch some grilled hotdogs for him and instead of giving him the whole thing, I skinned it and gave him a skinless hotdog and was caught eating the skin. When we were kids, we used to separate the hotdog's skin from the meat because we rarely get to have it for breakfast.
He mentioned that I've always loved ice cream too and found me hiding with a melting ice cream in hand. He said the ice cream was all over my mouth and my shift was soaked with it. He couldn't stop laughing while he shared this story in my dream.
In reality, the story is the opposite of what happened. My sister has always been his favorite. He told me and grandma he found my sister under the stairs with a bag of Hershey's kisses. Her mouth and shirt were covered with chocolates, and they couldn't stop laughing at her.
I know I made a mark in his heart because he used to send me lots of art and calligraphy books when he learned that I could draw. He told everyone that I am the grand kid who received the most ass beating. During one of our mail exchanges in high school, he mentioned my writing was good, that my letters were brief and concise. He seldom praises anyone in the family, a trait every member of my family possessed. And before he passed away, he shared he was the one who picked my name because my father and mother picked a very old-fashioned name.
I asked about him from my father the other night and he said, he's still as strong as a cow and pretty much getting his ways. He is 93 years old now as I finish this blog and those are the memories I could remember as of now of my grandpa.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grandpa passed away on October 22, 2014. Two days after his 99th birthday. My biggest regret is not being able to say goodbye to him. I hope some day we will meet again. I love you grandpa and grandma!
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