How My Grandparents Became the Most Important People in My Family

The green leaves on a piece of grass are inseparable from its stem, but at least they can grow new leaves. The only most important thing is the root of the plant. It’s the same as I can’t live without my grandparents.

Every moment, every moment, I remember the deep footprints my grandparents left on the storyline of my life. Every moment, every moment, I remember how my grandpa and grandma were fishing, eating, sleeping, being happy, angry, joking, praying, watching TV, chatting, and shopping. When I was young, I was so moved that I cried for the first time when I went to church and for the first time fishing. When I was young, I remember Grandpa looking for money while shopping for vegetables. I remember being immature before, losing my temper with Grandpa, crying to Grandma, and of course, I also remembered that I laughed when Grandpa came. When I returned home… I cried. After three years of missing my grandpa and five years of missing my grandma, here they come! I didn’t tell them, but the night they came I was so happy I cried again.

I will never forget those memories, and I won’t want to.

Yet the time when Grandpa went back to China, I forgot that. When I went home, I did what I always did, and I went to hug Grandpa, who was supposed to be on the sofa. When I looked at the empty place on the sofa, the weak salted water came running out of my eyes. I put a pillow on Grandpa’s legs and put my head on the pillows. Even now, as I am writing this, tears are streaming down my cheeks. Then I went to Grandma’s room and cried again. This time, I can only hug the long pillow as Grandma. I can remember when Mom and Dad brought us to the mountain, to the waterfall, and to the cafe with roller coasters and zip lines. I had gone with Grandma to the coaster and she had screamed! I had gone with Grandpa and we had fished for a whole day as well. I laughed when I thought about walking for 15 minutes to go to 7–11 just to buy some ice cream. I had fun, lots of fun. Memories, it turns out, were all that I said. They were all just memories. I can’t replay them, so I am always trying my best to enjoy these beautiful times and love life.

Though there were some things regretful like going to Night Safari to see not any animals and not many events, most of the things that happened had good results and gave me lots of good memories. My grandpa and grandma were always there for me when I had trouble, and though I thought they were just bored when they kept insisting on seeing me play basketball, now I feel lonely as there wasn’t anyone to watch me play basketball. Grandpa would often watch TV with Dad, and they can always talk about the same topic. Dad used to always watch TV on his own, yet now he won’t have to suffer loneliness. Oh! And also I remember one time Mom and I went out for Japanese class, when we came back Grandpa said our dog Lucy ran out of the house to chase our car. I cried and shouted for Lucy, but there was no response. At last, Lucy came down from upstairs and I realized it was all just a joke Grandpa made. There were somehow more things in 20 days with Grandpa than a whole 2 semesters of school. One day seemed to be shortened to half as I spent time with my Grandparents. I grew up in their embrace, and I will make it so that when they grow old as they won’t be able to take care of themselves anymore, they will rest with me taking care of them. I had secretly sworn to god that I would always love and care for my Grandparents however old and paranoid they get. If it takes me to push them in wheelchairs and spoon-feed them all their food, I will do it, for they made my childhood full of love and happiness. They also taught me things, like the fact that the reason Lucy doesn’t like me that much is that she is scared of me always forcing her to stay beside me, and me hugging her too much. My grandpa also taught me tongue twisters like:

“打南边来了个哑巴,腰里别了个喇叭;

打北边来了个喇嘛,手里提了个獭犸.

提着獭犸的喇嘛要拿獭犸换别着喇叭的哑巴的喇叭;

别着喇叭的哑巴不愿拿喇叭换提着獭犸的喇嘛的獭犸.

不知是别着喇叭的哑巴打了提着獭犸的喇嘛一喇叭;

还是提着獭犸的喇嘛打了别着喇叭的哑巴一獭犸.

喇嘛回家炖獭犸;

哑巴嘀嘀哒哒吹喇叭.”

(In English)

“Dǎ nán bian lái le gè yǎ bā, yāo lǐ bié le gè lǎ bā; dǎ běi bian lái le gè lǎ ma, shǒu lǐ tí le gè tǎ mà. Tí zhe tǎ mà de lǎ ma yào ná tǎ mà huàn bié zhāo lǎ bā de yǎ bā de lǎ bā; bié zhāo lǎ bā de yǎ bā bu yuàn ná lǎ bā huàn tí zhe tǎ mà de lǎ ma de tǎ mà. Bù zhī shì bié zhāo lǎ bā de yǎ bā dǎ le tí zhe tǎ mà de lǎ ma yī lǎ bā; hái shì tí zhe tǎ mà de lǎ ma dǎ le bié zhāo lǎ bā de yǎ bā yī tǎ mà. Lǎ ma huí jiā dùn tǎ mà; yǎbā dí dí dá dá chuī lǎ bā”

To simplify this entire text, they were always the ones by my side when I was sad; the ones teaching me right when I was wrong, and the ones who were happy to play games with me when my parents weren’t.

I suppose the root also needs the leaf, or else it will die out as well.