Grandma
For those of you who were there at the wedding, you must have all witnessed how emotional I was when my brother mentioned my grandma. She is 93 years old this year and she is my favorite person in the universe. Because my parent's work, I was sent back to live with her at early age. I was and still am her favorite grand child among all 21 of them. She was born a merchant's daughter but was married to my grandfather whose family farmed rice for a living. She would tell me stories about how much hardships she endured in the early years of her marriage, getting adjusted to the farming life.
When I lived with my grandparents, they always spoiled me with the best things they had to offer. She saved me chicken thighs every time because that was my favorite. She made sure that every demand little JoJo had was met. One time, I so foolishly put my foot into a running bicyle wheel while ridinig on the back and hurt my foot so badly (a piece of flesh was shaved off)I couldn't walk for one month. My dear grandma carried me on her back everywhere I wanted to go. with such a tiny body! At age 88, she was still living alone and cooking for herself, claiming that since she has five sons and one daughter, it was unfair for her to burden any one of them. We had bought her a washer but she insisted on doing her own laundry... by hand. That's who she is, a stubborn but lovely old lady! (the same trait you can probably see in me). Then she fell on her back 2 times at age 89. When I saw her in the hospital after her surgery, it was the first time in my life that I saw a weak and vulnerable grandma. I went outside and wept and realized for the first time that my grandma was getting old. Ever since then, she has to live with a maid even though she is still telling us that once she gets better, she wants to live by herself again.
I try to go see her as often as I can. It's not an easy journey from Hong Kong to Douliu (almost 8-hour of air/train travel time one-way) but she is my grandma and I miss her so dearly when I don't see her. Even though every time I see her, she tells me the same old stories, reminds me again and again that I ought to get married soon (before I become 'expired' goods), and asks me the same questions, but just by sitting there with her, I feel I can already be at peace and be a child again. and I know, I also make her happy by just being there. so this weekend, I am going to see her and this time, I can finally tell her, her old granddaughter finally married herself off before she becomes expired goods...
--Joyce
Labels: 亲友
posted by JoJo at
5:16 PM
1 Comments:
I find it remarkable that there are resemblances between your grandma and Jaime's Apo and Popo lives. They both left their families in southern China to become teenager brides and came to a foreign country, half way around the world with a strange new language, one to a small rural town in Panama's countryside, where my father owned a dry goods store and the other to the busy port city of Colón. My parents were able to raise and educate (up to college level) six children, and there are now seventeen grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren in the Siu family.
Winston{s parents raised a family of nine children with a lot of hardships.
Jaime and my children have always had a special relationship with my widowed mother and my deceased sister Tía Chita, who always spoke with great pride of their accomplishments. Jaime was the first grandson born to the Cham clan, so he was born with a reserved special place to Popo.
My mother is also a stubborn old lady, who likes to tells the same stories of how things were in the old times to whoever will listen, and she will be 90 years soon. Popo was a very determined and strong woman upt to her last days.
I am happy that we were able to give Apo the opportunity to join us in the celebration of your and Jaime´s marriage here in Panamá. I am sure your grandma will be very happy when you tell her that you married Jaime and tell her that true love has no expiration date.
Had to post this as anonymous, forgot the password I used for momanddad.
By
Anonymous, at 10:15 AM HKT
Post a Comment
<< Home