Some times we can, but other times, it may not be possible. Let me tell you about my grandma. She is the bestest grand ma any girl could ever pray or wish for. She loved me. She took care of me. She would even let me hold her finger all night long just because I had night mares. Yes, she teased me, and she told stories. A new story every night. I must have heard thousands, growing up with her.
She was illiterate, yet she was wise. She could not even sign her name, but she brought up five children all on her own. She tapped rubber trees for many years. In her old age she listened to her rambunctious grand daughter teaching her all that modern science had to offer. She was open and she she was teachable. She was born in Canton and her mom died while giving birth to her. In those days, there was no man made formula to feed babies. She was given to a peasant family. When she was ten years old, her brother came to offer her a place in his family and education. She chose to stay with her adopted folks because they loved her and she has grown accustomed to them.
She was a mail order bride and sailed to the South Sea when she was twenty. She had five children and one day her husband fell down and died. My youngest uncle was an infant then. She had a hard life. She was suspicious of all things foreign and things she could not comprehend. You see, her half sister was a bible woman in China. Her brother ran to Hong Kong when China fell. Her biological family was Christian and they were middle class and well educated.
She died when I was sixteen. She was ready to go and she had suffered hard and long in the hospital. I basically met her for the last time in the hospital ward. She recognised us but she could no longer talk. Years later I accepted Jesus into my heart. And I don't think anyone talked to her about the hereafter before her death. So unless she changed her mind before she breathed her last, she would have been lost. That last glimpse I had of her waving from the hospital bed had been the final good bye on earth. I am actually not much younger now than she was when she passed on. And that was that. I could not have talked her into a bold step of eternal life in salvation as a child, for I didn't know then. Now she is no longer here. It couldn't be regrets! What is it then?
* jasmine-flower.jpg from pukullima.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment