I decided to learn Mandarin partly for my grandma, and now that she's gone I just wish I knew more about her life, and her family before marriage, before kids, you know what I mean?
Now that I'm older and able to travel, I do wish that I had more time with her (as selfish as it sounds) and I miss her terribly. I ask my parents lots of questions though so it's not too bad!
Cherish them if they're good to you, most times elders can be awful too.
Aug 10, 2024
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my grandad is one of the best people out there and he’s about to die, i’m very glad we got to do so much stuff together and become friends. our relationship really shaped me. visit your grandparents :)
May 5, 2024
I always take the winding two lane mountain road home from work, it’s 8 minutes longer and so much prettier than the interstate. I see longhorn cows, sheep, goats, fluorescent red sugar maples.
Yesterday I took a trip to visit my grandmothers grave with my mother and my 101 year old grandpa. Over a century later, he still remembers every old road and scenic back way to get around, who lived in what house, where they worked, who were friends, enemies, and lovers. He told me stories about every nook and cranny in that tiny town nestled among the Blue Ridge.
Building the church on the corner of the graveyard and using popcorn in the mortar which got so hot it popped. Exploring the flour mill with his friends which today is a miniature museum of the town history. How he and his fellow boy scouts used buckets and shovels to help fight the raging fire that spread across the mountain range. He showed me the railroad his father was a pipefitter on and the few blocks he walked to work, the corner their little dog would wait dutifully for his whistle to come running after hearing the work bell every evening. He sang me the song about catfish they used to sing while bathing in the calm river in the summer months, the same river that claimed the life of his brother in law.
I miss the city and our friends, but I know we have so much time to make our own stories in the decades to come. I feel so blessed that I have him in my life and to be living again in my hometown to hear these stories and so many others. I am so grateful that he gets to spend time with my husband and celebrate the joining of our families.
If you’re lucky enough to have a grandparent or any elder in your life, give them a call or pay them a visit and let them tell you stories, even the ones you’ve heard before. Ask questions about what it was like when they were your age and tell them how much you love them.
Nov 2, 2024
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I like to ask my grandma if she misses random people in our family. Like d and z tier family members. Ppl who she rly has no business thinking about ever. So funny watching her try to recall who they are and then saying no.
“Tita, do you miss Ingrid, la esposa de Alan?”
“Diay chiquito, ¡no!”
May 9, 2024
Top Recs from @thisismoy
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it's totally cool to age and society still isn't equipped to deal with that.
Mar 27, 2024
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Sometimes you try your best and everything seems to hit the fan no matter how much you try, so you take that raincheck and take yourself out for a day.
Nov 27, 2024
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This is what I call it hahahah made by mums everywhere but the greased up version is sold along stalls in Mumbai. Two regular slices of white bread, buttered, and the middle filling is cream cheese with red onions, coriander/cilantro, tomatoes and some minced chillis. All veggies chopped mini cube size so they blend with the cheese. Toasted crispy.
Apr 3, 2024