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My grandfather

Grandpa was born in 1911. He went through the difficult time of the old China and the most difficult time in new China (China was founded in 1949). Tough life gave him hardworking and thrifty personality. He had never spent any money on himself except for cigarettes. After he was 70 years old, he quit smoking because of his physical condition.

Grandpa is a lovely, kind-hearted person. When I was a child, my grandpa took care of me and my younger brother when my parents went out for their jobs. Every morning, he took us with him to a vegetable market. He bought us fruits every day though our family was not so well-off at that time. After shopping, he usually took us to a playground near the market. This was the best memory in my childhood. At that time, I dreamed to be a writer and I promised grandpa that my first book would be about him.

Grandfather was not good at cooking, but he kept cooking for us until he was about 75. I think he would not quit cooking for us if his physical problems were not so serious.

When I was in high school, I left home to another town to study. I went back home once every two weeks. In Friday or Saturday of the week I would go back, my grandpa would buy a lot of foods I love for me. At the dawn of those Saturdays, grandpa always waited for me at the bridge near the bus stop. This situation continued until I went to university. At that time, I promised to myself that I would give the best life to my grandpa when I grew up.

But 1 year after I went to university, grandpa couldn't  leave home for his serious physical problems. At that time, my parents and elder brother were all out for job in day time. My younger brother and me both lived in school. I can't image how lonely grandpa would be when he was sick and alone at home. This situation didn't change until grandpa passed away 2 years later.

I still remember the last time I saw grandpa. It was the last day for summer vacation. My younger brother and I had to go back to university. Grandpa said, "Don't worry too much about me, concentrate on your study." I could see tears in his eyes. Maybe he could felt it would be the last time to see us. A few days after that, grandpa passed away. Mother told us that after we left home, grandpa could not eat anything but liquid. This made me felt more guilty. I couldn't keep any promise to grandpa and left him alone when he needed me to back him up. Grandpa passed away peacefully just like falling asleep, which made me feel a bit comfortable.

Here I promise my grandpa for the last time: if life really goes as Buddhism says, I will be your granddaughter again to keep all my promises to you when I come to this world next time!