My grandfather
(maternal) visited me yesterday on the sideline of my late great grandmother’s annual
ceremony. I haven’t seen him for a very long time, as he wasn’t well to move
out of his house or climbing down from his upstairs home. I was truly surprised
when my grandma brings him home along with her. Since he was suffering from
certain health setbacks in recent past, I didn’t expect him to visit me and for
me it is hardly possible to meet him at his home in first floor and coming
across their congested street in wheelchair is something quite awkward to image.
Since it is hard to take a car inside their street and also post fracture last
year, I am going through difficult times transferring between car and
wheelchair.
My grandfather and grandmother (shot at Kodaikanal in 2012) |
I feel so happy
meeting him and I really moved looking into his eyes that was yearning to see
me… His affection and care for me is something very special and is always evident
through his eyes. Though he won’t speak much and couldn’t make gestures easily,
I understand him quite well and I can’t explain how much I love him and he
means to me. He is our best well-wisher and what and where we are today is only
because of his chief intention along with his son’s (my late uncle) hard work, and
selfless being provided us so many advantages in life. Until he closed his teashop
at early 20s, he has been a hard worker and active being. For more than two decades he had been a cabs car
and lorry driver, before started fulltime dairy business and opens the teashop.
My uncle’s
demise in late 2001 had hit him immensely and shutting down the teashop, left
him jobless at home resulted in greater drawback at health followed by a
cardiac arrest due to clot in heart. But
in latter days he suffers from diabetic and nervous problem and the side
effects of tablets forced him to quite depend on others. He could walk only at
very slow pace and someone need to lift him from the chair to stand and being
little obese it has been very difficult for my grandmother to take care of him.
We ever expected him to become infirmity at this early age of 75, while older
than him are progressing well. I am one of his main concerns to make him feel
regret, and he had expressed his sorrow many time with granny for unable to
help me in anyways.
In 2001 he used
to drive me every day to a clinic in T.Nagar here, where I took Ayurveda treatment
for nearly two months. Driving through the heavy morning traffic is a true
venture in his way of driving, though he manages only because of the eagerness
to see me as a normal being. While studying in school, he used to pick me in
his bicycle if I received none. Putting
the bags on the handlebar, he pedals me to home placing me on the rear carrier,
since my school was very close to their house. He had scolded me and also
embraced at same, as he always had special attention towards me.
I think it is
our turn to take care of him, not only because he had worn-out his life for our
self but true love he has shown for others and as children/grandchildren it’s
our duty to support not only physically but also make him feel happy and
content. At my stand I am conscious not to disturb him anyways, but I feel
sorry that indirectly I’m one of the main concerns on his drawback stream. Emotionally
he has been disturbed by others, forgetting whatever he had done for them and
just for the brief of ego and updating their fake statues - though they
deserved to be so – makes him feel anguish. Until 2012 he had traveled with me
for many places, as I love doing it so, I am helpless now leaving him at home
as he finds it very difficult to travel and getting in and out of the car, and
in case of urgency he prefers Auto (rickshaw) to pick and drop him at doorstep.
17 comments:
what a special man he is to you and all of your family. bless him - and you. do not feel that you cause him pain and angst. he loves you.
A noble man!
My best wishes to him.
A very nice and heart warming post Jeevan. Reflects the great love affection and bonding grand father and grandson.God Bless you and your family. Happy Independence Day & Vande Mataram !
Thank you for introducing us to your grandfather. He sounds like a wonderful man, and I'm glad you were able to see him again.
You writing of your grandfather is so good. I like capturing a picture of your family and life as you tell you life. I hope there is a way that you could get to be more mobile in the wheel chair.
Dear Jeevan,
very much moved and share my empathy .I know how hard it is to lose a son.On your birthday, when i came to your house i met your grandmother and was talking to her .She could not overcome the grief.convey my heartfelt regards to them.
karthik amma
Such a loving post!
It's good to see your grandfather, and to know how much he means to you. Do show as much gratitude as possible to him now. I think he is also lucky to have a grandson like you.
Destination Infinity
Oh My---what a heart-moving post today. I can feel the emotion in your words when talking about this wonderful man. Thanks for introducing us to your adoring Grandfather. He obviously worked hard all of his life --and it is always hard to see our loved ones begin to get old.
As you know, George's Daddy lived to be 101 --and he worked so hard his entire life, until he couldn't do it anymore due to his age and health. Every time we would see him, I would cry when leaving since I loved him so much and hated to see him deteriorate like he did... SO---I know how hard it is for you to see your Grandfather not getting to do the things he used to do...
Hugs,
Betsy
lovely grandparents Jeevan...
It is a great feeling to have such deep bonding with one's grandparents. Their love is so genuine and totally unconditional. Your post reminded me of my maternal grandparents whose lives exuded pure love and affection.
The care and love you and your grandfather have is evident in your writing. It is something you will have to cherish for the rest of your life. Though life is hard for both of you now, you have each other's love and respect and many in life are not granted that privilege.
Each of us need to live our lives and appreciate the good things that the Almighty has given us and not dwell on the hardships. I still remember a saying on a sign over my work bench for a job I had when I was only 14. I worked in a heavy metals industry and the sign read...." I had the blues because I had no shoes. Until upon the street, I saw a man who had no feet."
Lesson to be learned from that visionary statement.
SmokeySheye
Both of you are lucky to have each other, who love each other genuinely. All the best to you, Jeevan!
SmokeySheye - First, thank you for taking time to reveal my blog and for your nice thoughtful comment. What you said is sufficient of life and for the people in hardships, the less privileged are motivations to lead content with what we have... life isn't a technical app to compare which is best resource, and our life is constructed on self experience and knowledge that could ever be same as one another.
No way I could forget the times being with grandpa and those are treasures no one could snatch from me unless I lost memory. Obviously what I shared with my grandparents is not what interest many kids today, or there isn't opportunity provided to them... but I wish it is a phase that no one should miss, because there couldn't be people like grandparents who care and love wholeheartedly.
Very lovely blog,
From your blog its very clear that your grandpa is not in the list of the people who give up easily
So,I dont think that you are in your grandpaa's drawback stream
Plzz dont think in that way!!
You and your grandpaa are very lucky to have each other!!
TC
Divya - I ever thought my Flickr friends will comment in my blog, but you are second following Sheye.
Thank you and I really appreciate your comment and thought to reach my post here. I don’t say I am the only concern, but perhaps I’m one among the many. I wish he stays well as long as possible...
Grand parents are always special and best wishes to them..
Post a Comment