Thinking about my grandfather and the help he always gave me, I think that without him and his advice I would have grown up a completely different person, and therefore my life would have turned out differently.
More than once or twice I found myself in such confusing situations, when I did not know what to do and what to do, and then my grandfather was there to guide me, not to tell me directly what to do, deciding for me. How many times I tried to give up singing, because it was getting on my nerves, but my mother kept trying to persuade me to stay. Then Grandpa said that it was my hobby and my time, so only I could decide if I needed it or not. I left. And I don’t regret it one bit – by giving up a stressful club and class, I had more time for my studies and friends.
I wanted to try myself in several professions, but the limited number of examinations put me before the choice – either to try to achieve something with chemistry and biology, or with history and English. My grandfather said he would have chosen the second one himself, because they weren’t such narrow majors. So I decided on the second set and became a translator. Through that, I met Nani – she was a Korean who worked in translation, just like me.
I didn’t know how to ask her out, so I consulted my grandfather on that, and two years later I asked him how he proposed to my grandmother, because I wanted to impress Nani.
Now my grandfather is a great-grandfather, helping me and my wife babysit our one-year-old toddler, his great-grandson, and even here he doesn’t stay away and always has some good advice to offer.
Sometimes I think that if it weren’t for him and his advice, I might not have gotten into where I got in, or I might not have asked Nani out, worrying too much that it wouldn’t work out. Not only did Grandpa give me advice, but he encouraged me through life, knowing from somewhere what was best for me and exactly what I needed.
I never tire of thanking him for that. And don’t forget to thank your family members who support and guide you. They are our support and encouragement, and our most important advisers, and sometimes worth listening to.
