If my grandmother was alive, she would have been 108 on this day. *sigh* It’s amazing how most of my childhood memories go home to thoughts of her…the epitome of a matriarch. Growing up, I’ve had mixed emotions about living with her from Day Zero of my life because she was strict, conservative and strong — enough to drive a tween or a teenager crazy during the typically tumultuous time of puberty, with the pursuit for academic excellence forced down our throats vis-a-vis a strong regard for good breeding and refinement. “Good breeding brought about by ancestral refinement is different from the breeding brought about by acquisition of instant wealth”, she would always be quick to say of the tasteless neouveau riche who try to prove themselves by flaunting their freshly acquired wealth, wearing their wallets around their necks while looking down on others. She made sure we knew the difference good enough to stick to the values she had worked hard to inculcate in us.
She has also taught me that “Simplicity is beauty, but if you’re terribly simple, you’re simply terrible.” One of the rare occasions when she’d serve her iconic words of wisdom with a little humor, and still make sense.
And I won’t forget that day I mispelled a word in a handmade card I sent out to an aunt when I was in third grade. I carelessly wrote “RECIEVE” instead of “RECEIVE” and I never heard the end of it. I have been extra careful about my spelling since that day. I’m not perfect. I don’t even write well even if I write too much, hahaha. My grammar isn’t in top form. But I’ve been cringing everytime I see a word mispelled by others since then — though I must say that the advent of text messaging and Facebooking makes it almost less of a crime in my book now.
I can go on forever about the things I learned from my grandmother..that perfect lady who was cold yet caring in her ways, thoughtful and generous yet practical, feeling yet seemingly unemotional. Always composed but will be quick to put her foot down. Regal, so to speak.
All I can say is…
Looking back, I have no regrets. I might have had mixed emotions when I was younger, but that is too shallow compared to the relief and gratitude that she indeed played a big role in making me the person that I am now. I feel very blessed that she was there to keep me focused and on the right path. And I feel blessed that I was there to attend to her needs when she started getting weak. And that I have spent not only just summer vacations with her, but almost everyday of my life until I left for college.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.