Reflections from ages past...

I am sick... and I don't mean it in the emotional sort of way! I am sick as in, I am sniffling and coughing my way to glory here and if that's not bad enough, my time in front of the system is being cut short a little because of this. Not that I'm complaining... staring at the screen when your head feels like it's at the center of the Earth isn't the best feeling, let me assure you that!

And so, you ask me why I'm writing an entry when I'm feeling so bad? Well... sometimes, there are things you wish to share with the world and sickness or physical incapacity hardly is an obstacle.

Image by 27147 via Flickr

Yesterday, when I was off visiting a relative with my entire family (and when I was a little better), we had to stop by a bakery store to pick up something for the hosts. And so, my grandpa and I got off the car and walked into the store. This store is near my old school and so, there were so many memories that washed over me as I walked along the same road I had used for nearly twelve years of my life... As soon as we got inside, I saw cream-buns stacked in rows, inviting those who saw them to buy them.

As soon as I saw those delectable pastries, unbeknownst to me, I smiled as I remembered how as a small girl of seven, I would travel with my darling grandpa on a journey from my school back home... a journey that would have been a trivial one for anyone else... but for me, it was something that was a magnificent thing in itself... the sights and the sounds of everything around me, holding onto my grandpa's hands as he led me through the dangerous roads, my young eyes taking everything in through the glasses that did little to hide the world around me... only making it clearer... And then as we passed the pastry shop, I would involuntarily stop and tug at my grandpa's hand and he would stop and turn around to see me stare at the cream-buns...my eyes wide with excitement as I would imagine their sugary taste on my tongue. And my grandpa would smile as he would oblige my unspoken desires and get me a couple of the coveted pastries and all would be well in the world as we'd trudge along again, with an additional spring in my steps as I would try to make the journey as short as possible... I needed to eat the cream-buns as soon as possible!

And now, as I turned to watch my grandpa ask for what he wanted to the shopkeeper, I couldn't help but notice that his face is more lined with wrinkles of the ages that has passed since I was a little girl of seven. He can't walk as fast and somehow, everything about him has taken on a slow pace that belies his age. But I could not help but smile... as I smile now, typing this out in my room....I love my family! It's an emotion that I cannot completely display... In the little things that we do for each other, I can see my love clearly reflected back to me. And for that, I am thankful!