Grandparents fill our lives with love. People who have the chance to experience the special love that their grandparents’ shower on them are very lucky. I am one of those people. I spent a large part of my childhood being brought up by grandparents, and I loved it.
My earliest memories are of me following my grandmother around wherever she went. As a child-with a mother who was busy with her work- I was very attached to my grandmother. I needed her to eat, I needed her to sleep. I needed her for everything. In my life so far, if I had to name one person I was dependent on, it would be my grandmother. And it’s one dependence that I’m happy I never grew out of.
In their busy lives, a lot of people forget to go back to their roots. They forget to impart their family’s traditions and culture to their children. Being brought up by grandparents meant that I was very much in touch with my roots. Even to this day, people praise for the clear way I speak my mother tongue. I am able to do it because I learnt it from the best; my grandparents.
Whether it be a language, a good habit or something else, I learned a lot from my grandparents. But what I’m most proud of learning are the values they imparted. I have grown up now, but what I was taught by them as a child still remain with me. I was taught to be honest, yet empathetic. And I’m proud to say that these qualities define me as a person today.
Another thing I loved about being brought up by grandparents was how fiercely protective they were of me. They defended me and protected me from everyone- including angry parents-and everything. The feeling of being protected, from every bad thing that came my way, was an amazing feeling. It’s a feeling I miss now as I’ve stepped out into the real world. I crave the warmth and security of my grandparents’ protective hugs.
Being brought up by my grandparents was great for another reason; they kept me company and kept me entertained. I am an only child. People with siblings often told me I was missing out and were sympathetic about it. But I never actually missed out. And that’s because of my grandparents. I never felt like I was alone, never felt like I didn’t have anyone to keep me company because I had my grandparents with me. My grandparents played games with me, they took me out to parks, playgrounds and stores. My life with them was an adventure, so how could I have missed out on anything?
All these wonderful things meant-like I mentioned earlier- that I grew dependent on my loving grandparents. And that wasn’t a bad thing at all as long as I had them. But unfortunately, time goes by. As time went by, I grew up, and they grew older. I first lost my grandfather, and then many years down the lane, my grandmother.
When I was younger I could never imagine losing them, and always assumed that the day I lost them would mean an end to my life as well. But when I lost them, I survived. I was heartbroken, yet I survived. Having my grandparents made me strong, and losing them made me realize I was much stronger than I had thought. So that’s another thing my grandparents taught me; to be dependent on people, yet independent of them. Being brought up by my grandparents was something I loved immensely, and losing them was the hardest thing I had to go through, but it made me stronger. My grandparents made me who I was as a child and make me who I am today. Even without a physical presence, they are still present, and they continue to bring me up and build me up.
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