姥爷 has always been extremely kind and generous to me as long as I can remember. Although I don’t have many detailed memories of him since we spent limited time together, I do remember how well he treated me and welcomed me every time I went back to China to visit. He’d always reserve good food for me, ask to see if I’m safe, warm, healthy, happy…As a kid, I remember how humble of a person he was, never arrogant or needy, always reserved and thoughtful.

We took a trip around Southern China together, and despite how tiring it must have been for him to walk around, he never complained and always had a smile on his face. His love for traveling, culture, and curiosity for the world and its news was an everlasting hobby that I admired very much. He was someone who, even at old age, wanted to learn more about the world, a quality that I wish to possess as well as he did: humble intellectualism.

When I received news that he was sick, I thought, as many times before, he’d recover eventually. However, the illness shocked everyone with its speed, and before I could process any of it, he was gone. I remember telling him that he will get better on the phone and him hardly able to speak. But for me, he managed to muster up as much energy as possible and tell me he’d be okay. Even in his illness he was still thinking of me, telling me to be safe and healthy.

I know one of the things he’s really proud of is my education, and I have to thank him in raising a family who values education and therefore, passed down to me a love and respect for knowledge. Every year in college, he has contributed money to my college funds, nothing extraordinary, but definitely symbolic: when he was young, he barely had money to buy textbooks, and so the money he’d give to me was his way of making sure I have everything I need for a good education.

I think 姥爷 would be very proud of me these days as I’m in the process of completing my Master’s degree. His spirit lives on with all of us because with his kindness, he was able to touch each of us in a special way.

Love

Ge