Are you spending time with your love ones?

My grandma’s turning 80 this April 2004


We are going to throw a huge dinner anniversary

where all of our relative are coming over to celebrate

with her.


You should see how happy Grandma was when

we told her about her 80th birthday dinner.

One of her sons, who is my uncle is flying down

from New Zealand just to see her on her birthday!



You can tell she looks forward to April to

celebrate her 80th birthday party. It’s more

like a birthday dinner. :)


I’m telling you this because I want to share

with you about love for our old folks. Mum

or dad or grandma.


Here’s the story.


I visited grandma 2 weeks ago.


I’m happy she’s turning 80 this year. She’s a

strong woman.



Last night, I dreamt about grandma. That’s why

I had to write this article to share this insight with you.


I woke up and started to remember those sweet memories

I had with grandma when I was young. Grandma used to

take me down to town. I’m not from a rich family. So,

going down to town and supermarkets was something I

always looked forward to. During my time, shopping malls

did not exist yet at my place.


We used to take the bus to the town. Then, we’d walk

our way to the supermarkets!


Boy oh boy… that was fun.


I would head down straight to the toy department

when I got there. That was all I had in mind.

Toys. Action figures. GI Joe’s.


I was so happy when I was there. Especially looking at

all of those action figures that I just wished I had them

to play with (Children play computer games and Play

Stations nowadays. Those were the days of action figures).



My favourites were He-Man, GI Joe and ThunderCats.



And also, Transformers. Those toys of robots that can

transform into cars and trucks.



There was a toy called, ‘The Mask’, you may have heard of it

before. But, it was really expensive for me to buy.



I could just sit there all day looking at the toys.



I’m happy enough just to see them. Of course, deep in my

heart I always wanted to own them and play with my friends,

but I didn’t have money. I was young.



And I wouldn’t ask mummy or daddy to buy them either.



I know daddy worked very hard each day driving a

taxi to make a living for our family. Mum’s a housewife.



I love dad and mum.



So, obviously, buying a toy was not in my mind at that stage.



But with grandma, she would buy it for me.


I don’t know where she got money back then. But

I know when I went out with grandma, I would get to come

home with a toy. It didn’t matter whether it was expensive

or not, but I knew I’d not come home empty handed.

Or, I’d have the chance to eat at McDonald’s and take

home one of those Happy Meals toys.



Of course, I didn’t realize or ask myself, what did

grandma do when I spent hours at a time looking at the toys?



Actually, grandma didn’t care. She was just happy to

see her grandchild smiling away and happy going all

over those toys.



And yeah, I would get to eat junk food when I was

with grandma. :)



I love grandma with all my heart. I just don’t

know how to stress how much it is in this text

I’m writing.



I would feel happy when I was with grandma.



Grandma was strong at that time when I was

only a little boy.



But last week when I visited grandma, I

realized one thing.



Age does catch up with humans.



Especially after over 10 years +.



Humans tend to get old.



That’s normal, I guess.



Grandma’s walk is slower nowadays.



She sleeps a lot too.



And when she speaks, she speaks really slowly.



She can’t take buses anymore. If she wants to walk

fast, someone has to hold her hand and walk with her.



Sometimes, she forgets things.



That’s part of life. People do grow old.



But missing the opportunity to be by the side of

someone who loves you dearly when she or he

grows old is one of the missed moments in life.



No time or money can ever replace that.



If you have a grandma, spend some time with her.



Because, time can pass so fast. You don’t feel time

passing when you are busy chasing your career

and dreams. Or chasing your dream car.



If you have a grandchild or children, spend time

with them. Do understand, they love you as much

as you love them. It’s just that sometimes, people

don’t realize time passes so fast until it’s too late.



End of the day, no matter how successful you

are, you’ll start to question what is success.



Would you believe me, true success is having the

ability to spend time with your loved ones

whenever you want?



Money is not success. It’s only a part of success.



But because of the materialistic world we are living in,

money has been placed as one of the main benchmarks

to be considered as success.



Which is not true.



Here’s the proof. I have money. But I can’t have the

loving moment I had with grandma 10 years ago.



Money is always important, but it doesn’t have

to be the benchmark of success.



It's just one of it.



Being loved, having love and giving love should

be the benchmark of success.



I think I’ll write a different article on the subject

of success on other days.



But somehow, my heart tells me to write about loving

someone who always loves you today.



If this article I have shared is mirrored in your life in any

way, don’t wait. Take action.