Everydaywasastruggle.Everymorning,everynight.EverysecondIwouldaskmyselfonesingle questionwouldmygrandpabealright?ItallstartedwithourannualtriptoCalifornia.Every summer,myfamilyandItakeatriptoSacramentotospendtimewithmygrandparentsWealways haveagoodtimeandIcan'timaginedoinganythingelseduringmysummer.Eatingout,watching movies,andspendingqualitytimewithSimranandmygrandparents,isoverall,withoutadoubt,my favoritethingtodo.I'vealwayshadacertainconnectiontomygrandpa,orasIusedtocallhim,my nana.Ican'texplainwhy,butmygrandpawastheshoulderIwouldcryon.HewastheonepersonI couldrelyontoalwaysbethere,becausehealwayswasIknewIcouldcountonhimItwasa sunnyday,waytoosunny.Iwokeuptothebright,shiningCaliforniasun.Thebirdswerechirping, thetreeswereswaying,theflowerswereblooming,andthegrasswasgreenerthanever.Itfeltlikea goodday,itreallydidIevenbelieveditwasagooddayforasecondHowever,Iwassnappedback intorealitywhenIheardmygrandma,ormynani,sobbingintheotherroom.Oh,howrealitycan suckyouin.Inthesplitofasecond,yourbestmomentscanturnintoyourworst.Yoursmilecan turnintoafrown.Yournani,oneofthestrongestpeopleever,couldbesobbing."Nani,areyouok?" Iasked.Sheturnedtolookatmewithtearsstreamingdownherface.Ihadneverseenmynanicry. Shewrapped
MyGrandmotherEssay
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GrandmotherProfileEssays
EnglishComposition1
MyGrandmother
MyGrandmothergoesbythenameofbabunya,andbabaforshort,thismeansgrandmain Ukrainian.ShelivedinUkraineformostofherlife,andsheisalmost90yearsoldnow.She'sbeen throughalotinheryears,thusherappearancehaschangedForeverywrinkleshehasthere'sastory tomatch.Shehashadeverycolorhair:blonde,red,brown,andblack.Nowherhairisashortgray color.Shekeepsitshortbecauseitstaysoutoftheway,eventhoughshehatesitshort.Shehas alwayshadlongheruntilnowShehasalsoprogressivelybecomeshorterovertheyearsduetoa verybadback;shenowstandsjustunderfivefeet.Sinceshespendsmostofherdaysinthegarden herusualoutfitshowmorecontent
Sheusuallywatchesthenewsandeducatesherselfonwhatishappeningintheworldaroundher. Whenwegotovisithertheconversationsusuallygotthesamewayeverytime.
Mygrandmausuallystartsoffbysayingsomethingalongthelinesof"how'sschoolgoingforyou?
Howareyourgrades?Howisworkgoing?Doyoulikeyourteachers?"Thispartofthe conversationdoesn'tlastlong
Ifthereisonethingmygrandmaisgoodat,it'stalking.Shelovestellingstoriesandtalkingabout what'sgoingonintheworldtoday.Babunyaisaverysociablepersonandcanholdaconversation withanyone
Mybabawasborninatimewhentheonlywayyoucouldhavefoodonyourplatefordinnerwasif youhuntedityourselfShewouldexplaintomethat"livinginacommunistcountrywasoneofthe worstthingsIhaveeverseenorbeenthrough.Notonlywasmycountrycommunist,weweregoing throughafamine.Therewasnowaytogetfoodbecausethegovernmentstarvedus.IfIwantedto eatthatdayIwouldhavetokillabirdorwhateverelsewasaroundthatday."Mygrandmaisavery strongwoman.Shegrewupwith3brothersand1sister,whowereallolder.Shealwayswantedto belikehersiblingsBecausehersiblingswereallolder,mygrandmotherwasaveryfastlearner Theytaughtherwhattheywereduringinschoolsobythetimeshegottothatgradelevelshe alreadyknewtheinformation.Mygrandma
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Grandparentsareanessentialpartofafamily.Mygrandmotherwasaveryimportantpartofmylife fromthebeginning.Icouldalwayscountonhertolistentomefromherheart,shareherwisdom andlendashouldertocryon.Shetaughtmemanyimportantlessonsthroughoutourlivestogether. Mygrandmothermeanttheworldtome.Shewasthemostbeautifulladyintheworld.Shewasshort andherheartwasthebiggestsizeMygrandmotherwaslikeaparenttomeandshelovedmeinthe sameunconditionalwayasmymotherdid.WheneverIneededsomethingIknewIcouldcounton her.Shewaslikemyfriend,mymom,myeverything.Imaginewakinguptowhatshouldbea normaldayinmylifeonlytofindoutmygrandmotherhadbeenrushedtoshowmorecontent Iaskedmymomwhatwasgoingonwithgrandmaandshetoldmethattheywerewaitingforthe doctorstocomeinandtellthemwhatwasgoingon.Whilewaitingformymomtocallmeback,I didn'tknowwhattodo.Ihadplentyofpositiveandnegativethoughtsrunningthroughmyhead.I triedholdingthetearsbackandtriedhavingfaiththatitwasnothingmajor.Iwasprayingand askingGodtopleaseletmygrandmotherbeokayMymindwasallovertheplaceMymother finallycalledmebackandtoldmethatthedoctorsdidsometestsonherandfoundoutshehada stroke,sotheambulancetookhertoMobile.Itfeltlikemyheartshatteredafterhearingthat.I startedcryingandwonderingwhatwillhappennext.IhadthoughtsinmyheadaboutwhatwillIdo ifIlosemygrandmother.Mylifewillbeupsidedownbecauseshewastheonewithmethrough thickandthinWhentheambulancetookmygrandmothertoMobileInfirmaryanddidsomemore teststhedoctorsfoundoutonesideofherbrainwasswollen.
MyfamilyandItookatriptoMobileInfirmary.WehadcarsfullheadedtoMobile.Thedrivershad theiremergencylightsonandeachdriverwasfollowingeachotheronebehindtheotherItdidnot takeuslongtogettoMobilebecauseeachdriverwasspeedingsinceitwasanemergency.Iwasin thebackseatofthecarjustholdingonbecausetheyweredrivingwildbypassingeveryvehicleon thehighway.WhenwearrivedinMobilewe
MyGrandmotherEssay
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Mygrandmaoraswegrandchildrencallher,Paw–Paw(whichinChinesemeansyourmother's mother)isanamazingladyandletmejusttellyouagreatcooktoo.Sheisaladywithabig personalityandsomuchcaringinhersoul.Shetakescareofuswhenweneedsomethingorifwe justwantsomeonetohangoutwith.Mygrandmaisonegreatpersonandanyonewhomeetshercan easilyfigurethatoutSheismygrandma,friend,andoneofmybiggestrolemodelsasshehadto travelacrosstheworldtocometotheUnitedStates.Shecares,shecooks,shehugs,andsheloves.
Whenmygrandmawasateenager,shehadtoembarkajourneythatmostwouldfeartodoShe traveledhalf–wayacrosstheworldfromChinatoAmericaonaboatthesizeof...showmore
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NowwhenIhugmygrandma,it'sfamiliarandfeelslikehome.Hersmallarmsaroundme,withher paintedsparklingnailsthatmatchherpersonalitysowell.Wheneversheseesoneofthe grandchildrenhersmalleyeslightupandbecomebigShewavesatus,withabigsmile,inthe distancewhilewalkingfasttocomegiveusahug.Alongwiththebighug,yougetabigkissonthe cheekthatoftenleavesapinkstainbehind.WhenmyparentswouldgoonatripmybrotherandI wouldgettohaveawesomesleepoversatmygrandparentshouse.Iwouldgettopickthemovieand snacks,thenwewouldlayinherbedandjusttalkabouteverything.TheninthemorningIwould wakeuptothebesteggsever
Nowthinkofthebestfriedriceyou'veeverhadandmultiplythatbyabout10,that'showgoodmy grandma'sfriedriceisMyfamilyandImakeitallthetimebutitisneverasgoodashersNotonly isthefriedricegoodsoarealltheotherdishes;birthdaynoodles,chivesandpork,andNewYears Evedumplings.Andthesmell,itconsumesallroomsofthehouseandmakesyousoexcitedfor yourmeal.MygrandparentsfavoriterestaurantsincludeLingsBuffet,MeiWei,andCici'sPizza (yes,allbuffets,whichnoneofuscomplainaboutbecausetheyareallsogood).But,thebestfoodis herownespeciallyifitiscookedinthewokSomanymealshavebeencookedintheoriginalwok favors,likesoysauceandmeat,frompastmealscomethroughand
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Grandmother'sHouseEssay
Grandmother'sHouse
Mygrandmother'shousehasaveryspecialplaceinmyheart.Asthefamilyhasgottenolderandwe haveallhadourownchildrenwedonotvisitasweshould.Ivisitedwithmygrandmothermany timeswhenIwaslittleHerhousealwaysseemedtohavesomethingaboutitthatsetitapartfromall therest.Asyouwalkintothebackdoorofherhouseyouwouldnoticealong,narrowkitchenthat ledintothemainlivinganddiningroomofherhouse.Thesmelloffoodhomecookedfoodwas quiteevidentGrandmothercookedeverydayandalwayscookedbigmealsonholidaysforthe family.Mygrandmothershousewasalwaysfulloflaughterandmanycheers.Ourfamilyusedto callitourhomeawayfromhome,it'slikeweshowmorecontent
Sheisahighlygivingpersontoeveryonearoundherandsheneverasksforanythinginreturn.She alwayshasaneartoearsmilethatwouldbrightenupanyday.SomeofthemanymemoriesIcarry withmeeverydayofmygrandmotheraretheholidayswhenweusedtogettogetherIremember ThanksgivingandEastermostofall.OnThanksgivingtheentirefamilywouldcometogetherfor dinnerandthenwewouldallstayatherhouseforthenight.Irememberthissowellbecausewe wouldwakeupthenextmorningtothesmellofbreakfastandalltheladieswouldbegoneshopping tothe"AfterThanksgivingSale".MygrandmotherhasaverysoftheartedvoicethatIstillhear tellingmegoodnightwhenwewerelittleShewouldwaitwithusuntilwefelldeepasleepAnd evenaswegotoldershewouldgatherusaroundthekitchentableandletuswatchtheoldfashioned icecreammakerchurnthebestvanillaicecreamandthenshewouldloaditupwithchocolatechips, andourparentswouldalwayssay,"That'stoomany",andgrandmotherjustletuskeeppilingthem on.Mygrandmotheristhekind,gentle,loving,caringgrandmotherthatIwishmychildrencould experiencetoday.Asthefamilygrewolder,everyoneseparatedandasmycousinsandIgotolder andhadourownchildrentheholidaysatgrandmothershousehavefadedaway.Nooneevengoesto grandmothershouseforThanksgivingorChristmas,andtherearenomoreEasterSundayegg
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MyGrandmother
Thispoemexplorestherelationshipbetweenthespeakerandhergrandmother.Itfocusesonthe remorseandguiltshefelt–andperhapsdoesstillfeel–aboutthewayshebehavedtowardsheron oneoccasion,andcanbeseenasanattempttoexorcisethis
Thepoemisdividedintofourparts:thefirststanzadescribeshergrandmotherworkingintheshop; thesecondtheincidentwhichcausesherguilt;thethirdstanzashowsherinretirementInthefinal stanza,afterhergrandmotherhasdied,thespeakerreflectsonherselfandhergrandmother'slife.
Thefirststanzasetsthescene–theantiqueshopreflectsthecharacterandlifeofthegrandmother.
Thewords'itkepther'suggestthatitseems,to...showmorecontent... Infact,beneaththeimagesofpolish,silverandbrassliessomeonewhocanbe'hurt',whofeels thoughneverspeaksabouthowshefeels,andwhocomestobe 'frail';thepoemdealswiththespeaker'scomplexresponsetothisrealisation.Thegrandmother'slife isboundupwiththeantiquesevenaftershenolongerkeepstheshop.Theyaccompanyhertothe 'long,narrowroom'inwhichsheessentiallywaitstodie.Thisthirdstanzaisfullofunattractive images–shadows,thesmellofabsence,thingstoolongshutup–yetthespeakerstillhasto acknowledgethat,tohergrandmother,theyrepresent'allherbestthings'.Thisimagerysumsupthe lfeofapersonwhohasbeendefinedbyherantiques–'thesmellofabsences'suggeststhememories thatthegrandmotherattachestotheseobjects,butitalsohintsatanunfulfilledexistence,while 'theshadows.../Thatcan'tbepolished'suggestthegrandmother'slossofherhabitualcontrolasshe nearsdeath(astateitselfoftenassociatedwithshadow),andareadisturbinglyvagueimage.
Inthepoem'sfinalimage,'thenewdustfallingthroughtheair', Jenningseconomicallysuggeststhegrandmother'sjoiningoftheantiquesshedevotedherlifeto Butthisimagesimultaneouslyremindsusofherabsencefromtheroom
EssayonMyGrandmother
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