ENG 273 FD#2 My Life Teacher

Kristine Asato           

12 October, 2010

FD #2

My Life Teacher.

My grandfather sits in his grandfather chair.  The armrest is worn from over use, and I’m pretty sure the chair is older than me.  My grandfather was a man of few words.  But when he spoke, everything seemed to resonate in me.  [THESIS] Without even knowing, my grandfather has taught me lessons in life, that I thought could only come from books. [THESIS]  Oblivious to his powers, my grandfather has shaped my life, and I am eternally grateful for it.

My grandfather was a brother to seven other siblings.  At his old age, he had drooping ears that looked like they were the models for the Buddha statue in a temple.  It wasn’t until recently I started taking pictures of my grandfather.  And when I caught a good shot, his smile would always make me laugh.  It wouldn’t die out like some over played song.  I’m sure my grandfather’s smile will last for decades to come.  At a young age, weighing in at probably two hundred pounds, my grandfather was the biggest person ever.  His round belly made him the perfect Asian Santa Clause, although he never dressed like it once.  Now that time has passed, I am just a head taller than him.  But to me, my grandfather will always be the biggest person in body and soul. 

The earliest childhood memory still left in my brain was of my grandfather.  I remember crying, for what reason I do not remember.  I do remember feeling upset, and I remember being picked up.  He brushed his hand back and forth on my back to calm me down.  My grandfather carried me, around the house until I fell asleep in his arms.  I always felt love and a silent sense of affection from the arms that once held me close.  I learned how it felt to be loved at such a young age.  The fact that I still remember causes me to think that my grandfather’s embrace made me a little more warm hearted. 

During my elementary school years I had to do a project on a person, and I picked my grandfather.   I asked him questions about Pearl Harbor where he used to work before retirement.  I took down notes, of the Japanese and the internment camps.  He looked over and saw that I had abbreviated Japanese into “Jap”.  Bewildered, he told me never to write that word again.  I laughed a little; I didn’t understand the big deal.  I looked up for the familiar smile and a laugh.  But instead, I was met with a slap on my hand and a gaze that could break stone. In my later years, I came to understand the word derogatory and my grandfather’s outburst was finally clear.  I don’t remember the paper I wrote, or even which teacher I wrote it for.  But the lesson I learned has stayed with me.  I’ve never written that word again.  I felt like I’d be letting my grandfather down if I did. I am proud to be Japanese.  My grandfather had taught me to have respect and pride for my culture.

Everyone seems to tell me that I should learn to cook from my grandfather.  I asked him about it once.  The joy in his face was worth the time it would take to master this unique art of grandfather cooking.  My grandfather proceeded to remove a simple green book from the kitchen shelf.  I had never noticed it before.  I could see the clipping from magazines sticking out and aged pages with his familiar slanted handwriting.  This book was like the creator of all things that taste stupendous.  Although to make almost everything in the book, it took hours.  I remember his small sausage fingers that despite any arthritis, moved smoothly across the cutting board. This was at a time in my life when I would be content with microwave dinner, and ice cream straight from the carton.  I didn’t want to spend my summer days at my grandfathers’ house.  I didn’t want to spend all day waiting for the meat to soak up all the spices or whatever.  Eventually I took the time to make a dish.  It was a rewarding experience. It took the entire day to prepare some of the best dishes.  Patience was the ultimate lesson. 

As I grew older, I needed to choose a specific field of study.  My grandfather had his heart set on me becoming a nurse.   Every summer he would cut out a clipping from the paper with a nurses school advertisement.  He would tell me “When I was in the hospital the nurses took such good care of me.”  And I it was the only explanation I received on the subject.  As the years went on and my attempts at any sort of major went out the door, I turned to the medical field.  I started my classes, and went over to see my grandpa.  “I told you so” was the ultimate answer I received.  A short and blunt lecture on “if you listened earlier,” followed.  But the smile was unmistakable, and I relished in it. I am currently employed in a care home facility, and am enjoying it completely.  It seems my grandfather knew me better than I knew myself.  When all else failed, my grandfather was there, with his hopes for me.  His confidence encouraged me to become something better than what I used to be.

My grandfather stands for everything I’ve become, and he has taught me a little bit of everything I know.  Sometimes the paths we choose may be wrong and hard.  Being able to know that someone will always be there helps us get through.  My grandfather taught me to respect where I came from.  I know what it feels like to be forever loved.  The hardest one was patience, but only though patience I learned can great things happen.  Finally inspiration.  I hope to one day be able to inspire someone to be who they are just by being themselves.  It seems that these are the things that have helped me get by in life with flying colors.  I found that the lessons my grandfather taught me are valuable to my well being.  I can apply every one of them to my work, my social life, and even on a personal basis of character.  My grandfather was, without knowing, the greatest teacher ever.

Log of Completed Activities
X  Sep. 20M- Complete readings – all of chap. 13. Optional: “Cucarachas” by Madeline Sonik Confirmation reply required.S
L  Sep. 22W- Laulima Discussion: Portraits by Lee and Simic.
X  Sep. 24F- Laulima Discussion: Portraits by Steinbach and Toth.
X  Sep. 28t- Laulima Posting: Sample from Your Portrait.
L  Oct. 4M- RD2 due [50 pts] Review the guidelines. Confirmation reply required.
X  Oct. 8F- RD2 Evaluations due [50 pts] Review the guidelines. Confirmation reply required.
L  Oct. 12t- FD2 due [125 pts] Review the guidelines. Confirmation reply required.