"Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy."
- Eskimo Proverb
Such wise, comforting words...
Interestingly, doesn't science tell us that the cells/atoms/molecules (I forget my high school science terminology) in our bodies were once part of a star?
Interestingly, doesn't science tell us that the cells/atoms/molecules (I forget my high school science terminology) in our bodies were once part of a star?
I left my country seven years ago with both sets of grandparents still living. Throughout the years, we've recently experienced the end of their earthly journeys, each in his or her own time. Now all four of my grandparents have left this earth... the last one being my dad's father, who passed away last Thursday.
I was not extremely close to my paternal grandfather, as we did not live in the same household as I did with my maternal grandparents. He was a quiet, reserved man who loved his family immensely. And he thought the world of my grandmother.
All my grandparents have one thing in common - they all lived a good life. And all of them dearly loved us, their grandkids.
Growing up, my grandfather had a term of endearment for me: "kamukha" - which in my language means, "my lookalike." Throughout the years, he always jokingly referred to me as that. Every time we went to their home for a visit, he would greet me by saying, "How is my kamukha?"
Which is funny, because actually my grandfather is not my dad's biological father. My dad's biological father died in the war, when my dad was still an infant. Then my grandmother remarried. So needless to say, for all intents and purposes, he WAS our grandfather. He loved us, and we loved him. And that's what matters. But thinking about it now, it is a bit funny that my grandfather referred to me as his lookalike.
But it makes me wonder about how all my grandparents must have left pieces of themselves with me, with us who are living.
And I think these "pieces" are all good things. Isn't that what we all want to leave behind for our loved ones - all good things. The pieces of ourselves that resemble strength and gentleness and compassion. The necessary tools for the life ahead.
I know all my grandparents are happy. They are now reunited, wherever they may be - on some different plane in an alternate universe. Perhaps they are happy with the pieces of themselves they have left for us, knowing that we have these tools for the journey that we will continue. And perhaps they are happy that they will continue to shine for us through the stars, and light our way.
I was not extremely close to my paternal grandfather, as we did not live in the same household as I did with my maternal grandparents. He was a quiet, reserved man who loved his family immensely. And he thought the world of my grandmother.
All my grandparents have one thing in common - they all lived a good life. And all of them dearly loved us, their grandkids.
Growing up, my grandfather had a term of endearment for me: "kamukha" - which in my language means, "my lookalike." Throughout the years, he always jokingly referred to me as that. Every time we went to their home for a visit, he would greet me by saying, "How is my kamukha?"
Which is funny, because actually my grandfather is not my dad's biological father. My dad's biological father died in the war, when my dad was still an infant. Then my grandmother remarried. So needless to say, for all intents and purposes, he WAS our grandfather. He loved us, and we loved him. And that's what matters. But thinking about it now, it is a bit funny that my grandfather referred to me as his lookalike.
But it makes me wonder about how all my grandparents must have left pieces of themselves with me, with us who are living.
And I think these "pieces" are all good things. Isn't that what we all want to leave behind for our loved ones - all good things. The pieces of ourselves that resemble strength and gentleness and compassion. The necessary tools for the life ahead.
I know all my grandparents are happy. They are now reunited, wherever they may be - on some different plane in an alternate universe. Perhaps they are happy with the pieces of themselves they have left for us, knowing that we have these tools for the journey that we will continue. And perhaps they are happy that they will continue to shine for us through the stars, and light our way.
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