This is a story about my grandfather and me, based on my personal experience.
I spent half of my early childhood with my grandparents, and my grandfather was my best friend and playmate. My grandparents’ home was by Yangcheng Lake in Kunshan, where I spent a large part of my time before starting school. Even after I started school, I would come back every summer and winter holiday.
Their home was my favorite place, and there, I was my grandfather’s “shadow.” He knew everything from astronomy to geography, loved telling stories, and was always joking.
I would follow him to play chess, write, plant trees, and pick fruit. In many ways, he was the one who showed me the world, helping me see both the vastness of life and the details that make it meaningful.
However, my grandfather passed away suddenly when I was in fourth grade, and I never had the chance to say goodbye. In Chinese culture, there’s a belief called “Tou Qi,” where the departed return on the seventh day after their death to visit their loved ones. The second half of this story reflects my personal experience with this tradition and how, on that seventh day, I believe my grandfather came back to see me.This experience brought me immense comfort and strength.
If this story helps you recall the memories of your loved ones—those you cherish and those who cherish you—and fills you with warmth and a sense of being accompanied,
then I’ll be truly happy.
Published on March 2, 2023, on the NEXT New Generation WeChat public account
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