People love pomegranates, especially girls. You cannot imagine real magic pomegranates bring to you – be it smoothening skin, removing acnes, preventing probabilities of heart attack, and healing pains. For me, I cannot love pomegranate any better. You know why? Because pomegranate is, in fact, my grandma (“bà nội” in Vietnamese). I love it when I say “bà nội” rather than grandma, so I would use it throughout this post.
Do I love pomegranate the fruit? Oh forget it. I am never patient enough for it.
The #1 reason: Bà nội has a beautiful name.
Every member of my family has a beautiful name, if not, then it is unique. I have one-of-a-kind name that my friends call me “Ms Global” since my full name is a combination of 4 countries. My bà nội is not an exception. Rough English translation of her name is “scented pomegranate”- An elegant and beautiful name, not to mention that her last name sounds like royal Chinese (she is 100% Vietnamese) and that cannot even be better. My bà nội’s name just makes you keep on telling her name and say “Wow”.
The #2 reason: Bà nội thinks I am perfectly perfect as far as she can see.
“You are so fat that your double chin is so obvious”,
“Your skin looks like burned fried chicken”,
“Your hair is messy, not that curly, not that straight either”,
“You should grow up”,
etc.
These are some examples of what people tell me and I am so used to it that I have gradually become numb. Bà nội is too good for my ego though. I never hear any harsh words to put me down from her. In that old lady’s eyes, I am always a fair-skinned lady (just a bit chubby) who is capable of doing things well. For many times, bà nội has boasted with my relatives how much I make my monthly income. When receiving my salary, I take out a part for her, so she can buy things she wants. That is why she thinks I make much money and am rich enough to buy her cakes two times a week. She does not know and will never know the fact that I struggle to pay the debt of my credit card on a monthly basis. It is enough to boost my self-esteem though. Sometimes the only thing you need is someone’s support this way or another. People see what they want to see and my bà nội sees me as a nice grown-up lady who works hard to make her money – A flawless image that I have always wanted to be. Now I do not feel like trying anymore *crying in Spanish*
The #3 reason: Bà nội makes me laugh hard.
I remember one day I felt so dead bored. I did not know what to do and I could not find anyone else to talk to either. The most powerful lady of the Phan family was my last option. I opened my Ipad, googling “Handsome [insert nationality] guy” and here we go, there was a long list of handsome guys as I wished. I told bà nội this guy was my boyfriend, and that guy was too. Boyfriends lived all around the world (Brad Pitt was included in the boyfriend list). Bà nội padded on my shoulder and proudly said “Good job. Good job”. I laughed really loud. I am a type of person that is easy to laugh, even at stupid things. But when a person makes me laugh hard and naturally like that, I must genuinely love them much.
On another beautiful day, while I was having dinner and reading news on my Ipad about the most dangerous clown on earth that killed hundred innocent boys, the lady walked downstairs to pick up her medicines. When passing on me, she looked at my Ipad’s screen and said “Your boyfriend? Take him home. I will cook for him”
Bà nội asked me to take a serial killer home. She must have a genius sense of humour.
The #4 reason: Bà nội treats me like princess.
Believe or not: no matter how badly life has treated you, there is one person out there who treats you the prince/princess you truly are. It is just a matter of time to find that person and I am one of the luckiest people on earth to have completed that task. Of course, my parents love me but bà nội spoils me as much as she can. We Vietnamese have the famous saying among couple, the boyfriend would say to his beloved girlfriend “You just need to be my girlfriend, I will take care the rest of the world”. And that could not be more true giving the situation of me and my bà nội. When our lovely housekeeper went back to her house for a couple of days, we took care of each other. Since she did not know how to use the electric stove, I helped her with that and she did the rest. She did not allow me to touch anything, just wait for the food to get ready. The 90-year-old lady brought food to me, asking me if it was hot enough, good or bad. Oh my royal feels! At first, I felt uncomfortable seeing her do all the things, but if anyone offers to help, she will get angry. That is why I let bà nội do what she likes.
Oh yes, the princess had to clean the table and wash dishes after dinner.
The #5 reason: Bà nội teaches me precious lessons.
I believe that every person we meet in our life, more or less, teaches us a lesson that we may thank them later. What does bà nội teach me? She teaches me if you truly care for someone, just tell them. What is the point of hiding our feelings? Is that we have special feelings for someone a thing to be ashamed of? Bà nội has her own way to show her love for me. On my first day to work, I came back and found her sit on the stair waiting for me. Me and my aunt had to stop her from that. She was so worried when I had to travel almost 50 kilometers to work and back (I actually did not drive, so did not feel any tired either). She feels happy when seeing me as if I was “sunshine on her cloud day” (The Temptations’ My girl is my favourite song, FYI). Now she stopped waiting for me but I really appreciate her making me feel happy for my own existence.
So, what I have learnt is that relationship is easy to break, and you do not know if you have missed opportunities to meet people who mean so much to your life. As long as we can live, why not show our love to them? It – however- still has its downside. I think people around me may be getting so damn sick of hearing me say “I like you”/”I love you” repeatedly and unstoppably. So, it is best not to overuse it.
Bà nội uses her money wisely and only spent on necessary things (milk, medicines and food) and I am in process of learning it from her. But considering a large amount of money I have to spend on stationery, clothes, food, perfume and so on regularly, I think it is going to take times to master it *cry*.
The #6 reason: Bà nội turned 90th this year.
Her birthday is December 12th. But it was until 2 weeks later that we celebrated her 90th birthday. Relatives from Australia and America flew to Ho Chi Minh city for a family reunion. It was super fun.
(From left to right: unknown #1, auntie Kec, unknown #2, Bà nội and Helen)
(From left to right: Auntie Kec, unknown #1, unknown #2, auntie Thu, Bà nội, Helen, sugar Daddy, pretty Mommy, Daddy’s friend’s wife, Daddy’s friend, auntie Keo, Chelsea and Cheese)
(From left to right: uncle Teo and sugar Daddy)
(From left to right: Helen, Chelsea, Jason and Auntie Thu)
(From left to right: Bà nội’s favourite grandchild, bà nội and Auntie Kec)
(Bà nội with her two princesses aka- party late comers *cry in Spanish*- Oh I got to the wrong restaurant)
PS: I feel so much sorry for my misleading title post. I make it up for my readers by my favourite song.
