In my family, showing emotions was an unspoken rule that formed over generations of depression being passed down. The rule was broken for
my sake and I’ll never forget the day I cried holding on to my grandmother for hours for being given the privilege to do so. Being loved didn’t
mean being expressive in my household yet I’m known as an oversharer among my peeps. I unlearnt the ways of love spelt abuse from my
grandmother, she taught me what care really is and her undying love for everyone in her family will only continue to grow its roots in her heart
and seep into our lives to bloom flowers of new learnings we never thought we could receive. I have always been good at academics and that was
one of the reasons for my grandmother being proud. She made me the face of her own self respect and pride. My grandfather on the other hand
was a man of principles, he showed his care to me by teaching me everything he knew. He came from a humble background himself, he wasn’t
very well educated but still knew enough to teach me the basics of grammar that paved the road for me to find my passion in writing. English
wasn’t just a language in our home back when I was a kid, it was more of a thread that bound me and my grandfather together. Every evening,
when he returned from his job, he had a book and newspaper all for me to read. He taught me everything from a is for apple to being able to
pronounce words that he never knew existed. He was the artist of the art that was crafted inside of me, my passion towards writing was borne
through the seeds of his dedication.
Despite hailing from humble backgrounds, both of them provided their kids with the utmost comfort they could yet were never repaid. They
never held any grudge for that and still continue to pray for the lives which were ungrateful. Both of them had only one goal after being done with
their responsibilities of raising their five kids, to build me into someone who wouldn’t have to depend on anyone to survive. My grandmother is a
hardworking woman and the strength she holds bypasses mortal realms. At seventy-two, she stands strong infront of death and is the most healthy
woman of her age I have ever met. Whereas my grandfather, not as healthy physically, is the most logical man in my life. They aren’t a great
couple nor do I have any stories of their love to preach but together as a team they are a force to be reckoned with. They have been my guardians
ever since I was a small kid, they are my parents who stepped up. I often wonder what raced in their minds when I became their inevitable
responsibility, when they had to raise a kid from scratch, were they happy with the decision or was it something that they were forced to do? The
only answer that I’ll ever get is the smile on their faces every time I have a complete meal. Nurturing a new life and carving it out in colours of
life at an age when your own body starts to give up on you is a challenge they took on gladly for the sake of me. Growing up I faced resentment
from other family members for being favoured by my grandparents but they never let me face the consequences of the hate spewed at me, they
stood in front of me as a shield. I tried my best to not be a burden to them as I was a parasite in the eyes of others but my grandparents only
encouraged me more to spread my wings as wide and soar as high as I wished to. Time truly is a complex concept to understand, all the days I
spent wishing time to move quicker I failed to realise all my moments were already turning into memories. I went from being a toddler to a
teenager in the blink of an eye, that’s when the storm that threatened to ruin me struck. Mental health is still a taboo subject in many Indian
households even in the modern age we live in. Same was the case for my family, it was deeply submerged in patriarchal and conservative beliefs
and the roots of their beliefs tried drowning me in with them. My grandparents held my hand strong and pulled me back up to stand on my own.
Even though we were two generations apart, that didn’t stop them from becoming my saviours when I was being consumed by my mental
illnesses. They made it possible for me to receive medical help despite everyone telling them I’m only faking it to escape life. They stood their
ground for me. Even though mental illness is something hard for them to grasp, they never let go of my hands and helped me reach for the doors
that seemed impossible before. They became my parents the day they held me but they became my home when they stayed through everything
with me. I have so many memories to address with them but it would take twice a lifetime since my love for them only continues to grow. They
taught me the true meaning of having a family and belonging to a home you can always return to, the one that never leaves your side no matter
how strong the storm approaching is. They are the ones I worship in place of god’s because they made me what I am today, they carved out the
values in me which made me a part of them forever. They are immortal for me, they will live through their values being passed down through
generations to come. Their love for me reigned over the darkness that could have consumed me.