Till Death Do Us Part

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Glancing at my grandmother, even if it was only from her photo, people could easily see that she was really a typical Chinese old woman. Every part of her body from head until feet was small and cute. Her long straight white hair, which was always tied neatly behind her head, made her body even looked so tiny.

On the contrary, her husband, who is my grandfather, was a big, tall, and powerfully built man. His wide fierce black eyes would gaze into others’ eyes as if he could know their mind. His rough physical appearance looked more frightened with his stiff white hair and whiskers.

 

From my mother, I knew one surprising fact that they have actually got married because of their parents’ willingness. It was a common thing for parents at that time to force their children to get married to whom they had chosen. This fact sometimes made me wonder, whether that couple could maintain their marriage until death. At the time, I did not realize that one day I would know the answer myself.

 

In December 1996, my grandmother gave a bad news that her husband, my grandfather, who was 72 years old that time, was very ill because of his old age, worsen by the lung disease he had. She told us that she needed someone to accompany and help her during that bad, poor situation. It was me who was finally sent to their house.

 

Living at their house for several days, I experienced a very special moment that becomes my unforgettable experience as long as I live. I remember it was a wet and cool night when my grandfather was dying in his bed with my grandmother holding his hand gently. At that moment, I could see they are deeply full of love looking each other. The looking that could only be owned by a couple who had experienced a long, heavy but happy journey in life together. There were no words from both of them, but their body language had proven how intimate they were.

 

Suddenly, I felt a strange cool breeze that somehow made my hair stood on the back end. There was a long silence in the room, so quiet that I could hear clearly the ticking of the clock on the wall along with my heartbeat beating so fast. Outside, my grandmother’s dog was howling, signed the coming of horrifying quest; The Death.

 

A terrifying smell, the smell of the death burst into my nose, made me feel a shock of horror, then a strong feeling of sorrow. I realized it was the time for my grandfather to leave this world forever.

 

I was astonished to find out that my grandmother did not look frightened like I felt. She even looked more peaceful than usual. From afar, I saw her kiss his forehead and whisper something that made him close his eyes. At that moment, I could feel her loneliness touching my deepest feeling. The loneliest soul in the world is a soul when its soulmate must go on its far journey to the unknown place, leaving it nothing but alone and empty.

 

There was no doubt that a saying "Till death do us part" had amazingly worked for this couple, my grandmother and grandfather. Never had I known before that a couple who got married without love could get so close and intimate like them. Also, one more thing I had never thought of my grandmother is, on the contrary of her weak physical appearance, she is a strong woman. Not every person can stand with this saddest event, facing the death of someone they love, just like her. For me, she is like Chinese silk, looks so smooth and fragile. Yet, it is not easily torn as people may think.