His ideas of right and wrong were simple; nonetheless, there was so much wisdom in it that not only Hana remembered them, she also acted upon them. However, as a teenager one thing always confused her and she brought that issue to grandpa's attention one day:
"Grandpa, you've always said if we do the right thing, we'll be the ultimate winner in life. What if that day of winning never comes? What if you get hurt because of doing the right thing?"
He smiled and put his arm around her shoulder and kissed her on forehead and then said:
"Sweetheart, we people always want instant gratification. We want to see the result of our right doing quickly. If everybody was honest, it could happen, but this is not the case. Life is a series of good and bad and we're bound to endure the bad and enjoy the good. But remember good always prevails. It may take time, but it will happen. Look at these trees, see how tall and healthy they are. Look at their fruits. They are not only enough for all of us, I give a lot of them to neighbors and friends. Do you think these trees were like this from beginning?"
Hana, bewildered, was not sure what grandpa meant.
"I don't know why you're talking about trees!"
"Patience is what I'm going to teach you today. The day I planted these trees, you weren't even born. If I wanted immediate satisfaction, I would go crazy to see the very slow process of the growing, but I didn't. I was enjoying the progress of their growing; and I knew one day they would be tall, healthy, and full of fruits, whether I would be around or not."
Hana suddenly understood what grandpa meant.
"But what if something happened to you and you never saw them grow."
"That is possible, too. I'll die one day, but these trees will live with or without me because they all have good foundation. The important fact is that I enjoyed very much watching my trees and taking care of them. Whether I see the result or not is irrelevant; and remember death is inevitable. We die, as our ancestors did. Even these trees can't live forever. Our lives is like a second compare to the life of universe. What we leave behind is as important as the path we choose, for it is the path that matters not the destination."
Hana looked at her beloved grandpa, as he was pulling weeds, and learned the best lesson anyone had ever taught her. She adored this man, who used every anger of nature or society to learn or to teach. While she was about to go inside to explore the different part of her soul and mind with her uncle, Behroz, grandpa would always say:
"What about reading me some SHAHNAMEH."
"Yes, grandpa. I love to read you. Let me go get the book."
When grandpa's health began to deteriorate, everyone blamed it on his spending too much time outside. The family thought the dampness in winter was dangerous to his health, as he was a man of nature, and sky was his roof; and he did not care of being wet either by watering his garden or rain or snow. Family tried to make him spend more time inside, where they had a central heater in their newly built modern house for winter and a sophisticated air conditioner for hot summer days; but that was like putting him in prison. His excruciating coughing was heard from a far distance while he smoked one cigarette after the other. To take away what he worshipped seemed like a crime to him. Everyone assumed he had bronchitis or asthma and they began treating him with home remedies. It was Nabi, his son, who confronted his mother and said:
"Mother, dad is sick. I am taking him to a doctor."
Grandma, actually wanted him to go to see a doctor, it was grandpa himself that thought home remedy could cure his dry and painful coughing.
Six months later, grandpa was the permanent occupant of his bed, fighting a vain battle with lung cancer. Hana, who was married and had children at the time, visited him everyday and watched how that sacred man was melting away. The treatment and even a journey to London, England, to visit the best specialist, did not do any good; and as the lung cleared of those deadly cells, first his neck and then his brain were filled with the disease. The injection of morphine eased the pain temporary, but when its effect subsides, he twisted in pain and wished for a quick death. Hana felt it was better they would let him die, for all the doctors had said he would. She was very angry at her family, the ones that were in charge, whom were trying to delay the inevitable death. She hated to see him suffer so much. Seven months after the initial diagnosis, grandpa died. As all women screamed and pulled their hair, the customary mourning, Hana went to his garden to be with him for the last time. She walked amongst his trees, shrubs, and flowers and brought back the memory of grandpa in the garden with her; the reading of the poetry books, asking his advice, and his love for her and hers for him. Six months after grandpa's death, the revolution began. Hana was extremely happy that he had died before revolution. As well as she knew him, she was certain that if he was alive. he could not get along with those shameless people who stole people's revolution, and he would be arrested and executed rather than dying by natural cause.
Dallas-
Thinking of grandpa gives Hana a special kind of light, a gloomy hope that she can handle this crisis as many others; and the best way to resolve her problem with Farhad is to ignore him. She remembers her grandpa's description of right and wrong, and how right always prevails with enough patience. She suddenly realizes that she has not done anything wrong and Farhad will come around and accept the new situation if she is patient enough. However she regrets for one time that she did not listen to her grandpa, marrying Hamid.
To Be continued
No comments:
Post a Comment