I steered clear from him.
When I did see him, he was smoking or drinking a beer.
His white hair framed a face wrinkled with age.
He never spoke a word to me.
Then one day, a random conversation, leading to his showing me his family photo- his wife of 36 years, his surprise trampoline present for his grandsons, the granddaughter on the way he’s about to spoil with tutu dress rompers, and how although he works in Eswatini, he drives back home to South Africa every weekend because his adult children, grandchildren and wife all huddle over the barbecue in one epic weekly gathering to spend time with him- every week.
“So how’d you raise kids like that? Who can’t bear to move five minutes away from you even after they’re married?”
“I love my wife and my kids. I cook for them. It’s effortless,” he smiled.
We became unlikely friends- Grandpa Charles and I.
On my last day in Africa, he said, “I felt God wanted me to share this with you.
‘Care for and feed your family like they belong to you. Because they do.
Love and respect Cliff and your kids like they belong to God. Because they do.’
And all the hurdles you think you’ll walk right back to when you get home? Those mountains will be anthills, everything will fall into place. You’ll love being home. So don’t worry.”
I stared back, stunned.
For all my fears about returning to the mayhem of Singaporean life, for all my insecurities of being a working mother, for all my agonies of wondering if I’ll be “good enough,” God wanted me to know- that He knew.
I teared. God sent a random grandpa who knew the meaning of life and work to tell me these simple words.
“You see this?” He pointed to his phone. “This works for me. I don’t work for it.”
If you, like me before, are struggling with the pace of your life, know this- saying no to the hard things in life will make room for the people who matter.
Breathe. Push back.
The seeds we sow in our families today, will reap harvests we’ll only see when our lives are done.
So today, may we walk over those mountains as anthills; may we love them like they belong to us, like they belong to Him- just like what Grandpa Charles said.
