The moments you have with someone you love seem to last forever. However, the reality is that time moves on and, before you know it, those moments fade away . . .

It seemed only yesterday when my family and I picked up my grandpa to go to have dim sum in Little Neck, or to our favorite Taiwanese restaurant in Bayside, or to go to our house for dinner and fellowship. As the naive person I am, I always thought these times of eating and getting together would last forever and that there would always be a next time. Well, I thought wrong; I truly took for granted every time I was with my grandfather.

The first memory I have with my grandfather is back in Kentucky around the year 2007: I remember sitting on the brown wood floor in his room as we each held cards in our hands. The game we were playing was very popular, indeed, because I was making it all up! The best part was that he always seemed to enjoy playing with me, even if he wasn’t playing a real game. Whenever it was his turn to put cards down, I still remember him saying (maybe not the exact words),” Oh yeah, I think Mei Mei needs to help Gong Gong (the name my sisters and I called him); she knows best how to play.” However, in reality, I was just putting down random cards that I thought would win the game.

As I grew older, I continued to play cards with my grandpa. However, we played actual, fun games, such as “21” and “Match”. I enjoyed this time greatly, though I had missed opportunities to talk with my grandfather. Often, I viewed my grandpa as an elderly man who was old and easily got angry or frustrated at my mother.

I failed to realize that my grandfather was also once a little boy who, perhaps, made up silly games, then matured as the years went on, and went through many great life experiences and challenges. Instead of looking at him as some old guy who needed to be cared for, I should have seen him as an amazing individual who lived through WWII, sailed from China to America, and helped build the Brooklyn Bridge and Empire State Building, as well as a grandfather who, in his heart, deeply cared for his family. Most importantly, he was a faithful servant of God.

As God chose to end his life here on earth after 90 full years, I feel regretful for my ignorance, but I also feel very grateful to have spent much time with him. I still can’t believe that no longer will we eat dim sum with Gong Gong. No longer will we play cards with Gong Gong. No longer will we pick up Gong Gong to come to our house and sing songs with him. No longer will we visit Gong Gong and laugh with him. No longer. There won’t be a next time . . . until we meet in heaven, where there is everlasting joy and praise.

All I can do now is to thank God for everything He did in my grandfather’s life; in fact, there were so many instances in his life that seemed impossible and became possible by God. Therefore, I will not regret the past, but will look forward as I treasure every time I have with my parents and family, relatives and friends. Especially during this uncertain time of Covid-19 going around, may we cherish every relationship we have and build stronger relationships with those around us.

To end, I will quote one of my favorite verses that we should all strive to pursue in our lives, as my grandfather did throughout his life.

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 3:13-14

Gong Gong, I will miss you very much, but I thank you for everything you have done for your children and grandchildren.