Some people say that there is nothing more bitter in life than a white-haired person sending a black-haired person. I thought it was the deepest pain in the world. It wasn't until that day that I realized that there was something more heartbreaking than that.
It was a sunny morning, and I was standing in front of my grandfather, next to my younger siblings who had been separated for many years. I looked at my grandfather expectantly, waiting for a smile of surprise to bloom on his face. However, Grandpa just looked at us in confusion, as if he were looking at three strangers.
"Grandpa, do you remember them? I asked softly, my heart already uneasy.
Grandpa frowned and shook his head. I saw a flash of confusion and confusion in his cloudy eyes. At that moment, I felt my heart be pounded hard.
Let me rewind to the beginning of this story. I am an adopted child and my adoptive parents have given me a warm home. However, fate always likes to joke. When I was 5 years old, my adoptive mother became pregnant and gave birth to a younger brother and sister one after another.
At first, we had a great time as a family. But the good times didn't last long, and my adoptive father died suddenly when I was 10 years old. Not long after, my adoptive mother took my younger siblings to remarry, leaving only my grandfather and I to rely on each other.
Since then, my life with my grandfather has been like a black and white silent movie, quiet and lonely. Grandpa was a craftsman who could weave baskets and tie brooms. I often look at his calloused hands, and my heart is sour.
When I was 18 years old, I learned the trade from Uncle Wang, a carpenter in the village. That's when I met my current wife, Yanxia, who is Uncle Wang's eldest daughter. We knew each other and fell in love, and eventually tied the knot.
Life flowed like this until Grandpa's 80th birthday. I decided to surprise him and get my long-lost siblings back. After a lot of twists and turns, I finally got in touch with my adoptive mother and persuaded her to let my younger siblings come back to celebrate my grandfather's birthday.
However, when I happily returned home with my younger siblings and saw my grandfather's blank eyes, I realized that things were not as simple as I thought.
"Grandpa, this is my brother, this is my sister! "I said eagerly, hoping to awaken my grandfather's memory.
Grandpa just stared at us blankly, his eyes full of confusion. I felt my heart sink a little bit.
At this time, the younger brother suddenly spoke: "Brother, don't be sad. Maybe Grandpa just can't remember it for a while. ＂
My sister also whispered, "Yes, we can take our time and tell grandpa about the past." ＂
Hearing their words, a warm current welled up in my heart. Yes, we still have time, we still have a chance.
So, we started to take turns telling my grandfather about the past. When I talked about the days when my grandfather taught me to weave baskets, my brother recalled the scene where my grandfather sang with him in his arms, and my sister described how my grandfather combed her braids.
Slowly, Grandpa's eyes began to change. He smiled and frowned, as if trying to piece together the fragments of his memory.
Finally, when we told the story of Grandpa who was drunk and missed them on that Mid-Autumn Festival, a glint flashed in Grandpa's eyes. He trembled and reached out and gently stroked the faces of his younger siblings.
"My good grandson, my little padded jacket... Grandpa choked up, tears running down his wrinkled cheeks.
At that moment, I felt like the whole world lit up. Although Grandpa's memories may never be fully restored, I know that we have recovered the most important thing - the love and care between our families.
Looking at the scene of my grandfather and my younger siblings hugging each other and crying, I suddenly understood that the most precious thing in life is not the perfect memory, but the family affection that cannot be parted even if it is forgotten.
This 80th birthday is destined to be the most memorable day of grandpa's life. Despite some twists and turns at the beginning, in the end, we gave Grandpa the best gift of all – a reunited home.
Life is like a basket, seemingly ordinary branches, after skillful weaving, can also be turned into beautiful works. And our family is the most precious basket that my grandfather knitted with love.
On this special day, we celebrate not only Grandpa's birthday, but also the reunion of this family. Because we know that as long as there is love in our hearts, we can never truly lose each other.