ABirthdayTribute toMyBelovedGrandmaMonica This is a unique opportunity to express my thoughts and appreciation for a great woman—my grandmother, Grandma Monica. I acknowledge and appreciate the generational gap in technology and culture. Grandma prefers a hard copy of a dictionary to a Google search on my phone. I only truly appreciated this during a visit to her home, where I discovered some very old storybooks—Tintin Adventures and Enid Blyton—which I believe my dad once read. I have learnt to see opinions from different perspectives. What I love most about Grandma is that she is a rich woman. Her definition of a rich person is someone who gets what they want (no matter how small), at the time they want it - and she always gets what she wants, therefore she is a rich woman! For example, one time she wanted “ampesi”, so she bought all the ingredients and made the dish herself. In her words, “I am rich because I am eating what I want to eat.” And she would always acknowledge her gratitude to God though. Some of my most cherished memories with Grandma revolve around her lectures about me making my bed. Sometimes, she would lecture me after school on how I should have made my bed and kept my bedroom neat; other times, when I did it successfully, her praises made my head swell. GrandmaMonica is deeply patriotic and values our culture. She always encourages me to learn and speak our local languages, especially Twi, and is happiest when I do so. She becomes saddened when we neglect our chores, like washing plates or cleaning the table after meals. Personality-wise, Grandma is disciplined. I would not call her strict; she is simply centered on her values. She can be jovial, but when something goes against her principles, she becomes serious. One of the things I admire most about her is her generosity—every time she visits, she asks if I have old clothes or shoes to donate to children in need. Grandma really cares a lot for the needy children in the community. Her consistency and perseverance in achieving her goals inspire me. No matter how small the goal, if she wants it, she pursues it with determination. An unforgettable moment for Grandma was when she returned from the U.S. to see her house renovated by her children. She was very emotional. Her children—Uncle Chief, Uncle Owuraku, my dad, and Aunty Akua—have had the greatest influence on her. This is just a glimpse of who my beloved Grandma Monica is. I love you so much GrandmaMonica. I am forever grateful to be your grandson. Happy 80th birthday! Much love from your grandson, Kwame Asante The Birthday Journal 151
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTAyMTM3NQ==