The tribute

‘’I don’t think a time will ever come when I will ever forgive 

the universe for the pain it ever caused me. I would be lying 

to you if I ever told you that the world has surely been fair to

me. I have actually suffered much inner pain more than any 

teenager of my age has ever experienced’’I cried out.

‘’Why do you say this things to me child? You are making me 

emotional!’’ My aunt softly responded as she held my right 

hand.

‘’Look here aunt…….The world has robbed me two precious 

jewels within a span of 1 month…..As if it’s not enough, it has

subjected me to extreme poverty for more than 7 years’’ I 

tearfully narrated to her.

She looked at me for some seconds probably looking for the 

right words to console me with. She was a renown 

practiotinist and a mentor in one of the leading NGOs in the 

country hence her experience in her profession made me 

value her advice. 

Gaining courage, she held my left shoulder with her right 

hand and said these historical words that forever reign in my

small head.

’’’Son, if at all you really understand the nature of God, then 

learn to accept his will".

I found her words a bit odd at the moment and therefore 

walked out of the room desperately leaving my aunt alone.

I had suffered enough in the hands of the unfair universe 

and was prepared to give myself up to it rather than fight it.I 

walked desperately towards my aunt's tomato farm and sat 

just outside the greenhouse probably to get hold of the cool 

fresh air surrounding the place. I sat there for about an hour 

looking traumatized with my eyes plainly staring at the birds

of the air. I did not know when Grandpa arrived at the place 

until when I heard his hands tightly holding my right 

shoulder. I lost control and tearfully fell in his open arms 

without even speaking to him. I cried in his arms for the next

5 minutes non-stop with Grandpa only holding me in his 

warm jacket.

He too looked devastated by the turn of events but had no 

other option but to act courageously as if nothing had 

happened. After making sure I had calm down, he asked me 

to rise up and look at him in his eyes.

"Grandson, just look at me “he emotionally said to me to 

which I obeyed the order.

He removed an ink pen from his pocket and pointed it to me 

in a mysterious way. He then said the following historical 

words that have forever remained in my heart up to this 

date:

"Let what happened in the past be an inspiration to you 

sweet grandson......Let every pain that the world has caused 

you be a step-stone to your future success.....Let the losses in 

your life give you the inner need to inspire more people in 

the world “he took a deep breath probably to give me the 

chance to digest his words. He was still pointing me with his ink pen and I guessed he was doing that to drive more of my 

attention.

"Grandson, how do you feel in your heart?" he asked me 

after a short glance.

I was already feeling more emotional and was therefore not 

in the moods to respond to him. I instead looked at him and 

desperately allowed tears to freely flow in my eyes in his 

presence.

"Please stop crying child...You are making me more 

emotional...."he painfully lamented.

I knew he had also lost a lot of people in his life including his 

two sons and his wife who was my grandma and therefore I 

really understood his worry for me.

"Grandpa, I feel as if life was purposely made to hurt our 

family...Why always us? “I cried out painfully. He dropped hisink pen and held my right hand and helped me rise up from 

the farm ground. He then removed a handkerchief from my 

jacket which was hanging next to the greenhouse and gave it 

to me to wipe my watery face.

I was already gaining some physical strength and therefore I 

courageously wiped my tears before asking grandpa all my 

shocker questions that I had always wanted him to answer 

me.

"Grandpa, if you give me the answers to my 5 questions, I 

think I will never ever be bitter to the universe again “I 

painfully told him.

"It's okey child.....I will of course answer you to the level best 

“Grandpa assured me.

"While....Why does God allow us to have the best families if 

he knows he will allow death to separate us one day? If I kill 

myself now, will I meet all the people whom death has taken 

away from me? Do you think death will rob us any of our 

loved ones again? Why always death? Is death really a 

punishment to us from God? “I desperately asked him.

Grandpa looked puzzled by my questions but was however 

forced to answer every question I had asked him.

"Grandson? “he called out .

"Yes Grandpa “I responded back

"Never question the will of God.... Everything that happens in

our lives happens for his good “Grandpa explained much to 

my surprise. I wondered how on earth do God allow our 

loved ones to die yet he still tells us in the Bible that he will 

always stand by us in all times.

"Am not understanding anything at all grandpa....I think am 

already feeling more agitated by everything..."I painfully told

him.

"Grandson ,let's just enter in the house and I will show you 

something special “Grandpa told me as he led the way. All 

through, my mind was busy remembering the memories I 

had shared with my beloved grandma and my late dad. I 

wondered how on earth would life ever get sweet again in 

their absence.

"Who will ever cook for me yellow sweet potatoes again like 

grandma? Who will ever sing for me traditional songs like 

grandma? “I tearfully thought to myself as I followed 

grandpa to the tableroom.I sat on the sofa set and fell into 

another deep set of thoughts as I waited for grandpa to 

check a document on his wardrobe.

"Oh my sweet dad....I can't imagine you are gone....I miss you 

already “I emotionally thought to myself.

"If I had a chance to make a wish to God, then your life would

be the greatest wish I would ever make...I feel lonely like an 

injured female grasshopper... Grandpa has been explaining everything to me but unfortunately I tend not to understand 

anything...I am even missing you more...."I tearfully cried.

I was still in my school of thoughts when I heard grandpa's 

voice calling out my name .

"Grandson...."

"Yes Grandpa.."I politely responded

"Your face is watery....Wipe out your tears"he told me much 

to my shock. I had not realized that I had been crying all 

throughout my thoughts while I was waiting for grandpa to 

settle.

"Oh my....."I sighed up as I wiped my face.

Grandpa then came closer to where I had sat down and gave 

me a certain document before sitting just next to me.

"Grandson, what do you see in the cover page? "Grandpa 

mysteriously asked.

"I see the word #Tribute which is written in bold “I softly 

responded.

"That's right child....You have answered right. “Grandpa 

paused before continuing.

"That is the document I wrote for your late dad and your late

grandmother...."Grandpa revealed.

"But how? When ? Where? You mean you knew they will die?

“I desperately asked Grandpa as I looked at the document.

"Everyone will die one day child.....I will also die one day and 

leave you to continue with the lineage...That's the nature of 

life..."Grandpa concluded as he took the document from my 

hands.

"I want to read to you THE TRIBUTE of your loved ones..Just 

be Keen and let the words forever remain in your 

heart..."Grandpa insisted.

"Ahem!"He began in style.

"This is the tribute to any person in the universe who has 

ever lost a loved one..."Grandpa took a deep breath before 

continuing. I was all along looking at him desperately 

probably trying to guess what he would say next.

"One of the most beautiful and heartwarming tributes ever 

created by me might have remained a sweet secret for years 

had death not robbed me two most precious jewels in the 

world...... When I lost my wife and son 10 years ago, I 

wanted to create a lasting memorial to them where I could 

sit and reflect on their years together...... I cried for months 

with no one able to understand my pain....I bought 6,000 

young tea seedlings, but left a perfect heart shape in the 

middle. The heart-shaped meadow can only be accessed 

from a trail leading to the tip of the heart which is only 

accessed by me. The meadow cannot be seen by anyone 

unless anyone who specifically visits my home in the 

memorial service.....Years have passed, months have passed 

and now days are still going but no one has been able to fill 

this blank gap that was left in my heart....I have however 

learnt something very very important all along ....."Grandpa 

paused to have a deep breath. His words had pierced me so 

deeply and was therefore expectant to hear more from the 

enthusiastic tribute.

"Sometimes, what we care about the most goes away, 

never to return before we can say goodbye, say "I Love You." 

So while we have it - it's best we love it . 

And care for it and fix it when it's broken 

and take good care of it when it's sick. 

This is true for marriage - and friendships! 

And children with bad report cards; 

and dogs with bad hips; 

and aging parents and grandparents. 

We keep them because they are worth it, 

because we cherish them! 

Some things we keep - 

like a best friend who moved away 

or a classmate we grew up with. 

There are just some things that 

make us happy, no matter what. 

Life is important, and so are the people we know. 

And so, keep them close! “Grandpa paused a bit as he closed 

his tribute book .

"Grandson, what is gone is gone....Cherish every moment you

live with someone. “He concluded.

I rose up from the sit and walked outside the house feeling 

more relieved. I looked at the blue sky and could spot very 

strong words written in it ;

"Let us learn from the lips of death the lessons of life. Let us 

live truly while we live, live for what is true and good and 

lasting. And let the memory of our dead help us to do this. 

For they are not wholly separated from us, if we remain loyal

to them."