An Action of Love

My grandma almost never explicitly said “I love you.” Instead, she liked to express it by feeding me food. When I was really young, she would make breakfast every morning before taking me to the kid’s playground nearby so I could go on the swings. In the afternoon, she would sometimes cut up pieces of apples or pears and organize them on a plate before placing it on the table next to me. Then, when I started the first grade, she packed lunch for me everyday into a small thermal container that fit into a purple dome-shaped lunch box for school. 

At times, we went grocery shopping together. After checking out, I would reach over to help her carry the bags, but she would lift both of the bags to compare the weight. She would always try to give me the lighter bag so that I would not get as tired walking back. She was also stubborn at times like this, so once she had made up her mind, it was impossible for me to convince her otherwise. My grandma always made small sacrifices like this even when she did not need to. Even though she rarely said it, I could feel her love and warmth every single day through her every action.

Last year, she was diagnosed with coronary artery disease. She underwent a successful surgery, but it left her with some side effects. She often has trouble breathing, so she cannot talk or walk around for long periods of time. One time, the medication that she took caused the blood vessels in her eyes to burst, leaving her with severe bleeding and bruising for weeks. Seeing her like this was extremely hard for me, but never once did she stop fighting. Her positivity and bravery are only some of her many admirable traits that I look up to. Whenever I come across a hardship in my own life, I think about everything that she has been able to overcome and it pushes me to keep going.

Ever since COVID-19 emerged, my grandma has never left the house. I sometimes ask her how she is feeling, and when she is too tired to talk, I tell her stories of what happened that day in my life. Whenever we talk, the tone of her voice shifts ever so slightly and she lights up. I could see how these interactions were putting a smile on her face, and I am so glad I could do this for her after all the sacrifices that she has made for me. She has shown me the difference that a simple conversation can make in a person’s life. Even though I cannot have a conversation with every senior around the world, my grandma’s story inspires me to reach out to elders who might be feeling lonely from staying at home.

My Grandma inspires me to work hard to become a cardiologist in the future. I want to help many others in the world who are going through the same thing that she is. It is a long journey and I still have much time until this point in my life, but the values that my grandma has instilled in me have kept me motivated. Meanwhile, I want to cherish every moment that I get to spend with my grandma, listening to her stories and sharing with her mine.

Eileen Chen

grew up in Southern California. Now, she is a third year Biology student attending UC Santa Barbara. She is a pre-med student, and will eventually apply to medical school to continue the next step of her journey to becoming a cardiologist. When Eileen is not studying, she can be found drawing or painting, or going on a run around the block to get some exercise.