Meaning of Life Creative Writing

 Mariana Bustillo

It was a warm dark night, the chimney was on, adding warmth to the hot weather surrounding the house. This house was meaningful because it’s the house where I spent my childhood Christmases, with my grandparents, mom, dad, aunts and cousins. My six-year-old cousin, was playing “Turkish March” by Morzart in piano, he was a prodigy for it, he was the best pianist of his class who often performed on the streets, earning applauses, compliments and money. This house surrounds me in a wave of nostalgia everytime I’m here, as if there was someone throwing a bucket of cold water into my whole body everytime I look at this house, but instead of cold water, nostalgia. 

The room was filled with the scent of pine and lavender, with the subtle smell of hot chocolate in all the room coming from the kitchen. I felt my world so calm in that moment, my heart was at peace, and my mind in blank. It was one of those moments where you know they’re never coming back, moments that where you feel life is unique and special, and you just wish they could last an eternity. I mean, who on Earth wouldn’t love this moment as much as I do? 

When I used to come to my grandparents house, I spent most of my time with my grandma Stella, who was 74 years old at the time when I was 5 or 6, it was so heart-relieving to come, I could literally tell her absolutely anything to her, she was a bandage for my heart and soul. My love for her was as much as the love Ray had for Evangeline in the movie “ The Princess and the frog”... To be honest, since I was a little girl, I was a spoiled girl, she gave me money at the end of our vacations when we were leaving her house, something my mom and dad rarely did, and I must admit I’m not like those kids that find vacation or activities with grandparents, especially with my grandma or with my parents boring, even if we have disagreements. 

Grandma was like home for me. Both of us would usually used sit at the roof on Sundays at 4pm, and talk about school, friends, sports, she always told me and reminded me I was full of potential in life, she believed in me. We used to have this conversations, in general. In theory, she loved me unconditionally no matter what, she loved me even more than my siblings. Grandma Stella had a way of making every moment special, she would also tell us stories about how she met grandpa, or how she fell in love. I remember her eyes lighted up with a tiny spark of mischief as she recounted tales of how she would sneak out to dance parties without telling her strict parents. I could listen her for hours. As I grew older, my bond with my grandma only deepened, as she always used to pamper me and defend me at all costs. There was one time, where our whole family made a trip to the beach, I was 10 years old, I wanted to go and swim with her at the sea, but my older cousin yelled me “ Don’t boother Grandma Stella, let her swim alone, let her relax!!!!. You’re such a nuisance!”. My cousin left me for going swimming. I sat at the beach sad with my head low, and my little heart resented, feeling a nod in my throat as I had already listen the word “Nuisance” from many people before that called me like that. I was quite sensitive, at those times. My mom came up to me and her only advice was to smile without asking me what happened, she always did that, while my grandma came up to me, took my hand and told me “Let’s go sweetheart, let’s go together, don’t listen to them, you’re never a nuisance for me, I love you, you’re my favourite granddaughter and you always will be”. 

Now, you may be asking why I’m telling all this story in past. Well, I’m now a 40-year-old aerospace engineer, happily married, but I deeply missed my childhood and the moments we spent together as a family at that house. I missed Christmas, where my favourite cousin, Mia and I prepared choreographies for dance competitions organised by my aunt. We would spent weeks practicing it, and perform it on Christmas Eve night, and what I loved the most was my grandma’s support, laughter and happiness, which made me feel joyful and with a sense of belonging. I must say that I didn’t know at that time that I was living one of the best moments of my life. 

I got to admit that remembering these things still gives me reasons to cry, Grandma Stella gave colour to my life. She really gave color to my life transforming the worst days into the best ones everytime I was with her. I felt her company so angelic and magical every second. Today, as I sit by the fireplace, I often find myself reminiscing about those good old days, but the lessons I learned and the love I received continued to guide me, that’s why I strive to create a home on my own filled with the warmth and joy I lived with my family, especially the love from my Grandma Stella in my childhood. Everyday, I remember her and talk to her before I go to sleep at night. I pray God for my dead grandmother. Grandma Stella passed away a few years ago of cancer, I don’t feel sad because she’s not here. Most people get sad, or fall into a depression when a member of their family, their couple or a friend dies, but actually, I feel very grateful for the angel God sent into my life. Sometimes, when I sit at the couch on the roof and think about her, the song “Summertime Sadness” from Lana del Rey comes to my mind as a pang of nostalgia. Grandma told me to not be depressed previous days before her death, she only said she wished that I live everyday without regrets, worries and enjoying every single moment of my life. I promised her to live my life at the fullest with the people I’m with when she died, and as I look forward into the future, I carry with me the lessons and love for Grandma by striving for a life of love and kindness.