MY DEAREST GRANDMOTHER

UNEDITED SAMPLE LITERARY ARTICLE
By Marianne Ibale Fuentes
IV - Enrico Fermi

When I first saw the very whole of you, I already felt that an incredibly big responsibility will be given on me. As I stepped on the cement floor that you had been standing for almost 20 years, I also thought you were really the foundation of all the children and parents that were ‘living’ here. By that time, I was just once an elementary student who wanted to be your grandchild and you as my dearest grandmother. But in order for me to achieve that dream, I must be first put into a test.

I did not realize that time really flies quickly. I did not even recognize that I was already one of the hundreds of your grandchildren. I was already part of your huge family by then and it really made me feel fulfilled and jovial.

I took my first year there with remarkable memories and happenings. I was then belonged to the family of Galileo. Galileo is indeed a very loving and affectionate foster father. We were 34 all in all in our little ‘house’, but because one of my siblings migrated to America (of course, she already asked Father Galileo for permission), we were just 33 when the time came that we needed to split apart. Even though our house was full of distinctive faces, characters and individualities, I effortlessly adjusted to my new ‘siblings’ because they were a total fun and very supportive to me and to my other siblings. Although sometimes we had heated arguments or discrete points of view about a certain thing, without difficulty, it was resolved because we made it to the point that it must be talked first in our most patient and calmer way than having an argument full of shouting and yelling. But having a family like this is not like holding it forever. We ended up saying farewell with one another because it was not a goodbye, only a new beginning for all of us.

Another year had started. After my family in Galileo, I went to the family of Hooke in my second year. Some of my siblings were retained there and I was very happy to see them because I observed that almost all of us had grown quickly. Different faces and personas were again introduced to me. Father Hooke was just as supportive and warm as Father Galileo so I did not have the problem interacting with him. Like in my first family, another two of my siblings migrated to another country, so we were only 32 by that time. We did have a strong bonding and exciting experiences that made us all feel dedicated with each other. However, as I said before, not all families lived a happily ever after. A powerful storm hit all of us that almost caused our well-built friendship be destroyed. Our family was divided into two (obviously, except for Father Hooke) and it lasted for almost 2 months. But good really takes over the evil. Finally, we could not take it anymore that we ended up saying sorry with one another and we said that we must leave it in the past and start a new beginning without anymore concerns about it. So the result, our year ended well and we were so fortunate that the storm that hit us had finished without any sad mark.

I was already in third year but I could not genuinely believe that I survived living in your house. Although I managed to study, to have friends and to experience new adventures, I still have the doubt if I was going to deal with it smoothly. My new family did have a weird name. It was called Lavoisier. We call our foster father, “Father Lavo”. He was kind of a strict father but he was so sweet and comfortable to be with. Almost all my siblings were new to me so I had a hard time coping up with those people. On the contrary, I think, this was the first time that I did not encounter any problems concerning the personalities on the people that were surrounding us. Our year had surpassed all the sufferings and miseries that we got through from our educators. But that does not mean that we blame our teachers for all the afflictions that we got, instead, we were thanking them for all of the information and lessons we were learning from them. I was so gratified that I belonged to this family because they were such a great looking people and very optimistic. We also enjoyed each other’s company that our friendship really bloomed that made Father Lavo truly ecstatic. It seemed that we were at ease with each other by then that when the time came that we must leave our third year, we were sad but also happy because significant reminiscences were our treasure as the year went by.

Now, I am in my fourth year term. Fermi’s family is where I belong now. I am with my new siblings and I hope that we will be in good terms for the rest of the year. Actually, I do not want to think that by the end of the year, this will be the last family where I am going to. I am wishing that I may have another year with you. But I know that it is not going to be true. At least, I wished.

For almost four years of my life as a student, I dedicate this special treasure on you, and I am afraid to accept that this will be the end of staying with you. I had dreamt of being one of your grandchildren and fortunately, it had come true. I am so contented that I made this very far with you through thick and thin, joy and pain, sadness and happiness. I am also satisfied and glad that I shared with you my secrets, my problems about my family and friends, my happiness about passing an exam, my sorrow about my friend’s departure, my gossip sessions about boys, and of course, my wonderful moments that happened here. I know that you will be replaced by another grandmother in some other time and you will all leave us, but in my heart and deep in my soul, you will always be my old grandmother that I used to know. You will always be my grandmother, my dearest grandmother…MAKATI SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL.