| Your Love is better than ice-cream - Unmerited Love over me
I have a happy childhood.
as a kid, i was extremely loved.
a huge chunk of these memories revolved around Popo's (grandma) house.
.. and the fact that i was almost always there.
Popo's house was an old two room flat in Queenstown,
that housed my grandparents and my many aunties and uncles.
easily 10 to 15 people under that one roof.
and whenever i was there, i was always center of their attention, the jewel of the family.
the love and affections showered over me, still continues even today,
years after the passing of my dear popo from cancer. Popo was the queen of the house. she exhibited and showed love to all, and everybody loved her.
but i (at any age) was always the apple of her eye. for some reason, from the day i was born,
i was her favourite.
and she really really loved me so.
in her eyes, i was her joy, and i could do no wrong.
even my aunties and uncles for some reason treated me like so,
like as though i came along with a contract or binding that i was to be handled this way. there were many many instances i can recall on the love i experienced.
and i wanna share just two of the many here.
a favourite spot of mine in the house was the balcony.
i would hang out there, take care of popo's plants, especially the little pomegranate tree,
who's when pom fruits when ripe, popo would only reserve for my consumption.
anyway..
one day my aussie cousins came to town and they were given pet turtles to play with.
One day when my little cousin was out, i took out his two turtles to play racing with.
i was lining them up on the edge of the balcony and at the sound of my voice 'Go!'
they would race (with a little bit of my help) toward the finishing line i drew.
so amidst the thrill and excitement of the race,
one of the nudges i gave to one of the turtles were a tad bit too erm, - powerful.
the acceleration sent the little creature off-course - and flying off the ledge, four stories down.
oops.
i seldom or never left the house on my own accord.
but there was no choice.
so from the the balcony, walked past the hall where about fifteen of my family were seating,
chatting, eating and t.v etc.
took my slippers, wore them, and as cool as ever left the house.
i remembered all action in the hall ceasing and in their wonderment??,
observing silence, every eye and neck trained on the travelling of my every little move. i walked down the stairs, went down to where the crash zone was, and picked up the poor dead thing.
its head and legs already well retreated back into its shell for forever.
i cupped it in my hand and put my hand into my pocket.
so with one hand in my pocket hiding, i cooly walked back up to the house,
with the other hand took of my slippers, walked through the hall,
with the attention and everyone still in motion and silence, with eyes trained on my solemn procession through and back to the balcony. later in the evening, all of a sudden there was loud wailing and sobbing.
'My Turtle DieD!!!' my cousin was in shock and grief.
my uncles took the responsibility of investigation and reasoning, asking in loud tone over the household
"oh no.. anybody knew why the turtle died??"
and like as if... but 'nobody knew'. to them, turtle died myseriously and so lets get on with our lives. (david, today if you're reading this, i'm sorry, but you like beer anyway now) you know, of course they knew what happened, and looking at my silly sheepish face,
i probably felt some of them grinning and sniggering at me.
its funny . i could do no wrong.
i mentioned myself being like the apple of my Popo's eye.
i was her little king. - like over dinner, apart from the communal large bowl of soup,
i would have my own little bowl, and a filled-soupspoon beside it to be cooled down for my drinking and refilled whenever.
..stuff like that.
Once so often, my mom would bring me to the store downstairs,
she would get me a 'Choc-Stick' (dark choc icecream that my popo liked).
so that i can arrive with a present for popo.
and upon presenting to popo, would bring her such joy.
she would be beaming ear to ear, as tho it was my idea or hard earned money that i got the choc-stick.
and after a big hug and kiss, she would always place it into the freezer.
i dont actually remember anytime i saw popo eating the choc-sticks i got for her..
and it was largely due to the fact that everytime after 2-3 hours have passed,
i would on my own accord, go to the freezer to grab the choc-stick,
unwrap it greedily and eat up the whole thing.
my popo would see me do it, and would be observing me with so much joy and pride radiating all over her beautiful wrinkled face..
that i was eating her favourite ice-cream. meant for her. ya.
(note. upon typing this, i just realised maybe she purposely left it in the freezer,
not eating cos she knew and wanted me to have it)
and it was always always like this.
i didnt do anything, or have to act anyway to gain such love.
i didnt have to earn love by being good, neither was there any penalty shown for misbehaving.
experiencing first-hand, love that is so unmerited and so unconditional.
Reflecting upon this.
i knew i had to share these little glimpses of my memories and life,
because so that when people read,
they could hear simple stories of such love exhibited by my family.
but i know even then, you cannot fully grasp the full spectrum and understanding of my total experience. and then bring this whole equation into light of the very love that God has over you and me.
God's love is a gazillion times worth more than any human love expression.
you know.. His Unmerited favour and love over you and me, is unconditional, incomparable and everlasting.
as a Son.
as a Daughter.
in His Eyes,you and me, we are Highly Favored
and Deeply Loved. wow. i have loved you with an everlasting love. I have drawn you with loving-kindness.
- Jeremiah 31 “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God”
- 1 John 3
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