A Believer in Me

As a young boy, my maternal grandfather was a hugely impressive figure for me, which is a bold statement considering that in all the time I spent with him, he would mostly be on his bed. His ripe old age had left him incapable of any significant range of actions, and he required assistance for the simple act of walking. He was also partially deaf, which is why our correspondence was mainly via writing on a notepad that he kept by the side of his bed.

Whenever I visited him, I would write down all kinds of things what happened in school last week, what the monkeys did in the zoo I visited, what I was eating nowadays and so on, and he'd reply in earnest. His writing was a tad difficult to understand, but it didn't matter. Nothing was too absurd to discuss with him, and it's not just the everyday stuff you could talk to him about.

You see, he was also revered as a deeply spiritual figure by the locals, and they would visit him for the simple pleasure of being in his company. Despite his physical limitations, he was a source of comfort and guidance to many, myself included.

I feel like it's worth mentioning that this man wasn't my biological maternal grandfather; he was the man who, along with his wife, adopted my mom and her brother when their biological parents died at a fairly young age. If anything though, that just left me in a greater state of awe.

The small moment occurred one afternoon when I was in grade 3. The summer vacations were underway, and I was sitting cross-legged on the floor beside my grandfather's bed, conversing with him as usual. My mother was there too, observing the whole scene with the usual air of amusement.

All of a sudden, my grandfather stops writing, turns to my mother and says, “You know, Martin is going to scale new heights in his life. He's going to be successful beyond measure, and this I am certain about.”

My mother beamed at me, and I can't quite remember how I reacted in the moment, but his words were lodged in my head. He passed away almost a year later, and I surprised myself by crying while he was being taken to the grave (I wasn't a particularly expressive kid).

So my small moment of epic proportions was a man who was one of the finest examples of a human being for me letting me know that he believed in me and my potential to do something truly grand in life. That has had a huge impact on how I view my life and every decision that I've made ever since then. Be it applying for university or creating something, I always try to never settle for less. It compels me to go out of my way to do insane but huge stuff.

That grand old man's belief in me has been, without a doubt, one of the most powerful things that I've ever experienced. His words have become a guiding force in my life, pushing me to strive for excellence and pursue my dreams. Despite the many challenges and obstacles that I've faced along the way, his faith in me has never wavered, and I've always carried it with me as a source of strength and inspiration.

Looking back, I realize how fortunate I was to have had such a wise and loving figure in my life, even if only for a short time. My grandfather's legacy continues to inspire me, and I am grateful for every moment that I spent in his company.

In a world where it can be easy to lose sight of our purpose and potential, my grandfather's belief in me serves as a reminder that anything is possible with hard work, dedication, and a little bit of faith. His words have instilled in me.