Kweonho Lee/Ch.5 First Draft/Narrative Composition/Tues 9-11am

Super Grandma Kweonho Lee            As I pressed the doorbell button, I heard a friendly voice shouting from inside, "Who is it?" Instead of talking on the finely working intercom, she would always yell from her room so that the visitors would be able to hear her before she reaches the door. Respecting her traditional style, I yelled back at the door, "It's me!" I waited patiently as it always took a few seconds for her to open the door after the voice. The door opened slowly, and there was my grandma spreading her arms to give me the warmest hug. "Come in sweetie, you came earlier than I thought," she greeted me with a pleasant smile.              I went inside the house. The air in the house was warm thanks to the heating and I liked the comforting smell that made me feel so cozy inside. It was very similar to my mom's smell that I remember from sniffing her pillow in my childhood. Even the faintest whiff of the smell in the room made me feel relaxed and comfortable. I looked around the living room which was full of family pictures. The house was not big even for one old woman, but there were pictures everywhere on the white wall making the house look smaller. On the table, there was an opened bible and a few handwritten notes next to it. My grandma, who was seventy-eight years old, was very energetic and passionate that she had never stopped reading books or working out. She was truly an amazing old woman and I wanted to know more about her life.              "So, why would you want to know about your old granny?" She asked me, handing me a full of deliciously looking fruits. "As you can see, I'm living my ordinary days and there's nothing so special about me that you would be interested in." She shrugged. I knew at the moment that she was just being humble in front of her grandson, so I decided to ask my first question.              "Grandma, you are actually really special! No one can ever guess your age to be late 70's. How can you look so young?" I asked curiously.              "Do you really think so? Actually people think I'm in about 50's and all of my friends envy me," She said in an excited voice. "I think the most important thing in living a healthy, young life is having daily routines. As you know, I always wake up at 6 in the morning. I pray for each member of my family including your family for one hour. After that, I eat my breakfast and go to the swimming pool to work out. Then I would come back and read books for a few hours. I go to church or hang out with my friends in the evening"              She was very proud of herself for living a well-organized life. I could hardly imagine myself living such a diligent life because I would end up sleeping all day in my bedroom if I didn't have to go to school every day. However, she told me that she had never skipped working out in the swimming pool for more than 10 years.              "Don't you feel tired? Why are you so motivated to work out every day? It's not easy even for the young people like me." I asked.              "No, I have never been tired of working out. Instead, it's what makes me feel young and feel alive. I think being healthy is the most important thing in living," she replied, and then stopped for a moment. Her bright face slowly faded into a sad one. She gave a deep sigh and continued, "Well, your grandpa's sudden death really changed my life."              My grandpa died 15 years ago from liver cancer. I didn't remember a lot about him because I was only 9 years old. My mom used to tell me that he was a great dad and a considerate husband for her mother. He was so much dedicated to his family that his death affected the whole family. After he passed away, my grandmother moved to this small house and has lived here until now.              "After he left, I felt really lonely. I cried every day in my room and I could not rely on your mom or other aunts as they were all busy with their jobs and taking care of their children. I had to overcome it by myself," she told the story in a calm voice. After clearing her throat she continued, "One day, I chose to get out of my room and to start working out every day to get over the depression,"              "When do you miss him the most?" I asked a further question.              "Well, a long time has passed and I'm used to living alone now but sometimes… sometimes I feel lonely when I lie on the bed alone at night. Although I look very extroverted and seem to enjoy my social life, I do miss him when I'm alone in the house," she answered smiling.              My grandma never showed her sad emotions in front of us and it was the first time I saw her talking about how much she missed her husband. I always thought her as a strong and adventurous woman, but I came to know that she was hiding her weakness in the deep inside her heart. There was a moment of silence after her answer. I looked at my grandma and she seemed to be recalling her old memories. I waited patiently until she looked at me in the eyes.              "Are you happy with your life now?" I asked my last question, hoping for an answer that would please her and make her feel joyful again.              "Sure, of course! I was just being emotional," she replied in a cheerful voice. "It was frustrating at first, but now, as you can see, your grandma is enjoying the happiest life! I thank him so much for everything he had done for me when he was alive. He was a great man. Now that he's gone, I can enjoy my life and do whatever I want to do without having to worry about taking care of an old husband. Maybe it was a blessing from God because he didn't have to suffer any pains of getting old and ugly. He is still in my heart as a kind, reliable, and good man."              Her response was quite impressive. I could not help but respect her positive attitudes. I was also able to understand how much she loved her husband. Although his death may have been a painful memory at the time, it was what made my grandma to be a stronger and happier person. I was very proud of the fact that she was my grandma and pleased to know more about her.