A person whom I admire the most

We always come across this title when we were asked to write an essay during our schooling years - be it in English, Bahasa Malaysia or Mandarin; in Primary, Secondary or sometimes in Tertiary Level. However, the content is always boring and dull because we are always taught in the same old way.

The person whom I admire the most is not someone popular or someone good-looking. In contrast, he is an ordinary old man. He has wrinkled face and rough hands. He did not attend schools. His wrinkled face reveals his valuable experience in life, hardships which he had gone through ages ago ; his age shows that he "eats salt more than we eat rice" (a Chinese saying). He does not have black hair but he still has few (when you have close scrutiny). His grey hair is evidently obvious and shines under hot sun. He does not have an outstanding physical outlook but I must tell you, he has a great personality and an analytical mind.

He is my beloved grandpa. He is almost 76 years old and you may guess how much hardships and obstacles he had gone through during his years - from Japanese Occupation to British Revolution. Like what I aforementioned, he did not attend schools, maybe it's not he did not want to, it's just that he was not given a chance. Although he did not go to school, he has a great mind - something which we never learn in our textbooks or within our classroom setting but he can master it all.

He is not colour-blinded. He can differentiate black and white, right or wrong, applying his 75-year life experience into the contexts; complicated ones. He seems to master all philosophies of life and principles of life which I believe, he gathers during his bygone years or yesterdays. He listens, understands, analyzes and suggests everything systematically and rationally. He knows what to behave and what not to although sometimes he is confused of these restaurants - McDonald and KFC. He does not use calculators, he used albacus. His Mathematics calculations is so much better than I. He is quick. I must admit.

I am glad that he acts as my good listener and analysist. I always tell my husband, if he was given a chance, he might be a Minister or someone who contributes to the society.I must say, the degree which I got in my hands cannot be compared with the degree he got. I learn what I was supposed to learn and it's confined but his education is broad, varied and self-oriented. No syllabus, no chapters and no teachers to facilitate. He is a teacher himself and he got chapters of life which most of the time, he flips through and teaches new generations.

I never thought that he is a detailed observant ;never thought that he has so much ideas and never thought that he is serious in everything he says.

I must say that he is not 75 years old. He is only 25. There is no generation gap between he and I. He is trendy, he goes "Old Town White Coffee" and he ordered cakes from "Secret Recipe". He sometimes use English words...Amazing grandpa right?

He is indeed, a person whom I admire the most. Not too late to discover this yesterday.