Autobiographical Incident - Essay Example

I was never a believer of such until the untimely death of my grandfather. The death came so unexpectedly, and the news is still fresh in my memory. I was only ten years old, and the concept of life was still new in my mind. I confess I was not fond of spending time with my grandfather. He was prone to scolding and punishing me. His death opened a new revelation, which I cannot have anymore. I regret never taking my time to understand him. Even five minutes of his time would have made a lot of difference.

All the memories that I was left for my granddad were that he was not open to show any emotion. He was an emotionless person who did not admit if he loved anyone. You could never know when he was having a good moment. There were moments where he could flash a smile once in a while, but he returned to his emotionless state. I always asked myself what made him so mad. At times I thought it came with his age. On other occasions, I thought it was because he was having a bad day. Years after his death, when all our relatives had accepted his passing away, I decided to inquire more about him.

At certain points, I even regret reliving his past experiences through questions. My granddad was born in a well off Korean family that took part in the war in Korea over two eras ago. Imagine all the suffering and pain undergone during this period? When he was barely of legal age, he was kidnapped by the North Korean army to fight for the greater good. It was a spur of the moment where he was taken without the chance to bid a farewell. He also did not know whether he could see his parents ever again after being drafted into the war.

The thought of being kidnapped and taking away from my family brings tears to my eyes when writing this autobiographical incident essay. The pain and stress he went through during that ordeal cannot be put into words. The sight of dead soldiers, friends, women, and children can take a toll on a man. The end of the Korean War saw my grandfather settle in the territory. He ended up receiving asylum from the South Korean citizen. He later ran into his brother after five years. After that, he met my grandmother, and they got married and got children.

My granddad was a hero. After learning what he had to go through, my entire perspective on him changed. I finally understand his habit of not expressing his feelings in open. I understand that it is PTSD, especially that coming from viewing friends and soldiers in a pool of blood. He suffered a lot from watching all the effects of the war. I remember the day we laid him to rest. I asked myself who this man was. I asked why I never made time to know the man.  My cousin gave emotional eulogies, which was like talking to my father again.

I got the chance to know his life in a bit, including his favorite ice cream flavor, favorite book, favorite song, and favorite fishing place. My view of my grandfather changed, especially after learning about his past life. He transformed from being the nagging granddad who scolded me, into a war hero who survived two eras in the Korean War. I finally understood that all the trauma he faced was too much for him to show love in a normal way. By flashing a smile once in a while, it was his way of showing us he loves us.

By scolding me, he was a way of showing me love, and his laughs were gestures of apology. During his death, I do not recall ever feeling any sense of regret or hurt. My biggest regret is never taking my time to get to know my grandfather. If I could get a day back, I could tell him how much I loved him. I will also show him how he helped in raising me. It has been eight years since he left us. Sometimes, I hope this could all be a dream. However, I have learned that there is nothing sure than death.

I wish he could still be alive so that he could witness various moments I have been through. I wish he could be able to attend my graduation. Going through high school as well as other achievements that I have made. It is painful to think that I will never get the chance to talk to him again. But I know wherever he is, he is proud of the person I am becoming. He is watching over my life waiting for the day we will be reunited. I know nothing is promised and can change at any point. Therefore, you should never take for granted the people who are close to you.

There are many ways people express their feelings without us knowing it until it’s too late. Many of us regret never having the chance to bid him farewell.