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  • Writer's pictureEECN Team, With Love

Why We Care: Joseph

My grandpa was a man full of love and patience. Every now and then, eating with a pair of chopsticks reminds me of my grandpa. My first vivid memory of my grandpa is of him teaching me how to hold chopsticks the correct way back when I was in kindergarten. At an age where my motor skills were still developing, picking things up with chopsticks was difficult, and I often opted to use a fork instead. However, my grandpa managed to coax young me to not give up and helped me master chopsticks. Not once did he express his frustration or impatience as I repeatedly dropped my food. Thanks to my grandpa, chopsticks are basically an extension of my fingers now.


My grandpa was well-educated and passionate. He was one of the smartest and most curious people I have ever met. In his 70s, my grandpa taught me high school level math better than my teachers did. As his first language was Korean, he would often have a Korean/English dictionary open along with a math textbook so that he could explain any of the concepts that confused me. He was constantly nose deep in newspapers to stay up-to-date, and hard sudoku puzzles was one of his favorite pastimes. My grandpa helped me realize the importance of education and knowledge.


My grandpa was a survivor. Having lived through the Korean war as a young boy, he experienced things no child should ever have to live through. My grandpa was also the eldest son, so he was forced to mature quickly to make sure he and his siblings survived the war. Having immigrated to the US as a middle aged man, my grandfather had to adapt in a foreign place and learn a new language to support his family. I loved hearing about my grandfather’s past as he overcame many obstacles, since his life story was not that different from an adventure novel.


My grandpa was my hero. He taught me so much and had a lot of wisdom stored up over the years. I respected him for going through all that suffering and still managing to do his best and choosing to be a kind person. He is no longer with us today, but the impact he had on my life motivates me to respect and support the elderly as much as I can. The love and time that I can no longer give back to my grandpa, I would like to give to the elderly.


Joseph Shin

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