Ten Panencia

“In the story, “A Celebration of Grandfathers,” by Rudolfo A. Anaya, Anaya’s grandfather provides age-old insights on life. The story talks about the importance of listening to your elders and the unique knowledge that comes from embracing the past. Anaya’s grandfather’s life is filled with work and patience. The kind of values that many today have forgotten about. He passes on his knowledge to his grandson. The three important messages that Anaya’s grandfather has are, all things die, say what you mean, and have patience.

Anaya’s grandfather taught him at a young age that death can come to anyone, and that all things pass away. Even the seasons eventually pass. The vibrancy of summer turning to the starkness of death. But, Anaya’s grandfather was a religious man and taught Anaya that there is life after death. “Think of the death of the trees and the fields in the fall. The leaves fall, and everything rests, as if dead. But they bloom again in the spring. Death is only this small transformation in life.” Anaya was comforted to think that the boy he mourned over would start again. His soul being reborn, like the spring after a terrible winter. Death isn’t fair, and it isn’t pretty. “I did not understand why death had come to one so young.” Anaya’s grandfather knew he couldn’t romanticize death. He told the plain truth to Anaya and this helped more than counseling or grief sessions ever could. Anaya was taught not fear death because it is natural. “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”(Mark Twain) Everything dies, death can’t be taken back. The best way to deal with the harsh reality of loss is to accept the obvious. “We cannot banish dangers, but we can banish fea...

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...new better. It is this gentle patience of the elderly that should be respected. They have gone through the worst in life and understand how to handle disappointment. “How poor are they that have not patience! What wound did ever heal but by degrees?” (William Shakespeare).Patience can make you happy, Anaya’s grandfather knew this.

The young people of today don’t listen to their elders. They think they know what is best, and don’t need someone who can’t understand. This is why our world is losing it moral integrity. Anaya knows the importance of listening to your elders. His story, “A celebration of Grandfathers,” talks about the important messages that his grandfather shared with him. The three important messages that Anaya’s grandfather has are, all things die, say what you mean, and have patience.

Works Cited

A Celebration of Grandfathers by Rudolpho A. Anaya