sigh..

What's the hardest thing to change about a person? Answer: his mind

Finally, almost ready to board the plane. Tickets settled, luggage almost done.. except that it's the non-tangible things that I can't really seem to get a hold on. My granddad's been raging none-stop for the past hour now, and it all started off when my Mum asked if he's joining us for reunion dinner. He declined, saying that he'll rather eat outside than tolerate unfriendly faces. Have you ever got the feeling of trying to explain something so plain and obvious to someone who just don't get it no matter what (well, sometimes my dense brain tends to give ppl a similar frustration, but this is a whole different story!). Well, things have gotten worse recently with my granddad. He thinks that the son whom he's been living with for the past 60-odd years (that's my uncle's age) is out to cheat him of his money, and that my poor auntie is his conniving partner-in-crime. The more he tries to argue with my exhausted mother, who nonetheless bravely tries to argue her point across, the more insane, and somewhat sad, I find the whole charade. I seriously think my granddad needs a doctor, but my Mum just thinks he's a hard-headed stubborn old fool. Which could possibly be closer to the truth than I thought, but then again, he didn't use to be like this. Although he has several vices, from women to gambling and has many areas lacking when it comes to fatherly duties (he was largely an absent father during my mother's childhood), he was quite an alright granddad to me. I could still remember when I was in kindergarten, when he was my constant companion to and from school. No matter how heavy a bag I carried, I could always count on him to lug it all back home. Now, looking at him, I could only see a befuddled and stubborn old guy who refuses to listen to anyone other than himself. How on earth did things manage to get so bad? My Mum is almost at the end of her tether, what with my granddad coming up to our place every week to complain. I tell her that in his current frame of mind, the more we try to defend my uncle, the worse he would appear to my granddad. Such is the irony, for my uncle and auntie are the most filial and loyal son and daughter-in-law anybody could hope for. I really pray for a miracle that things would improve slightly, and my family would be at peace and harmony once again.

Happy New Year folks..