Author: Li Xuanpei 李軒霈
Throughout my growing-up years, my grandma has been a person full of strength. Although we did not spend every day together like many grandparents and grandchildren do, she has always been a special and deeply significant presence in my life. She is not just an elder to me, but more like a light quietly watching over me from afar.
My earliest impression of Grandma is her short, stylish hairstyle and the almost invisible wrinkles on her face. Her skin is fair, and when she smiles, she looks especially beautiful. Relatives often joke, saying, “Your grandma is practically an ageless fairy!” At that time, I was still young and didn’t really understand what “skincare” meant. I only felt that Grandma looked completely different from the elderly people I had imagined. I remember once my older brother and I tried to imitate Grandma’s skincare routine, only to be caught by her. She burst into laughter, her laugh crisp and warm. That scene has stayed in my heart ever since.
Although Grandma was not always by my side, she had a special way of showing her care. Every time we met, she would secretly slip some pocket money into my hand when I wasn’t paying attention, gently pat it twice, and smile as she said, “Don’t tell your dad and mom.” In her eyes was a playful yet loving sparkle. When I first entered university, she would occasionally call me, her voice gentle but tinged with concern: “Have you been eating well lately? Are your studies too tiring? Don’t stay up too late.” Her voice always soothed the loneliness I felt living away from home. Even though they were just a few ordinary questions, they made me feel cared for and remembered.
The moment that left the deepest impression on me was when our whole family went out to eat together. The restaurant server actually thought Grandma was my mother’s older sister, which made the whole family burst into laughter. Grandma simply smiled and said, “Taking care of yourself isn’t for others. It’s so that you like yourself.” I’ve always remembered that sentence. It wasn’t just about caring for one’s appearance, but a way of approaching life. She knows how to love herself and how to face the passage of time in the calmest way. That kind of composed beauty is the most unique gift time has given her.
Grandma’s life is very full. From time to time, she attends sign-language classes or simple dance classes. She often says, “You have to keep moving, only then will your heart stay bright.” The words sound simple, but as I’ve grown older, I’ve come to understand that they carry deep wisdom. She never complains about getting older and is not afraid of aging. Instead, she believes that every stage of life has its own scenery.
As I grew up, schoolwork and daily life became increasingly busy, and I had fewer chances to see Grandma. Every time I went home, she would carefully look me over, ask whether I was eating well and sleeping enough, and, just as always, secretly slip pocket money into my hand. She would say, “Young people need to eat better. Don’t let yourself get too tired.” I would say I didn’t need it, but inside I was always deeply touched by her tenderness. It is a kind of love that doesn’t express itself much in words, yet truly exists in every small detail. Grandma is not the type who hugs me and says “I love you,” nor does she frequently send messages to check on me, but she uses her own way to bring the family together.
She is already in her seventies now, but every time I see her, she still seems as young as someone in her fifties. Perhaps this is her magic. Not just youthful appearance, but a heart that remains forever young. She knows how to appreciate the beauty of life and how to face imperfect days with a smile. Her optimism, resilience, and calmness make her shine brightly in my heart forever. I often think that perhaps one day I will become someone like Grandma, not necessarily dazzling or glamorous, but someone who possesses the gentleness and strength to light up the people around them. What she has taught me is not only how to “take care of myself,” but also how to face this world with calmness and kindness. Grandma’s presence has become the warmest lamp in my life.
在我的成長過程中，我阿嬤是一個充滿力量的人。雖然我們並不像許多祖孫那
樣朝夕相處，但她卻是我生命中一個特別且深刻的存在。她不只是我的長輩，
更像是一個在遠方默默守護我的光。
我對阿嬤最早的印象，是她那短而俏麗的髮型，以及臉上幾乎看不見的皺紋。
她的皮膚白淨，笑起來特別漂亮。親戚們總愛開玩笑說：「妳阿嬤根本是不老仙
女！」那時的我還小，不太懂什麼叫「保養」，只覺得阿嬤看起來和我想像中的
老人家完全不一樣。記得有一次我和哥哥學阿嬤保養的動作，結果被阿嬤發現
了，她看著我們哈哈大笑，笑聲清脆又溫暖，那畫面一直留在我心裡。
雖然阿嬤沒有長時間陪在我身邊，但她有一種特別的方式來表達關心。每次見
面，她總會在我不注意的時候，把零用錢偷偷塞進我手裡，然後輕輕拍兩下，
笑著說：「別告訴妳爸爸媽媽喔。」她的眼神裡藏著一種調皮又慈愛的光。剛上
大學時，她偶爾會打電話給我，語氣溫柔卻帶著一點擔心：「最近有沒有吃飽？
功課有沒有太累？不要太晚睡啊。」她的聲音總能讓我在外地生活的孤單瞬間
被安撫。雖然只是幾句平凡的問候，卻讓我覺得被在乎、被記得了。
印象最深的一次，是全家人一起去吃飯的時候。餐廳的服務生竟然以為阿嬤是
我媽媽的姐姐，結果全家人都笑翻了。阿嬤只是笑笑地說：「保養不是為了別
人，是為了讓自己喜歡。」那句話我一直記得。那不只是關於外表的照顧，更
是一種生活態度。她懂得愛自己，也懂得用最平靜的方式面對時間的流逝。這
種從容的美，是歲月給她最獨特的禮物。
阿嬤的生活非常豐富。時不時就會去參加手語班或簡單的舞蹈班。她常說：「人
要動起來，心才會亮。」這句話看似簡單，但我長大後越來越明白，那其實是
一種生活智慧。她從不抱怨年紀增長，也不害怕變老，反而覺得每個階段都有
自己的風景。
長大以後，因為課業和生活越來越忙，我和阿嬤見面的機會變得更少。每次回
家，她都會仔細地打量我一番，問我吃得好不好、睡得夠不夠，還是一樣偷偷
往我手裡塞零用錢。她總說：「年輕人要吃好一點，別讓自己太累。」我嘴上說
不用，但心裡卻總被那份溫柔打動。那是一種不太會用言語表達的愛，卻真實
存在於每一個細節裡。阿嬤不是那種會抱著我說「我愛你」的人，也不會頻繁
傳訊息嘘寒問暖，但她會用自己的方式讓家人聚在一起。
她今年已經七十幾歲了，但每次看到她，仍然覺得她像五十歲一樣年輕。也許
這就是她的魔法，那不只是外貌的年輕，而是她的心永遠年輕。她懂得欣賞生
活的美，也懂得用微笑面對不完美的日子。她的樂觀、堅毅與平靜，讓她在我
心中永遠閃閃發光。我常常想，也許有一天我也會變成像阿嬤那樣的人不一定
要華麗耀眼，但要擁有能照亮身邊人的溫柔與力量。她教會我的，不只是如何
「照顧自己」，更是如何以平靜與善意，去面對這個世界。阿嬤的存在，成了我
人生中最溫暖的一盞燈。