Life and Writing

Life and Writing

From one point of view, life is like learning how to write. This may seem weird, but thinking about the very nature of these two things will make it possible to draw a parallel between them. At an early stage, children need help to be able to form even the simplest letters, like i. After a while, they can easily write whole words on their own because they learn how to combine letters. By this time, children do not need to have recourse to their instructors on a regular basis because they know the basics, and they are able to apply certain rules. The essence of teachers’ work in this case is to teach several techniques so that children can come through alone; children have to know that their instructors will not be there for a lifetime, so they have to get ahead. Parents have a very similar rule. When their sons and daughters are young, they are the ones who determine their children’s lives. As a result, children depend on their parents; parents have to lend a hand for them. As children grow up, they do not fall back on their parents’ support. They become self-sufficient and self-supporting individuals. They develop into adults who have different personalities and different values. Nevertheless, there is a huge difference between life and writing: with a lot of practice, everybody can learn how to write; the whole process will be really simple and effortless; but life is dissimilar: it is tough and sometimes unfair or incalculable. Emily and Kate, the two sisters, were not aware of this fact. But how could they be? They were only nine and seven years old.

Emily and Kate, the two little girls, were the apples of their parents’ eye. They had everything they dreamed of. Their parents, Carla and James, were not so rich, but they wanted to see their daughters exceptionally happy, so they gave everything they could to the girls. However, the mother and the father did not want to spoil their daughters; accordingly, there were some rules the girls had to observe. Emily and Kate could accept these rules, and they regarded sense of duty as one of their basic values. Thus, they did very well in school. In fact, they were the best students in their class.

Kate and Emily had wonderful childhood, or, at least, they thought so. The whole family was satisfied; they felt that they were part of something perfect. Only the mother had evil forebodings. Kate and Emily were lucky not only because they were loved by their parents but also because they felt that their grandparents were the best ones in the world. They spent a lot of time together, as the grandparents had a beautiful house with a huge garden where Kate and Emily could tear about and play. The sisters were full of energy, so they enjoyed the weekends when they visited their grandparents. The grandmother always cooked delicious meals. She usually bought the girls’ favorite ice-cream. She wanted it to be a surprise, so she served it when Emily and Kate were playing in the garden. She thought that the girls would not count on it, but the sisters were very tricky, so they knew when the moment would come. Grandma was even more enthusiastic than Kate and Emily were, so they never wanted to disclose this big secret. The girls had a sand box in the garden, which was made by Grandpa. While they were playing in the sand, David always worked on something: he perfected the house, created new toys for the girls, or picked apples so that Grandma could make apple pie for Emily and Kate. Grandma and Grandpa had one common purpose: to facilitate their grandchildren. The sisters could feel it; however, Grandpa was a bit different. He was an extraordinarily clever man, and he always took the opportunity to teach something new to the girls. They often went to sightseeing tours together; they visited the Chain Bridge, the Castle, Fisherman’s Bastion, and several other beauties of the city they lived in. David usually told anecdotes to the girls, which was very useful because the girls were familiar with the historical background of most sights. He found it extremely important to develop critical thinking as early as possible, so he often showed different aspects of a phenomenon. He did it playfully, so the girls appreciated every single moment they could spend together. In fact, Emily and Kate admired David.

Consequently, the two sisters never felt that they would lack something. They lived in a happy and loving family with mutually accepted values. They had wonderful experiences, and they never had to discover the dark side of life. Their life was at the early stage of writing where they got all the help they needed.

On a beautiful summer day, Emily, Kate, and David were playing basketball in the garden, when Kate, the seven-year-old girl, fell over. She felt sharp pain in her arm, but she did not cry. It was clear that it was not just a simple bruise, so they went to the ambulance. The girl was pale, but she did not utter a word. The doctor had to plaster her broken arm. While David was driving home, Kate suddenly asked her grandfather:
“Was I a good adult, Grandpa?”
“You were a heroine, Kate. I am really proud of you. But why did you say adult?”
“Because I want to be an adult, like you.”
“You should enjoy these years. Being an adult is not as easy as you think, Darling.”
“But everybody wants to be an adult, Grandpa,” Emily added.
“You are not right, Emily. There are some adults who really want to be children. For this reason, they act like children, and they do not consider that they have several obligations. I just want you to know that it is fantastic to be a child because adults have to face many difficulties.”
Actually, Emily and Kate did not understand what Grandpa referred to, but they never forgot what he said.
One week later, the family was celebrating David’s seventieth birthday. The Mother, Carla, made a wonderful birthday-cake with the help of her daughters. The cake was decorated with the girls’ favorite candies. While they were sitting around the big table there, Kate asked if they will always be together like this. That day, Grandpa promised that his life will be very long. He did not know that he will not be able to keep to his resolution…

One day, the two sisters were waiting for their grandparents to come, as they were planning to go to the zoo together. The girls were very excited because they thought that they would learn something new again from Grandpa. Well, they did, but not the way they wanted to. Grandma and Grandpa were supposed to arrive at ten o’clock in the morning. It was half past ten, and the grandparents were still not there. The children knew that they would be late, as they usually were. A few hours passed, and nothing happened. Finally, the telephone rang; Mum picked up the phone. It was Grandma; she was sobbing. The girls could realize that something was wrong. Their Mother’s face showed it. They had never seen this face before. Then, Mother uttered the sentence that changed the whole family’s life:
“Grandpa is dead. He fall asleep yesterday, and he never woke up.”
Emily and Kate did not want to believe it.
“This cannot be true, Mum. He promised that his life will only die at the age of 120,” cried Emily.
“I know, Emily, but many things do not depend on us. I am sure Grandpa took his resolution seriously, but…”

After David’s death, everything was different. It became clear that the key to happiness was the grandfather’s personality. In fact, children were not able to call their grandmother Grandma any more, as she could not process this tragedy, and the lack of her husband determined her acts. She always tried to blame somebody else, and the children and the mother became her easy targets. This way, the children’s parents are on the very edge of divorce. Now Emily and Kate are familiar with the difference between life and writing.


After ten years, I am still not able to accept my grandfather’s death. Now I know what he meant when he mentioned those difficulties adults have to face. I wish I could prepare myself… I believe that I had to grow up very quickly. It was too early for such a big change. However, it is interesting to observe how a sudden tragedy can transform one’s personality. I hope, sooner or later, I will be able to see myself from a different point of view, so that I can develop. I want Grandpa to be proud of me. My intensive emotions still determine my behavior, and I still do not know who I am. I used to be extraordinarily happy once, but now I do not know if it was something real or not. I often visit the places where we used to go with Grandpa. I am sitting here at Fisherman’s Bastion, and I can hear his words: “There are some adults who really want to be children.” It is true. But why do we want to be something else? I am only nineteen years old, but I am not a child anymore. I have to act like an adult; however, I am determined by my childhood memories…

Emily Rose