Parenting on Purpose

Like Grandfather, Like Grandson. The house looked exactly as I remembered it before - a quaint semi-detached building surrounded by a garden of cow grass. The oddly-shaped mango tree remained in the corner of the garden; and where the tree lacked in beauty, it made up so much more in terms of the juicy and succulent mangoes it produced - easily the best in the land. The delicate orchid blooms were also there, lining the sides of the house; each of them a labour of love, individually cultivated to produce their resplendent shades of purple, yellow, red and white. All at once I saw him; and the tears welled up in my eyes. I had a sense this was goodbye, but I couldn't bear to say the words.  "Grandpa...." I began without being able to continue. A broad smile emerged on the face of the elderly man, his eyes as gentle as always.  "Why can't you let me go?" he asked. "Don't you want me to join your Mama?" I burst into tears, for