Anshina Verma - Week 10 Silicon Valley, My Grandfather’s Greatest Rival
Juice spills over my fingernails, coating my palm, as I dig my fingers beneath the rubbery skin of a tangerine I snagged from the shining fruit bowl in the center of the prayer room. I’ve become so familiar with its nooks and crannies that I could navigate the entire room blindfolded. If we’re getting technical, it's not my prayer room. Still, I’ve been taught what goes unclaimed goes uncared for, so by that logic, everything in my local Gurudwara is technically mine, which may explain why I care for it the way a possessive and angsty teenage girl from a 2000s show might.
As I walk past the portraits lining the main hall, I stop at my grandfather’s, the fourteenth painting on the right-hand side, to be exact. My toes sink into the plush crimson carpet as I stare into his hazel eyes through the laminated glass. I remember gazing at them as a child; never before had I seen eyes so bright that they made me hate my dark brown ones.
My grandfather traveled from Lahore, Punjab, to Fremont, California, with little more than faith in his hand-stitched linen pockets. My father flew to fetch him, afraid that, given my grandfather’s lack of technological know-how, he’d be helpless navigating the convoluted maze that was TSA the San Francisco Airport. I grew up watching my grandfather struggle with technology and survive in a city so dependent on it. He found solace in the gurudwara, where he spent all his time, and at six years old, I was unoccupied with other affairs, and thus, I happily joined him in his endeavors.
His hatred for technology remained a thorn in his side, and as I grew older and more observant, I noticed this hatred was shared by the elders in my community. The innovations Silicon Valley pumped out year after year left them dependent on technology that they never asked for. So, in the spirit of innovation, I decided to create a technological support program. I recruited volunteers, and we helped seniors with online appointments, phones, translation tools, etc in a familiar environment, where they were free to learn at their own pace without embarrassment. I could see the community aunties and uncles gain a radiant confidence, I could see their faces light up as they hobbled towards me, proudly declaring they could now use WhatsApp and Adobe. Elders are the strongest pillars of any community, and I am a firm believer that any family is only as happy as its oldest member. My program strengthened my community as I ensured nobody was left behind because the world moved faster than they did.]
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Hi Anshina! I love how you started off your blog with such descriptive imagery that it's like I am experiencing you digging into the tangerine. I think that one thing that shows a lot about your character is how much you visit the Gurudwara, because of how religious and prestigious it is. That is such a beautiful thing that it's your second home, and it additionally says a lot about the respect that you hold for being Punjabi. Although my parents are from Punjab, we aren’t this religious and only visit the Gurudwara during Diwali. I find it so interesting as well how your grandfather is present in the Gurudwara; was he a guru or an important figure? The transition you made from his portrait to the nonprofit you started was extremely meaningful and shows your main influences. How did you feel while creating the program? Did you experience any obstacles at any point in time? This blog was deeply heartfelt and reflective, and I’m happy to know more about you now.
ReplyDeleteAnshina, I really loved hearing about how close you are with your grandparents and community. I think it is so important to understand the people that have shaped the way our lives work. I still love hearing my grandmother tell stories about her own childhood, just so I can try to piece together how she came to be the person she is today, and how she shaped my mother. I love hearing my dad and his brother tell me stories from their childhood so I can understand how their belief systems and morals were crafted. While my family has never been religious, I have always had an appreciation for those who feel truly connected to their religion. If there is one thing about religion that I respect without a doubt, it is the community it fosters and relationships it brings about. I especially liked how you spoke about elders in your community being forced to rely on technology “they never asked for.” It is an unfortunate circumstance that the world seems to be moving in a direction that many of us do not agree with. We are being forced to adapt to situations that we never wanted to be in in the first place. However, having pockets of comfort and belonging in places where we still feel like we are living the life we want, the way your grandfather relied on the gurudwara, is one of the best ways to cope with the forever changing world. Community roots us to our values.
ReplyDeleteYour descriptive imagery and storytelling nature makes your writing very compelling. Your ability to articulate the feelings that come along with a place is very impressive and made for a very interesting read. I look forward to reading what you write in the future.
im not in this cohort but i wanted to say that this is so well written I love it.
ReplyDeleteLMFAO thx
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