Caleb's Spring Break - Essay Example

Caleb’s Spring Break Caleb marked another day on the calendar before sleeping and counted the remaining days to his trip. Right after 15 days, over the spring weekend break from school, he was going to his Grandpa’s farm as his parents would be away on a trip to Paris. He closes his eyes and tries sleeping as he wants the days pass quickly. This seemed like a dream come true for him. He smiled as he sees his house disappearing from his sight. As a young boy, he felt that a trip to the grandparents’ farm was the best place to visit ever. His dad grew up as part of a large family and every year there would be a reunion in the summer vacations where the entire family would meet. They would greet each other with love and affection which is why the farm holds special memories for the family at large. However, over the spring break, he and grandpa would have the farm all to themselves. The experience felt by him during the spring break was most joyful and each detail provides him with sheer happiness when he thinks about it. He kept talking to the driver about the beauty of the farmhouse. His eyes sparkled as he read the board mentioning his Grandpa’s farmhouse name. He looked toward the beautiful passage leading to the farmhouse gate and he felt people would be able to hear his heart pounding with pleasure. This place always held a special place in this child’s heart. Grandma and Grandma prepared the most scrumptious food he had ever tasted and Grandpa even let him feed all the animals. The pecan and pear trees looked beautiful in the spring. The flowers bloomed like never seen and the entire place seemed like heaven on earth. The part most loved about the farm by Caleb was Tilda, the horse. Tilda was a horse who was looked after by Grandpa with much love and affection. He was allowed to feed her, bath her and best of all ride her throughout the farm. At times, Tilda would show her temper with mum and dad but never with the little boy; she always treated him as her own. They both loved and cared for each other the same. Caleb had an amazing spring break with his grandparents! He would wake up early morning and ride on the tractor to check on all the animals. On their return, Grandma would keep breakfast ready with his favourite eggs, bacon and milk. The milk and eggs were fresh from the farm always loved by him. On Sunday morning they visited the Church where he made friends with the only boy his age. In summers, when Caleb visited, a lady in the black dress would always offer candy to all the children at the church. This lady was still there in the spring break and now he was ecstatic as he was the only child from the family to receive all the candy! For lunch, Grandma would make food like mashed potatoes, goat cheese salads and chili steaks which were all his favourites. After lunch, they would go out into the garden, break fruits from the beautiful trees and make their own ice-cream. Grandma had her own old-fashioned ice-cream maker which she allowed her grandson to use to make his own favourites. He would break the fruit and also churn the machine himself and enjoyed every bit of it. Every afternoon, Grandma and Grandpa would go in for a nap as they need their sleep to catch up with the rest of the day. Caleb would again go out in the farm and watch the little bugs and caterpillars climbing on the trees. He would observe the caterpillars creeping up on the leaves and eating it as his food. He would run after the butterflies and enjoy the shining sun in his eyes. This feeling could never be retained in the busy life of the city. One afternoon, grandma accompanied him to the garden and showed him how a caterpillar turns into a beautiful butterfly. She explained that this is an extraordinary time of a caterpillar’s life where he discovers his wings and is able to fly free when he comes out of the chrysalis. She showed him a chrysalis hanging on a tree and asked him to observe it over the break to understand how God created such a beautiful creature. Caleb was astonished! He couldn’t understand how a caterpillar could turn into a butterfly. His eyes could not believe that a chrysalis, which looks like a dried autumn leaf, will consist of such beauty. All benefits of visiting Grandpa and Grandma alone were being enjoyed. Grandpa even took him to the river nearby for swimming. This river was a few miles from the farm but grandpa loved taking Caleb to watch the ducks swimming along with them and playing in the water. They would feed the ducks with bread brought from home and soon they became so attached that they would follow grandpa’s car when he would leave. Towards the end of the Spring Break, Caleb’s parents returned and came to pick him up. He was very sad to leave but he knew that it was bound to happen someday. To cheer him up, Grandma gave him a jar with chrysalis inside to take him. She told him to watch it grow with time and the memories of the farm would always make him happy. On the ride home, he fell asleep in the car. He dreamed to have his own farm someday and wanted to plant the same kind of trees like grandpa along with taking care of different kinds of animals. He wanted to learn how to drive the tractor and would buy it once he grew up. When they reached home, he woke up and went straight to his room which he missed. He placed the jar on his window sill so the caterpillar would receive the light and fresh air it deserves in the garden. His mum would watch the caterpillar grow every day with him and finally one morning it dried up, split open and a colourful butterfly fluttered its wings. They both felt that it was like a miracle happening when the butterfly flew up into the sky. Caleb had special memories with grandma and grandpa. His dad always told him stories about the farm and how they swam in the river but now he had experienced it on his own. It was the most special place in his heart. He missed the smell of his friendly Grandpa’s farm clothes and Grandma’s delicious cooking. At times, he became sad with the fast life in the city and wanted to go to the farm but mother would always explain to him that he needed to be a part of this world with his friends and family to receive his education and be successful. Grandma, Grandpa and their farm will always have a special place in Caleb’s life but he did understand that his life is in the city and he would only meet them in summers and form more memories in his heart. The teachings of his grandparents remained a part of his life in his everyday tasks. He not only enjoyed himself throughout the summer and spring break but also learnt from the wisdom of his grandparents. He believed that with a lot of struggle and hardships his grandparents were able to create such a life for themselves and their family. Caleb wanted to do the same in the future for his children and grandchildren. The special place he had in his life he wanted his children to have the same. He also made a special book with all the pictures and stories that grandma and grandpa told him so he may always remember all the fun he had with them. He stuck his chrysalis in it as well along with drawing how he swam in the river with him. He trapped his special memories into this book so when he grew up he could look back and never forget what he had once experienced. He named this book ‘Heaven on Earth!’ Read More