Grandma Gives Boy a Box Saying ‘Open It in Hard Times,’ He Drives to Her Grave after Opening It – Story of the Day

When Chuck left for college, his grandmother gave him a box to open only when times got hard, so he saved it. He only opened it when she passed because he was having a hard time and couldn’t believe what she had saved inside.

“Grandma, you don’t need to give me anything else. You’ve given and been everything I could need,” Chuck told his grandmother, Constance, who had just stopped him at the door. He was about to leave for his college in California, far away from their tiny hometown in Utah, where she had raised him.

For many years, they only had each other, and Constance gave her grandson everything she could with her job. They might not have had a lot, but they were happy, even if it was just the two of them for so long.

The kid started working at 15 at several part-time gigs to help around the house and gave his grandmother almost his entire salary. He only kept a bit to go out with his friends every once in a while. Now, he was leaving, and they didn’t know when they would see each other because Chuck had to work and study simultaneously.

He was already packed and ready to head to the nearest bus station for his long trip when Constance stopped him, telling him that he had something to give him.

“Here, here. You need to take this, Chuck,” she said, pushing a box into his hands. It was somewhat heavy.

“Oh, Gran. This is pretty heavy. What’s inside? Maybe, we can mail it,” he said, worried about carrying so much already when he didn’t have his own car.

“No, no. We can’t mail it. It’s valuable,” Constance shook her head. “But, Chuck, you have to promise not to open it until it’s time.”

“When will it be time?” the 18-year-old wondered, raising an eyebrow.

“Open it only in hard times,” Constance continued, looking at him with serious, wide eyes.

Chuck frowned and pursed his lips. But he nodded and placed the box tightly into one of his bags. “Ok, Gran. Let’s go,” he said, and they both walked to the bus stop.

They hugged each other, and Constance cried as her grandson got on his bus. “Remember to have some fun, Chuck!” she yelled, and he waved at her from his window seat.

Little did Chuck know that it would be the last time he ever saw her…

Chuck never returned to Utah, but he and Constance kept in constant communication through the years as he graduated from college and got his first job in Silicon Valley. His grandmother had been sick during his graduation ceremony, but that was alright. He knew she was there in spirit because none of it would be possible without her.