What is your story? How did you start playing chess? What have you, and are you doing in chess?

This morning I've been thinking about the answer to the question why I play chess. That's probably a whole other topic.

My grandfather taught me. He was a champion in prison(he was a political prisoner , jailed and tortured because he fought for the right to freelly say his opinion). My parents hide him from me. Tortures and jail had affected his mind. I met him when I was already 10. They let me talk to him under strict supervision. He looked at me and said nothing. He reached a chessboard , from the side of his chair and set the pieces. He took white and played the first move. Believe it or not that was the first communicating attempt he did with someone for more than 10 years. I didn't know what these pieces  represented , I didn't know anything about chess. He realised it and start explaining me. Everyone around him was with his mouth and eyes wide open. After many years it was the first time this man was talking with sense. Chess was his medicine. No one realised it until then. And it was the only communication I had with him.  It might not sound much but it was much for me. I haven't met him but I knew about him. Everyone was talking with the utmost respect for him. He was a legend in my mind. He is still a legend in my mind. As I was improving in chess he was improving his mental health. The medicines became less and less and he started to participate in family  dinners. I always sat next to him. I won him for first time after 2 years of constant defeats ( after more than 200 games ,must have been the longest losing streak in history). I went to a chess club and soon I was in the team. He was well enough to follow us in many of our trips. He was well enough to see me winning 2 team cups , one of them thanks to my win. I was the last playing and I had to win. With draw we would lose. I was worst but in time pressure my opponent blundered a rook. When the game ended everyone hugged me. We were an average team. No one expected that we would go that far  not even we did. He looked at me and smiled. It was the first time I saw him smiling. I wanted that win for him. I wanted to make him proud. He died a few months later but he had the chance to see me winning the national under-18 team championship. I retired from chess when in college. It was a tough decision but 8 hours  chess and college couldn't go together , at least not for me. It was a tough decision because I felt I failed him. I went to his grave and asked for his forgiveness.

     He didn't taught me just chess. He taught me not to give up. He taught me to fight no matter what the odds are. His lessons served me well in my life.

    Thank you grandpa and I hope you forgave me!

i think I am not just good at chess no matter how hard i try. i have been playing chess for quite a while now and i don't still see myself being good at it. i have read chess books, studied old games all to no avail. i think the problem is me. i think some people are not just good at chess and I'm definitely one of them.