Have you ever lost a loved one? If so you must know that it is just about the worst feeling in the world. In my entire life I’ve only lost one person that has had an extreme impact on my life, my grandma. She was only in my life for 10 years but she basically raised me. If you were to ask me who I look up to the most I would say her.

My grandma was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2005 and I had just turned 8. My mom sat my sisters and I down and told us. Of course I didn’t quite understand but I saw how sad it made my family. I became inquisitive about cancer and start finding more information. We all wanted to help so badly but there was nothing we could do. The doctors said she only had about 6 months to live. Luckily they cut half of her lung off and she lived for a year with cancer and then became cancer free. She was in remission for about 6 months and then it came back. She was very fortunate to survive once but twice would be a miracle. About 3 months later she passed.

I still very clearly remember the day god took her from us. The Saturday before she passed everyone in my family was at her house. She was very weak so she stayed in bed all day. Before everyone went home we said our goodbyes because we just knew. I gave her a hug and the last thing she told me was that she loved me and to never let go. The next day she was unresponsive and bed ridden. My entire family tried to cheer everyone up by going to play baseball while some of my aunts stayed with my grandma. It was a great idea because for that hour everyone was happy and had somewhat forgot what was going on. Until my cousin picked up a phone call from his wife that said it happened. Immediately everyone packed up the stuff and got in the car.

It’s been 6 years and not one person in my family has gotten over it. My grandmother was the glue that kept us all together and ever since she left my family has changed drastically. Sometimes I feel like I am the only one that appreciates and uses all the things she taught me on a daily basis. It upsets me that I lost her at such a young age because she never really got to see me succeed. Then I think about it the way she would’ve and I realized that it’s better that way because I can reflect on everything I learned from her to do better as I get older. The only thing is that at that age I never realized how much I needed her and how much I would miss her. It’s true that you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.

Altogether, I strongly believe that it is important to cherish the time you spend with all of your loved ones. You never fully understand their importance until their memory is all you have left. I know I’m not the only one that has been through this and unfortunately it is something everyone will experience sooner or later. Please be mindful of this or it can tear you down. Also remember the good over the bad, rejoice.