I Believe Family is Key
It seems like when you’re a teenager all
that is important to you is your friends. You see family less, because your
time is spent with your friends. Two years ago I learned a lot about life. I
learned who I was and who would be there with me until the end. I believe family is key in life.
Growing up I was always with my
grandmother. I was grandma’s girl. My grandmother pretty much raised me. My
parents had me in high school at age fifteen. It was hard for them. They had to
work all the time to make ends meet and ended up with no education. My grandmother was always there. She always picked me up from the school
bus stop. I stayed the night with her rather than staying the night with
friends. My grandmother always spoiled me. She taught me all about soda and candy. We even had
our own TV schedule together. Every morning we would sit down for coffee and waffles and
watch the Price Is Right at ten am. At three pm we watched Dr. Phil and at four
pm we watched Judge Judy. When five pm hit it was news time. For dinner we were
hitting either McDonalds or Burger King. We came back home just in time for the
Wheel of Fortune. After the Wheel of Fortune it was time for the best part of
the whole day, Texas Ranger. Now this was our thing. We always sat in the
recliner together bonding and talking for hours. She was like a dairy to me. For most kids it’s their parents or friends
at school, but for me it was my grandmother. In saying all this, my
grandmother was like a parent to me. She
helped me become the person I am today.
Two years ago on August 17th
my grandmother passed away. It was very hard on me. I ended up on
anti-depressants. I was really close to her growing up even though as I got
older our relationship faded. She still meant the world to me. The week prior
to her death she had just gotten out of the hospital. She needed a ride home
from the hospital, so I was the one there to pick her up and take her home. At
the time I was sixteen and hanging around the wrong crowd. I partied every
night and never could get enough of it. That afternoon I picked her up from the
hospital. As she was being wheeled out of the hospital I took a look at her.
All I could think is she should not being getting out of here. She looked
horrible. It was frightening to my eyes. There was nothing I could do. I
couldn’t make her go back when they released her. Although I knew she should
have stayed a little longer, I didn’t care. I just wanted to get her home
safely and quickly so I could go hang out with my friends. I know you are probably thinking how
heartless and rude, but I was a self-centered sixteen-year old.
As I was driving down the road I kept
looking at the time. We finally got to her house. I say finally, because that
day it felt like the short drive took
forever. I helped her from my car to the house. We made it inside and I helped her settle on the couch where she
stayed most of the time these days. I turned on the TV and asked her if
there was anything she needed before I left. She replied “No.” I decided I
would at least do the little bit of dishes left in her sink from before she
went to the hospital. As I was doing the dishes I was thinking. I know I should
stay, but Brent and my friends are waiting on me. As I was getting done with
the dishes I decided I would go ahead and see my friends. My grandmother would
be there this weekend and that’s
when I’ll spend time with her. I told her I was leaving and gave her a hug and
kiss before I left. I left my number and a note on the table next to the couch
in case she needed anything. As I was pulling out of the driveway I was excited
about that evening with my friends. I headed straight to the party. Nothing
ever crossed my mind again. My grandmother always pulled out of things within a
week and was back to her usual self.
The next weekend, the weekend I was going
to spend with my grandmother, I was with friends. I wasn’t where I said I was
going to be the week before. As I was hanging with my friends, I get a call
from my mother. She tells me my
grandmother is in the hospital again and she would let me know more when
she knew more. I didn’t worry about it. I kept doing what I was doing. About
three am that next morning I was sleeping on a friends couch when I got a call.
It was my mother crying. I knew right then that it was not good. She tells me,
“Destiny she didn’t make it.” I started screaming and crying. I fell off the couch and made a loud
thud noise. I was heartbroken. The last
time I saw my grandmother all I could think about was hanging with my
friends. I regretted everything I had done since I became this selfish
teenager.
A
few months after my grandmother's funeral I lost all my friends. My
grandmother’s death taught me a lot. It taught me who I was as a person and who
I needed and wanted to be. It taught me that life is full of surprises, good
and bad ones. Sometimes the things that seem important to you at the time
aren’t. Her death taught me the value of life. And the most important thing it
taught me was who will be there with you in the end. It’s not friends, because
I lost mine when I was depressed all the time. It’s sad to me that it took something
so serious for me to realize all this. But sometimes when you’re in a bad place
in your life you have to learn the hard way. You have to hit “rock bottom”
before you realize and improve. The hard way for me was losing my grandmother.
Since my grandmother’s death I take time every week to see my family. I talk to
my parents on the phone on a daily basis and I don’t take life for granted anymore.
As you are growing up family surrounds
you. This is for a reason. They love you and are there with you every step of
the way. When you mature to a teenager things are not what they appear. Teenage
years are just a stepping stone in life. Family is what is important in the
end. And I believe “family is the key in life.” 
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