The piercing light in my face and the regret of not going to bed early enough hangs over me. I force myself to sit up and open my eyes. As I got up and got dressed I felt like it was a different type of day. Almost like I got a different vibe from the air around me it was filled with questions and anxiety as to why I felt this way. I sat on my bed dreading the time for my sister and I to head to the bus.

Beep,Beep! My mothers phone started ringing. At first I didn’t think anything of it then, my mother called my sister and I into the living room. At this moment I felt worried because hardly ever called us over in such a sweet tone.Little did I know that that moment,those few words,that sentence would impact me for the rest of my life. Those words that came out of my mother's quivering lips were “your grandma passed away last night.” I froze and I didn’t say a word. However, many questions were flying through my mind,but I still sat in silence.
December 8th we got that awful news. My sister was breaking down into tears. I sat in silence and walked to my room. I felt my heart break but I felt no emotion. I was confused and mad at myself like why wasn’t I crying? Why didn’t I show any emotion? However, at the same time I knew this was going to happen; she was sick and had been sick for awhile.

Millions of memories were flowing through my mind I couldn't believe it. I thought about all the days my cousin and I had called her and asked her to come and stay with her. I thought about all the crazy things she’d tell us and how we were young so of course we believed it. I thought about all the family things we did and how it wasn't really family without her. My grandma had been with me for 14 years and never did I think I would lose her so early. Even though I knew she was sick I had faith that she would get better like she always did but my faith was no match with cancer. I never had a family member or someone really close to me taken away.
Something broke in me that day and never did I think that it would still be impacting me until this day. I figured that I would forget about it and that I wouldn't really notice. However I still think about her to this day.I think about how she won't see me graduate or go to college. I think about how I took my time with her for granted. I shouldn’t of stopped spending every weekend with her and I shouldn’t of complained about her old music listening to Elvis and her old TV shows.

It’s the littlest things that I remember.The way her house smelled of cleaning of bleach and soap when she was mopping the floor.The sound of her sweet soothing hum when she cooked or was doing something that involved working.I never understood why I figured it was just a habit. In the mornings the house smelled of coffee and toast and she’d always be sitting at the end of the table with her big glasses on with the paper up to her face. Once you walked out of the room at even 9am she’d just look at you and say “well look who’s up.” Sometimes she would be sitting on the front porch drinking coffee and just listening to the shingles that hang off the trees clang together. Most people think that cool early mornings were just a everyday thing but since her passing they’ve meant more than just another day they meant a time when everything made sense. Even just listening to old songs make me think of the time that she was alive and how she would play country hits on the TV all day.

However  her passing has taught me something.It taught me to never take things for granted especially time.Anything can be replaced except time.Never did I think that she would have been taken from me.I thought she would live to see me graduate and go on to be successful.However I was wrong. Today I have learned that people and moments do not last forever, so you should cherish every memory and person in your life , because at any moment they can be taken from you.