Not Take Your Family For Granted

I am eighteen years old and a freshman at Louisiana Tech University. My sophomore year in high school is when I really realized how important a strong family is to have in my life.

Growing up I remember saying to friends “yeah, I have four grandparents still,” while they would only have a few grandparents left to spend time with and get to know.

When I seven years old, I lost my maternal grandmother. I was still young and naïve about most things and yes, I was very sad, but I had not grown up and realized everything that is most important in life.

After my grandmother had passed, I had gotten used to having just my grandfather around in south Louisiana, where my mom’s parents lived. I did not get to see him as often as my dad’s parents because he lived further away. The summer I was heading into my sophomore year, my dad’s father passed away. It was sort of expected, but at the same time it was a very hard thing to hear and cope with.

Three months later, my dad’s mom passed away suddenly after a possible blood clot. My family at that time was still trying to get over my grandfather’s passing, but then we had another heartbreak. Then after my grandfather and grandmother had passed away, four months later my mom’s dad never woke up one night. Two days before his death my family had celebrated his eighty-sixth birthday down in south Louisiana.

My parents were so distraught that year, but we had each other to lean on. We knew that at some point we would all be reunited again some day. I feel like I had taken for granted the many times my family would get to hang out and celebrate different holidays together.

Losing three grandparents in one year really helped me realize what is important in life and to make memories with family that you will look back on one day and smile. Someone’s time to go can be any day and at any minute.

I have missed my family more than ever now that I am in college, and I love getting to go home and see them on the weekends. Having a family can give someone so much support and love that not everyone can give. With all this said, I believe to not take your family for granted.