What I Believe

“People will forget what you say, people will forget what you do, but people will never forget how you make them feel.” This quote was said by Bonnie Jean Wasmund. I think hero’s show empathy, but not the kind flying through space. I think of the kind of hero’s like my grandmother. She couldn’t fly and she didn’t have super powers. She had something beyond that, she had empathy. To me, this is why empathy is so important. It’s when you put yourself in others shoes. I think empathy shows the characteristics of a hero because you’re not born with it, you show it from your actions.

I realized that I believe in empathy played a big role in my life during fourth grade. I was only nine. My Grandma Carmela was my best friend, even closer. I called her Nana. I loved her, we were practically sisters. We had sleepovers and hung out all the time. She would always help me out if I needed it and wouldn’t miss seeing me for the world. I never noticed how much she cared about me. If I was sick she would be the first one at my house. When she found out she was sick, it changed my life and point of view. She had cancer. When she noticed she had it, she stuck through it. She never cried and never complained. She realized this is what god wants, it was her time. I never really thought anything bad was going to happen. I got private talks from my mother trying to explain why and what was happening. I would always walk away because I just couldn’t handle hearing it. I tried to care for her as much as she did for me. As the cancer started to spread I realized I couldn’t do too much.

One night, I slept over my friend’s house. I got a call from my mom. She was crying so hard she couldn’t talk. She was devastated. My dad pulled the phone away from my mom and came onto the phone. I could feel my heart beating I knew it was coming. As he slowly said the words, “Nana passed away.” I couldn’t breathe. I felt like I was struck by lightning. I didn’t want to leave my friends house because I didn’t want my parent seeing me cry. I just blanked out. I didn’t go to her house to see her body, because I couldn’t believe what was happening right before my eyes. My mom told my friend’s mom, she said that I should go, but I wouldn’t answer her. I was just daydreaming. I couldn’t believe it really happened.

I never had the feeling of someone that I knew die before, in my life. It was scary. The weirdest part was I kept thinking she was alive. Every time I passed her house; I would get sad and frustrated. I always kept her in my heart though. I just couldn’t descriptive how it felt. I always wanted a miracle so she could come back. One day I had a dream about her. She was in her coffin. She opened her eyes fast and winked at me with the sneakiest look on her face. Then she closed her eyes snail-paced. I was scared, but I knew it was a sign of her. I kept most of the things she gave me to remember her more, because if I forget about her it will be regressed. Just recently one doll she gave me was faced toward me, staring me down. It’s usually turned the other way looking at my door. These little moments that spark me stay in my heart to remind me that she is with me. She was the world to me. I try to keep her close to my heart. She always showed empathy and I try as much as I can to show it too. She is my role model and will stay forever.

I miss her, but I know she comes closer to me if I follow her footsteps. I truly believe in empathy. She was my hero and one day I hope to be a hero for someone else. Even if I get another best friend as good as her, she will stay in my heart and no one can replace her. I still get tears in my eyes when I think of her. I try my best not to make fun of everyone because everyone is different. Everyone is weird in their own way. It’s good to be different. I always try to stop my friends who talk about people, and always tell people to stop spreading rumors, but no ones perfect and I can’t change the whole world. Empathy shows what kind of person you are. Empathy is really special because you get it from your soul and actions. This I believe.