Three years ago, I made one of the most regrettable decisions of my life. The last thing my Grandfather said to me that really stuck in my mind was, “Go to college that way you can find a good job and make lots of money. ” I being the “Perfect grandson,” I reassured him that I would finish college and get a good job. Of course in my mind I was really thinking, “what would my life be like if I just continued working and not have the right education? ” On Monday, December 17th, 2016, became the saddest day of my life. It all began on a Friday.
There was a NBA Basketball game that night, so after practice, I went to my grandparents house to go watch it. My grandfather was sitting on the couch in pain, when I arrived, his stomach had been hurting him all day. My first thought was, “Maybe he has a stomach ache,” I said. My grandmother could only suggest to take him to the hospital, so my family took my grandfather to the hospital. It was Saturday night and I had just gotten out of track practice, my dad called me on my cell phone just shortly after and said, “Go visit grandpa .
A few minutes later my cousin Christina calls me saying, “Come pick me up, I’m at the hospital. Because her and my other cousins were at the hospital visiting my grandfather and wanted to watch a movie after I got off practice. In my mind all wanted to do was go home and relax but at the same time my grandfather is sick so I should go visit. As these thoughts ran through my mind I rationalized that he is going to pull though “he always does”. So my mother drove to the hospital to pick my cousins up, while i stayed home and awaited her return. After the movie, at 12:00 AM, we dropped my cousins home. After i thought to myself i should got the hospital just in case but once again i bailed out and my excuse was, “It’s late and my grandpa is probably sleeping. ”
The following day I received word from my mom that my grandfather wasn’t doing to good, she told me with a sad voice, “Your grandpa is not doing to well. So my mom, brother, and myself got ready and rushed to the hospital as quickly as we could. In my mind I was thinking, ” I hope he is going to pull through, ” Just praying as we were driving down the highway with tears rolling down my eyes. The entire time I had an a gut-wrenching feeling about this. My mom was telling my brother and I, “He is going to be ok,” As she tried to comfort us through this difficult time. As we approached the hospital we got out and rushed to his room, there standing in the hallway was my entire family. I went in the room and sitting in the chair crying was my grandmother holding my grandfather’s hand as he laid there on the bed with his eyes closed no longer breathing.
I approached my grandpa and told him, “I love you grandpa and thank you for being there for me when I needed you. ” Those were my last words I said to him as I kissed him on his head. The whole time I was hating myself for choosing my selfish needs over talking to my grandfather one more time. This was an man who taught me almost everything I know and put him second. For months on end I hated myself for making this choice driving me to near depression. Then on his anniversary of his death I remembered I had made a promise to my grandfather that I would finish high school. To this day I am fulfilling that promise and hopefully when I graduate, I will find a better job. I’m glad I had the opportunity to spend time with him while he was still on this earth to tell me, “You can do this. ” And that is why he is the authentic voice I hear.