Oh man, this one is easy. This narrative is more about a period of time in my life, but was marked by one key event. I was living the summer of my life in 2013. As a senior, I finished school two weeks into May and all there was to look forward to was my baseball senior game, senior prom, graduation, senior week, summer baseball, vacation...I think you see where I'm going with this. There was EVERYTHING to look forward to. Believe me, I felt as if I was on top of the world. But I was living with one demon, something I couldn't get rid of or choose to ignore no matter how much I tried and wanted to. My grandmother was sick, and I knew our time together was running out.

     I've never had a problem mentioning or reminiscing on memories with my grandma, but this times feels different. Like I said before, I had everything going for me but I couldn't shake this. My grandmother, Dorothy Marion Jackson, was my world. She was living with cancer and it was spreading throughout her body at a rapid pace. At the age of 84, and having already survived and WON two previous bouts of cancer, she knew at her age that there was not much more to accomplish. She knew she had lived a full life. She raised six children and played a part in raising all of her grandchildren. And she also knew that she could not go through another treatment of chemotherapy.

     My grandma wasn't even supposed to live to see 2013, but of course she fought and was able to celebrate her final birthday with her family. We all knew her time was short, but I told her she was going to see my graduate school, and she did just that. My entire family was proud, but I knew I was doing this for her, and I know she was beyond proud of me. So during the summer, I was living my life, having fun, playing sports, seeing my friends, everything an incoming college freshman would do. But I always made time to see her, I knew I wouldn't get any of this time back. Towards of the end of the summer, the situation began to change and her condition was slowly deteriorating. It was painful to see, and even more painful revisiting it. I'll never forget the day, it was August 24, 2013.

     I had woken up early to go see her because most of my family was there. I had planned on seeing her, driving out to my old high school to see the football team scrimmage, go see an old friend of mine on the way home, get Chipotle and watch football on ESPN. Hell, I even remember what I was wearing that day. But something kept telling me to say that day, and that's exactly what I did. I stayed with her and my family all day and went home late in the afternoon. Hours passed and Miami Booker T. Washington High was playing Norcross High (Ga) on ESPN and Booker T. was demolishing their opponent. My Mom got a call regarding my grandmother and we rushed over to her house immediately. My grandmother had passed minutes before we got there.

     It's a day and moment that changed my life forever. I had lost the woman that honestly understood me more than anybody in this world. My life felt as if it were starting over. Most of my friends and past acquaintances had left and gone their separate ways, my family seemed a mess, and I was beginning a completely new chapter in my life at the University of Maryland. Everything, and I mean everything, was different. But one day I stopped feeling sorry for myself used this as motivation. I wanted to do something for myself, and prove I can still make her proud. Everything I do is for her. God knows I'd do anything to have her back, but He also knows a greater plan for my family and I. Greater things will, and already have come from this.

     I usually don't open up to this degree, but this is something that still is shaping me and who I am. I guess I'm good at masking my pain. I love you Grandma, RIP.

Dorothy Marion Jackson, February 2, 1929 – August 24, 2013 <3