• I guess he knew all along that his time was coming.It started at the fourth of july-I said hi to him,and he burst into tears.Naturally,and as if I were a misunderstanding little kid,I looked to my mom.She slooked at me,and smiled,and said "He's just happy to see you".Naturally,I just shook everything off and retreated to the Independance Day party we were having.Unfortunately,one of my uncle's handn't taken his meds,and snapped at him,causing him to break down into tears and say "After all I've done for you,you yell at me?I'm not goin to be around much longer...".I gave my grandpa a hug,as both my granparents and my aunt and uncle left the party.I guess that was my first hint.And again,I looked to my mom.She said "He thinks he's dying,but he's ok."...She was wrong though....
    Next time I saw the man was at my cousins' wedding.My cousin looked absolutely stunning in her wedding dress.I almost cried when I saw her.My grandpa broke down into tears yet again,but I knew it was because he was happy.She was finally getting a husband to marry her,and help raise her family.At the reception,while the dancing of the bride and groom was going on,I happened to look over to my grandpa,and saw him yet again crying.I smiled weakly,though he never saw me.
    The next few months raced by,and I recieved word that my grandpa was in the hospital.It hurt,because I knew he might not make it out.He was in there for months.I just kept him in myv thoughts,preying that he would be ok.I found out later that he had cancer.They removed it,but they didn't know if he was going to make it.He remained in the hospital until the day after thanksgiving.I saw him on thanksgiving.For the first time,that strong old man looked weak and frail.I could see that life was starting to degenerate from him,and he was finally at his age.As my family paraded into his room with a giant card that we had made,my grandpa looked up at us,and cried just because he was happy to see us.I had to smile to hold back tears.We handed him the card-more tears.It hangs now in the room where he would have seen it.
    I didn't see him again after that.In all truth,I didn't say goodbye.It's never really goodbye if they live on in your heart.Over the next month in a half,I was eagerly listening to news about my grandfather-and came up devastated.They thought they got the cancer,but it was too late-it spread too far.And chemo was impossible because he had a damaged liver from drinking too much when he was younger.
    Weeks passed,and soon my mother started spending more and more time away from home.She needed to be with her father up until the day he passed.Every day,after dropping my sister off at the elementary school,she would depart and head for my grandpa's house.I got back from school-my dad picked me up,and she wasn't home-she stayed until late,and woke early (bless her heart).
    The news got worse an worse.When my grandpa returned home,he was way worse.A nurse was with him.My mom asked me if I wanted to see him.I told her no,and I regret it.She gave me fair warning that it would probably be the last time seeing him-she was right.As the few days now went on,the news became more devastating.First,she told me that he didn't have too much longer-I was thinking two weeks.But one day,she came home,and I heard her and my dad talking,and she said that my grandpa had stopped breathing for a few minutes.His body was decaying from the inside out.
    Today,my dad picked me up.I asked him how my grandpa was.He didn;t answer me until my sister was in the car.He said "granpa passed away today."...I cried.

    It makes you wonder what the value of your own life is-and how precious someone else's life can be.But,as we all know,we eventually do die,but death is a part of life,a hard life lesson...

    R.I.P. Grandpa....