Personal Narrative: A Woman's Death

From what I remember, the world was rainy and dull that morning. Staring at the grey walls of my bedroom I tried, albeit lackadaisically, to clamber out my bed. After several futile “attempts”, I rolled onto my side and buried my head into my pillow like a frightened ostrich sticking its head in sand. Indolently, my fingers grazed my cheek and ran past the dried tear stains from the night before. Slowly, I sat up, shoulders hunched over, clutching my comforter to my chest, and again cried. As the new tears began to run down my face, I wondered, why? Why had this wonderful woman, at thirty-seven years of age, who deserved a full life and everything it had to offer die? Why had this wonderful woman’s three children, all under the age of eleven, lost their mother? Why was this wonderful woman, in whom I could confide, torn away because of that vile cancer? Why did my Aunt Boo Boo die? Walking into the funeral home, I felt the urge to run wanting to bolt back to my room--my safe haven-- where I could pretend that none of this happened.
Against my will, my feet led me into the service room and I instinctively searched for a familiar face. Luckily, I discovered my Aunt Dawn and cousin Geoffrey who had flown back from China a couple months before my Aunt Boo Boo passed. I hadn’t thought there would be any reason for joy that day, but as I looked at my Aunt Dawn and Geoffrey, who I hadn’t seen since I was six years old, I had known I could find solace in them. As I walked up to my cousin, I thought about how I had pictured this moment in my head, but never in these circumstances. Never in all my life did I think I would be seeing my aunt, or him, for the first time in a decade at my Aunt Boo Boo’s funeral. Knowing there were more people wanting to greet Geoffrey and my Aunt Dawn, the first thing I did was ask my cousin for a hug. Hesitantly, he replied, “Sure…”. I enclosed my arms around him and hugged him with every ounce of strength in my body. I had been afraid to let go, fearing that if I did I would somehow lose him again, too. But, I eventually let go when I heard a name that I hadn’t heard in years. “Pinky, is that you?” Turning around, I saw my Aunt Dawn. Tears gathered in her eyes eventually rolling down her cheeks. I lept into her arms and gave her the same bone-crushing hug I had given to Geoffrey. It was then I heard his voice again. “Wait...that’s Pinky?” As my tears began to fall, I nodded my head yes unable to speak. I was overcome and overwhelmed with emotion. We all hugged once more and shared sad smiles that said how happy we were to be reunited, yet disheartened by the circumstances. Looking behind my Aunt Dawn, I noticed a few of my Aunt Boo Boo’s possessions at the front of the room. What caught my eye first, was a picture that used to hang in her living room. “I love that picture Aunt Boo Boo,” I pointed to the picture of the multiple sets of feet wearing converse that formed a circle with a heart in the middle. “Thanks, the other teachers at the school I work at made it for me when they found out that I had cancer.” “That was very sweet of them. I just got myself a pair of Converse. They’re upstairs.” “That’s cool. You should wear them tomorrow, I love Converse…” she paused and looked at me, troubled, as if she were not sure if she could continue, “Kaitlyn, it’s bad. It’s really bad…” Shaking my head I continued to skip along the items until I had seen something else that sent me flashing back to the summer, her school ID. “So Kaitlyn, do you have any idea what you want to do when you get into college, anything that you’re interested in?” “Well…” I trailed off, unsure if I should tell her, “I’ve always wanted to be an Gifted ELA teacher for middle school. I had the most wonderful gifted teacher, Mrs. Caillouet, in 7th and 8th grade and she’s really inspiring.” “That’s wonderful! You really like English then? “Yeah,” I replied, “But I eventually want to become a professor in college. I know that’s silly and al—” “Nonsense. If that is what you want to do, then go for it. I support you all the way!” I had gone to visit her that summer. She was driving me home and that was one of the last conversations we had. The last thing she had said to me was that I needed to visit her again soon and that she loved me. I never did visit her again. Trying to hold back the sobs, I looked for my mom.
She was the only other person who could provide me comfort. When I found her however, she was engaged in conversation with my Aunt Dawn and Geoffrey. Spinning in a circle, I spotted my grandmother. She looked so distraught and helpless. I don’t know how she felt. No amount of pain I was going through could come close to that of losing her daughter. I had quickly walked over to her before anyone else could have given their condolences to her. I gently wrapped my arms around her frail body and tried to stay strong as she started sobbing on my shoulder. I stood there, silently, and tried to comfort my Maw Maw as best I could. Eventually she pulled away and looked up at me. “You look just like Bethany.” My heart stopped cold in my chest and I could no longer control the tears. I too had started to cry uncontrollably. My chest heaving as I held on to the pew next to me for
support. My Aunt Boo Boo always said to support and love those who surrounded you. She was a big believer in Christ and trusted in her Lord and I have no doubt in my mind that she is up there in Heaven. The female Job, she never let hardships in her life take away from her positive attitude. Even at her funeral she found a way to bring people together like she always had. She was also, through her passing and during her life, able to teach me life lessons. I had learned to never take for granted the time given to me to spend with others. And above all from her cheery disposition throughout the challenges she faced, I learned to choose happiness.