It was in 5th grade, and it was a normal fall morning, the fog was drifting down. I could hear the cereal calling my name, I was so hungry. I quickly ate my Lucky Charms. I ran out of time to make my lunch, so my mom made it for me like normal. “What would I do without her” I thought to myself. I quickly lost the thought and then I sprinted out the door like a cheetah for the school bus. After I got off the school bus, I walked into school. The hallways felt as if they were filled with what felt like 1000 kids, but I walked into class, sat at my desk, and continued my day as normal. The classroom walls were covered with our 5th grade drawings of our favorite sports teams. The desks were a tan color with spots of black on them. I sat down at my desk.

After a long hour of class, I started to get up;
“Wait! We have some homework on this chapter, please get it done tomorrow”.
I Reacted just like we always do when we get homework. I screamed out,
“ You have got to be kidding me Mrs. Colbert!”

Then I slammed my pencil on the table. What I didn't realize is that the pencil was pointed up. I could feel the heartbeat from my hand, so I looked down and saw a purple bruise color, and a flood of blood coming out the palm of my hand. But like all 5th graders did, I acted like it didn't hurt, and just went and told the teacher I needed a bandage. I acted cool, but in reality it hurt so bad. I realized that the graphite had broken off into my hand, which could be a problem. I thought to myself, well, it is what it is and continued with my day. Looking back at it, that was probably not the best way to react to homework. But I toughed it out and went through the rest of the day without calling my mom and going home.

When it was finally time to go home after a painful long day, I went to the pickup line and realized my mom wasn't there. Then I heard my friend Ryan’s mom yell

“Andrew! Over here! I am picking you up today!”
I didn't realize why, but I never questioned it, and I jumped into Ryan’s car. I was at Ryan’s until about 5 P.M. I then began to question where my mom was and why she didn't pick me up, this is when I first realized something was wrong. With my hand hurting more and more every minute, I just really badly want to go home.

Finally, around 7 P.M, my friend’s mom drove me home. When I walked in the door I immediately went to my mom and told her my hand hurt. I could tell by her face that something wasn't right, but she said
“OK, let me see. Oh! It looks pretty bad, we need to go to the hospital!”

I couldn’t believe that my mom would just take me to the hospital just like that, I guess she really cares for me.

Usually, my mom is outgoing and playful, but the ride to the hospital was quiet. I could not help thinking something was wrong. We were at the hospital for about an hour. I gotten an x ray and turned out the graphite from the pencil broke off into my hand, and I had to get surgery on it that week. I still have a scar on my palm from where I had the surgery that day.

After that, my mom and I walked through the door of my house after another quiet car ride home. That's when I witnessed something I have never seen before. My mom gathered my sister and brother around the dinner table. The mood was similar to the holocaust; depressing. I was so confused, and my hand hurt so bad that tears started coming out of my eyes like a waterfall, and at that moment is when I heard the door open, it was my dad and my grandpa. When they walked in, I saw a face from my grandpa that I have never seen before. It was the look of horror and sadness. My grandpa then sat at the table and we all connected our hands, and I finally found out what all of this was about. My dad came in from behind me and while hugging me he said

“ Kids, this morning your grandma passed away while she was sleeping.”

I realized something in this moment. No matter what, family will always be there for each other. I immediately went and hugged my grandpa, told him that I loved him; this is a day that I will never forget. I now never take anyone for granted, because I know they won't always be around. I always enjoy the people I am with at the time, I always live in the moment.