For the first 14 years of my life I looked up to my great grandma, she raised me more than either of my parents did. She was my hero and the most important person in my life. When she passed away I had a lot to think about, her death made me reevaluate my whole life. It's been 2 years now and I just received some of her old photos. I never got to see many pictures of her from before I was born, so looking at these now just remind me how important she is to me and how lucky I was to have her.     

The first photo is of my great grandma hugging my mom when she was a kid. It shows me how close they were, I see how she wasn't just a mother to me but to my mom and my grandma as well. It reminds me of how she cared for everyone and put everyone else's needs before hers. When the world seemed dark and I felt like nobody was there for me, she was. I could always depend on her, no matter what she was always there for me. Now it’s hard for me to process all my emotions because I dont have her to guide me anymore. I wasn't the only person depending on her, my whole family and her friends always looked up to her. She helped anyone that she could, anyone in need she wanted to help. Each week she gave money to the church, multiple times a year she gave to the food pantry, and she did a lot of other kind acts. In all honesty she was the most amazing person I ever met, I was so lucky to have her in my life. I don't know who I would be without having her in my life, I know I have a lot of years left before I see her again but she gave me a life that is worth living.

The next photograph is my great grandma and my great grandfather together towards the beginning of their relationship. They split up before I was born so I never got to know him. I've never understood why he left such an amazing women, they looked and sounded so happy. Through the heartbreak she kept a friendly relationship with him, they got along even though the split was a little messy. The way she conducted herself in life showed me I don't need a man or relationship to define myself. She never married again but she was okay with that. She lived her life for her and she was happy that way. I inspire to be like her and to be able to live my life knowing a broken heart won't kill me and I don't need a relationship to be happy. She was an independent woman and I can only hope to be as self dependent as she was.

 I chose this last photo because I can see a side of my great grandma that I never got to see. She was young, married, and genuinely happy then. She wasn't depressed during my time with her but she was different, the spark in her eyes faded as life wore down on her. Everyday she was busy trying to make others happy but she never took time for herself. I can tell that she was happy in that photo, back when she could be a bit more carefree and take time for herself. This photo is very important to me because as she got older she started to forget more and more. I could see the old her slipping away, the light in her eyes got dimmer and dimmer until it eventually went out. In the end she completely stopped taking care of herself, she worried about others all the time but never realized she was falling apart. This picture is one of the only things I have left of her from when she was truly happy.

These 3 images mean the world to me, I hold them very close to my heart. These are little pieces of her life that I didn't see or know before. I can understand her better now, I'll never completely get her but the little things here and there still count. Learning more about her makes me feel like she isn't totally gone, it keeps her memory alive. She will always be my inspiration and role model in how I live my life. I won't forget her and I'm glad I had those 14 years with her. She gave me a life that is worth the wait of seeing her again, I know it'll be a long time before we cross paths again but until then I'm going to make her proud.