Family has always been an important aspect of my life, at least right now. For years, since adolescents, I never really bothered to build a relationship with my family, especially my parents. It’s always been my siblings that were my family, they are my bubble of comfort that I go to instead of anyone else. It was only up until almost losing my mother that I began caring about all the moments with everybody. This all happened in November of 2023, the week of thanksgiving break. My siblings, Carmen(sister) and Luis(brother), came over for the holiday, but also for a different reason. My siblings and I were talking in my room, until we heard my dad calling us to the table because of something he wanted to talk about as a family. Now at first I was really upset because I hate when my dad does this, it always ends in an argument or just makes everything awkward; this would forever change my life and how I view those around me. As we got to the table, I knew the vibe was off. The feeling everyone had at the table was weird that it made my anxiety go through the roof; my brother and sister even seemed like they knew what was about to be said. Eventually, the word would come out that my mom got Breast Cancer(at the moment I didn’t know it was the less aggressive type). Life didn’t feel real. Honestly, I remember just everything going quiet and my senses being heightened. For some reason, everything was much more sensitive, feeling my hands sweating, and heart racing immediately. It wasn’t fun. All I can think of was my mom’s voice when I was younger, telling my siblings and I that she can die at any moment in our lives; can be from an accident or cancer. I never took her seriously when she said cancer, because nobody in our family has had cancer, until now. As soon as I snapped back into reality, all I heard was my dad beginning to say that they found out the news two weeks before they told me, but didn’t tell me because I was alone at home with nobody having the ability to comfort me(hence why my siblings also came home). Eyes began to tear up; It felt like the end of the world knowing that my mother had a disease that I never thought she would have. After the news, my siblings knew I wasn’t okay and wanted to take me out for some Dunkin’. Talking to them helped clear my mind, especially because I began to overthink about the entire situation, not knowing what could happen and if my mother could die. This time was definitely life changing and changed my whole idea of “we can spend time later.” It made me mature and realize that time is precious, and eventually my parents will be gone. The people that raised me and cared for me as much as they could, will reach their time where they will have to leave me off alone. A lot of people don’t realize how real the world can get; anyone who's close and you love can have the unfortunate happen to them. It set my mind straight that I should enjoy what I have now. As I get older I’m not going to have those that know better, and it’s up to me to be prepared when they’re gone.