But sometimes those things are the kinds that leave a lasting effect on you, your friends, and your family.
I went to St. Ann’s School, in Wildwood, from kindergarten through eighth grade. My classmates and I grew very close to each other through those nine years, in everything from school work to Sunday morning sports, from family issues to arguments with each other. We learned to love and respect each other and cherish the time we did have together.
I had a group of close friends in grade school, the kind that fought like crazy but managed to make up in three or four days. Each of them in particular had a way of being close to me.
Brittany, one of my friends, and I have been close for nine years. We’ve played every sport together, coached by her father. We were always together because of basketball, but when we weren’t playing, we were together because we were friends.
Every day, before practice, we’d go to Brittany’s grandparents’ house, for an after school snack and a warm place to relax. Her grandmother would make us soup and get us anything we wanted, and make us laugh. She used to call us crazy because in December Britt and I would be riding bikes to the beach and back, “just for fun.”
When high school came along, I saw a lot less of Britt. She went to Lower and I went to Tech, and rarely did we hang out together. But we still remained close. If we happened to run into each other on a weekend, it was like no time had past in the two years since we’d been at her grandparents’ everyday, eating and arguing.
Recently, Brittany’s grandmother passed away. Mrs. Grant was a kind and sweet person; she cared about her family and the community more then anyone I’ve ever met. She had been battling cancer for a long time, but if you looked past her hair, you couldn’t even tell.
Mrs. Grant was still smiling and doing for others, just as much as she had done before. She always treated me like her own granddaughter; cheering for me in our games and telling me to stop growing so much.
I know death is a hard thing to deal with; I’ve been through it before, and it’s very difficult to get through. I also know that it’s something that you can do nothing about. There’s no way around it; those first weeks and holidays without someone you’ve lost are heartbreaking.
The Christmas season this year won’t be the same for Brittany’s family and this community; we’ve lost a truly caring, kind person who will be deeply missed and never forgotten. But this community, small as it is, can be amazing in times of need. If everyone can pull together in support of each other for these holidays, especially for those who need reassurance, the holidays will have meant something to somebody.
Mrs. Grant, you were a beautiful person with a wonderful family that loves and cares for you deeply. You will be missed, but we will always remember you. Rest in peace.
Davis, 16, of Green Creek, is a sophomore at the Technical High School.
