My 87 grandmother has been through a lot.
She’s had five different cancers,
Multiple tumors, intestine troubles, and a stroke.
She lost all control of her body, time after time.
But she never gave up.
She fought back.
She started walking again.
Started talking, writing, laughing again.
She is the strongest woman I know.
Because she never gave up.
And by her side the whole time,
Was my 92 year old, half blind grandfather.
By her side
Helping her walk
Fed her when her body failed her
Braced her unstead arms
Waited patiently as she stuttered.
He never gave up,
And neither did his love.

As I grow older,
My grandparents give me more and more advice.
Recently, my grandmother pulled me aside,
And she said:

“One day you’re going to get sick.
Really, really sick.
With a tumor or a cancer
Something that will be fatal to your life.
And you’re going to be scared.
So scared.
You’re going to be scared of the doctor visits
And the needles
And the hospital beds.
You’re going to be scared of how you feel,
From the slightest pinch of a needle to the sickness from the chemo.
It’s going to suck.
But you’re going to get through it.

You’ve had great friends all your life
And an even more loving family.
Both will always be with you by your side.
You will be loved.
From now until forever.
Hopefully that halo of love will ease your
Anxiety, nervousness, and pain.
Because you are part of a long line of strong men and women.
Each had their own kind of illness.
But each overcame it and fought back.

All in all,
It’s not worth being scared.
Everyone is scared at some point.
But you are strong.
We are all strong.
And brave.
And we will all survive.
And if there comes a time,
When you are in self-doubt,
You should only remind yourself of how great of a life you have lived.
How many friends you have made,
How many memories you have made,
How many people, places, and things you have learned to love,
How much information you have retained,
Even the stupidest bits of knowledge.
How many people you have influenced,
In both positive and negative ways.
How many days you have made brighter with your smile,
How many lives you have effected or changed.

You have done so much in this world.
It is time to put your faith back in yourself.
Never give up on yourself or your body,
It is far stronger than you have ever imagined.
Never push away friends or family,
Never ask for too much “alone time”,
For you should spend as much time with people you love.
Cherish your life,
Cherish everything in it.
Fight for it.
Never give up on it,
For it has carried you this far,
And you have much farther to go.”