Dear Brianna,
Although I still haven’t lived life to the fullest, I do have some advice I would like to share with you. First and foremost, love yourself. At the end of the day you are all you got, only you can stay true to yourself.
Secondly, don’t be so hard on yourself. Yes, school might be a really important factor in your life, but there is so much more to life than just studies. Either way, you’ve made it really far and your family is extremely proud of you. Hang out with friends, join school sports teams, learn to play an instrument. These are all ways to improve in skills while still enjoying life. Life isn’t just about having an A+, it’s not about the perfect grades, missed classes, failed tests, or even the countless nights spent doing homework. During my middle school years, I’ve learned to value friendships, socialize more, and that it’s okay to have fun sometimes. This doesn’t mean start failing, or stop caring about school. This just goes to show school shouldn’t be your main priority.
Lastly, spend more time with grandpa. Although it hurts, he’s gone. I would do anything to spend at least 5 more minutes with him, or give him a last hug. Grandpa was the most enjoyable and funny person to be around. I wonder, does he ever randomly start singing? I always found it so funny and entertaining. He always said to pick a song, any song. My favorite song he sang was about a girl with a red cape. I also remember he loved trying my dad’s barbecue. Especially the ribs, they were his absolute favorite. During dinner, grandpa loved to tell us his stories about how he would beat other boys up when he was younger. It was the same story every time, I even had it memorized.
When grandpa’s health started worsening, we bought him a brown electrical couch. We all loved it, especially myself. Although grandpa needed it, I always tried to beat him to it and sit there first. During his last years of life, grandpa spent most of his time in the living room. He would sing, watch shows, take naps, and even dance with little Victor. Whenever I enter the living room now, all the memories start floating back to me. It’s hard to accept he’s actually gone.
I never thought this moment would come so fast. On May 9th, 2021 Grandpa passed away. This really made me realize I needed to spend more time with family. Nowadays, life without grandpa feels so empty. Sometimes during family gatherings, I can’t help but sit alone and think to myself how much funner life would be with grandpa. Spending more time with grandpa would also prevent the heavy weight I carry in my heart everyday. It would prevent the guilt and all the tears I’ve shed from feeling regret. However, although it makes me extremely sad that he’s gone, I’m very glad I got to meet him and spend 9 years with him. Those were the best and most memorable 9 years of my life.
Best regards,
Brianna Arizmendi
Brianna Arizmendi – Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep – DMSF Class of 2030
Photo Credit: Mother of Brianna Arizmendi