Narrative Essay – The Authentic Voice

The majority of people have some kind of hopes and dreams. Hopes are “desires accompanied by expectations of fulfillment, and give promises to the future,” (The American Heritage Dictionary, page 622). Dreams are “notable for their beauty, excellence, and enjoyable quality,” (The American Heritage Dictionary, page 424). Throughout my life I have had many hopes and dreams that have never come true. However, there was not a bigger disappointment in my life than what happened one year ago this coming December. Our lives can change at any given moment, but ometimes we do not understand, and take our lives for granted.

One year ago, I regret not being in the hospital and because I was working that day, my life had changed forever. The last thing my Grandfather said to me that really stuck in my mind was, “Finish college that way you can find a good job and make lots of money. ” I being the “Perfect grandson,” I reassured him that I would finish college and get a good job. Of course in my mind I was really thinking, “what would my life be like if I just continued working and not have the right education? ” On Monday, December 17th, 2001, became he saddest day of my life. It all began on a Friday.

There was a NBA Basketball game that night, so after work, I went to my grandparents house to go watch it. My grandfather was sitting on the couch in pain, when I arrived, his stomach had been hurting him all day. My first thought was, “Maybe he has a stomach ache,” I said. My grandmother could only suggest to take him to the hospital, so my family took my grandfather to the hospital. It was Saturday night and I had just gotten off work, my dad called me on my cell phone just shortly after and said, “Go visit grandpa .

A few minutes later my cousin Christina calls me saying, “Come pick me up, I’m at the hospital. Because her and my other cousins were at the hospital visiting my grandfather and wanted to watch a movie after I got off work. So I drove to the hospital to pick my cousins up, I was about to park and go in, but my cousins were already outside waiting. After the movie, at 12:00 AM, I dropped my cousins home and thought to my self, “It’s late and my grandpa is probably sleeping. ”

So I proceeded home. The following day I received word from my mom that my grandfather wasn’t oing to good, she told me with a sad voice, “Your grandpa is not doing to well. So my mom, brother, and myself got ready and rushed to the hospital as quickly as we could. In my mind I was thinking, ” I hope he is going to pull through, ” Just praying as we were driving down the highway with tears rolling down my eyes. My mom was telling my brother and I, “He is going to be ok,” As she tried to comfort us through this difficult time. As we approached the hospital we got out and rushed to his room, there standing in the hall way was my entire family. I went in the room and sitting in the chair crying was my randmother holding my grandfathers hand as he laid there on the bed with his eyes closed still breathing.

I approached my grandpa and told him, “I love you grandpa and thank you for being there for me when I needed you. ” Those were my last words I said to him as I kissed him on his head. I had made a promise to my grandfather that I would finish college and to this day I am fulfilling that promise and hopefully when I graduate, I will find a better job. I’m glad I had the opportunity to spend time with him while he was still on this earth to tell me, “You can do this. ” And that is why he is the authentic voice I hear.