May 28 may be a normal date for many people and not have a meaning at all. For Armenians, it is a day of our independence and for the students in our school, it is another day off. Though for me, it lost those two meanings two years ago. I was excited and happy to not have school for a day, but had to spend the day at my aunt's house. While working on my English project next to her, the next phone call she would take was not anything we would have expected. It could have been anyone and if only it was. As my aunt picked up her telephone, I watched several emotions cross her face. They ranged from confusion, worry, sadness, devastation, to being completely hopeless. Tears welled up in her eyes and continued to spill as she continued to talk on the phone, while my sister and I worriedly waited to hear what was happening. After what felt like hours, we impatiently had asked what happened and tried to calm her down. Apparently, her doctor had told her that she had cancer. Shock and grief were the only emotions that I felt at that moment. Knowing that I may lose my aunt and my second mother who had raised me since I was born, spread worry in me. Even when I tried to be strong for her and provide her support with my cousin and sister, you could still see the intense fear in her eyes. Of course, she thought that this was it for her, that the cancer would take over her body as it did with millions of people, and that she would soon die. Though the only thought that kept crossing my mind was why. Why did this innocent, caring, and forgiving woman who loved to help everyone had to have a disease inside her body that could easily take her away and kill her any day? She tried to forget about the cancer as family members visited her to offer support and love, but we all knew that we may not be that lucky as others had been with their own cases.
This day made me realize how precious life really is and to truly appreciate it. Anyone could be easily taken away from you and you may not have another chance to see them or to tell them how much you really love them. It made me look at life in a different perspective because I got to see the more important things in life, which at that moment to me was my family. I learned to not take anything or anyone for granted because if you do not appreciate them enough you will never realize how important they were to you until they are gone.
As the days passed by, my aunt learned to accept that she had cancer and turned to God for strength. The doctors helped her get better and soon the cancer had left her body. I was proud to tell others that my aunt was a cancer survivor and it warmed my heart to know that she was healthy and happy again. My aunt continued to look for God in every problem she had and I began to do the same. God had listened to my aunt's prayers and made her life longer, making me realize that He will always be there for you if you are in need. Of course, it was all too good to be true. The cancer had come back in my aunt's body and took her away from my family and me last November. From the day of May 28, 2010 to November 26, 2011 I had learned a lot about life from this experience. It can end as quickly as it had started, therefore appreciate everyone and everything around you because they will not be around forever.
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