I have always believed in the light. Every situation has a light, sometimes it is bright and luminous, and other times, it is dull, hard to see, and covered by a cloak of darkness.
Throughout my life, I have always tried to find a light in some of my darkest times. When I cannot find the light, I try to be it. This way, other people will be able to see a ray of positivity in an otherwise clouded situation. I am not saying that I am, by any means perfect, or always positive, but I am an optimist. I have been pretty lucky throughout my life. I have been blessed with loving friends and family, a stable household, and an exceptional education. But one of the darkest days of my life was when my grandmother unexpectedly passed away two and a half years ago.
On Friday, March 4, 2016, I had no idea that my light would be shaded more than ever before. A normal day continued as I drove home from school, making a quick detour at Dunkin Donuts. It is in that parking lot, where my day became dark. As I pulled around the corner I saw my dad, sitting in the car outside of Jersey Mikes. This may seem like a normal incident, but it was 3 o’clock on a Friday, my dad was home from work, and eating meat on a Friday during lent. In that exact moment I knew that something was wrong. Confused, I pulled into Dunkin and saw my mom in a separate car. This made an already perplexing situation even worse. As I drove home, I mentally prepared myself for some type of tragic news. Unfortunately, my expectations were met as my dad uttered the words, “Grandma Terry passed away.” The words sat there for a moment and then draped a dark, heavy cloud over my light.
I was heartbroken. For the first time in my life, I was faced with a situation where I could not see the light. My families glue was suddenly gone. The days that followed almost broke me, and permanently extinguish my spark. The funeral came and went, I cried, I watched my dad cry, I watched a group of people who I love become smoldered in darkness. Over the next few months, I watched what I thought of as impossible happen. My families light was slowly coming back. It grew, brighter each day. We visited each other more, called more, and facetimed more. Large family dinners became a weekly occurrence. I watched a group of people who were connected by one woman, build a relationship back. Slowly, all of our sparks ignited a fire. We became closer than ever as I discovered than even the darkest situation had dull light. My families light will never be the same. Although it is strong and bright, it will always be missing its biggest spark.