Losing a parent is never easy. They raised you, cared for you, and were everything you really ever needed them to be. But, losing a parent at a young age is always a little more difficult. They don't get to watch you grow up, go to your first prom, see you graduate. They don't get to be there to see everything that you'll become later in life. And sometimes, that's very hard to deal with. But, some people learn through this experience that they are not alone. But it can also take a lot of time for that to sink in and for them to realize that they aren't alone.

I lost my Mom when I was 15 to lung cancer. It was pretty sudden. I mean, we knew that she was sick, but for her to have cancer a third time? We never expected it. So, I lost my mom and was so angry. I wasn't angry at her, but I was angry at the fact that she left. I was angry because in that time period, I felt so alone. My mom was my best friend. And I was angry because I wasn't done growing up yet. And now she wasn't going to be there to see me finish growing up. And then one day, I just wasn't angry anymore.

One day I woke up and realized that my mom was better off. She was in so much pain, and I knew she wasn't in that pain anymore. I realized she was still watching me, maybe not physically, but in spirit she was. I felt my mom in everything I did, and that's when I knew she was watching. I dealt with bouts of depression because I no longer had my mom. So, I decided to go see a counselor. That's when I realized, Talking about it does actually help. After I started seeing my counselor, I didn't feel so alone anymore. I mean, I knew I wasn't alone because my siblings were going through the same thing. But I truly did feel like nobody else knew what I was going through. I met a friend who was going through the same thing. She lost her mother and then a year later lost her father. So she knew what kind of loss I was going through and dealing with. And for the first time, I knew I really wasn't alone.

I'm not saying dealing with the death of a parent is just something you can get over. It's been three years since I lost my mom and I'm nowhere near over it. But what I am saying is that it does get easier. Eventually, you won't feel so alone anymore. And eventually, you'll learn how to go through everyday life without feeling like you want to just curl up and cry. I still think about my mom every day, but I don't cry as much anymore. I remember all of the good times we had, and those memories can never be replaced. So hold onto those memories, hold onto your family, and hold the people who comfort you close. People like that are irreplaceable.

And something I want to say to someone who hasn't lost a parent yet: cherish them. Cherish every single moment you have with them. Don't take them for granted. You never know when life is going to happen. You may wake up one day and they'll be gone. Don't say you hate them because they didn't get you the latest iPhone or a new car. Love them for the fact that they are trying to do everything in their power that they can for you. And remember to ALWAYS say I love you. I made sure that was the last thing my mom ever heard me say. Whether it was a phone call, or me leaving to go to a friends house. I always told her I loved her. So treasure every moment you have with them like it could be the last. Because life is crazy, and for all you know, it could be.