Unit Two Response

When I was five years old, my mother and father had decided what was best in their lives was to get a divorce. My mother, deciding that she was being ignored, cheated on my father, which would eventually lead to such divorce. At the time, both of my parents had decided that it would be best if my father took my brother and I back to California, while my sister would stay in Illinois to grow up with my mother.

Years had gone by, and I grew up with my father and grandmother. My mom rarely would call me to say hello, maybe once a year to wish me a Merry Christmas or to say Happy Birthday. Though some years, she wouldn't call at all. I began to think that through the years, my mother had lost her love for me, and that I was not truly thought of as "her" child. I was ignored, and believed to be banished. Sensing that I was in despair my Grandmother would fill in as my mother, giving me love and advice where it was needed and protecting me when the world seemed to rough.

Eventually, I grew up as all young people do, and I joined the Navy. While in bootcamp, I received a letter from my mother letting me know that she would be coming to my graduation. Until this point, I hadn't heard from my mother a good five or six years. Graduation came and I saw my mother once again, along with my sister. I can tell you that it was one of the happiest moments of my life because I truly felt my mothers love. However, this moment would soon fade as after graduation I didn't hear from my mother again until I received a phone call three years later from my sister.

My sister had called to let me know that my mother had passed away due to kidney failure and that the funeral would be in four days. At the time I was stationed in San Diego so I flew up to Illinois to attend the funeral. The funeral was rough, it was a mix of emotions and tears, however out of the situation I learned that my mother had always loved me more then words could describe. She kept pictures of me by her bed, she wrote me letters that were never sent because she felt ashamed of her actions and thought that a life without her would be a better life lived.

I learned two very important things from this experience; one is to never truly believe someone hates you, or doesn't love you until you hear it from their own mouths. I had gone through fifteen of years of my life thinking one thing about my mother, when in reality, it was the wrong thought all along. The other important thing that I learned and live by is telling people every day how much you love them and care for them. Even if you had bad experiences between each other that have set a huge gap in your relationship, be the bigger person and call to just say you love them. For if you do this, you will never have to live with regret that the last words you said, weren't said in love.