I am 19 years old and in this lifetime I only have one regret in my life. When they said 2020 was the worst year for many people. They weren’t kidding. My father took a bad fall and was admitted to the hospital, my mother started to get Alzheimer’s which gets worst, Covid starts to peak, and I mentally become depressed. Throughout the year I would visit my father a few times and answer his calls a few as well. Most of the time I ignored it and didn’t want to talk. I couldn’t see him in such a weak state. So fragile. I had a choice to visit him one last time but I said I will do it later because I needed to get a shot to do in person schooling. I thought I had more time but clearly not when a month later I found out he died 2 days after his passing through Facebook. That killed me. I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye and he died probably thinking I didn’t love him. It still kills me. Please take the time to cherish those around you and be with the people you love.

I was at home with my family, (mom, dad and little sister) and we were talking around the table. My dad spoke up and he said “Girls, I just signed us up and payed for a weekend at family camp!” My little sister and I looked at each-other and we groaned. “Why do we have to go to that?” My dad kind of had a hurt look on his face and he said “To spend time with family and to enjoy those around us. I thought you wanted to go.” I replied, “Dad, none of my friends are going. Do we have to go? I hate playing the family games and everything is boring.” So we ended up going to the camp, my little sister and I didn’t have a great time and we complained about it a lot while we were there. Looking back, I feel really bad about complaining. My dad only wanted to have a good time with us, and I couldn’t see the bright side. I still feel regret to this day for complaining. My dad probably doesn’t even remember it but I do and it makes me sad and angry at myself for grumbling. Him and I have a great relationship, but it still pains me to think about how ungrateful I was during that time. I was a spoiled child and I couldn’t go a second without thinking about myself.

• April 19, 2023