January 27th, 2011 started out like any normal day. My alarm woke me much earlier then I wanted to get up—time for class. After a biology lecture, it was 10:45. I received a call from my mom. I had not heard from her all day. The cell phone connection was lost mid call. I called her back. She told me my grandma was going to be taking her last breath soon. Time seemed to slow down on that walk back to my room. My breathing began to get heavy. The only thing running through my mind was her faint whisper from only two days before. “I love you,” she said. These three words are something that I will never forget.
When I got back to my room, I tried to take my mind off the news I knew was coming. Homework occupied my time. A buzz in my pocket told me some one was calling. It was my mom again. I did not want to answer it for I knew the news was not going to be good.
After we were through on the phone, I broke down: tears pouring uncontrollably down my face. I needed to clear my head. I needed to surf. I drove down to the beach. It was a beautiful day. Not a cloud in the sky, no wind, and the ocean was as blue as it gets. Time was of the essence though. I had another class to attend, so I wore my watch to make sure I wasn’t late. As I was walking down the trail, I checked the time. 1:45 PM. Finally, I was in the water paddling out through the channel. I was exactly where I felt I needed to be: in and amongst Mother Nature, where life and energy come together as one. It felt magical. The water on my face felt refreshing, and I could feel it wash away the dried tears on my cheeks. I looked up into the sky, and I knew my grandma was now in a better place, and being in the ocean was the closest I could get to her. I looked down at my watch again. However, peering back at me was just the reflection of the blue sky and my face. No time was being displayed anymore. I broke down again both crying and smiling. How could this be? Out of all the days I have had this watch, today it told me something much more important than the time. I am a believer in the saying “everything happens for a reason,” and this, I believe, was my grandma talking to me from Heaven. I don’t think she was telling me that time was up, but instead that time is not what is important. I believe that she was telling me to just enjoy my self, and the beautiful day we had been blessed with. And On a larger scale, enjoy what people had to offer and what you can learn from others. Time never has seemed so insignificant to me. I looked back down again into my reflection on the blank watch and told myself it’s MY time, better yet, OUR time to carry on my grandma’s legacy, and share with others what she was so kind enough to share with us.
Charlotte McLean was one of the most loving and caring human beings I have ever encountered in my life. Although she as a person is gone, the life lessons she has taught me are something I will remember forever.
Grandma, you will always have a very special place in my heart. I love you, don’t ever forget it.
What a fine human being she was.
