There use to be a time when everything was great.
When there were no tears, no pain, just laughter.
Grandpa was a lucky man, but when the battle
started luck was the only thing that made him go
to treatment every day. There were times that
I found grandpa sitting on the swinging swing
talking to whoever was listing… gazing up at the
stars. I often wondered why he was talking when no
one could hear him. He told me that he talked to god
to the stars. And one night he showed me this star
that was the smallest, but the brightest in the midnight
sky. He said that he could relate to it in many ways.
Even though it was the smallest it still helped light
the sky. He said that even though he was getting weaker
he still had much to offer. We sat there for what I wished
would have been forever.


Grandpa died a month later 2 weeks before my 10th birthday.
Grandpa was gone but I remembered what he told me before
he left. There were three things he told me before he died…one
that even I wouldn’t see him he would always be watching over me
two…he told me that whenever I missed him to find the brightest star
in the sky and think of him… and three he loved me. I never forgot any
of them. He was the first thing I thought about when I woke up and the
last thing before I went to bed.


One night I stood outside near the fire…everyone had went to bed
yet I couldn’t bring myself to fall asleep. I missed grandpa too much
it was my 16th birthday and while it was a good time I wished that
grandpa could have been there. Knowing what I did I looked up at
the sky, trying to find grandpa’s star. Eventually I did and I thought
about him and the years we had together. A smile broke across my
face that night… just like it is right now as I sit here and write this.
I was talking to the sky just like I had saw grandpa do in those months
he was sick. Hoping that grandpa was listing to me.
And then out of nowhere I heard this voice. I spun around my
blanket flowing behind me as I did. And I was brought to my knees
at who I saw. Because who I saw had be gone for years. Grandpa
just stood there without saying anything. He smiled though as he had
years early. Tears slide down my face…tears of joy. Light surrounded and
glittered all around him. I think I cried some more. Knowing that grandpa
would have to leave like he did when I was nine. Then his lips opened and
he gave me the most amazing sweet 16th birthday a present a girl could have wanted.
“Happy 16th birthday, Kayla, bye”

I grinned and smiled. Before I could say anything he winked and disappeared in a
flash of light. I stood there for a moment not sure if this had really just happened.
If it did or not I was happy that I could see his smile a grin to hear his voice one more
time. I looked up at the star that was the smallest but brightest in the sky. It twinkled
just like grandpa’s eyes. And I knew that grandpa had been here. Grandpa had kept his
promise. He was watching over me, and always will be.