Dear Auntie Do,
To be quite honest, this is my fifth time writing this letter, Not because I don’t have much to say, but the opposite. I want to write to you about so much, and sometimes I quickly can get off-topic. It has been three years since your passing, and life has been a roller coaster ever since you left. In the back of my head, I have no idea how I made it this far without you, and as the years go by, I learn more about the past and what I can do to improve the future. I will share four things that helped me get through these years.
1. Independence
After your passing, I had to learn to be independent sooner than expected. I was going into my senior of high school, and life wasn’t easy during that time. Balancing a job, school, running, expenses, social life, etc., was a lot for me, and I was overwhelmed every day. I barely had any free time and always had something to do one right after the other. But it taught me to be vigilant and understand that adult life is generally busy. It had been brought to my attention, at a young age, to learn how to manage my time better and be on top of things. Of course, all of these responsibilities can be overwhelming, but it gets easier with a productive mindset and striving to succeed. Later on, I graduated high school and went off to college. I am currently going into my junior year of college at Misericordia University while majoring in sports management. I wish you were here (physically) to see the success I have made so far, but I am grateful for having you who taught me the strive to succeed.
2. Unpredictability
Life can be unpredictable, and sometimes you just have to go with the flow. I wish you didn’t pass away, and I will always be saddened that you left so soon. But after going through this experience, I have learned that anything can happen at any moment. We cannot always control what is happening around us, but we can control what we make of it. Of course, I wanted you to be there for my high school graduation, I wanted you to be there when I left for college, and I wanted you to experience the success and progress I am making, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. I realized that life could bring you to an unpredicted future, and all you can do is progress through it. I truly believe that God also is the One who controls what will happen next and knows it is for the right intentions.
3. Understanding
Growing up, I did not think of this particular thought, but now that I am older, I have started to understand your life even more. I know you went through so much, and acknowledging all the stressful moments you had, made me admire you even more. From the loss of your husband, sister (my mother), parents, and dealing with bipolar disorder, it brings to my attention that you sacrificed so much to give us the best childhood as much as you possibly can. I am genuinely grateful for that and wish you had more time in this world. Being in very similar shoes, I’ve begun to understand your difficulties and know that life will continue peacefully if I make it that way.
4. Acceptance
These past few years have been difficult, and even though life will not be the same again, the best I can do is accept what happened and move forward. Life is not always easy, but I’ve realized we cannot change the past. All we can do is make each day a better one.
I miss you, Auntie Do. Please know that you have a special place in my heart. I hope you’re resting well. <3<3<3
Love,
Tony
To be quite honest, this is my fifth time writing this letter, Not because I don’t have much to say, but the opposite. I want to write to you about so much, and sometimes I quickly can get off-topic. It has been three years since your passing, and life has been a roller coaster ever since you left. In the back of my head, I have no idea how I made it this far without you, and as the years go by, I learn more about the past and what I can do to improve the future. I will share four things that helped me get through these years.
1. Independence
After your passing, I had to learn to be independent sooner than expected. I was going into my senior of high school, and life wasn’t easy during that time. Balancing a job, school, running, expenses, social life, etc., was a lot for me, and I was overwhelmed every day. I barely had any free time and always had something to do one right after the other. But it taught me to be vigilant and understand that adult life is generally busy. It had been brought to my attention, at a young age, to learn how to manage my time better and be on top of things. Of course, all of these responsibilities can be overwhelming, but it gets easier with a productive mindset and striving to succeed. Later on, I graduated high school and went off to college. I am currently going into my junior year of college at Misericordia University while majoring in sports management. I wish you were here (physically) to see the success I have made so far, but I am grateful for having you who taught me the strive to succeed.
2. Unpredictability
Life can be unpredictable, and sometimes you just have to go with the flow. I wish you didn’t pass away, and I will always be saddened that you left so soon. But after going through this experience, I have learned that anything can happen at any moment. We cannot always control what is happening around us, but we can control what we make of it. Of course, I wanted you to be there for my high school graduation, I wanted you to be there when I left for college, and I wanted you to experience the success and progress I am making, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. I realized that life could bring you to an unpredicted future, and all you can do is progress through it. I truly believe that God also is the One who controls what will happen next and knows it is for the right intentions.
3. Understanding
Growing up, I did not think of this particular thought, but now that I am older, I have started to understand your life even more. I know you went through so much, and acknowledging all the stressful moments you had, made me admire you even more. From the loss of your husband, sister (my mother), parents, and dealing with bipolar disorder, it brings to my attention that you sacrificed so much to give us the best childhood as much as you possibly can. I am genuinely grateful for that and wish you had more time in this world. Being in very similar shoes, I’ve begun to understand your difficulties and know that life will continue peacefully if I make it that way.
4. Acceptance
These past few years have been difficult, and even though life will not be the same again, the best I can do is accept what happened and move forward. Life is not always easy, but I’ve realized we cannot change the past. All we can do is make each day a better one.
I miss you, Auntie Do. Please know that you have a special place in my heart. I hope you’re resting well. <3<3<3
Love,
Tony