Summer Solstice
Wednesday, June 18th, 2012, just two days away from the summer solstice and my entire family and I have been waiting because it’s the day where we gather our closest friends and family members to have one giant outdoor barbecue to celebrate another year gone by without any tragedy or loss of a family member, It was almost like a tradition but it was more than just that. The barbecue is usually held in our village’s large outdoor valley, miles of the most beautiful flowers and the calmest views. We would set up tables that almost feel like goes a mile from end to end filled with the most delicious of all foods, all being homemade brought from whom ever is attending of course. My family spends every holiday together and would always have a blast but even though the summer solstice isn’t technically a holiday, it is still a very important date in my life. Of my eleven years living on this planet I have had the pleasure of having each year celebrating the Summer Solstice which means that every single year since I was born no one in our family had gone through a tragedy and we have been living life peacefully. This was going to be my twelfth year in a row of peace within the family, except…
Life had other plans.
My only other sibling, who is six years older than me had been falling sick on and off since the start of the New Year and it had started to concern my family and I for it felt very unusual. We’ve all been sick before but not like this, not to the extreme it had been hitting my sister. At her darkest times she would feel as if she couldn’t move and all she could do is scream and weep of all the pain that she was experiencing. No way of making her feel better, no way of calming her down and to say that everything was going to be ok and that all pain would end soon. Useless. That’s who I was, useless. My sister was everything to me, she was the who had taught me everything the world had to offer, more then what school could ever teach in a hundred years. Thankfully it’s been almost a full three weeks since the last time my sister had been ill and my family had felt that the pain and torture had finally ended and that the Summer Solstice celebration will go on as peace had finally returned. Coming to the realization that everything was going well it was time for some summer time relaxation and all I would think about was the perfect celebration as I was being tucked into bed.
Almost as if I was shocked by a lightning bolt I instantly woke up to the sound of my sister yelling out as loud as she could, my parents bolting to her room. Nose bleeding, stiff muscles, pale skin all reasons to drive to the emergency room. My father picked my sister up and ran to our 2008 Buick enclave, strapped her in and drove off with no time to waste. It was 3:43 so thankfully there weren’t many cars on the road to block my father and managed to make it to the hospital in 7 minutes. Leaving me home I didn’t know what to expect out of this, I was weeping for the thought of how much pain my sister must have been in at that time. Crawling back into my bed hoping and praying for what felt was an eternity I had closed my eyes and begged to see my sister back home in the morning when I would wake.
*Alarm Rings*
Waking up to the sound of ruffling trees and the light chirping of birds made me feel such a grand relief that I wasn’t listening to anyone in pain anymore. First thing I did after I had finished my morning routine of showering, eating, and changing cloths was to call my dad who was still in the hospital and ask if everything is alright. I was nervous but I had to know what happened, finally he picked up the phone and asked if I could give it to my mom. I ran over to her in the kitchen where she was making pot roast chicken for lunch. She started talking to dad over the phone and told me to go to the store and get some fruits, confused why she wanted me out so badly I ran to the store to buy some apples and oranges and then to quickly return home. Finally returning home I opened the door to see my mother sitting on the living room couch crying with my phone in her hand. “Mom what’s wrong? What happened?” With no replay I started getting even mad and even more nervous than ever. “MOM what happened please just tell me, I can handle it.” She finally opened her mouth and said one word. A word that had plagued so many families before us with grief and sorrow. “Cancer…”
All emotions, all thoughts drifting out of my head, I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t know what I could do. So I did the only thing I could do, I ran. I ran so fast and without a thought of where to go I ran. I ran to the outskirt of the village but I didn’t stop, I saw no stop for me so I just kept running. Exhausted and weak I fell to the floor to catch my breath, looking above as the sun was gleaming overhead bashing me with all of its energy. The heat of the sun began to feel like small needles constantly pricking my skin but I didn’t move, I didn’t flinch to the pain. Almost one hundred degrees out and I didn’t care, I in fact embraced it as it made me feel as if a slideshow of my favorite moments with my sister was just replaying right in front of my eyes. I didn’t realize at the time but I was so tired from running that I fell asleep, the wind so comforting, the grass so cool and moist, and the sun with a constant glare made me feel at ease.
Waking up I stared at the ceiling of my car. My dad had picked me up from the field I had fallen asleep on. Confused and desperate I cried and asked him “how, how did you know where to find me?” With a deep breath and long sigh “I knew were you where because your sister told me.” “She laid on the hospital bed asking me to go get you from the field because she knew that you would be there.” This was not the first time I ran away, and I had forgotten that the only person that has ever known where I ran to when I was afraid was my sister. She always came to get me when I ran because she would comfort me and always gets me back on my feet and always kept me in check.
“Where are we headed to dad?”
“To your sister, she has something to tell you and I hope that you will never forget what it is she wants to say. No matter what, never forget that your sister will
be and was always your best friend. Don’t let anyone or anything tell you otherwise.”
Coming up to the hospital we were escorted by a doctor to the elevators where he took us up to the fifth floor. The fifth floor of the hospital was the “ICU” floor, only thing is, at the time I didn’t know what “ICU” meant, so I had no idea what was coming for me. Opening the door to room 543, my sister laid patiently.
“I’m so glad you’re alright, I missed you so much.”
I gave her the biggest hug ever and started to cry.
“I knew you would be in the field, please remember, that no matter what happens I will always be there. I will always be right by your side like always and I’m so so sorry I can’t hold your hand to the store or to school anymore.”
Confused and shocked as ever I couldn’t say anything. I just stood there listening.
“I will always love you”
With that being said an obnoxious loud beep noise had started to ring and before I knew it I was being dragged by my dad out of the room but I couldn’t contain myself anymore. All I could do was cry and cry with no end in sight. I felt the need to run again but I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t run anymore because I know the she is right here, next to me because she promised and she never breaks her promise. Looking at my feet I say at a low tone "I love you." The Summer Solstice passed by us like it didn't mean anything to us, nothing special occurred on that day and I had learned that to always value what you have in every moment, not at a fake milestone like we my family had made up. Never take any moment for granted and you will always be in peace with yourself.
The End
